Sport-Scan Daily Brief

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 01/29/19 Anaheim Ducks Dallas Stars 1127969 NHL All-Star player poll: Who is the best American in the 1127999 5 things to know about Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, NHL right now? including his impressively athletic family 1128000 Flashback: Did Jamie Oleksiak improve with the Arizona Coyotes Pittsburgh Penguins? 1127970 Arizona Coyotes generating NHL playoff buzz after surge 1128001 Flashback: Departure of Jamie Oleksiak allows fans to talk in standings about a lot of issues surrounding Stars 1127971 Stepan shining in shutdown role for Coyotes 1128002 What Jamie Oleksiak trade means for the Stars, and the biggest unmarked checkbox that remains for GM Jim Nill Boston Bruins 1128003 Stars trade for Jamie Oleksiak in mirror of last season’s 1127972 Bruins put Tuukka Rask on injured reserve with deal concussion 1127973 Bruins notebook: Tuukka Rask on injured reserve, may be Detroit Red Wings back soon 1128004 With eye on run at playoffs in 2019-20, Red Wings might 1127974 Trent Frederic is next man up for Bruins stand pat at trade deadline 1127975 Tuukka Rask placed on injured reserve, and more Bruins 1128005 Q&A: Red Wings GM Ken Holland discusses the state of transactions the franchise, his rebuild vision and Jeff Blashill’s fut 1127976 As Bruins gather for second half, adding help at center remains their biggest priority Edmonton Oilers 1127977 In an age of analytics, Bruce Cassidy still finds value in his 1128006 JONES: Nicholson vows to get it right for Edmonton Oilers hand-written notecards this time 1128007 Connor McDavid wants to be part of the solution Buffalo Sabres 1128008 Willis: An Oilers blueprint for the 2019 NHL trade deadline 1127978 Guhle's team wins AHL All-Star Classic 1127979 Sabres Notebook: Jeff Skinner, Jack Eichel avoid injuries Florida Panthers in collision 1128009 The heir apparent: Panthers see growth in goalie of the 1127980 Casey Mittelstadt looks to pick up where he left off before future Samuel Montembeault Sabres break 1127981 Four-forward approach another option for Sabres' Los Angeles Kings slumping power play 1128010 Kings trade Jake Muzzin to Maple Leafs for two prospects, 1127982 Sabres All-Stars Eichel, Skinner unhurt after close call in 1st-round pick collision at practice 1128011 With Jake Muzzin gone, who could the Kings trade next? 1127983 Brendan Guhle's steady development lands him in AHL 1128013 TRADE WINDS BLOW OPEN MONDAY; ROSTER All-Star Classic RECONSTRUCTION COMMENCES 1128014 KINGS TRADE MUZZIN TO LEAFS FOR FIRST ROUND Calgary Flames PICK, GRUNDSTROM, RIGHTS TO DURZI 1127984 Flames reflect on when they started to believe 1127985 LeBrun: The buyers, the sellers and who’s available ahead Minnesota Wild of the trade deadline 1128015 Devan Dubnyk named NHL's third star of the week 1128016 Wild Walkthrough: How Jordan Greenway is finding his Chicago Blackhawks stride 1127988 After a 'special' run with Team USA at the World Juniors, Blackhawks prospect Evan Barratt returns to Penn Sta Montreal Canadiens 1127989 Jonathan Toews thinks Alex DeBrincat could be ‘future 1128017 Former Canadiens player Gerry Plamondon dies at 95 leader of a hockey club’ 1128018 Ex-Montreal Canadiens player Tomas Plekanec sues over 1127990 How Dylan Sikura is dealing with NHL growing pains and $200,000 loan rediscovering his confidence 1128019 What the Puck: All tweaks aside, improved Habs aren't 1127991 How does Alex DeBrincat customize his stick? The same Cup contenders way he always has 1128020 The route Carey Price took to find his way back to elite status Colorado Avalanche 1128021 Alex Belzile has gone from ECHL healthy scratch to AHL 1127992 Avalanche draft pick Cale Makar could be just months All-Star, so why give up on his dream now? away from beginning his NHL career … in the playoffs 1127993 Easy as 1, 2, 3: Hat tricks on the rise this season Nashville Predators 1128022 LeBrun: The buyers, the sellers and who’s available ahead Columbus Blue Jackets of the trade deadline 1127994 Blue Jackets | Alexander Wennberg reaches out to Martin St. Louis New Jersey Devils 1127995 Blue Jackets: Artemi Panarin says he won't talk about 1128023 New Jersey Devils vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: LIVE score contract until after season updates and chat (1/28/19) 1127996 Columbus Blue Jackets: 'Banged up' Seth Jones doesn't 1128024 ravis Zajac's 4-point night helps NJ Devils over Penguins practice but is expected to play Tuesday 1128025 How they line up: NJ Devils’ Keith Kinkaid gets nod 1127997 Artemi Panarin declines to talk contract extension with against Penguins Blue Jackets before trade deadline, will likely be tra 1128026 Devils continue surprising dominance over Penguins 1127998 ‘Frustrated’ John Tortorella wants Martin St. Louis to help him communicate with struggling offensive player(s New York Islanders Pittsburgh Penguins 1128027 From ridiculous to realistic, 21 potential targets for the 1128058 Penguins coach Mike Sullivan mulls changes to stop flood Islanders at the trade deadline of shorthanded goals against 1128059 Penguins' woes against last-place teams continue with New York Rangers loss to Devils 1128028 Former Islander wants to remain part of Rangers’ solution 1128060 Penguins trade Jamie Oleksiak back to Dallas for fourth- 1128029 Mats Zuccarello’s likely Rangers goodbye is not starting round draft pick well 1128061 Rested Penguins set to tackle troubles against last-place 1128030 Rangers coach David Quinn hopes pre-break momentum teams continues 1128062 NHL awards piling up for Penguins captain Sidney Crosby 1128063 'Drastic' changes to Penguins power play loom after NHL another shorthanded goal 1128031 Coyotes fight through injuries to remain in playoff picture 1128064 Poor showing against Devils ‘concerning’ for Penguins 1128032 One Seattle product starred in the NHL All-Star Game. 1128065 Penguins GM critical of protocol in Oleksiak-Wilson fight Two more are on the horizon. 1128066 Rutherford: Penguins have 'options' for potential next deal 1128033 Seattle’s NHL franchise needs a top minor-league affiliate. 1128067 Dave Molinari’s Penguins Report Card: New Jersey 6, And they’re going to own that team, too Penguins 3 1128068 Back on the top line, Dominik Simon looking to click again Ottawa Senators with Sidney Crosby 1128034 Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame announces 2019 inductees 1128069 Mike Sullivan suggests changes are coming after an 1128035 Colin White should be ready to return Friday against embarrassing loss to Devils Penguins 1128070 Discussion – Devils at Penguins 1128036 How Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s return and a slight defensive 1128071 Five questions with Matt Cullen on being the old guy adjustment are responsible for Sens recent success San Jose Sharks Philadelphia Flyers 1128072 Will Sharks' goaltending be a strength or weakness during 1128038 Carter Hart gives Flyers a break after the break | Bob Ford stretch run? 1128039 Can Flyers coach Scott Gordon get past ‘interim' status? | Sam Donnellon St Louis Blues 1128040 Carter Hart, Travis Konecny lead Flyers past Jets for 4th 1128073 Blues mailbag: Does Jaden Schwartz need a change of straight win scenery? 1128041 Chuck Fletcher: Claude Giroux virtually Flyers' only untouchable Tampa Bay Lightning 1128042 Flyers look relaxed, sharp in fourth straight win 1128074 Extended breather was nice, now back to work for 1128043 Chuck Fletcher: Claude Giroux is the Flyers’ only Lightning ‘untouchable’ 1128075 It’s been a while, so here’s a reminder: The Lightning is 1128044 Staying on right track Flyers’ goal down the stretch good 1128045 Hart's steady beat has Flyers in a groove; Beat Jets for 1128076 Watching an NHL game between the benches: Sights, 4th-straight win sounds, danger of a ‘whole different world’ 1128046 Flyers Notebook: You've got to have Hart ... but somebody else, too Toronto Maple Leafs 1128047 Parent: Flyers' Chuck Fletcher emerges from hibernation, 1128077 Dubas gets his defenceman: Maple Leafs acquire Muzzin seems warm to trading task in trade with Kings 1128048 Imagine if Carter Hart arrived before having to clean up 1128079 Jake Muzzin deal should thrill Maple Leafs fans, and Flyers' mess Morgan Rielly too 1128049 Flyers 3, Jets 1: Carter Hart keeps rolling out of break to 1128080 Maple Leafs beef up blue line, acquire defenceman Jake lead season-best 4th straight win Muzzin from Kings 1128050 Flyers' Shayne Gostisbehere a last-minute scratch vs. 1128081 Many Leafs find charity is a place where assisting is the Jets with lower-body injury goal, and a rewarding one at that 1128051 Chuck Fletcher on the future of Wayne Simmonds and 1128082 Maple Leafs’ answers come playoff time might have to who's untouchable come from within 1128052 Flyers vs. Jets: Live stream, storylines, game time and 1128083 A first-round gamble Maple Leafs could afford more 1128084 Maple Leafs acquire defenceman Jake Muzzin from Los 1128053 An inside look at Jack Hughes, the top NHL draft prospect Angeles Flyers fans are craving 1128085 GET TO KNOW YOUR MAPLE LEAFS: 20 questions with 1128054 Flyers 5 takeaways: Carter Hart continues to fuel his Zach Hyman teammates 1128086 Mirtle: How much better are the Maple Leafs after the 1128055 Chuck Fletcher says Flyers ‘could both buy and sell’ at Jake Muzzin trade? trade deadline 1128087 NHL Trade Grades: Jake Muzzin trade ‘a hell of a deal’ for 1128056 Flyers vs. Jets: Game 49 preview, line combinations, Maple Leafs broadcast info 1128088 John Snowden takes over behind Growlers bench for 1128057 Mikhail Vorobyev among those getting new opportunity friend Ryane Clowe under difficult circumstances with Flyers 1128089 ‘Without her sacrifices, I wouldn’t be here’: Timothy Liljegren owes his hockey success to his mom 1128090 ‘Nobody wanted me’: Scott Pooley’s inexplicable journey from failure and rejection to Leafs prospect Vancouver Canucks 1128103 Patrick Johnston: Biega stays upbeat, despite rare Canucks’ calls to play 1128104 Canucks prospects tracker: Woo a road warrior on western trip Vegas Golden Knights 1128091 Golden Knights centers describe keys to faceoff success 1128092 Golden Knights to ‘get away’ and make the most out of well-earned break Washington Capitals 1128093 Jonas Siegenthaler has already forced his way into the Capitals' lineup, and he might be there to stay 1128094 Take a look at the Capitals' All-Star weekend getaway guide 1128095 NHL Power Rankings: Time to get back on track Websites 1128105 The Athletic / What could threaten all the optimism surrounding CBA talks? 1128106 The Athletic / LeBrun: The buyers, the sellers and who’s available ahead of the trade deadline 1128107 The Athletic / NHL All-Star player poll: Who is the best American in the NHL right now? 1128108 The Athletic / DGB weekend power rankings: The women steal the show during All-Star weekend 1128109 Sportsnet.ca / Muzzin acquisition ticks all the boxes for Maple Leafs 1128110 Sportsnet.ca / What the Maple Leafs gave up to acquire Jake Muzzin from Kings 1128111 Sportsnet.ca / Three things we learned in the NHL: Brossoit's streak is no more 1128112 TSN.CA / Maple Leafs acquire veteran blueliner Muzzin from Kings 1128113 TSN.CA / Deadline War Room: Jets on mission for No. 2 centre 1128114 TSN.CA / It’s time to put a few more minutes on the OT clock 1128115 USA TODAY / Kendall Coyne Schofield lands NBC hockey gig after impressing at All-Star skills event Winnipeg Jets 1128096 Flyers faster, more desperate in 3-1 win over Jets 1128097 Weise wears out welcome with Flyers, but club has plenty of patience for Patrick 1128098 Jets begin busy stretch with game in Philly tonight 1128099 JETS GAME DAY: No Rask for Bruins as Winnipeg pays visit to Boston 1128100 Jets come out flat in first game after break, lose to Flyers 1128101 ‘I’m going to bust my ass’: Wheeler ready to lead the way during tough stretch for Jets 1128102 Mark Stone and the Jets are a good fit — but is the price to acquire him too steep?

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1127969 Anaheim Ducks “He keeps improving,” Pavelski said. “His game is at a high level already. To bring that high level every night, with that consistency — it just doesn’t happen. He’s putting the work in trying to find ways to improve and show NHL All-Star player poll: Who is the best American in the NHL right now? up every night. That’s the biggest thing.”

In picking Kane, Wheeler suggested that it was going to take team success to go with impressive individual numbers to push Kane out of the By Craig Custance Jan 28, 2019 top spot.

“Somebody is going to have to win a couple of Cups… to change that answer,” Wheeler said. SAN JOSE, Calif. – Joe Pavelski smiled immediately when presented with the question. This is a player, you can tell, who enjoys a good 2. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames (votes from Howard, Eichel, Kane) debate. There’s a legit Hart Trophy case to be made for Gaudreau, whose line in “That’s a great question,” he said, before immediately coming up with an Calgary has been absolutely dominant this season. Gaudreau is going to answer. blow past career bests in goals and points. He earned Howard’s vote (after much deliberation) for his ability to take over games this season. “Ummmm,” Patrick Kane said, thinking the same one over. “That’s a good question.” “I’d put him with Sid and Connor with the way he can change the game,” Howard said. “It’s tough,” Jack Eichel answered while giving it some thought. The secret? “That’s a tough one. I don’t know if I can answer that,” Jimmy Howard said. “He’s deceptive,” Howard answered. “For a little guy out there on the ice, he’s really slippery. He uses a smaller stick. I don’t know if that has The All-Star Game in San Jose was just the latest showcase of the anything to do with it. When you think you’ve got him, he can slip growing American star power in the game of hockey. Ten years from through.” now, the moment people will remember is U.S. gold medalist Kendall Coyne Schofield rocketing down the ice during the fastest skater That ability was fresh in Eichel’s mind when he voted for Gaudreau. competition and capturing the imagination of how this hockey spotlight could one day be reimagined. You had John Carlson winning the hardest “We just played him in Calgary,” Eichel said. “It seemed like every time shot competition. Johnny Gaudreau winning the puck control. Eichel just he touched it, he could have made something happen… he’s having the behind Connor McDavid’s fastest skater pace. Auston Matthews best year.” entertaining the crowd with his Patrick Marleau jersey. Cam Atkinson 3. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs (votes from Keller, Gibson) popping in goals during the actual games at an impressive pace. Matthews earned numerous mentions from players on the panel while The big stage of an All-Star Game highlights the players but it’s been they were considering an answer and might have earned a few more going on all season. Gaudreau has as many points and goals as votes if he were on the ice all season. If he played in all 49 Maple Leafs McDavid. Kane is five points short of his point total from all of last games this season at his current scoring rate, he’d have 29 goals to go season. He’s averaging 1.42 points per game at 30 years old, well past with 60 points. That goal total would pull him even with Kane and his career average (1.03). Matthews is scoring at a rate that would put Gaudreau. him at 50 goals over the course of a full 82-game season. John Gibson might just be the MVP. “He’s such a skilled player and has an unbelievable shot,” said Keller in explaining his vote for Matthews. “He makes players around him better.” With all that in mind, it seemed the perfect time to pose the question: Who is the best American in the NHL right now? Keller has played with Matthews internationally and said he was impressed, even as a teenager, with how even keeled he was. Nothing With Canada, it’s a little easier. It’s probably a two-horse race. As the seems to rattle him. responses above suggest, it’s not quite as easy to narrow it down to just one when you’re talking about the best American in hockey right now. “He never let adversity get to him,” Keller said. “Whether he didn’t score But we asked a panel of All-Stars to do it anyways and explain their on a shift or missed an open net, he was the same throughout the entire thoughts. The results are below: game.”

Our All-Star panel: Kyle Palmieri, Jimmy Howard, Cam Atkinson, Jack “I just think he’s dynamic,” Gibson said in picking Matthews. “He’s a big Eichel, Auston Matthews, Johnny Gaudreau, Clayton Keller, John guy who has hands like that. He has a quick release. It seems like he can Gibson, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Kane, Blake Wheeler always get that shot off with high velocity and pretty accurate. He puts all the tools together.” 1. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (votes from Atkinson, Matthews, Pavelski, Palmieri, Wheeler) 4. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks (vote from Gaudreau)

We’re at this point in Kane’s career: His fellow All-Stars share stories Gibson is the best American goalie in the game and we probably could about growing up and watching highlights of him as a kid. Matthews said take out the country modifier at this point. No goalie has faced more he’d spend hours and hours on YouTube, watching highlights of players shots than Gibson has this season with 1,361 and he’s really the only like Sidney Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin but rational reason why the Ducks are still in the wild card hunt right now. it was the Kane highlights that got the most viewings. “Gibby over there in Anaheim is playing out of his mind,” Gaudreau said. “He was probably at the top of the list of people I watched the most,” “He’s a great goaltender and a great teammate. I played with him a Matthews said. couple times and always enjoyed playing with him.”

That was part of Matthews’ reasoning in picking Kane as the best What makes him so tough? American in the NHL right now — his longevity as one of the game’s best players: “It’s so tough to go against him. Just what he’s done throughout “He sees the puck so well,” Gaudreau said. “He makes the first save and his whole career, every year it seems like he’s getting better and better. he doesn’t give up rebounds. And he’s made some incredible saves.” He’s having an unbelievable year, he’s been red hot lately.” Honorable mention:

Kane was already having a nice season and skyrocketed in January. He Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins – Kane ultimately picked Gaudreau but put up 21 points in 10 games this month and is on pace for 116 points, it sure sounded like he wanted to go with Kessel initially. Kessel has 53 which would be the second time he eclipsed 100 points in his career. In a points in 48 games this season, point production that is just off a career- time it’s generally accepted that a player’s peak is much earlier than high pace. Kane’s age right now (30), it’s even more impressive that he could turn in his best statistical season. Pavelski attributed that to a player who has “The first guy who comes to mind is Phil Kessel,” Kane said when found a way to play at a high level with high consistency. considering his answer. “He’s had an unbelievable career, winning a couple Cups there in Pittsburgh. He’s always been a fun player for me to watch.” The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127970 Arizona Coyotes "The Arizona Coyotes have every possible reason and every possible excuse to be out of contention for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Thanks to some strong defensive play, some good Arizona Coyotes generating NHL playoff buzz after surge in standings goaltending, and a lot of help from the teams around them they are most definitely not out of contention for a playoff spot."

Arizona Republic LOADED: 01.29.2019 STAFF

The Arizona Coyotes have a 23-23-4 record at the All-Star break, giving them 50 points in the standings.

That puts them just two points out of a wildcard playoff berth in the Western Conference.

The Coyotes, who are off for the All-Star break, went 6-2-2 over their last ten games. If they keep up that pace, that could reach the NHL playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

Check out what NHL writers are saying about the team's postseason chances with 32 games remaining in the regular season.

"What makes the Coyotes' recent run more impressive is that it has come at time when they have overrun by injuries. Goalie Antti Raanta and forward Nick Schmaltz are likely out for the year and forwards Christian Dvorak and Brad Richardson have been sidelined. Now defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson is day-to-day. Yet optimism remains."

Could the Arizona Coyotes make the 2019 NHL playoffs?

"Coaching at any level requires some salesmanship, and the Coyotes are buying the main products Tocchet has been pushing: opportunity and belief. Stick with the system and you’ll have a chance to win on most nights. And if you’re a player whose role has been created or expanded because of injuries to others, seize the chance."

Scout gives the Coyotes a B for the seasonso far and a 12.5 percent chance at making the playoffs.

"At 23-23-4 the Coyotes are exceeding expectations. The combined projected win total based on per game money lines is 22.4 wins. If you consider winning as a clear-cut underdog or winning by 2+ goals as a slight favorite, then they have 15 good wins vs 7 bad losses. They have been better than expected on the road. Their 14-11-1 road record is +15% better than their expected win percentage. Their record over the last 3 weeks and win% (6-3-2, 55%) is better than their expected 43% win percentage. In simulations where the Coyotes played every other team (neutral ice in playoffs) they won just 38.5% of the time (#29 in the league). They have moved up from #31 in the league back on 1/4. Their record should be slightly better. Their average goal differential is -0.22 which ranks #20 in the league, but their rank based on points (per game) is #21. This is a relatively better road team than a home team. They are the #15 ranked team in goal differential in road games, vs #25 in home games. Based on goal differential, they are trending up. Their average goal differential in their past 7 games is -0.14 (#16 over this stretch)."

NBC Sports did a list of the 10 people who will impact the NHL playoff race and the Coyotes'John Chayka was ranked No. 10.

"Given everything this team has dealt with this season from an injury standpoint they should probably already be long eliminated from playoff contention. No one would blame them or give it a second thought if they were. But they’re not. They’re not because the second half of the West playoff field is wide open, and because Rick Tocchet has them playing a strong, defensive game that is limiting chances in front of a surprising goaltending performance from backup Darcy Kuemper. And that might complicate things for general manager Chayka because he now has to decide whether or not to buy, sell, or stay the course. They are not in a position to be serious buyers quite yet, but you also don’t want to punt on the chance to make the playoffs when you have not been there in several years." rotoworld.com's Michael Finewax writes that the Coyotes are coming on strong.

"The Coyotes are 11th in the West and only two points out of a playoff spot. They have played quite well lately with a 6-2-2 record and are coming on strong. They need goal scoring as they have only 132 in 50 games."

NBC Sports' Adam Gretz says to keep an eye on the Coyotes in the postseason race. 1127971 Arizona Coyotes well together (Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak). McDavid and Crosby are similar in the sense that instead of skating backward you get up tight on them and try to just skate with them. You Stepan shining in shutdown role for Coyotes might be off our system a little bit but just take them and cover them. With McDavid, especially in Edmonton, we really stay tight to him all the time, almost like an old-school shadow, but Marner is more like you trust that ‘Hammer’ has him so let’s find his options and make sure we don’t By Craig Morgan Jan 28, 2019 give him a look because he can make those plays.”

It sounds simple enough, but in a free-flowing, fast-moving game where Derek Stepan didn’t mince words when asked to assess his performance situations change quickly, the reads and decisions must keep pace. at the midpoint of the season. Sometimes, it goes awry, like a 7-1 loss to the Calgary Flames on Jan. 13 in which seven Flames had two or more points. “I have stunk, if I’m being blunt,” Stepan said in early January. “It’s a results-based league. I’m not producing results.” “That one got away from us and there was no matching going on,” Stepan said, laughing. At that point, the Coyotes center had eight goals and 17 points in 41 games. The Calgary game, however, is the only one of 11 January games in which the Coyotes have allowed more than three goals. The team has Stepan’s production level has picked up a bit in January. He has two been defending well this month, and Stepan has had a major hand in that goals and six points in his past nine games, which is on pace with his success. career, per-game numbers. The Coyotes will need that level of production over the final 32 games of the season, but when center Brad “You have to have a high hockey IQ and that’s why Step has done a Richardson became the latest in a long line of key Coyotes casualties really good job in that role,” Tocchet said. “It’s on the fly, too. It’s split- after blocking a shot with his hand against the Vancouver Canucks on second decisions. It’s not like you get to Watch video and then say, ‘OK, Jan. 10, Stepan did what many of his teammates have done during this I’ll do this. It’s a tough job for these guys.” surprising 6-2-2 stretch. He adapted to a new reality and a new role as a Stepan has always been a hockey junkie. Many of the Coyotes’ younger matchup center against opponents’ top forwards. players use him as a sounding board for ideas and analysis because he In doing so, he found another way to produce. He prevented opponents studies the game so intently. That open line of communication and from producing. Stepan’s knowledge of the league serve him well in this matchup role.

“It’s a big challenge and especially the last two, three weeks he has really “I watch a ton of hockey,” he said. “It’s not so much that I watch film on accepted it,” coach Rick Tocchet said on the team’s recent three-game the lines before the game but when we go over our team film they might road trip through Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. “When you’re going show something that I’ll remember from watching a player and then I’ll against other top guys, your antennas are up. You’ve got to prepare think, ‘Yeah, that’s one of his tendencies.’ It might be something I have yourself. seen it in the past and I’ll mention it to (linemates) Vinnie (Hinostroza) and ‘Pans’ (Richard Panik). “I’m not saying that if you don’t play in that role you shouldn’t have your antennas up anyways. It just seems to me that before the game you can “On the PK, too, (assistant coach) Scottie Allen goes over a lot of stuff so just tell, he’s ready. He’s a details guy as it is, but he really homes in on you can understand a player likes to make a certain play so you can sit details. He makes sure he is above people. If there is a time to go for a on it and make him do something he’s not comfortable with. For example, play, go for it. I don’t want us to play defensive, but just be responsible on the power play, Marner likes to show like he’s going to take a slapper and have a conscience when we don’t have the puck.” and then he kind of slap-passes it to Matthews. In the game, we were just sitting on it so he couldn’t do it. Stepan held a similar role for many seasons with the New York Rangers. “Sometimes, this stuff can seem boring and super deep in the details, but “The majority of my career, I’ve been matched up against those top lines it’s how I operate. Patrice Bergeron is one of the best in the league at this so it’s something that I’m comfortable with and I’ve seemed to have and he probably says, ‘No, I just go out and play.’ I don’t have that luxury. success,” he said. I’m not Patrice Bergeron so I have to take every advantage I can find.”

But in the seven games since Richardson’s injury, Stepan has been A Stepan snapshot charged with the likes of Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, San Jose’s Logan Couture, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby, Toronto’s John Tavares and A look at some of Derek Stepan’s assignments since Brad Richardson Montreal’s Max Domi. It’s a hell of a way to make a living. went down, and the opponents’ production levels.

“It’s kind of what our whole group has done in here,” Stepan said. Player, Stats, Result “There’s guys playing in different spots and guys that needed to step up Connor McDavid, 1 goal, Arizona 3, Edmonton 2 in different roles. With ‘Richie’ being gone — he’s obviously a big loss for us — the role switches over to me a little bit to defend against top lines. Logan Couture, 1 PP goal, Arizona 6, San Jose 3 I’m no different than guys that are filling in roles throughout the lineup. I have to step up. Evander Kane, 1 goal, Arizona 6, San Jose 3

“I talk about this with our team, too. When we’re defending well we Sidney Crosby, 1 PP assist, Pittsburgh 3, Arizona 2 actually get more offense out of it because we’re defending the right way. Mitch Marner, 1 assist, Arizona 4, Toronto 2 That’s the way our system is set up. When we do get a turnover or an opportunity, we’re able to play fast and take advantage of it.” John Tavares, 1 goal, Arizona 4, Toronto 2

Stepan’s assignments are never as simple as shadowing an opponent’s Max Domi, 0 points, Montreal 2, Arizona 1 center and keeping him in check. The Coyotes’ defensive structure requires different assignments for different scenarios, so Stepan may The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 have to keep an eye on players such as San Jose’s Evander Kane and Toronto’s Mitch Marner.

“In Toronto, it was about trying to understand where Marner is all the time because he’s so dangerous, but not only that. You also have to understand that he has a tendency to look for 91 (Tavares),” Stepan said. “When you’re preparing for the game you say, ‘OK, Marner is dangerous and we’ve got to make sure we’re on him, but at the same time, if ‘Hammer’ (Niklas Hjalmarsson) is on Marner, my next thought is, ‘Where is 91? That’s where he is probably going to be looking to make the play.

“Each night is different. Each line has its strengths or tendencies. McDavid is different than going against a Boston line that plays extremely 1127972 Boston Bruins his teammate by some 20 pounds, might be more effective against Winnipeg, Philadelphia, and Washington, three of the heavier teams in hockey.

Bruins put Tuukka Rask on injured reserve with concussion If Frederic, who turns 21 next month, doesn’t show something in the next couple weeks, it would be appropriate for Sweeney to make a move for outside help. It doesn’t appear Donato (6-3—9 and a team-worst minus- By Matt Porter 11 in 34 games) is the answer at second-line wing.

JANUARY 29, 2019 Donato, who was scratched before the break and spent most of November in Providence, was returned for more seasoning. He was the

odd winger out with the return of Joakim Nordstrom. The Swedish Army With Tuukka Rask sidelined at least one game coming out of the All-Star Knife practiced for the first time since a non-displaced fibula fracture in break, the Bruins’ net belongs to Jaroslav Halak. the Jan. 1 Winter Classic. Nordstrom was an extra at Monday’s practice, Cassidy keeping together his Sean Kuraly-Noel Acciari-Chris Wagner Rask, clobbered and concussed by Rangers forward Filip Chytil before grind line. the team decamped for its nine-day respite, did not rejoin the team for Monday’s practice. The club put him on injured reserve, retroactive to The 23-year-old Cehlarik, who was reassigned to Providence to keep his that Jan. 19 game, ruling him out for Tuesday’s game against Winnipeg. legs warm during the break, was promising on David Krejci’s line (two goals and an assist in three games). He was back with Krejci and Jake Halak will start against the Jets (31-15-2), who were tied with Nashville DeBrusk on Monday. (64 points) atop the Central Division entering Monday’s game at Philadelphia. Familiar sight

Coach Bruce Cassidy, who said Rask “looked good” when he saw him The Jets, who started goalie Laurent Brossoit on Monday in Philadelphia, before practice at Warrior Ice Arena, said his No. 1 netminder was “day are expected to roll ex-UMass Lowell ace Connor Hellebuyck (21-14-1, to day” and could skate Tuesday. Like all concussed players, Rask’s 2.85, .910) against the Bruins. They will not have forward Nikolaj Ehlers return depends on his clearheadedness. (upper body) or defenseman Dustin Byfuglien (lower body). They will have winger Brandon Tanev, who scored the winning goal for Providence “I don’t think it’s long term,” Cassidy said of Rask, who was on a 6-0-1 in the 2015 Frozen Four, with then-BU captain Matt Grzelcyk on the ice. run before taking the brunt of a crease-crashing Chytil. “It’s day-to-day, Tanev, a third-liner, could match up against Acciari, his former PC it’s his call . . . If he’s ready to go, he’s going back in there.” teammate . . . Patrice Bergeron is on track to play his 1,000th game next Tuesday against the Islanders. That means Halak, who will be backed up by Zane McIntyre (emergency recall from AHL Providence), will get a chance to address whatever has Boston Globe LOADED: 01.29.2019 been bothering him lately. Self-examination wasn’t on the agenda for Halak last week, when the Bruins traded their skates for sandals.

“No, during the break I just, I think everybody needed time off to get away from hockey,” Halak said. “Refresh, come back and be ready again. That’s kind of my approach.”

Halak, who pitched three shutouts in his first 18 starts as a Bruin, is 1-4-0 in his last five appearances, with an .860 save percentage. He hasn’t won since beating Calgary on Jan. 3. He has started four of the last 13 games, but could take the next four games in a row. Boston doesn’t have a back-to-back until next Tuesday (Islanders) and Wednesday (at Rangers). After Winnipeg, the Bruins host the Flyers on Thursday and visit the Capitals on Sunday.

McIntyre, who was at Monday’s practice, will be his backup, but he isn’t likely to play much, if at all — unless Rask’s head remains fuzzy for several more days.

McIntyre, 26, hasn’t faced NHL marksmen since making eight subpar appearances in 2016-17. He was not ready for the league at the time, as the numbers (0-4-1, 3.97 GAA,.858 save percentage) show. The Bruins lost every game in which he appeared (0-7-1).

He carried a hot hand up I-95, having won eight starts in a row, and 10 of 12. He struggled early this season, and still carries a save percentage of .887 because of it.

Fresh look

The Bruins, who return from the break at 27-17-5 and in the first wild- card spot in the East, have 13 games to evaluate their roster before the Feb. 25 trade deadline. General manager Don Sweeney, likely exploring second-line wingers and third-line centers, first plans to take a fresh look at kids.

Down to the farm: Ryan Donato and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, replaced by Providence call-ups Peter Cehlarik and Trent Frederic.

Frederic, who had a long look at third-line center in training camp, was cut in September before he could make his NHL debut. He’ll get another shot after posting a 10-7--17 line in 37 AHL games. At Monday’s practice, he centered Danton Heinen and David Backes, both of whom have icy hands this season (13 points each).

The Bruins were encouraged by Forsbacka Karlsson’s improvement — two assists in two games entering the break didn’t hurt the playmaker’s case — but wanted to get a look at Frederic while he was playing well. The straight-line Frederic (6 feet 2 inches, 203 pounds), who outweighs 1127973 Boston Bruins Boston Herald LOADED: 01.29.2019

Bruins notebook: Tuukka Rask on injured reserve, may be back soon

By STEVE CONROY | January 28, 2019 at 7:37 PM

The best-case scenario for the Bruins would have been for Tuukka Rask to show up for Monday’s practice with his gear on and ready to go, the concussion he suffered in the B’s last game Jan. 19 in the rearview mirror.

But that was not the case. The Bruins announced Rask was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 19. He’s eligible to come off it at any time, but Rask already has been ruled out of Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets at the Garden. Jaroslav Halak will get the start and Zane McIntyre, recalled Monday from Providence, will back up.

While concussions are difficult to predict, coach Bruce Cassidy does not expect to be without his No. 1 goalie for long. He said there’s a chance Rask will be on the ice for the morning skate Tuesday and, if that’s the case, Rask playing Thursday against Philadelphia would not be out of the question.

“I don’t think it’s long-term,” Cassidy said. “Obviously it’s day-to-day right now and it will be his call. But that’s how we see it playing out and if he’s on the ice (Tuesday) then Thursday becomes a possibility.”

Rask was concussed in the Bruins’ last game before the bye week/All- Star break when the Rangers’ Filip Chytil collided hard with him after scoring a goal and getting hit by Charlie McAvoy. It was high impact hit, with Chytil’s backside and elbow catching Rask in the head.

While the break helped, the timing wasn’t all great for Rask and the B’s. He had taken a 6-0-1 streak into that Rangers game and solidified himself as the top goalie after a rough start to the season. With 33 games left in the season, the B’s plan to put him to work as soon as they can.

“It depends on Tuukka’s health. If he’s ready to go, he’s going back in there,” Cassidy said. “Until he’s out there in a full team practice, it’s hard to speculate. Until then it’s Jaro’s net and if we feel Zane deserves to play because Tuukka’s not ready, then we’ll deal with that.”

Halak, whose play kept the B’s afloat earlier in the season, has struggled lately. He allowed four goals in three of his previous four starts and has taken the loss in his last three appearances. Halak preferred to unplug from hockey during the break as opposed to examining what was going wrong for him.

“During the break, I think everybody needed the time off to get away from hockey, refresh and come back and be ready again. That’s my approach, too,” Halak said.

The AHL veteran McIntyre also had a poor start to the season but has come on lately. Though he’s got an ugly .887 save percentage, he’s 10-2 in his last 12 games.

Donato, JFK down

Ryan Donato and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson were sent down to Providence after working with skating coach Kim Brandvold before practice. Trent Frederic was brought up to the big club and will make his debut against Winnipeg.

Donato had 6-3-9 totals and was a team-low minus-11 in 34 games.

“(The message was) essentially was work on parts of his game that we feel at this level (he needs to improve) – strong on the puck, strong on his skates winning his puck battles, all around game,” Cassidy said. “I think he had some tough luck here. I think he generated offense with his shot. Scored some of them. Rang some off the post. Some didn’t go in. So I think a little bit of tough luck for him. That part of his game we were OK with.

“Obviously, if he’s filling the net every night it’s a different story. But it’s just a matter of working on his overall game and making the plays that are available to him. Being better on the walls. All the little things.”

As expected, Peter Cehlarik was recalled from Providence and took his shift with David Krejci and Jake DeBrusk. 1127974 Boston Bruins

Trent Frederic is next man up for Bruins

By STEVE CONROY | January 28, 2019 at 6:45 PM

The Bruins’ search for a third-line center continues.

Sean Kuraly, David Backes and Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson all have gotten their looks. Now it’s first-year pro Trent Frederic’s turn.

The 20-year-old Frederic, the B’s first-round draft pick in 2016 (29th overall), was recalled Monday and Forsbacka Karlsson was sent back to Providence. JFK had 3-6-9 totals and was plus-1 in 28 games in Boston.

Frederic is the Bruins’ last in-house option to get a look for the slot the club has been trying to fill since training camp. Frederic has 10 goals and seven assists in 37 games in Providence, but his overall play has come along recently. He’s got 2-2-4 totals in his last three games and is plus-4 on the season.

“He had a real good weekend, playing assertive hockey, some of the best hockey he’s played all year,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “It was the plan all along to take a look at him at some point. We didn’t know when that point would be. Part of that would be about how the guys are doing here, then there was an injury (concussion) that set him back a little bit. He’s healthy and playing well right now.”

Frederic actually lasted longer in preseason camp than JFK, but he struggled early on in Providence and the Swede got the call instead. Cassidy wasn’t unhappy with JFK’s play, but Frederic’s time is now for various reasons.

“(JFK) is improving but not to the point where we felt we couldn’t make the switch and have it hurt the hockey club,” Cassidy said. “We’ll take a look at Freddy. A little bigger opponent (Winnipeg on Tuesday), Washington on Sunday, Philly (Thursday), so it might be a time to look at him him while he’s playing well. The next two games are at home so we’ll control a little bit of that.

“I was pleased with JFK’s progression. I think there’s more there obviously. He needs to bring that out. But at the end of the day, he was trending in the right direction. We just decided to take a look at Freddy and now’s the right time. It’s something we thought of doing all along.”

Left unspoken is that this also will give GM Don Sweeney a better gauge on what exactly he has in his system going into trade deadline.

In Monday’s practice at Warrior Ice Arena, Frederic skated on a line with right wing David Backes and left wing Danton Heinen. He skated with Backes in training camp as well and would give the B’s a more physical edge. There also is the thought of re-igniting the Heinen-Backes combo that worked well last year with Riley Nash in the middle.

While not what you would call a fighter, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Frederic has dropped the gloves four times since coming to Providence at the end of last season after leaving Wisconsin.

“(Frederic and Backes) play a straight line game,” Cassidy said. “I think David prefers the forecheck, play-behind-the-D mentality, O-zone cycle. JFK’s a little more on the rush, wanting to make plays, which is fine. Both styles work. So hopefully if they end up together that works for them. Danton can make some plays on the other side.”

Frederic had missed three weeks in November with the concussion, but his all-around game has been coming for a while.

“I’ve been starting to play well in both zones, in the D-zone and now I’m starting to score a little bit. I guess I’m just playing hard, consistent, and playing the physical game that I’ve been trying to build up and to bring here,” Frederic said.

On possibly playing with the former Blues captain, the St. Louis native said, “If that’s the case, it would be awesome. I try to play a similar game, up and down, straight lines. I try to play that game and hopefully we’ll develop chemistry and have a good game.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127975 Boston Bruins

Tuukka Rask placed on injured reserve, and more Bruins transactions

By Justin Leger January 28, 2019 4:07 PM

The Bruins on Monday announced multiple transactions, including an important update on Tuukka Rask.

The B's goaltender has been placed on injured reserve as he continues to recover from the concussion he suffered vs the Rangers in Boston's final game before the All-Star break. In turn, goalie Zane McIntyre has been recalled from Providence on an emergency basis.

Peter Cehlarik and 20-year-old prospect Trent Frederic have also been recalled with Ryan Donato and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson being assigned to Providence.

To recap today’s #NHLBruins transactions:

Tuukka Rask has been placed on IR retro to Jan. 19. He won't play Tues. vs. Jets.

Trent Frederic, Peter Cehlarik, & Zane McIntyre (emergency basis) have been recalled from @AHLBruins.

Ryan Donato & JFK have been assigned to Providence.

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) January 28, 2019

The Rask-less Bruins will take on the Winnipeg Jets when they return to action Tuesday night at TD Garden.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127976 Boston Bruins “Sometimes. No doubt,” Cassidy said of periodically losing the entire line. “Part of that’s on me, to not trust them in certain situations, or just throw them out there. Part of it’s on them with their play. They have to earn that As Bruins gather for second half, adding help at center remains their trust. There’s always that balance with those young guys.” biggest priority The Bruins can manage being a three-line team in January. They cannot expect to do so in April, not with Toronto looming as an opening-round playoff opponent and Tampa Bay baring its teeth a round later — both By Fluto Shinzawa Jan 28, 2019 series, at current pace, on the road, where Cassidy would cede last change.

So, general manager Don Sweeney’s task between now and Feb. 25 is Bruce Cassidy likes centers. Whenever Patrice Bergeron hits the ice, for to identify his preferred targets and craft optimal packages to ensure their example, Cassidy trusts his No. 1 pivot will take charge of whatever arrival. For the former, Brayden Schenn and Jeff Carter would be requires accomplishing. examples of reliable third-line centers. Schenn is averaging 17:15 even- “I think centermen are drivers of the line, nine out of 10 times,” Cassidy strength plus shorthanded ice time per game. Carter is logging 15:52. said. “They make wingers around them better. That’s generally the case. They would immediately be granted Cassidy’s trust. Another possibility No disrespect to the wingers. But I think if the center’s not going, usually would be Charlie Coyle (14:55), the East Weymouth native. the wingers are going to have a tougher time. Most of the time, the puck With any of the three in the middle, the third line would no longer be goes through (the center) first at some point. Even on faceoffs.” where shifts go to die. A trusted center would earn all-around Through 49 games, Cassidy has identified three go-to centers: Bergeron, assignments on his own merit. Schenn, Carter or Coyle would likely David Krejci and Sean Kuraly. Cassidy’s faith in the three is reflected in tease more offense from their wingmen than a rookie like Forsbacka the even-strength plus shorthanded ice time they average per game. Karlsson, who was probably busier thinking about limiting his mistakes Krejci leads the trio in this category by averaging 15:37 per game. on every shift. Bergeron logs 15:18 each outing. Kuraly is on the ice for 11:27 per game, The more painful task is to select the assets going out the door. It’s a number that merits amplification considering some of the enemy first- unlikely Sweeney would part with a first-rounder for the second straight line matchups he assumes during five-on-five play. year, after the team’s 2018 pick was used to acquire Rick Nash last Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, previously the fourth center, was assigned to season. Providence on Monday. Trent Frederic, 20, was recalled to make his Opponents, then, would be most interested in Donato, Forsbacka NHL debut on Tuesday. Frederic was the Bruins’ first-round pick in 2016, Karlsson, Frederic, Jack Studnicka and Urho Vaakanainen. Of this No. 29 overall. cohort, Vaakanainen belongs to the position that is one of relative Such moves illustrate the need to acquire an experienced, trusted and strength for the Bruins: left-side defense, a group which includes Zdeno take-charge center before the Feb. 25 trade deadline. Chara, Torey Krug, Matt Grzelcyk and John Moore.

“It helps if they’re the most vocal guys,” Cassidy said of centers. “Type-A Vaakanainen, however, could be Chara’s long-term replacement: a personalities, usually, so they can give the orders on the ice, on the smart, smooth-skating 20-year-old capable of logging big five-on-five and bench. That helps.” man-down minutes. Saying goodbye to Vaakanainen for a rental would not be prudent, especially when the Bruins are trying, in a perfect world, Forsbacka Karlsson was averaging 11:27 (even-strength plus to kill two birds with one stone: Land a center who can complement the shorthanded) ice time per game. Cassidy was selective about Forsbacka 33-year-old Bergeron and 32-year-old Krejci for now, replace them in the Karlsson’s deployment, especially on the road. Of the four centers, future. Forsbacka Karlsson had the highest offensive zone start percentage at five-on-five play, according to Natural Stat Trick: 76.8 percent, followed The Bruins are set in goal with Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak, Nos. 9 by Krejci (69.4), Bergeron (62.1) and Kuraly (38.0). He was very much and 8 among regular goalies, respectively, in goals saved above sheltered. average, according to Corsica Hockey. The team allows just 53 attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, fourth-fewest in the league, Forsbacka Karlsson could become a good top-three NHL center. He was underscoring a stifling defense. They have the NHL’s second-best power 21 years old at the start of the season, the same age Krejci was when he play (27.2 percent). They have the fourth-worst offense during five-on- was shuttling between Boston and Providence in 2007. It is unlikely, five play (2.04 GF/60). however, that Forsbacka Karlsson will acquire NHL traction in the second half of this season. These Bruins, in other words, are very good in goal, airtight on defense, electric on the power play, stone-handed at even strength. A No. 3 center A third center is not Boston’s only need. The Bruins have been without a would be most welcome at repairing their most significant blemish. sidecar on Krejci’s right winger seemingly since dinosaurs rumbled down Causeway Street. Jake DeBrusk, usually the No. 2 left winger, will ride Rask recovering on the right for the fourth straight game on Tuesday against Winnipeg. Rask, placed on injured reserve because of a concussion suffered on Peter Cehlarik will occupy the left side. If Cassidy ends up preferring Jan. 19, will not play against Winnipeg. However, he was well enough to DeBrusk back on the left, then Danton Heinen or Ryan Donato could be report to Warrior Ice Arena on Monday. If he continues to recover, it’s right-side options, provided the latter does enough to earn a ride back up possible he could skate on Tuesday. “If he’s on the ice (Tuesday), then from Providence. Thursday becomes a possibility,” Cassidy said. The Bruins recalled Zane Cassidy does not have as many cards to play at center. He will try McIntyre to back up Halak on Tuesday … Donato, assigned to Frederic against the Jets, most likely between Heinen and David Backes. Providence for a second time this season, had one goal in his last 11 Frederic’s play will dictate how long he remains up top. It would be a big games. “He had some tough luck here,” Cassidy said. “I think he ask for the first-year pro to be the third-line solution. generated offense with his shot. Scored on some of them. Rang some off the post. Some didn’t go in. Little bit of tough luck. So, that part of his “Playing assertive hockey, some of the best hockey he’s played all year,” game we were OK with. If he’s filling the net every night, it’s a different Cassidy said of recent reports on Frederic (10-7—17 in 37 games). story. It’s just a matter of working on his overall game, making the plays “There was a plan all along at the start of the year to take a look at him at that are available to him, being better on the walls, all the little things.” … some point. We didn’t know when that point would be.” Joakim Nordstrom, who fractured a foot on Jan. 1, practiced with his teammates for the first time on Monday since his injury. His availability The Bruins can limp along without a right-winger upgrade on the second for Tuesday has yet to be determined, but a return later this week is line. The problem with falling short at No. 3 center is how a deficiency at likely. the position, at least in its most recent iteration, can dump the entire line on the side of a milk carton. Monday’s practice lineup:

When Cassidy limited Forsbacka Karlsson’s even-strength assignments, Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak the same went for Heinen and Donato, his most recent linemates. Forsbacka Karlsson and Donato, in particular, was the pairing that would Peter Cehlarik-David Krejci-Jake DeBrusk sometimes show its limitations in the defensive zone. Danton Heinen-Trent Frederic-David Backes

Sean Kuraly-Noel Acciari-Chris Wagner

Joakim Nordstrom

Zdeno Chara-Charlie McAvoy

Torey Krug-Brandon Carlo

Matt Grzelcyk-Kevan Miller

John Moore-Steve Kampfer

Jaroslav Halak

Zane McIntyre

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127977 Boston Bruins When he began his coaching career, he would write down the plus and minus for each player on his card, because he never received updated statistics from the off-ice officials between periods at the minor league In an age of analytics, Bruce Cassidy still finds value in his hand-written levels. He still tracks that stat today and it’s helpful. notecards Since Cassidy is in charge of the power play, many of his notes pertain to special teams.

By Joe McDonald Jan 28, 2019 His lineup card from Oct. 18 against the Edmonton Oilers indicates that No. 86 (defenseman Kevan Miller) broke his finger on a blocked shot in the second period. The coach will also make note of players’ miscues. Also on this card, he noted how a power play broke down and why. The NHL recently debuted its new, state-of-the-art player-and puck- tracking technology during two regular-season games in Las Vegas. The back side of Cassidy’s card from Oct. 18. (Joe McDonald) From a hockey operations standpoint, management, coaches and players around the league are all interested to find out how these new A normal pre-scout sheet, like the one against the Buffalo Sabres, will advanced analytic tools will impact the game. read something like this: Sam Reinhart: second in possession, first in chances, third in shots, fifth in slot passes, second in entries, third in Sometimes, however, NHL coaches don’t need all the bells and whistles defensive plays. to pre-scout an upcoming opponent or dissect a game, period, line or player when the game is played right in front of them. Watch any game, “So, we’ve got some good information,” Cassidy said. “We have this on and most coaches pace back and forth on the bench while holding a our own guys too. Now, numbers sometimes can get skewed, but it does white, folded, two-sided lineup card. help you realize that someone like Danton Heinen, he has more chances than maybe I would’ve thought he did; he just hasn’t converted them. From time to time, a coach will write on the lineup card and stick it back He’s hitting line drives all over, but they’re getting caught. Sooner or later in his pocket. During an era of advanced analytics, these cards help a they’re going to drop.” coach do his job effectively and the Bruins’ Bruce Cassidy is a perfect example. NHL coaching staffs have almost every possible metric and analytics tool at their disposal. Benches are equipped with iPads and assistant In fact, he has nearly all of his lineup cards, which are neatly filed away in coaches wear Apple watches so they can “clip” a play that tells the video a locked cabinet behind his desk at Warrior Ice Arena, where the Bruins coach to flag it. train. Cassidy attaches the final score sheet of each game to his lineup card and keeps them separated by team. However, everyone is interested in the player-and puck-tracking systems that will soon be in place around the league. Normally, he keeps all the cards for at least two seasons. If an opponent has the same coach for more than two seasons, Cassidy will keep that “A spot shadow on a player is interesting,” admitted Cassidy. “I watch the particular team’s card longer to compare pre-scout reports and his own entire game after we play start to finish, before the next game. I’m notes. He’ll look for tendencies from his cards over the last four or five watching systems, pace of the game, puck management and everything meetings against an opponent, especially on special teams. else a coach watches. You’re also watching individual players and you miss some, because there’s no way you can watch every player for every A look at Bruce Cassidy’s card from the Bruins’ Oct. 18 game at shift.” Edmonton. (Joe McDonald) If he thought a certain play struggled, Cassidy will “clip” video on that “Like the Buffalo cards, I’ll refer back to them before we play them next,” player and work with that, along with incorporating the assistant coaches Cassidy said. “Even though we do another pre-scout before the game, I’ll in the next meeting. If the new technology can “shadow” every player, it refer back to my game cards, because I have more information there. will help the assistant coaches with their assessments and teaching tools You’re making your notes for the next game, in game, if that makes any in a more accurate way. sense.” “I would have to see it to see how it’s going to help you as a coach, Totally. because I like to watch the entire game,” Cassidy said. “I’m curious to see how this will work.” It’s an old-school mentality that most coaches still institute, because sometimes the best two stats in sports are ones on each side of a There is such a thing as information overload. Sometimes, Cassidy person’s nose. doesn’t even show his players video because it can become tedious for them. Sometimes, Cassidy will simply verbalize his thoughts to get his “Could I coach a game without a card? Yeah,” Cassidy said. “What I do point across. though, that I find is relevant, is I check off their scoring chances.” “Sometimes the information is good. Sometimes it’s overkill,” he said. Earlier in his coaching career, Cassidy would look at the shot clock to “With this (new technology) until I see it, and I bet if you ask every coach, compare numbers between the teams, but he quickly realized those stats every guy will tell you something a little bit different.” don’t paint an accurate picture of the game. An opponent could be out- shooting the Bruins 10-3 in the first period, but the quality scoring Sometimes old school is just as effective as new school. chances could be 2-1, which tells the real story of the game. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 “I’ll look at my card and (the opponent) may have only two chances and we have one, so it’s not that bad (as the shot clock indicates),” Cassidy said. “I chart the chances and it helps me.

“I don’t care what anybody says, I think I have a pretty good memory, but you’re not going to remember every play. After the period, once you see the chances (on video) you can see who screwed up.”

Bruins goalie coach Bob Essensa watches each game from press level – home and road – and he charts the opponent’s quality scoring chances. After each period, the coaches will confer and Cassidy is usually within 10 percent of the actual number from Essensa.

Cassidy’s lineup card serves as “little reminders.”

The coach will chart the opponent’s forechecking schemes, or whether the defensemen are pinching. He’ll chart how the opposing centermen are playing. He’ll write down whether the opponent is using a 1-3-1 or a 1-2-2 in the neutral zone. Cassidy also tracks entries. 1127978 Buffalo Sabres

Guhle's team wins AHL All-Star Classic

By Staff|Published Mon, Jan 28, 2019

The North Division All-Stars with Rochester Americans defenseman Brendan Guhle in the lineup, bounced back from a first-game loss to win the championship Monday night of the American Hockey League All-Star Classic before 6,793 at Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Mass.

Trevor Moore scored the deciding goal in the shootout, breaking a 1-1 tie, and giving the North a 1-0 win over the Atlantic Division in the championship match.

North lost to the Pacific Division, 4-2, in its first minigame, each side skating four a side for two 5-minute halves, then came back for a 4-3 win over Central and a 4-1 triumph over previously undefeated Atlantic Division.

Guhle had five shots on goal in his four games for the North. He was a minus-2 in the loss to Pacific.

Former Buffalo Sabre Nathan Gerbe scored twice in the win over Atlantic that put North in the championship game agaisnt Atlantic.

Drake Batherson of the Belleville Senators scored two goals in each of the first two games and had a single tally in the third game for North. He also had a goal in the championship game shootout.

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127979 Buffalo Sabres The Sabres have sat for 11 days, watching teams pull ahead of them in the standings but now they get a chance to play while teams in front of them like Montreal and Toronto go on their bye week.

Sabres Notebook: Jeff Skinner, Jack Eichel avoid injuries in collision Buffalo is seven points behind the third-place Canadiens in the Atlantic Division but has three games in hand.

By Mike Harrington|Published Mon, Jan 28, 2019|UpdatedMon, Jan 28, "It's uncomfortable because you're seeing teams, particularly Montreal, 2019 keep winning and those games in hand and just what they are: games in hand," Housley said. "You still have to get results in them. I think it's a good thing for us, a challenge for us. This is where we've wanted to be. ... I'm excited to see how our guys are going to react to that challenge." All-Stars Jeff Skinner and Jack Eichel were back at practice Monday after spending their weekend in San Jose and everything at HarborCenter was Buffalo News LOADED: 01.29.2019 routine.

Then Skinner went down, slid across the ice and accidentally took out Eichel below the knees as the Buffalo captain frantically tried to avoid the collision. Both players were unhurt and left to sheepishly smile about the near-miss afterward.

The team had just switched from the smaller of HarborCenter's two rinks to a fresh sheet of ice on the feature rink when Skinner lost his balance and skidded at full speed into Eichel. Skinner quickly hopped to his feet and Eichel, who initially looked a little shaken up by the collision, slowly skated over to the boards to collect himself and then rejoined drills a couple minutes later.

"I didn't want to hurt Jack. I knew I was all right," Skinner said. "It wasn't a good feeling. You're falling on your pants there and you don't have much control of where you're going or how to stop. But he's got pretty good reflexes and got out of the way pretty quick, so he was all right."

The incident was reminiscent of a 2012 practice collision in KeyBank Center when Sabres defenseman Jordan Leopold skidded on the ice and took out coach Lindy Ruff from behind. Ruff crashed to the ice on his back and suffered three broken ribs, forcing him to watch the next few games from the press box rather than the bench.

The difference here was that Skinner was coming from the front, so Eichel saw the oncoming collision.

"It's good that we're able to laugh about it," said a chuckling Eichel. "I think he lost an edge there. That could have been pretty bad, so it was good it wasn't."

Both players will be fine for Tuesday's game in Columbus. The Sabres return to play after the break four points out of the last playoff spot in the Eastern conference and are just 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. After playing the Blue Jackets, they are in Dallas Wednesday before opening a seven-game homestand Friday against Chicago.

Eichel said his trip to the All-Star Game was a fruitful one for his burgeoning memorabilia stash.

"I got some cool things," he said. "I got my game jersey signed by all the East guys. I got a stick signed by everyone in the game again and I grabbed one of [Sidney] Crosby's sticks. That was pretty cool. I'd been waiting on one of those for a little bit. I have an Alex Ovechkin stick, too."

Eichel said in San Jose he made a similar haul at last year's game in Tampa, adding his first career All-Star jersey to other key ones from his career, including his Team North America sweater from the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

The Sabres' power play is 0 for 13 over the last four games, 1 for 22 in the last eight games and just 4 for 41 in the last 14. Coach Phil Housley's latest tinkering Monday was to try a four-forward unit. Kyle Okposo joined Eichel, Skinner, Sam Reinhart and Ramsus Ristolainen on the top unit.

"Scoring chances don't count anymore. We have to have production," Housley said of his power play, which is 21st in the NHL at 17 percent. "There's time in the past 10 games we've had really good opportunities and the goalies have made good saves. That's not an excuse. It's all about production."

The second unit Monday had Casey Mittelstadt between Evan Rodrigues and Conor Sheary, with Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson in the rear.

"It's a good time to work on it today, move the puck around, keep it simple," Housley said. "We used Kyle back on that flank and I thought both units moved the puck really well. We've got to work on it because we're not getting the results. 1127980 Buffalo Sabres The Sabres have a tough matchup against a Columbus team that's four points behind the New York Islanders for the Metropolitan Division lead. The Blue Jackets posted a 5-4 overtime decision over Buffalo on Oct. 27 Casey Mittelstadt looks to pick up where he left off before Sabres break in the Ohio capital, a wildly entertaining game that was won on a goal by Artemi Panarin. Mittelstadt had forged a tie at 4:30 of the third period, helping the Sabres wipe out a two-goal deficit with his first goal of the season. By Mike Harrington|Published Mon, Jan 28, 2019|UpdatedMon, Jan 28, 2019 "It was a back and forth, back and forth game," he recalled. "We scored right away (on a Kyle Okposo goal at 1:38), they came back, we came

back. They're fast, physical and aggressive. We're going to have to be For Casey Mittelstadt, the season has to be looked at in baby steps. He ready to go coming out of the break." spent his bye week and All-Star break feeling better about how things are Buffalo News LOADED: 01.29.2019 going. Two goals in six games will do that.

Mittelstadt has been up and down in the Buffalo Sabres' lineup. Being a No. 2 center in the NHL has proved daunting at times, too daunting to the point he's spent some games down in the pecking order. But Mittelstadt has been back on the second line the last couple days and should be there Tuesday night between Conor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues when the Sabres take the ice for the first time in 11 days with a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Nationwide Arena.

Mittelstadt scored one of the Sabres' five second-period goals in their Jan. 8 win over New Jersey and scored the game's opening goal one minute into the 7-2 loss Jan. 14 in Edmonton.

"It was good for sure, made my break a little less stressful," Mittelstadt said Monday after the team practiced in HarborCenter. "I got a couple good bounces and it gives you a better feeling that you want to keep going."

Mittelstadt has three points in the last six games. By comparison, he had only one goal and three points in the previous 19 games. He piled up points in high school, the United States Hockey League and had 30 points in 34 games last year at the University of Minnesota. But this is a different world.

"I try not to put too much on myself but that's not the easiest thing for me," he said. "You have to balance it out. There are some nights you're just chasing the puck around and that's how it goes. And that can happen even in high school, too. You just stay with it, believe in what you're doing, that it will pay off and that you'll get chances. Just be ready for them when they come."

Of course, one reason Mittelstadt's offense isn't where he'd like it to be is because a center in the NHL has be stellar defensively. There's been nightly lessons in that area. He has a minus-6 rating for the season and has a 47 percent Corsi rating at even strength, ahead of only Vladimir Sobotka and Tage Thompson among the team's 12 regular forwards.

"It's tough. You have to play a 200-foot game in this league," said Sabres coach Phil Housley. "A lot of times when you're the low forward, you've got to be very well aware defensively to help out the defense. You have to get up on the attack. When you're first in on the forecheck, then you have to come back all the way."

"You have to keep body position," Mittelstadt said. "There's so many little things that older guys in the NHL know how to do that I've never had to worry about. Giving a guy a step in this league is a lot different than giving a guy a step in college. That's been the main thing I've learned for sure."

Mittelstadt's assignment is a tough one. He's a 20-year-old rookie in his first full NHL season while Sabres fans are watching the departed Ryan O'Reilly put up a big year in St. Louis and be named one of four finalists for the MVP award at Saturday night's All-Star Game in San Jose. Sending O'Reilly off and giving Mittelstadt a big role is a long-term play.

O'Reilly, of course, is a polished product. Mittelstadt is not.

"I've gone everywhere and put up points and been able to make plays every night pretty much," Mittelstadt said. "It's been new and I've had to learn things. I'm getting much more comfortable so I'm ready to really get going here now this second half. I'm always hard on myself so at times it gets tough. This is good for me to learn a lot about being patient."

"I think he's been adjusting well and I really like the play of our young guys going into the break," Housley said. "I think Rasmus Dahlin has played his best hockey right before the break. Hopefully they can build off that going forward but it's a difficult task, especially on the road when you're not going to get the matchups you want." 1127981 Buffalo Sabres

Four-forward approach another option for Sabres' slumping power play

By Mike Harrington|Published Mon, Jan 28, 2019|UpdatedMon, Jan 28, 2019

The Buffalo Sabres' power play has dropped to 21st in the NHL at 17 percent and the lack of offense with the man advantage has been a big contributor to the team's struggles in recent weeks.

Coach Phil Housley tinkered with a four-forward approach in practice Monday that had Kyle Okposo joining Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner, Sam Reinhart and Rasmus Ristolainen. The Sabres may use it during Tuesday's game in Columbus.

"Scoring chances don't count anymore. We have to have production," Housley said. "There's time in the past 10 games we've had really good opportunities and the goalies have made good saves. That's not an excuse. It's all about production."

The second unit Monday had Casey Mittelstadt between Evan Rodrigues and Conor Sheary, with Rasmus Dahlin and Tage Thompson in the rear.

The Sabres' power play is 0 for 13 over the last four games, just 1 for 22 in the last eight games and 4 for 41 in the last 14. The next two games will be a tough challenge as Columbus is eighth in the NHL on the penalty kill and Dallas is seventh.

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127982 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres All-Stars Eichel, Skinner unhurt after close call in collision at practice

By Mike Harrington|Published Mon, Jan 28, 2019|UpdatedMon, Jan 28, 2019

When he heard about the disaster that nearly befell the Buffalo Sabres at practice Monday in HarborCenter, former Sabres enforcer and current television host Andrew Peters was quick to point out on Twitter that it was National Bubble Wrap Day.

How appropriate. The Sabres probably could have used some bubbles to protect their ultra-fragile cargo as All-Stars Jeff Skinner and Jack Eichel returned to practice after their weekend in San Jose – and then were both lucky to emerge unhurt after an ugly-looking collision with each other during a drill.

The team had just switched from the smaller of HarborCenter's two rinks to a fresh sheet of ice on the feature rink when Skinner lost his balance and skidded at full speed into Eichel, hitting his center just below the knees as Eichel lunged forward to avoid him. Skinner quickly hopped to his feet and Eichel, who initially looked a little shaken up by the collision, slowly skated over to the boards to collect himself and then rejoined drills a couple minutes later.

Ruff had no idea Leopold was sliding toward him. The difference here was that Skinner was coming from the front, so Eichel saw the oncoming collision.

"It's good that we're able to laugh about it," said a chuckling Eichel. "I think he lost an edge there. That could have been pretty bad, so it was good it wasn't."

Eichel, of course, has dealt with high ankle sprains each of the last two seasons and just came back from a three-game absence due to an upper-body injury. Skinner has played all 48 games for the Sabres this season and has only missed three games over the last four seasons.

"Early in the year, there were shifts we weren't getting too much offensively but we weren't giving up as much," Eichel said. "It's important to get back to where we're hard to play against in our own zone and hard to play against when we have the puck."

Buffalo News LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127983 Buffalo Sabres Still, Guhle is only 101 games into his AHL career.

The scout familiar with Guhle said he “needs to add strength and power” to his game and develop his upper- and lower-body strength for battles. Brendan Guhle's steady development lands him in AHL All-Star Classic The jury, the scout said, is “still out on his hockey IQ and ability to process the game quickly and efficiently.”

By Bill Hoppe|Published Mon, Jan 28, 2019|UpdatedMon, Jan 28, 2019 “His development has been slower than envisioned based on some of these aforementioned deficiencies,” he said.

ROCHESTER – The winter getaway to Orlando was booked. Sabres The scout said Guhle, who was drafted by the Sabres’ old regime, will prospect Brendan Guhle planned to spend the American Hockey League eventually play in the NHL but it “will probably be with his second All-Star break relaxing and recharging with his girlfriend, Victoria, at organization.” Disney World. Johansson returns

Then on Thursday, Americans coach Chris Taylor informed the Prospect Jonas Johansson, 23, started Friday’s in place of injured defenseman that he would be replacing injured teammate Zach Amerks goalie Scott Wedgewood, making 35 saves before stopping five Redmond in Monday’s AHL All-Star Classic. Comets in the seven-round shootout.

Instead of jetting to Florida for the first time, Guhle is in Springfield, Mass. The Swede performed so well with the Cincinnati Cyclones earlier this He took part in three events -- fastest skater, hardest shot and season the Amerks rewarded him with a three-game look in December. breakaway relay -- during the AHL Skills Competition on Sunday. His time of 13.6 seconds in the fastest skater competition was the sixth- Johansson and Michael Houser, 26, have formed a terrific netminding fastest in event history. tandem in the ECHL, piling up wins.

13.6  @guhles_ with the sixth-fastest time in @TheAHL history Houser is 14-3-2-1 with a league-best 1.90 goals-against average, a .933 for the CCM Fastest Skater Competition pic.twitter.com/D5KkOKrC39 save percentage in 20 games.

— Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) January 28, 2019 “We’ve been pushing each other really hard, working together on the ice, going on early before practice and doing goalie stuff together,” said “It’s all right; I’m excited for this,” Guhle said following Friday’s 3-2 Johansson, who has compiled a strong 13-5-2-1 record. “I feel like we shootout win against the Utica Comets in Blue Cross Arena. match each other pretty good and it helps both of us play better.”

Guhle, 21, has kept developing throughout his second pro campaign, Houser once attended the Sabres’ summer development camp and won overcoming what he called a “rut.” 46 games in 2011-12, his final junior season with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights. Taylor said Guhle has been improving his play away from the puck. “He’s a little older, a little more experienced,” Johansson said. “He’s “He’s doing a really good job this year handling everything that’s been really good with his routines, taking care of his body and how to prepare going on with him,” Taylor said. “He just continues to find ways to get for games and practice. So that’s a good thing. better. It’s just rewarding for him, from last year to this year, that he gets named (an all-star).” “When you see him, you can think he’s in the East Coast (League), but he’s still a very professional goalie and a very good goalie, so definitely a Skating, of course, is Guhle’s greatest asset. The former second-round guy I want to look up to and learn from.” pick regularly generates offense by slickly joining the rush or even leading it. Amerks notes

One pro scout who has regularly watched Guhle this season said he Amerks winger Taylor Leier, who was recently acquired from the possesses “elite skating skills and mobility.” Philadelphia Flyers for winger Justin Bailey, scored Friday’s shootout winner. “I didn’t try to think too much,” Leier said. … Sabres prospect “He has the agility, foot speed and retrieval speed to play in NHL,” the Alexander Nylander, 21, has scored just one goal in his last 14 games scout said. and three in his last 21 outings with the Amerks. On Friday, the winger But the 6-foot-2, 192-pound Guhle said he has also started showcasing pumped eight shots on goal. In Saturday’s 4-3 overtime loss in Syracuse, more physicality and become more vocal. he mustered zero shots. The Amerks have eight of a possible 10 points in their last five games and reached the All-Star break with a three-point Taylor said Guhle has become much better boxing out. lead on Syracuse in the North Division … Sabres prospect C.J. Smith Guhle earned a two-game recall to the Sabres in December, which he has compiled five goals and seven assists during his career-long eight- said “was awesome.” game point streak with the Amerks. … Redmond and Wedgewood are both week-to-week with lower-body injuries. … The Amerks don’t play “It definitely reassures that the organization believes in me and they want again until Friday in Binghamton. me to be a part of the future, so that’s exciting for me,” said Guhle, who has compiled five goals and 20 points in 39 AHL games this season. Buffalo News LOADED: 01.29.2019

Not surprisingly, Taylor said defense will ultimately help Guhle, who has played 23 NHL games over the last three seasons, stick with the Sabres.

“Everybody always wants to make the big deal of the offensive side of everybody,” Taylor said. “You don’t realize defense wins championships. … That’s why we’re where we’re at (in first place), because those guys are playing the right way, playing defensively, getting sticks on the puck.

“People don’t notice that type of stuff, but that’s what makes our team better is those little things. They’re adding up. That’s why he’s improving. People want to see the 10 goals and 15 goals from him, but his defensive side of the game is really improving, and that’s going to get him to the NHL.”

Some observers thought Guhle might be in the NHL by now. He nearly made the big club as a junior-age player out of training camp in 2015 and 2016. Two years ago, the Sabres summoned him midseason from the Prince George Cougars, his Western Hockey League club, for three games. 1127984 Calgary Flames “I think we can score, so that’s the biggest thing,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano. “We know we can score, so when you’re down and you can’t score you panic a little bit and take more risks. I don’t think we Flames reflect on when they started to believe (take) huge risks.”

Giordano wasn’t alone in that assessment.

Daniel Austin “No matter what the score is in the game, to have the confidence in our group to be able to come back, obviously it’s not the position we want to Published:January 28, 2019 be in as often as we are, but to know we’re never out of it is a great feeling,” said Flames forward Sam Bennett. Updated:January 28, 2019 8:29 PM MST Calgary Sun: LOADED: 01.29.2019

Long before out-of-town pundits were seriously debating the Calgary Flames’ odds of winning the Stanley Cup, the guys on the team knew.

Maybe they can’t pinpoint an exact game or moment that made them believe they might be capable of doing something special this season, but it definitely didn’t take them until the all-star break to realize that was possible.

“We knew at the beginning of the year, on paper, that we were a really good team and had some great pieces, especially with the guys (management) brought in and the guys who had been here taking another step,” said Flames winger Matthew Tkachuk. “But I think it was the games we were able to win early and beat some really good teams early and on the road. Those were all signs, and just us growing as a team and not necessarily playing our best hockey but still winning games.”

Speaking with the Flames, it’s brought up again and again that the team understood there was talent on the roster before the season even began, but needed to actually get some results before they really understood what was possible.

You just can’t really know what you’re capable of until you actually play the games.

Maybe that was especially true in Calgary because of the lingering memories of the 2017-’18 season, when there were high expectations entering the year but the Flames ended up missing the playoffs.

The off-season trade that sent Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and the rights to college prospect Adam Fox to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hafinin gave the 2018-19 Flames a new look, but it wasn’t until a crucial 17-day stretch in November that many on the team really started to believe it themselves.

After starting the month by coming back to win a game against the Colorado Avalanche in which they were down 4-1, the Flames also managed to reverse third-period deficits against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 3 and the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 17.

“We had that belief from training camp that we were a good team on paper, but once we started to string together some wins and started to become those comeback kids, those third-period wins, that’s when you start to realize,” said Flames forward Derek Ryan.

“When you’re on a winning team and you find ways to win games you probably shouldn’t win, that’s when you know you have a great team.

“When we started having those comebacks in November … that’s when I started to think ‘this is real’. “

It’s obviously hard to quantify what – if anything – that hard-earned sense of self-belief means for the Flames, and all the usual caveats about measuring mid-season success still apply.

Yes, there’s still a lot of hockey left to be played this season, and yes, the Flames need to keep improving if they’re going to find a way to go on a deep playoff run.

Whether they believe in themselves or not, all of that is still true.

But around the dressing room, there’s a sense that the confidence the Flames have built up really does matter and that there’s tangible evidence to back that up.

Those November comebacks and big early season wins set the tone and showed the Flames that they weren’t out of any game.

More than believing that yes, they are a legitimately good hockey team, knowing that they can dig themselves out of a hole has continued to pay dividends as the calendar flipped to 2019. 1127985 Calgary Flames here as to where we are, how healthy we are the deadline, look at where our weaknesses are and if we have an opportunity to improve on those weaknesses. There’s nothing off the table for me.’’

LeBrun: The buyers, the sellers and who’s available ahead of the trade Here’s a wild thought, and let me stress it’s my own thought at this point: deadline what if Matt Duchene doesn’t sign an extension with Ottawa over the next few weeks and by Feb. 10 or so he’s put on the market by the Senators. It just so happens that Poile spent two years chasing Duchene By Pierre LeBrun Jan 28, 2019 when he was in Colorado but couldn’t find the right pieces to appease the Avalanche. As we all remember, Duchene ended up in the three-team

parlay which netted Nashville Kyle Turris instead. A year ago, the entire hockey world knew months in advance that the Would Poile throw all of his chips in now and take a run at Duchene yet Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets would eventually hook up in the again? File that one away. playoffs. What I’m hearing from the Jets, meanwhile, is a cautious approach, even Their eventual meeting produced the best series played in last year’s if they are surely scouring the market. I’m told they’ve already had a NHL playoffs. conversation with Pittsburgh about Derick Brassard, a guy they tried to Before they got there, each team loaded up and spent a first-round pick land a year ago before getting Stastny instead. doing it, the Preds for Ryan Hartman and the Jets for Paul Stastny. But the party line out of Winnipeg is that they aren’t going to force a Well, here we are again. move just to say they got in on the trade deadline fun. Like Stastny a year ago, a wonderful playoff pickup, it has to feel like the right fit. The Central Division goes through Winnipeg or Nashville. One of those two teams will most likely be in the Western Conference final. Jets captain Blake Wheeler is leaned on by Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice for his thoughts ahead of the deadline. It’s one of the reasons why the Feb. 25 trade deadline will be fascinating He’s clearly on board with what their approach is again this year. yet again this year. Not only may both teams end up bidding on some of the same players — both clubs want to make additions up front — but “I think ultimately we don’t just want to make a move to say we made a they’ll be doing so while keeping an eye on the other. move,” Wheeler said Saturday after the All-Star weekend had wrapped up. “I think it was the same mindset last year. Had the thing with Stas Oh, they both deny it of course. They insist they’re not going to make a (Stasny) fallen through, we probably would have stood pat. So those reactionary deal just because the other team may act first. guys do a great job, they do their due diligence in a number of different ways. They’re going to try to find somebody that can make us a better Still … neither team can possibly ignore what the other is doing. team. If that guy is out there and it works out, then great. If not, you “Sometimes it’s like a domino effect where some years one or two teams know, I think we like our team.’’ make a trade and everybody says, `Whoa, I better do something.’ You The hardest part for the Jets is determining how that rental player — got to do your own thing,’’ veteran Preds GM David Poile told The given their cap issues moving forward it’s more likely than not that they Athletic over the phone during All-Star weekend. “Just because another target pending UFAs — fits in. How can they make sure adding a forward team does something, it doesn’t mean you have to or should. There will to their mix makes them better while not affecting chemistry or pushing be good players available but there are probably more buyers than down a current Jets player who might have a bigger impact? sellers, so once again you have to determine what you are willing to give up. So often times it’s not a lack of desire that you want a player but it “You don’t know how a player is going to fit,” Maurice said on Saturday. might be a lack of desire to give up the price that the seller gets for that “So you do all your background but you truly don’t know how he’s going player. The trading deadline is a tricky situation for everybody.’’ to fit. And then for us, we’ve got this other thing we’re dealing with. Which is in two months’ time, how much different are the players that we have? He then paused before adding: So Brendan Lemieux is a good example of that. In the last month he’s a “I’m going to be out there making calls after the break and see what’s completely different player than he was in October. Certainly, after the available. But first and foremost I want to see our team play when we’re a All-Star break, you’re not developing anymore, you’re assessing whether bit healthier.’’ you’re taking a stab at it or not. But can you find a bigger, stronger young man like that? You might (already) have all the pieces that you truly need This is where those rental power forwards like Wayne Simmonds and now. So when you are as young as we are, that’s a real question. Can Micheal Ferland come into play. They’d look good in either of those Jets we go out and get a better player, three months from now we may be a or Preds lineups. Imagine Simmonds joining a Jets roster that already different looking team.’’ had Adam Lowry and Dustin Byfuglien. Beef city. Where does the Jets coach sit on that question right now? Which is why if you’re Poile, no matter what anybody says, you’re making sure you’ve got Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher on speed dial and ensuring “I’m not sure, that’s the honest answer.’’ when he’s ready to deal Simmonds that he checks back in with you. To me, Brassard, Ferland or Simmonds are excellent targets, but again And no question in my mind, Hurricanes GM Don Waddell will do the the price will matter. same with Ferland. He’ll keep going to all five Western Conference The Pacific-Division leading Flames will look to add. They’ve afforded contenders, bringing in the Pacific elite of Calgary, Vegas and San Jose themselves that opportunity with a wonderful season to date. and using the potential interest and competitive juices to drive up the price. And he will do the same with Eastern contenders. “You always as a team and a coaching staff want to put yourself in a good position come trade deadline to be guys that are looking to acquire, Waddell, as we’ve reported before, wants at least a first-round pick in a add on, if you’re missing any pieces,’’ Flames head coach Bill Peters said Ferland deal and preferably a first plus a prospect. I would think on Saturday. “We really like the team that we have, so it’ll be interesting Simmonds would fetch a slightly better package based on his more to see, there’s lots of hockey between now and the deadline. We’ll see polished pedigree. what happens health-wise with our team. But definitely, it would be nice Here we go again. First-round picks. They might be low first-round picks, to add and complete what are perceived holes if we have any holes and but they’re still choices among the first 31 players selected and they’re become a better team.’’ valuable. I love the idea here of Ferland being reacquired by the Flames. Poile has dealt a few of those over the years, and he may have to do it Undoubtedly GM Brad Treliving will inquire at some point with Carolina again, to the mighty chagrin of his amateur scouting staff. but I also think he’s going to set a ceiling on what he’s willing to pay.

“That is the million-dollar question,” Poile said of whether he’d be willing Vegas will be all-in on adding as well. If Mark Stone doesn’t re-sign in to pay the price of a first-rounder again. “Our scouts at our meetings said Ottawa, watch out, I bet the Knights go hard after the pending UFA they were coming down to Nashville a week before the trade deadline to winger. But really, my sense on the Knights is that they’re looking at all take over my phone. We’ve traded our first-round pick too often. I the notable rental pieces to see who might fit. They want to go on certainly can see their position. But you know, we’ve got to make the call another run. Finally, in the West, we have the All-Star game hosts, San Jose. GM Doug Wilson has never been shy to add ahead of the deadline. But I would also say that this season is a little different. They gave up a package of assets, including their 2019 first-round pick, to land Erik Karlsson in September and in many ways I think the organization views that blockbuster at their main centrepiece already ahead of this trade deadline.

Which makes sense since they also gave up a first-round pick for Evander Kane last year meaning they lack the most sought-after asset most selling teams look for ahead of the deadline.

Still, I would never sleep on Wilson. Could adding a Marcus Johansson or Brian Boyle from New Jersey make sense in a third-line role?

We’ll spend more time on the Eastern Conference contenders later on when I put out a Buyers and Sellers piece in a few weeks but by now everyone knows the Leafs are looking to add on defence (Jake Muzzin, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Colton Parayko? Take your pick but I think the Leafs have looked at many options).

Update: Toronto acquired Muzzin on Monday, sending forward Carl Grundstrom, the rights to unsigned draft choice Sean Durzi and their 2019 first-round pick to the Kings in exchange for the 29-year-old defenceman.

The Bruins would like to add a top-nine forward. The Penguins could deal Brassard but are also looking to add to their forward group (Ferland?). The Capitals would presumably like to beef up their third line. The Blue Jackets, well, they could use another centre and they’ve got a few big decisions to make on Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. The surprising Islanders? Who knows with Papa Lou! But I get the sense the offseason will be a more fertile playground for Lamoriello to get things done.

And finally, well, what about those NHL-leading Lightning?

You could argue they need absolutely nothing. But I feel they got pushed around a little by Washington in the Eastern Conference final last season. As I’ve said before, I love — let me repeat it — I love the idea of Simmonds in Tampa Bay.

And my understanding is that GM Julien BriseBois has at least given it some thought even if I have no evidence to suggest he’s talked to Philadelphia yet.

I turned to Bolts head coach Jon Cooper on Saturday after the All-Star Game and asked him what the Lightning should do before the deadline.

“Well there’s a reason it says `Jon Cooper, head coach; not Jon Cooper, general manager,’’’ he laughed. “Because that’s a tough job. And our group, Steve (Yzerman) and Julien, have done an exceptional job assembling the group we have. But if you’re looking in the broader spectrum, there’s something to chemistry. Everybody thinks you have to add somebody at the deadline to put yourself over the top. I don’t necessarily think that’s true. In all these years we’ve been together, we really haven’t made big deals at the deadline except for last year which was a big one (acquiring Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller). And that was not a deadline deal to push us over the top, that was a deal that has worked into the future for us. There was a lot of thought put into that, giving up the prospects we did. But I believe that trade deadline deal last year has set this team up this year, if that makes any sense. What happens this year? Maybe in years past a team would be looking for something but if nothing at all happened, I don’t think anybody would lose an ounce of sleep because we really like our group.’’

Most contenders always say that, that if they don’t add they still like their team. In this case, it’s actually very much true with the Lightning. Still, Simmonds in that Tampa lineup …

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127986 Calgary Flames “He keeps improving,” Pavelski said. “His game is at a high level already. To bring that high level every night, with that consistency — it just doesn’t happen. He’s putting the work in trying to find ways to improve and show NHL All-Star player poll: Who is the best American in the NHL right now? up every night. That’s the biggest thing.”

In picking Kane, Wheeler suggested that it was going to take team success to go with impressive individual numbers to push Kane out of the By Craig Custance Jan 28, 2019 top spot.

After a 'special' run with Team USA at the World Juniors, Blackhawks prospect Evan Barratt returns to Penn State battle-tested

Jimmy Greenfield

When Evan Barratt returned to Penn State after playing for Team USA in the IIHF World Junior Championships, he ran into his first prolonged goal-scoring drought of the season. That is, if you call three games a drought. Barratt, the Blackhawks’ 2017 third-round pick, is having a breakout sophomore year for the Nittany Lions. But Big Ten teams generally play back-to-back games with five-day breaks in between. At the worlds, the U.S. team played seven games in 11 days. Barratt’s U.S. squad lost an epic gold-medal game Jan. 5 in Vancouver, British Columbia, when Finland’s Kaapo Kakko scored with 1 minute, 26 seconds left for a 3-2 victory. The rigorous schedule left Barratt worn down. “Every game is an absolute battle,” said Barratt, who scored one goal in the tournament. “Coming back your body is just drained and exhausted, mentally and physically. It just takes you a little time to get back in the swing of things here.” After going without a goal in his first three games upon returning, Barratt snapped out of his minislump in a pronounced way. His short-handed goal Saturday against Ohio State went viral after he magically stickhandled past a Buckeyes defenseman and managed to slip the puck past the goalie. Barratt also had an assist in the game, which came a few days after he learned he was a nominee for the Hobey Baker Award, given to college hockey’s top player. Barratt, a 5-foot-11-inch, 190-pound forward, is third in the NCAA with 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists) in 21 games. The Hawks are paying close attention. When Barratt’s college season ends, the time could be right for him to leave Penn State and begin his pro career. He turns 20 next month. “We’ll spend a lot of time watching him the next couple months,” said Mark Kelley, Hawks vice president of amateur scouting. “The player development (staff) will be in there quite a bit, and when the year’s over that’s a conversation for us to have with Evan and his advisers.” The way Barratt describes his game, he could become a fan favorite — not to mention a coach’s favorite — once he arrives at the United Center. “I’m a very gritty player and I get in the dirty areas in front of the net and try to get under guys’ skin,” Barratt said. “Try and create my offense around the net. Plant myself there so I'm a hard guy to play against in all zones.” For now, Barratt will enjoy the rest of his college season and remind himself how close his U.S. team came to bringing home a gold medal at the World Juniors. “We didn't finish off how we wanted but came really, really close,” Barratt said. “It was really special.” Chicago Tribune LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127989 Chicago Blackhawks

Jonathan Toews thinks Alex DeBrincat could be ‘future leader of a hockey club’

By Madeline Kenney 01/28/2019, 09:06PM

It’s not a fluke that Blackhawks right wing Alex DeBrincat is having an even better season than he did as a rookie last season. While some young players fall victim to a sophomore slump, the 21-year- old DeBrincat has continued to make a name for himself. And captain Jonathan Toews has taken notice. ‘‘He had a great rookie season last year,’’ Toews said. ‘‘A lot of guys take dips after that, and they don’t really realize all the things that went right for them. But he’s out there working, paying the price and just improving his game, and there’s no coincidence that he’s doing as well as he is right now.’’ DeBrincat’s work ethic is one of the many reasons Toews said he thinks he might be a ‘‘future leader of a hockey club.’’ ‘‘He’s one of those guys . . . coming in with the talent, but he also has the desire to want to get better every single day,’’ Toews said. ‘‘That’s the No. 1 quality to look for in a teammate.’’ That’s some pretty high praise coming from Toews, who’s not alone in his thoughts about DeBrincat. Coach Jeremy Colliton agreed with Toews and said that’s part of the reason DeBrincat has continued to get better. ‘‘You see every day he’s out there at practice, pregame skate, working on his game,’’ Colliton said. ‘‘And he loves doing it, loves scoring goals, has that hunger around the net. He’s got that weapon [with] his shot. His release is fantastic.’’ DeBrincat exceeded the Hawks’ expectations as a rookie last season. He led the team in goals with 28 and tied for second in points with 52. He has 25 goals and 18 assists in 51 games this season. And DeBrincat seems to be heating up. Going into the Hawks’ nine-day break, he had seven goals and 10 points in the last 10 games. DeBrincat has done a good job of handling success at a young age. He gave credit to Toews and fellow wing Patrick Kane for helping him with that. DeBrincat said the two have been the most influential players in the locker room and gave him tips on how to manage the pressures of the NHL at a young age. Their biggest piece of advice? ‘‘Just keep having fun,’’ DeBrincat said. ‘‘A lot of times it can feel like the world is crashing down on you, but you’re still playing the game you love and still trying to have fun with it. So I think that’s the big thing I try to push to do.’’ Toews, however, remembered giving DeBrincat another piece of advice. ‘‘I said, ‘Pass me the puck on the power play.’ That’s about it,’’ Toews said, giving DeBrincat a side-eye and a smirk. All jokes aside, Toews said he thinks DeBrincat has a bright future. And DeBrincat said he’s just getting started. ‘‘When you reach the NHL, it’s really your dream coming true,’’ he said. ‘‘But there’s still a lot of work to do with anyone in the league. There’s always getting better, and there’s always contributing more. ‘‘So, yeah, it’s been fun. But still a lot of things to go.’’ Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127990 Chicago Blackhawks guys do around the league. I was fortunate enough to come back down here and score a couple goals early. It helps, definitely, but it's important not to get down on yourself. It's obviously tough to score, but I think as How Dylan Sikura is dealing with NHL growing pains and rediscovering long as you're getting good looks and good chances then they're bound his confidence to go in." In college, Sikura accumulated 146 points (58 goals, 88 assists) in 137 career games across four seasons with Northeastern for a points-per- By Charlie Roumeliotis January 28, 2019 10:35 AM game average of 1.07. With the IceHogs, he has 26 points (12 goals, 14 assists) in 35 games for a team-leading points-per-game average of 0.74. When Dylan Sikura didn’t make the Blackhawks out of training camp, it Why isn’t his production translating to the NHL? came as a little bit of a surprise. He was supposed to factor into the top- nine forward group. “They're quicker, they're faster and they're definitely stronger,” King said of NHL players. “Obviously any player like that who's that size needs to Instead, he spent the first few months in Rockford, where he led the put some strength on and get some muscle on his body. But he can play IceHogs with nine goals, 18 points, 90 shots on goal and four game- the pace and he thinks the game. I think, too, it's where are you going to winning goals through 26 games. It earned him a call-up to Chicago on put him on the power play? He's a power play guy, but the way Chicago Dec. 12. plays the power play, he's not going to see the ice right now. And the ice time's not there. When you're a young guy and you get up, they don't just But he lasted only 11 games before getting sent back down to Rockford throw you to the wolves, you have to earn your place. I think he did well after recording zero goals and three assists. with the ice he got, but when he comes down here he knows he's going "Just try to stay positive like the first time,” Sikura told NBC Sports to play a lot and that's where he gets the confidence. So the next time he Chicago on where his mindset is at. “Entering pro hockey for the first goes up, maybe those points will come a little easier." time, it could be a culture shock for some guys and for some guys it just The first go-around was certainly more difficult to swallow for Sikura, who takes some time. That was my first full experience of what the NHL is like had aspirations to be on the Blackhawks from Day 1. The second time, it and how the game is played up there. It was nice to get up there and get was needed for a different reason and it's because he wasn't getting the a chance to play. opportunity to maximize his talents and wasn't taking full advantage of "Coming back down, you know what you have to work on and know what the ice time he got. parts of your game you need to get better at. I think that's something that, But he knows what kind of player he wants to become, and it's all about coming back down, talking to Jeremy [Colliton], he gave me a lot of trying to fine-tune that in the AHL. So when he does return to the big positive criticism and stuff you need to work on and that's the stuff I've leagues, he's ready to flourish. been focusing on." "I think at this point in your career you know what kind of player you're IceHogs interim head coach Derek King said he sometimes worries striving to be and you watch guys around the league and the NHL of about players of Sikura’s caliber who get sent down a second time and guys you look up to are obviously a lot better," Sikura said. "But hopefully believe they should be in the NHL. one day you can be that. From here on it's kind of just fine-tuning and But he was very complimentary of Sikura’s attitude and being a getting used to playing the way [they play]. professional about it. It’s because Sikura knows he needs to be better, "For me I always think about the college days and how you play out there and more importantly, wants to. and how you can translate it out there, is having the puck and holding "I think before he left he was struggling a little bit with what type of player onto the puck more. Obviously up top it's a lot faster, so down here, that's he should be,” King said. “Obviously he's got some offensive skill, we how you learn, you get better with the puck, learn how to make plays and know that. You’ve got to learn at this level, you’ve got to be able to play just adapt to the pro hockey game. It can be frustrating at times, it can be at both ends of the ice. I think he was not thinking like that. He was tough at times, especially when we're down and we're losing, but it's thinking more, 'I got to put points up, points up.' So by the time he got up important to stay positive and try to take as much out of each game and there, we had already adjusted him where he was being a little more each day you're down here." responsible in the D-zone, which helped him when he went up. Because Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 obviously, you guys know, in the NHL, if you can't play D-zone, there's some pretty good hockey players on the ice and that puck's in the back of the net, you may not see the ice again. So I thought he did a great job when he was up there.” The challenge for Sikura was that he wasn’t getting much ice time with the Blackhawks — he averaged 10:30 minutes per game, which was 2:54 fewer than his ice-time average in five games last season. And when he did get the ice time, trying to make the most of it. "Yeah, it's tough,” Sikura admitted. “I think there's a lot of aspects that go into it. Obviously the team was struggling a bit and you're trying to make a name for yourself, and it could be tough at times. They're trying to get as many wins, and try to throw the guys up that are going to help the most. But for me it was just trying to get more and more comfortable every game. It was my real first taste of what it was like up there and you can kind of see how fast the game is played out there. "One of the big reasons is you’re up there for a reason and you got called up for a reason. You're obviously doing good things down here and you got to try to translate your game to up there and do what you can. I'm a guy that, I like to make plays, I like to have the puck. Just cause I'm changing levels it doesn't mean I have to change the way I play. And that's just something that will come with getting more comfortable and more time." In 16 career NHL games, Sikura is still looking for his first goal. He created a lot in his first few games this season, but couldn’t break through. He couldn't even get one off the skate or body, which made it even more frustrating because he really had to work for it. “That was probably the most challenging part,” Sikura said. “I think in the games I played, the first couple, I had at least a couple good chances that you kind of second guess yourself after that, that should've went in or if you weren't gripping your stick, that would've went in. Up top I was doing everything, from changing my tape job to trying to change some different things in talking to the older guys, just little things like that that 1127991 Chicago Blackhawks The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019

How does Alex DeBrincat customize his stick? The same way he always has

By Scott Powers Jan 28, 2019

Shooters tend to be curious about how other shooters customize their sticks. Alex DeBrincat is no different. When Alex Ovechkin came through to play the Blackhawks in Chicago recently, DeBrincat had to take a peek at exactly how extreme Ovechkin’s curve was. DeBrincat had heard about it. He took one look and knew it wasn’t for him. “I look at it just to keep in my brain,” DeBrincat said. “I kind of like looking at their curves and stuff, but I don’t think it’d make me change. I know Ovechkin uses a pretty big curve, and I saw it (the other day). I don’t know how he uses that thing.” As part of our ongoing series about how Blackhawks players customize their sticks, DeBrincat recently went into detail about his own. DeBrincat uses a CCM Super Tacks AS1 stick. He has a deal with CCM and uses whatever new model he’s provided. “I’ve used CCM for a long while here,” he said. “Contract or not, it’s whatever, I’d probably use them anyways. It’s nice to be able to be close with the rep and see when new things are coming out, just be able to use them before they get out there.” One unique detail about DeBrincat’s sticks is he cuts them down significantly. It’s a drawback of being 5-foot-7. “Short guy, so …” DeBrincat said with a smile. “They come a little longer. I’ve had to cut it down a good amount. Probably a few inches maybe, an inch or two, which makes it a little stiffer, but not too much.” Overall, DeBrincat molds his stick to fit his shooting ability. He has a 75 flex and finds that’s optimal for his quick and hard shot. “It’s a little bit whippier,” DeBrincat said. “I cut my sticks down a good amount, too. It makes it a little bit stiffer than 75. It’s just a whippier stick, get the puck off quick. It’s just kind of what I’m used to.” Alex DeBrincat has a contract with CCM. (Matt Marton / USA Today) As for his curve, DeBrincat found something he liked early on as a player, and he’s stuck with it throughout much of his career. “I’ve used that curve forever,” he said. “It’s like a Sakic curve. Just used it since I was little and never really changed. It’s what works for me. I don’t really like to change up much, just kind of keep it the same. “I used probably the straighter curve for a bit. When I was real young, that’s just what my dad got me. As I was getting older, the bigger hooks were becoming more popular. That was a pretty big one then. Started using that, liked my shot with it, so stuck with it forever. It’s what works for me.” When Patrick Sharp was around last season, he and DeBrincat talked about their sticks and everything else that went into being a shooter. “He used a pretty similar curve to me,” DeBrincat said. “His is a lot stiffer. I like talking to him about shooting and a lot of different things. He used a pretty similar (curve). I think he’s changed a few times, though.” DeBrincat hasn’t changed much over the years. From his flex to his curve to how he tapes his stick, it’s been pretty constant. “I leave my sticks the same,” DeBrincat said. “I haven’t changed probably in five years now. First year in junior my flex went up a little bit just because they sent me the wrong sticks and I ended up liking them. I started using that flex and haven’t changed since. The curve has been the same. New models of sticks pretty much is the only thing that changes. “I tape my stick the same way for seven years, too. I don’t like to change anything with my stick. I like the way it is, so there’s no point in changing it. Some guys like to switch things up in practice and see how they like. I just like to keep it the same, keep it consistent.” Considering DeBrincat has already surpassed 50 goals in his young NHL career, it’s hard to argue with his ways. 1127992 Colorado Avalanche Denver Post: LOADED: 01.29.2019

Avalanche draft pick Cale Makar could be just months away from beginning his NHL career … in the playoffs

By MIKE CHAMBERS | PUBLISHED: January 28, 2019 at 2:16 pm | UPDATED: January 28, 2019 at 3:16 PM

In late March or mid-April, Avalanche top-prospect Cale Makar is bound to sign his NHL entry-level contract to conclude his stellar two-year career at the University of Massachusetts. The question is, will Colorado’s 2017 first-round draft pick (fourth overall) make his NHL debut in the regular season or playoffs? Assuming, that is, the Avs, who are clingling to the last wild-card spot, make the playoffs. Makar is tied as college hockey’s second-highest-scoring defenseman (29 points, nine goals) and has helped second-ranked UMass (19-5) build one of the most successful seasons in program history. Makar serves as an alternate captain and is the Minutemen’s second-leading scorer on a team seemingly destined to make just its second NCAA Tournament appearance, and first since 2007. If UMass advances to its first Frozen Four and the Avs make the playoffs — and Makar signs immediately with Colorado — he won’t have much time to get acclimated to the professional game before he’s called upon. The Frozen Four is a week later this season than in previous years, placing Makar on course to play in a Stanley Cup Playoff game before making his NHL regular-season debut. “] “What I’m watching on TV, it seems like a team I could hop into right away,” Makar said of the Avs in November. “But at the end of the day, we’ll wait and see when that time comes.” The UMass regular-season finale is March 8 at Connecticut. The Hockey East playoff tournament unfolds the ensuing two weekends before the NCAA Tournament regionals March 29-31. The Frozen Four at Key Bank Center in Buffalo, N.Y., is April 11-13. The Avalanche’s regular-season finale is April 6 at San Jose. The playoffs will begin April 10 or 11. Makar, 20, is eligible to begin his Avalanche career in the playoffs because he was drafted by the team and is thus automatically on the team’s reserve list at the Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline. Free agents cannot be on a reserve list because they are unaffiliated with all teams. The most recent college player to make his NHL debut in the playoffs and make an impact was Chris Krieder, who went from Boston College to the New York Rangers in 2012. Krieder played in 18 Stanley Cup games before the Rangers lost in the Eastern Conference finals to the New Jersey Devils. Makar could make an immediate impact with the Avs this spring, but he’s happy with his decision to return to college for a second season and serve as a young leader. “I think it was a great decision to come back, in terms of my development, and not rushing anything,” Makar, an alternate captain, said. “I take great pride in being recognized as one of the key leaders on this team. One of my other sophomore counterparts, Mario Ferraro, also has an A. It’s a big role for us to play but at the end of the day, it was chosen by our team and I’m very humbled to have it on my chest. I think we’ve created a great culture here so far. “And it was kind of a learning curve for me last year and this year it’s not as eye-opening. As for my training, I feel like I’m a relatively good skater already but felt I needed to be more explosive in the D-zone and have that durability in my legs to play equally as well at both sides of the ice.” Makar is one of Colorado’s two top young right-shot defenseman with offensive gifts. The other, Conor Timmins, who was drafted 32nd in 2017 and signed his entry-level contract with the Avs last spring, has been shut down since July because of persistent concussion-like symptoms. Makar and Timmins were teammates for Canada’s World Junior team a year ago. “I definitely feel for the guy. We’re pretty good friends, obviously from the World Juniors,” Makar said of Timmins. “I was trying to keep in touch with him through camp. You never like to see a guy who’s out for that long, especially with a head injury. I really hope he comes back soon because obviously he’s a big part of their future and I really like playing with him as well.” 1127993 Colorado Avalanche As for why there are so many hat tricks this season, Zucker has a simple deduction.

"It's the speed. It's the skill. It's the sticks, the way guys shoot pucks Easy as 1, 2, 3: Hat tricks on the rise this season now," Zucker explained. "Guys don't even have to try to shoot pucks — the sticks do a lot of the work for us." 02:42 PM by Pat Graham and Jake Shapiro The Associated Press No need to convince Minnesota's all-star goaltender Devan Dubnyk of that.

"Teams are discovering ways to create chances and figure how pucks DENVER — In keeping with hockey tradition, a tip of the cap to honour actually go in the net and not just thinking if you throw 50 pucks at the net Alex Ovechkin and Patrik Laine . that you're going to score a bunch of goals," Dubnyk said. "It's understanding how to create offence. You can see it throughout the They've each recorded a hat trick of hat tricks this season. league this year. There's a lot of offensive creativity and it's making it tough for defences and tough for goalies." Easy as one, two, three. Or so it may seem. LOADED: 01.29.2019 Around the league, there have been 61 hat tricks through the first 770 games of the season — the most since 1995-96 (62), according to research by the National Hockey League stats and information department. Leading the surge are Ovechkin of Washington and Laine of Winnipeg with three each. Hold on to your hat, there's more: There has been at least one three-goal scorer in 10 of the 13 days leading into to the all-star break. "I think the reason why," Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen succinctly surmised, "is because scoring around the league is up." Simple, yes. But on target, too. There have been 132 instances of a team scoring six or more goals in a game so far, which is the most since 2005-06. Teams are averaging 3.03 goals per game, which is on pace for the highest-scoring season since the 3.14 in, you guessed it, 1995-96. There has been an 18 per cent increase in scoring since the post-expansion low of 2.57 goals per game for teams in 2003-04, before a lockout led to rule changes. Naturally, hat tricks figure to go hand-in-hand with the escalation. "It's exciting and not something everyone has done," said Nashville forward Austin Watson, who had his first NHL hat trick on Nov. 25 against Anaheim. "It's a cool achievement." Long associated with cricket and soccer, the term hat trick appears to have made its way into the mainstream hockey vernacular when a Toronto businessperson offered a hat to any player who scored three goals during an NHL game while visiting his town. As the legend goes, Chicago forward Alex Kaleta went into the shop in 1946 and found a fedora he fancied, according to an NHL.com story. Only, he didn't have the funds to purchase it. The business owner offered to give it to Kaleta free of charge should he score three goals against the Maple Leafs. Kaleta had four. Presto, a hat trick. These days, hat tricks come in a variety of forms. There's the natural one (three straight goals by a player), traditional (any three goals, sometimes culminating with a late empty-netter) and of course the "Gordie Howe" (a goal, assist and a fight). The achievement of a hat trick has long been celebrated with fans tossing their hats on the ice. Ever wonder where all those hats go? The Avs, for one, donate the caps to the Denver Rescue Mission. The fastest NHL hat trick took just 21 seconds by Chicago's Bill Mosienko (1952). The most in a career? Wayne Gretzky, who had 50. Ovechkin has the most of any active player with 23. They're far from common — this year's total of 61 so far is just 8 per cent of all games. The Great One needed 1,487 games to get his 50. All the increased scoring means the feat may someday lose a bit of its lustre. But not yet. "It's a pretty hard thing to do," said Minnesota forward Jason Zucker, who had a hat trick on Nov. 9, 2017. "Scoring any goal in this league is a hard thing to do. To do three in one game is pretty incredible." Ovechkin had two in a four-day window this season, while Laine had a pair over a six-day span, including a five-goal game on Nov. 24. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog gave his first hat trick on Nov. 11, 2017, against Washington the royal treatment. He has the puck in a case with the game sheet and a picture. He said he doesn't have his puck from the second one, which happened a month later. "I don't think guys are going out there trying to score hat tricks," the All- Star Landeskog said. "Guys are going out there trying to help the team win." 1127994 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets | Alexander Wennberg reaches out to Martin St. Louis

Brian Hedger Jan 28, 2019 at 9:15 PM Jan 28, 2019 at 9:15 PM

More than halfway through the season, the Blue Jackets are still looking to push the right buttons with Alexander Wennberg. They’ve had coaches talk with him. They’ve moved him around to different lines and spots on the power play. Wennberg is no stranger to video breakdowns, either, and nothing has worked yet. So, enter Martin St. Louis. The recently hired special-teams consultant appears to be taking a crack at getting through to Wennberg now, much in the same way he spoke to Cam Atkinson last season when Atkinson was in a rut. “First of all, he’s a really good guy and he was a hell of a player, so I think every (bit of) knowledge he can help you with or advice, or whatever, you just take it all in,” Wennberg said of St. Louis, who was spotted chatting with him during practice Monday at the OhioHealth Ice Haus. “I had a good talk with him, and I feel like there’s a lot of things he can help me out with.” Coach John Tortorella said Sunday that St. Louis had hoped to have dinner with a player, but declined to reveal which one. He declined again Monday, but the assumption is that it was Wennberg — who has one goal in 48 games this season and hasn’t netted one since Nov. 10 against the New York Rangers (31 games). Going into the Jackets’ game against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday at Nationwide Arena, the first after a week off for both teams, Wennberg has 19 points on a goal and 18 assists. That’s well below his pace from 2016-17, when he finished with 59 points on 13 goals and 46 assists as the Jackets’ top center and earned a six-year, $29.4 million contract extension. “I can’t really say right now exactly what it is I’m missing, but you’ve got to figure it out and you don’t have all the time in the world,” Wennberg said. “I’m not taking it (lightly) and being like ‘just wait and see.’ I’m trying to work on things and make it better. That’s my mindset.” The good news is that his defensive game hasn’t dropped off a bit, which is the main reason Tortorella hasn’t scratched him in a single game. “If he was a dog, yeah,” said Tortorella, who lauded Wennberg’s penalty- killing. “He’s not a dog. He isn’t. He brings other things, but there is offense there. He’s a 60-point guy, two years removed, and we’ve got to try to help him.” One-timers Seth Jones didn’t practice for the second straight day. Jones was “banged up” after crashing into the goal post Saturday night in the NHL All-Star Game, but said he expects to play Tuesday. … The Blue Jackets had a lengthy practice Monday with two separate power-play sessions … After practice, a team meeting was held at the arena featuring guest speaker Tim Kight, founder of a firm called Focus 3 that aims to help organizations instill leadership and a culture of success. Kight, who previously worked with Ohio State’s football team under former coach Urban Meyer, will work with the Jackets “a couple times a month,” according to Tortorella. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127995 Columbus Blue Jackets “We have the trade deadline coming up,” Davidson said. “We have some things that are going to be taken care of, one way or another, by then.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.29.2019 Blue Jackets: Artemi Panarin says he won't talk about contract until after season

Brian Hedger Jan 28, 2019 at 6:43 PM Jan 28, 2019 at 8:40 PM

Technically speaking, the statement released Monday evening by Artemi Panarin’s agent wasn’t a “no.” Issued via Twitter by Dan Milstein, of Gold Star Sports Management, it simply kicked the issue of Panarin’s pending free agency down the road once again — rather than agreeing to start negotiations on a contract extension. “We have informed the team that we are willing to discuss Artemi’s future after this season,” the statement reads. “Our priority now is to focus on the rest of the season, trying to win a Stanley Cup for (sic) CBJ & their fans.” Again, not technically a “no, thanks.” However, that can’t be heartening for the Blue Jackets — who decided to hang onto the Russian star last summer despite his reluctance to negotiate becoming public knowledge prior to the 2018 NHL draft in Dallas. Contacted shortly after Milstein’s statement was posted, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen declined to comment — saying he was busy in a meeting. He is expected to respond Tuesday, before the Blue Jackets host the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena in the first game following a week off for both teams. Panarin was acquired in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks on June 23, 2017, hours before the 2017 NHL draft held at the United Center in Chicago. It was a blockbuster deal that caught the entire league off- guard, including Panarin — who was getting ready to leave on a remote fishing trip in Russia when he got the news. Since joining the Blue Jackets, though, he’s been exactly what Kekalainen was hoping to get — a game-breaking star player. After setting a franchise record with 82 points last year, in his first season with Columbus, Panarin has 53 points on 19 goals and 34 assists this season — putting him on pace for 33 goals and 91 points. Losing that kind of goal and point production, possibly for nothing in return, would be quite a hole to fill. That’s why the Blue Jackets, and their fans, waited anxiously to hear any news Monday — after Milstein met with Panarin this past weekend in Miami. Monday afternoon, Milstein said he wanted to speak with Panarin a second time before issuing a statement. After getting ahold of his client and discussing the situation on “multiple phone calls,” he issued the statement on Twitter. Since Panarin’s reluctance to negotiate became public last summer, he has repeatedly expressed a wish to play this season out in Columbus. He’s built a bond with his teammates and would like to help them chase a championship. The question is: “for how long?” The statement Monday puts Blue Jackets management in a sticky situation. If Panarin is not willing to discuss the future until after the season, the team basically has two options — with the hope of signing him during the season gone. They can deal him before the NHL trade deadline of 3 p.m. on Feb. 25, despite currently sitting third in the Metropolitan Division, or hope he’s willing to negotiate between the end of the season and July 1 — when free agency starts. That second option is risky, though. The Jackets will not get compensation, for Panarin or Sergei Bobrovsky, if either of the pending free agents signs elsewhere in the summer. The Blue Jackets have three-plus weeks now to decide their next move, prior to the deadline. Dispatch Reporter Michael Arace caught up with John Davidson last week and asked the team’s president of hockey operations what decisions might be ahead. His answer was telling. 1127996 Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets: 'Banged up' Seth Jones doesn't practice but is expected to play Tuesday

Brian Hedger Jan 28, 2019 at 1:05 PM Jan 28, 2019 at 1:08 PM

Defenseman Seth Jones is “banged up” and did not practice Monday after he was tripped by Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane and his left knee hit a goal post during the NHL All-Star championship game on Saturday night, coach John Tortorella said. Tortorella said he expects Jones to play when the Blue Jackets take on the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday in Nationwide Arena. Jones and right winger Cam Atkinson helped the Metropolitan Division win the All-Star Game 3-on-3 tournament in San Jose, California. Jones had two goals, two assists and four points in two games for the Metro. Atkinson had three goals and two assists. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 01.29.2019 1127997 Columbus Blue Jackets The club might let Korpisalo play as the starter over the next month to see whether he can handle the added pressure and workload, perhaps making them feel more comfortable about trading Bobrovsky. Artemi Panarin declines to talk contract extension with Blue Jackets In practice the last two days, Korpisalo has manned the starter’s net and before trade deadline, will likely be traded taken the bulk of practice shots, suggesting he’ll start Tuesday when the Blue Jackets host Buffalo in Nationwide Arena. By Aaron Portzline Jan 28, 2019 The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Seven months later, nothing has changed for Artemi Panarin. The star left winger still doesn’t want to negotiate a contract extension with the Blue Jackets. Panarin’s agent, Daniel Milstein, informed Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen of his client’s decision Monday while Kekalainen was in a scheduled meeting with the club’s ownership group. It’s a big setback for the Blue Jackets, who now will likely seek to trade Panarin before the Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline. “We have informed the team that we are willing to discuss Artemi’s future after the season,” Milstein said in a statement posted on Twitter. “Our priority now is to focus on the rest of the season, trying to win a Stanley Cup for the CBJ and their fans.” But Panarin’s unwillingness to negotiate puts Kekalainen and the Blue Jackets in an awful quandary. If they trade him now, it would be a blow to the Blue Jackets’ chances to make much noise in the Stanley Cup playoffs. But if they don’t trade him, the Blue Jackets run the risk of an elite player leaving this summer with no compensation in return. Panarin, an unrestricted free agent July 1, has 19-34-53 in 46 games, tops on the Blue Jackets and 23rd in the NHL in points. His 1.06 points per game is by far the highest average in franchise history, ahead of Ray Whitney (0.93) and Rick Nash (0.81). STATEMENT ABOUT ARTEMI PANARIN’S FUTURE “WE HAVE INFORMED THE TEAM THAT WE ARE WILLING TO DISCUSS ARTEMI’S FUTURE AFTER THE SEASON. OUR PRIORITY NOW IS TO FOCUS ON THE REST OF THE SEASON, TRYING TO WIN A STANLEY CUP FOR THE CBJ & THEIR FANS”. NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WILL BE MADE.. — DAN MILSTEIN-HOCKEY (@HOCKEYAGENT1) JANUARY 28, 2019 Milstein declined to further comment. Kekalainen also declined to comment. The Blue Jackets made an initial contract offer to Panarin last summer, but it was dismissed out of hand because Panarin wasn’t sure he wanted to commit long term to playing in Columbus. Those close to him believe he wants to play in a major city, like New York or Los Angeles, or a “destination” city, like Tampa or Miami. The Blue Jackets began listening to trade offers for Panarin when he initially rebuffed them last June, but the offers included only top prospects, draft picks, etc., nothing that would help replace Panarin’s point-per-game output since he joined the Jackets in 2017. It was hoped that more time in Columbus and more time around his Blue Jackets teammates would help persuade Panarin to change his mind about central Ohio. Cam Atkinson, one of his closest friends on the team, has made it his personal mission to convince Panarin to stay. Panarin does not have a no-move or no-trade clause in his contract, so the Blue Jackets can trade him anywhere without permission. However, the return they get in a trade could be more significant if it’s to a team that knows it can keep him long term. This is not the only headache for Kekalainen. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, also is an unrestricted free agent this summer and could be on the trading block by the end of next month. Bobrovsky has informed the Blue Jackets that he’d be willing to lift his no-move clause, per The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, but it’s unclear whether the Jackets are willing to trade him by the deadline. Since Jan. 8, when Bobrovsky was suspended one game for leaving the bench area during a loss in Tampa, backup goaltender Joonas Korpisalo has started four of six games. 1127998 Columbus Blue Jackets power plays. Anything he can give us he’s going to try, but he doesn’t want to be front and center here.”

• The Blue Jackets skated for about an hour Sunday, their first on-ice ‘Frustrated’ John Tortorella wants Martin St. Louis to help him since Jan. 19 when they lost in Minnesota. As expected, All-Stars Seth communicate with struggling offensive player(s) Jones and Cam Atkinson were excused after their weekend in San Jose, but both will be back in the fold Monday. Here’s Tortorella: “The biggest thing with today’s practice was just making sure we moved the blood. It By Aaron Portzline Jan 28, 2019 got sloppy after 15-20 minutes, but that’s to be expected. I thought they practiced well for the first day back, but tomorrow we’ll have some meat to the practice, do some power-play stuff, skate ’em.” COLUMBUS, Ohio — Martin St. Louis has written his cell number on a • Monday’s practice will be in the Ice Haus, and thus open to the public. whiteboard in the inner sanctum of the Blue Jackets’ dressing room. If a Power-play work at 10:45 a.m., Zamboni at 11:15, then full skate begins player finds himself with an abundance of questions or a lack of at 11:30. confidence, the hockey Hall of Famer is only 10 digits away. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 St. Louis was hired by the Blue Jackets as a special teams consultant, but it was clear in the words of coach John Tortorella on Sunday that this is bigger than the power play. It’s about Tortorella’s ability to communicate with at least one player regarding that player’s offensive approach, including but not limited to the power play. “I won’t name the players, but I’m having a hell of a time reaching some guys,” Tortorella said. “This isn’t months, this is a couple of years now. It’s not working, and I’m very frustrated because I haven’t been able to reach certain guys in the offensive part of the game. “(St. Louis) has played under me for a number of years and we’ve gone through some shit together. He knows what those guys are going through also, and maybe he can touch them in a different way and reach them. That’s the bottom line. We are trying to make them better players.” Tortorella said St. Louis was planning informal one-on-ones with some players as a way to get to know them better. One player — yes, one of those Tortorella’s had trouble reaching — had already been invited to dinner Sunday. So where did St. Louis and Alexander Wennberg dine, you’re wondering? To be clear, Tortorella never mentioned Wennberg or any other player, but it’s a near certainty that the Blue Jackets’ former first-round pick — and former first- and second-line center — is on the list. Wennberg has scored one goal in 48 games this season. He hasn’t scored a power-play goal since March 12, 2018, a span of 59 games. But Wennberg is not alone. Neither Seth Jones nor Nick Foligno has scored a power-play goal this season. Foligno has gone 72 games — more than a calendar year — since his last power-play goal, Jan. 7, 2018, versus Florida. “(St. Louis) has a different way of communicating than I do,” Tortorella said. “Let’s try someone different, see if we can reach the common goal. “I would not be interested in this type of situation, bring in a guy … I don’t like people in our (dressing) room. I think we have really good coaches here. I’m not looking to add more thoughts. But a guy like this and what I know of him and where I think some of our weaknesses are as a club … I think it’s a great marriage.” Notebook • Artemi Panarin met with his agent, Daniel Milstein, in Miami over the weekend, but has not yet provided the Blue Jackets with a definitive answer regarding his willingness (or unwillingness) to negotiate a contract with the Blue Jackets. On Sunday, Milstein told The Athletic that he would need a second meeting with Panarin before speaking with Blue Jackets management this week. The trade deadline is Feb. 25. • Tortorella said he spoke with assistant coach Brad Larsen, who coaches the power play, before the Blue Jackets even “broached the subject (of hiring Marty)” with St. Louis. Here’s Tortorella on Larsen’s response: “As you guys know Lars, there’s no ego. He’s just not built that way. This isn’t Marty coming in and thinking he’s going to change it here or that he’s the answer. It’s just a different voice, a different look. Certain plays he may see differently. Lars … he just wants us to be the best we can be as a team. This is part of our team that hopefully in these last 30- plus games can get more consistent.” • St. Louis is done speaking to the media about his role in Columbus, Tortorella said. “He’s done with you guys. He’s not talking with the media. That (attention) is not what he wants. He feels very uncomfortable in dealing with the media. He wants to try and help in little ways, but what he said to me is, ‘I don’t have all the answers. No one does. Let’s try to get together and we can bounce ideas off of each other.’ That’s a Hall of Famer who has played with a lot of different players on a lot of different 1127999 Dallas Stars

5 things to know about Stars defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, including his impressively athletic family

By SportsDayDFW.com

The Dallas Stars just welcomed back defensman Jamie Oleksiak thanks to a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday. Here are a few things to know about him: The Basics Name: Jamie Oleksiak Height: 6-7 Weight: 255 lbs. Shoots: Left Born: December 21, 1992 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Drafted: No. 14 overall pick in 2011 NHL draft (Dallas Stars) Nobody called 'no trade-backs' The Stars initially dealt Oleksiak to Pittsburgh for a 2019 fourth-round pick on December 19, 2017. On Monday, the defenseman was sent from Pittsburgh back to Dallas for the exact same pick. The fourth-round pick is the same pick the Penguins gave the Stars last season for Oleksiak. — Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) January 28, 2019 A new outlook A stable of youth and inexperience among Stars defensemen in seasons past led to the scattered and diminished playing time for Oleksiak during his first six years in Dallas prior to his move to the Penguins. He now returns to the Stars to help fill the void of injured defensemen Marc Methot (who just had season-ending surgery) and Stephen Johns (who hasn't played all season). "It's a chance to add a player that replaces two guys we haven't had all year," said Stars general manager Jim Nill after the trade. "He's a big, strong, weighty guy. He's a more mature player than he was when he left here. It's just part of the process. We think he's the perfect guy to come in and eat up 15 minutes of ice time." During his 83 games with Pittsburgh, Oleksiak had eight goals and 17 assists while averaging 16:44 of ice time per game. He also appeared in 12 playoff games with the Penguins. Famous family The athletic genes in the Oleksiak family are quite impressive. Penny Oleksiak, Jamie's sister and Canadian swimming star, won a gold medal in the 100m freestyle at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016, and finished with four total medals. He's a fighter Not exactly news to Stars fans, but with an increase in playing time came an increase in Oleksiak's on-ice scraps at the NHL level. Oleksiak only recorded eight fights as a Star over the course of his tenure in Dallas, according to hockeyfights.com, but in his brief time as a Penguin (83 regular season games) he doubled his fight card to 16 total NHL bouts. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128000 Dallas Stars Playing behind the Penguins, Oleksiak doesn't have to worry about this which has naturally made him look quite a bit better defensively. Offensively Oleksiak was more productive too. All of this data is from the Flashback: Did Jamie Oleksiak improve with the Pittsburgh Penguins? massive amount of work done each year by Corey Sznajder. Oleksiak's shot contribution percentiles jump up about as significantly as his Zone Exit percentiles dropped. He was in on the offense more while By Josh Lile not forcing offense to start from his own end like the Stars tended to have him do.

I think that comes back to the neutral zone again. Pittsburgh's defense (Editor's note: The Stars brought back Jamie Oleksiak via a trade with isn't really asked to bring the puck up the ice with possession from their the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday. We're bringing this story from own end of the rink. They move the puck up the ice with simple passes or August back to help bring fans up to speed on the 26-year-old Canadian chip it into the neutral zone then get the puck again later after joining the defenseman.) attack. Jamie Oleksiak entered the Dallas Stars organization with all of the These are the percentiles for each Penguins and Stars defenseman in expectation of a giant Christmas present wrapped in bright shiny victory Possession Exits per hour and Possession Exit Percentage. Keeping green ribbon of hope. He was big and he could skate for a guy his size. possession of the puck is good. It's a scale of 1-100 with 100 being the Scouts thought he had offensive potential down the line. The hope was happiest. that the Stars had used their 2011 first round pick to select the top pairing defenseman the organization desperately needed. John Klingberg, Stephen Johns, and Honka all rivaled or significantly bested Olli Maatta, the top Penguin, in both metrics. Yet, it barely matters That never came to pass. Oleksiak was dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins because Pittsburgh uses their forwards to get out of the zone and up the in December for a 2019 conditional 4th round draft pick. Almost ice because of course they do. They have Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, immediately Oleksiak was better with the Penguins. and Phil Kessel. I've been meaning to look into the reasons why this is in more depth for It isn't even just them. When you see the Possession Exit Percentages of some time now. I have my theories, but something concrete is always the Penguins and Stars forwards it's pretty easy to see the difference good. I've been playing around with the WAR data from @EvolvingWild between the two teams/problem. lately (proof). It struck me just how stark the difference was between Pittsburgh and Dallas Oleksiak. Gemel Smith is up there for the Stars, but he doesn't have a guaranteed role. Ditto Remi Elie. You get down to 12th and 13th before you get to the WAR is a term many are familiar with from baseball. For those not Stars core with Jason Spezza and Alex Radulov down with the Penguins familiar, it means Wins Above Replacement, or the extra added wins a depth players. player contributed compared to a replacement player off of the street. GAR is Goals Above Replacement, with goals being the currency for The Penguins get the puck into the hands of their skill players quickly, if wins. Multiple models exist, but we're using this one brought to us by the they don't come back to get the puck themselves. The Stars let John twins at @EvolvingWild for the time being. Klingberg lug it out. If not him, the puck is likely getting flipped which leads to a defensive reset that just makes them play more defense, and To the left you see Oleksiak's totals for his entire career to this point. ultimately gives defensemen more opportunities to be exposed. 2018 with the Penguins is such an outlier that it looks like a mistake. As a reminder, on a 60 minute basis Oleksiak had the two worst seasons of Jamie Oleksiak was an objectively bad player for the Dallas Stars by any any Stars defenseman going back to 2008 by far. measure, but I think he's a prime example of the importance of getting players that fit your system. For years the Stars tried to fit the square So, what exactly happened here? In short, the Penguins happened. Oleksiak peg into a round hole which maximized his flaws. He's still that same flawed player, but when you ask him to fill a simple role that Pittsburgh is much better in the neutral zone than the Stars. In the image doesn't rely on his average at best offensive ability to carry him he to the right Oleksiak is up fronting a skater of the Philadelphia Flyers proved that he can be a valuable piece. before he has a chance to build up a bunch of speed. The Penguins winger dropped into defensive coverage to make sure no odd man rush It remains to be seen if that will continue. For the time being, good for occurs. him. It must feel nice. Unless one of the Penguins defensive players falls down the Flyers aren't Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.29.2019 likely to create a premium scoring chance from this. One of the bigger misconceptions about players performing better after a trade is assigning too much value to the idea that the player simply "got better". Results change all the time, but Oleksiak isn't really a different player. The two Images above are from a minute or so after the prior play. On the left you see Michael Raffl preparing to put Oleksiak on a poster with a pass that takes advantage of his over-pursuit. But, it doesn't really matter here. The puck moved forward to the blueline as you see in the image on the right. Philadelphia would have had a two on one, but the forward circled (Tom Kuhnhackl) busted his butt to track back to cover the trailing forward. Oleksiak still gets beaten like a rented mule at times, but the effort of the Penguins forwards to track back limits the damage. I've got two examples from early in the season against the Nashville Predators of how this looked for the Stars at times. On the right you see a really bad line change by the Stars with Mattias Janmark skating across the ice to try to catch up with Mattias Ekholm as he skates in on Oleksiak, There isn't much Oleksiak can do here. Janmark stops skating instead of skating to Ekholm in stride which doesn't help. Oleksiak is 6'8. Yeah, he can skate well for his size, but you don't want legitimately good skaters going right at him at full speed while he's drifting backwards. From the same game we see a long dump towards Julius Honka with Oleksiak on the left side. Oleksiak can't leave the net front to go help out as two Predators go right after Honka. Why does Alexander Radulov show up so late in the frame? He stopped skating through the neutral zone. Had he tracked back with more effort Honka doesn't get bombarded as badly here. 1128001 Dallas Stars Because coaches and GM change, it's tough to make a declarative statement on that issue. If Honka and Johns and Esa Lindell and John Klingberg and Heiskanen all succeed, the Stars might be able to claim Flashback: Departure of Jamie Oleksiak allows fans to talk about a lot of blueline development that is the envy of the league. issues surrounding Stars And maybe that's what were left with now. Yes, losing another first-round draft pick for near nothing is depressing. By Mike Heika , Yes, the last decade has been frustrating. Yes, the Stars might not have gotten the most out of their talent every time. But they are confident in the group they have now, and the departure of Oleksiak underscores that they believe they have better options in-house. (Editor's note: The Stars brought back Jamie Oleksiak via a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday. We're bringing this story from Dec. And maybe that's a good thing. 2017, immediately following his initial trade to Pittsburgh, back to help bring fans up to speed on the 26-year-old Canadian defenseman.) Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.29.2019 Jamie Oleksiak's name is a fire starter with Stars fans. The hulking defenseman who was traded to Pittsburgh on Tuesday for a 2019 conditional draft pick symbolizes everything from the organization's fumbling of first-round draft picks, to a roadside littered with tossed out defensemen, to a lingering doubt that has hung over this organization for more than a decade. He fits into a lot of discussions that can bring the message boards to fisticuffs or tears. And he should. To be fair to Oleksiak, very little of this is his fault. He didn't pick himself 14th overall in 2011. He didn't decide to shoehorn a litany of young defensemen into the organization at the same time. He didn't engineer a run that produced two playoff teams in nine seasons. Now, he also didn't grab a great opportunity and earn a regular spot in the lineup on a team that desperately needed a big physical defenseman, either. And so here we are. Oleksiak is gone for a fourth-round draft pick two years from now, and that seems like the best option for the organization ... and for Oleksiak, as well. The sadness and outrage of that is exacerbated by the fact the Stars' two first-round draft picks ahead of Oleksiak garnered even less. Scott Glennie (eighth overall in 2009) washed out with just one NHL game under his belt. Jack Campbell (11th overall in 2010) never fulfilled his projection of "franchise goalie of the future," and now plays in the Kings organization. After 'losing his way' in December, here's how Jim Montgomery plans to get the Stars back on track That's three pretty big swings and misses. It also puts a huge hole in the philosophy that a struggling organization can rebuild via the draft. The Stars earned those picks with bad seasons, seasons that tested the fans, and they have little to show for it. Those drafts came in the Joe Nieuwendyk era, and the scouts did find quality NHL players then in the form of John Klingberg (131st in 2010), Esa Lindell (74th in 2012) and Devin Shore (61st in 2012), but think how much better the team would be if it home runs with those first-rounders. Radek Faksa was 13th overall in 2012, and fans are hoping he starts a trend of quality at the top of the draft, but even the new administration under general manager Jim Nill still has a few things to prove with its top picks -- Valeri Nichushkin (10th overall in 2013), Julius Honka (14th overall in 2014), Denis Guryanov (12th overall in 2015), Riley Tufte (25th overall in 2016) and Miro Heiskanen (third overall in 2017). Notice there were two more defensemen in that group, and the hope is they will finally give the Stars the solid blueline fans crave. One of the tenets of good NHL teams is they grown their own defensemen, but that has been a hit and miss proposition for the Stars. Dallas drafted defensemen in the first round for three straight seasons in the mid-2000s, taking Mark Fistric, Matt Niskanen and Ivan Vishnevisky. Niskanen is still in the league, but he did most of his developing after he left the organization. Once upon a time, he, Fistric, Trevor Daley and Vishnevskiy were supposed to be the future. The same can be said for Oleksiak, Patrik Nemeth, Honka and Stephen Johns (acquired in a trade). Nemeth is trying to find his path with the Avalanche and Oleksiak will certainly get a fresh opportunity with the Penguins, and maybe that's simply the cost of "culling" your prospects in the NHL. Maybe Honka and Johns are better, and the Stars needed time to find that out. Or maybe the organization simply has a problem developing young defensemen. That's another hot topic for fans. 1128002 Dallas Stars "The message is 'Guys, we're getting better. Let's keep getting better.' If in three weeks, you and I are talking and the team, we're in third place, that might change the way I look at things." What Jamie Oleksiak trade means for the Stars, and the biggest RELATED: VOTE -- Which of these forwards should the Dallas Stars unmarked checkbox that remains for GM Jim Nill target at the NHL trade deadline? Short run: Methot's surgery probably ends his time as a Star since he will By Matthew DeFranks , be an unrestricted free agent this summer. He played 45 games with Dallas during two injury-plagued seasons after Nill traded for him in summer 2017, sending goaltender Dylan Ferguson and a 2020 second- round pick to Vegas for Methot. Editor's note: This post has been updated since it was first published. "Marc and our training staff, medical staff, tried everything possible to see Jamie Oleksiak is back with the Stars, and it's like his trade to Pittsburgh if he was able to play," Nill said. "Marc wanted to play bad. It came down last season never happened. to a point where the last resort was going to be surgery. He knew that surgery was going to be year-ending. We held off as long as we could, The Stars reacquired the hulking defenseman on Monday afternoon from and then we got to a point where we had no choice." the Penguins for a fourth-round pick in the upcoming draft. It was the same selection Pittsburgh sent to Dallas to originally acquire Oleksiak on He had one goal and two assists as a Star. Dec. 19, 2017. Dallas picked Oleksiak in the first round of the 2011 draft, and he played parts of six seasons in the organization. Fill-in needed: Forward Tyler Pitlick will miss Wednesday night's game against the Sabres with an upper-body injury suffered Jan. 17 against During his 83 games with Pittsburgh, Oleksiak had eight goals and 17 Los Angeles on a hit by Dustin Brown. Stars coach Jim Montgomery said assists while averaging 16:44 of ice time per game. He also appeared in Pitlick would get a second opinion on his injury, including an MRI. 12 playoff games. Dallas practiced with 11 forwards Monday morning and will probably Stars general manager Jim Nill said Oleksiak's acquisition helps replace recall a forward from AHL affiliate Texas. Marc Methot and Stephen Johns on the Dallas back end. Methot is done for the season after he had knee surgery Jan. 15 to repair a cartilage Denis Gurianov and Roope Hintz were with the Stars for the Jan. 19 defect in his knee. Johns hasn't played all season because of postgame against Winnipeg but are back with Texas. Gurianov will play in the traumatic headaches. AHL All-Star Game on Monday night in Springfield, Mass. Methot and Johns were penciled into the Stars defensive group during Briefly: Nill said the team would continue to evaluate Johns and forward training camp but have played a combined nine games this season. Martin Hanzal (back) as the trade deadline nears, determining whether to shut them down for the season or hope they can contribute down the "Those two guys are a pretty big part of our defense," Nill said. "We stretch. ... Defenseman Connor Carrick did not practice Monday morning. haven't had them all season and now [have] a chance to add to our Montgomery said the team wanted to give him a day off after he played group. A little bit of the message is we believe in this group and adding to in the AHL during the break. it this type of player is going to be big for us. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 01.29.2019 "It's a chance to add a player that replaces two guys we haven't had all year. He's a big, strong, weighty guy. He's a more mature player than he was when he left here. It's just part of the process. We think he's the perfect guy to come in and eat up 15 minutes of ice time." The move now gives the Stars eight defenseman on their active roster, with Oleksiak, Roman Polak, Julius Honka, Connor Carrick and Taylor Fedun fighting for three spots in the lineup. Methot has been placed on long-term injured reserve, freeing up cap space to help with Oleksiak's $2.1 million cap hit. Oleksiak -- at 6-7 and 255 pounds -- adds size to a group of defensemen that features undersized players like John Klingberg (180 pounds), Miro Heiskanen (185), Honka (180) and Carrick (192). His 97 hits were third on the Penguins and his 37 penalty minutes were second. "We've been watching him closely," Nill said. "We think he's a better player than when he left here. That comes with playing games and gaining experience." It was the second trade Nill made during January, acquiring Andrew Cogliano from Anaheim two weeks ago. The goal was to address speed by swapping Cogliano for Devin Shore. The goal was to solidify the back end with Oleksiak. That leaves the biggest unmarked checkbox for Nill: acquiring scoring help. The Stars emerged from their bye week and All-Star break as the third- worst scoring team in the NHL. Only three players (Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov) have double-digit goals. In 28 of their 49 games, the Stars have scored two or fewer goals, the third-most games in the league. "You're always looking to add scoring," Nill said. "You're always looking to add skill. If there's something there that's going to help us, and the acquisition cost is what we think is right, we're going to do that." Nill said he would be open-minded as the Feb. 25 trade deadline neared but said "the next three weeks are big for us." The Stars are in a wild- card spot in the crowded Western Conference that has eight teams within six points of each other. "That's the reason we got Jamie at the time that we did, the message is I believe in this team," Nill said. "I've watched us play. There's been a lot of inconsistencies, but there's been a lot of good things this year, too. When we play our game, we can be as good as anybody. Getting Jamie now helps us solidify the back end. 1128003 Dallas Stars

Stars trade for Jamie Oleksiak in mirror of last season’s deal

By Sean Shapiro Jan 28, 2019

Jamie Oleksiak is coming home. Well, he’s coming back to the franchise that used to be home. On Monday the Stars re-acquired the 6-foot-7 defenseman they selected 14th overall in 2011. Oleksiak had spent six up-and-down seasons with the Stars, never really panning out in Texas before he was shipped to Pittsburgh on Dec. 19, 2017 for a fourth-round pick. Thirteen months later the teams essentially reversed the deal, with Dallas returning the fourth-round selection in exchange for Oleksiak, who had fallen out of favor as a part of the long-term future in Pittsburgh. This deal first turned into a possibility three weeks ago when Nill was informed that Oleksiak was available. With that intel in mind, the Stars started scouting the defenseman more thoroughly. When it became clear that Marc Methot would be done for the season, Nill felt it was time to pull the trigger. “They’ve got too many defensemen and he was the type of player that we needed to add without Methot and (Stephen) Johns,” Nill said. “We know him. You bring players in and some guys step in right away and there is no transition. Some guys it takes four to six weeks to get comfortable, others never do. Well, Jamie has been here and we know he’ll be comfortable with this group.” In addition to his comfort level, Nill said the Stars have been lacking the defensive size that Oleksiak brings to the fold. “With our back end, we haven’t had Methot or Johns all season, they are both big, heavy, weighty guys,” Nill said. “When we started to realize that Marc was done for the year and with Stephen’s unknown, we knew we had to add a weight guy that could eat up some minutes.” While this is the exact same trade and Oleksiak’s value, by virtue of this transaction, hasn’t changed, Nill believes the Stars are getting the better end of the deal this time. “We think we are getting a better player back, we think he’s a more mature player,” Nill said. “In this business when you trade somebody away that was a big part of the organization, you always kind of watch them and see where they go. We think we are getting someone back who has learned quite a bit about the league and he’s a couple years older now. He’s a defenseman, they take a little bit longer to really come into their full potential. We think he’s reaching a spot where he can be that big-minute player.” Oleksiak has played 36 games with the Penguins this season and has 11 points. He is averaging 15 minutes, 52 seconds of ice time per game, and with this trade the Stars are hoping he can take a spot amongst the top-four defenseman, alleviating some of the minutes that have been required from the likes of Esa Lindell, John Klingberg, Miro Heiskanen, and Roman Polak. Nill says Methot’s season-ending surgery to repair a cartilage defect in his left knee was a last resort. Methot lost a chunk of bone under his left knee and had to get a piece of donor bone inserted. “He wanted to play more than anyone,” Nill said. “He tried everything. Stem cell, therapy, you name it, he tried it. This was the last possible option and we will certainly miss having him the rest of the season.” Methot only played nine games this season with Dallas and had limited effectiveness when he was in the lineup. The veteran defenseman is now on long-term injured reserve, opening up more than $4 million cap space that the Stars could, in theory, use for another acquisition before the Feb. 25 trade deadline. Nill also said there is still no update on Johns, who is still battling post- traumatic headaches. There is hope Johns will return, but beyond hoping, there isn’t very much the Stars can do in that situation. The Stars’ GM gave his typical answer when asked whether there would be more moves coming: the Stars are looking at all of the options. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128004 Detroit Red Wings Howard, who’ll be 35 in March, is putting together one of his best seasons (14-13-5, 2.76 GAA, .916 SVS) and has expressed his desire to stay with the Wings — the only organization with which he’s played.

With eye on run at playoffs in 2019-20, Red Wings might stand pat at With no ready prospect in Grand Rapids, the Wings are likely to re-sign trade deadline Howard for a short-term deal close to the trade deadline.

But if a playoff-contending team sees its starting goaltender get injured in Ted Kulfan, Jan. 28, 2019 the next month, Howard’s name will be out there as an extremely intriguing rental.

Nyquist, 29, is angling toward a career-best season with 43 points (11 Detroit — Those fans who have been expecting the Red Wings to be goals, 32 assists). His previous best is 54 points. aggressive sellers at the NHL trade deadline are in for a mild shock. With the expectation of many big-name wingers available at the trade They’ll definitely see what is out there, and dangle some available deadline, it’s likely the Wings aren’t going to get a good enough return for players. But general manager Ken Holland is warming to the idea of re- Nyquist to be willing to trade him. signing some of those potential unrestricted free agents, with an eye toward making a playoff run next season. Jensen, 28, has had one of his best seasons, and is viewed as a reliable, low-cost option at a position where the Wings are likely to get younger. Now, the NHL trade deadline is Feb. 25, and much can happen before then. On the block?

But it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Wings stand pat, or close to it, at These are the Red Wings’ prospective unrestricted free agents, and the the deadline. likelihood of them being dealt before the February 25 trade deadline.

“Much will depend on the market,” Holland told The Detroit News. “How ►Gustav Nyquist, forward: He’s putting together his best offensive many teams will be buying at that point? How many will be selling? I’ll season, and players like this are always desirable for contenders. The make phone calls and see what other teams are thinking. problem is, there are many players like him available. Chances of being dealt: Possible. “But as we approach (20)19-20, and we have a summer before then, too (to potentially sign other free agents), and our young players progress ►Jimmy Howard, goaltender: The Wings don’t have any prospect ready, and take another step forward, we’d like to be in position to make a run at and Jonathan Bernier hasn’t inspired enough confidence to be a No. 1 the playoffs.” starter. Keeping Howard is the best option. But if a contender suddenly loses its starting goalie, all bets are off. Chances of being dealt: Doubtful. Goaltender Jimmy Howard, defensemen Niklas Kronwall, Nick Jensen and Luke Witkowski, and forwards Gustav Nyquist and Thomas Vanek ►Nick Jensen, defenseman: The Wings could get quite a few calls about are potential unrestricted free agents on July 1. this durable and versatile defenseman, who likely will be brought back. Chances of being dealt: Unlikely. Of that group, Howard, Jensen and Nyquist would appear to be players the Wings are targeting to re-sign. ►Niklas Kronwall, defenseman: He won’t be traded. Kronwall will retire as a Red Wing, as he should, after a fine career. But, after having played They would trade any of the three, but the asking price would be a first- well this season, does Kronwall come back for one more season? round pick for Howard and Nyquist, with Jensen as close to that as Chances of being dealt: None. possible. ►Thomas Vanek, forward: Vanek has a no-trade clause, but would likely “We have a lot of young forwards in that group of age 19-24, there are waive it to go a serious contender. But interest in Vanek has been tepid young defensemen in the system,” Holland said. “We have to decide during the last two trade deadlines, and he hasn’t played as well this whether we’re a better team if we re-sign some of our players, and can season as the last two. The market might not be there. Chances of being they help us compete for the playoffs.” dealt: Unlikely.

The development of young forwards Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, ►Luke Witkowski, forward: Teams, generally, aren’t looking for physical Tyler Bertuzzi, Anthony Mantha and Michael Rasmussen (plus Filip enforcers at the trade deadline. Chances of being dealt: Unlikely. Zadina in the minor leagues), and defensemen Dennis Cholowski and Filip Hronek, give Holland optimism thinking about next season. Detroit News LOADED: 01.29.2019

Another positive sign is the Red Wings’ performance this season with a full, healthy roster.

Red wings goaltender Jimmy Howard was an All-Star this season, and could be a trade chip at the deadline.

The Wings began this season 1-7-2, due largely to injuries to defensemen Trevor Daley, Mike Green, Jonathan Ericsson and Niklas Kronwall.

When the veteran defensemen returned, the Wings went on an 11-4-1 run, igniting discussion about a possible playoff push this season.

But, injuries to Green, Danny DeKeyser, and Daley in December, again struck the Wings and has dropped them deep down in the standings.

“If you take away four defensemen from any team, it’s going to hurt a team,” Holland said. “When we have our full lineup, we’ve shown we can play with many teams. I don’t know if there’s a team out there who’ve played as many one-goal games the last couple seasons as we have.”

The Wings have 10 picks in this year’s entry draft, giving them 30 over the last three years.

“We have a lot of young players on the way,” Holland said. “I’m hoping next year at this time, we’re in a position where we are in the hunt for the playoffs.”

Keeping some of the prospective unrestricted free agents will, theoretically, strengthen this roster. 1128005 Detroit Red Wings Now what does that mean? We’ll have to see what it means, because we’re not just going to spend it just for the sake of spending it. If the right player is there that we can convince to come, we’ll look at doing Q&A: Red Wings GM Ken Holland discusses the state of the franchise, something. If not, we’ll continue along with our young kids and some his rebuild vision and Jeff Blashill’s future vets. I think we’ve got a good mix of veterans and kids. There seems to be good chemistry. So I think, I believe we’re on the right path and I’d like to look at ’19-20 as a time when we can be closer and more competitive to a playoff spot than we are this year. Max Bultman Jan 28, 2019 So when you say you think you could just be one year from doing that,

how does that affect the way that you’re going to approach the trade Things are about to get busy for Ken Holland. deadline and how you balance guys who could potentially re-sign or guys you could flip for picks? Where do you stand on that? Less than one month out from the NHL’s trade deadline, and with the Red Wings sitting near the bottom of the NHL standings, the next 28 Well, first off, the market’s going to dictate to some degree too. There’s days will be rife with decisions on how to handle the team’s numerous some teams out there that have unrestricted free agents like Gus players on expiring contracts. And as if that weren’t enough, the general (Nyquist) and they look like they might be sellers. It’s not like there’s 15 manager also has a choice to make on the team’s head coach, Jeff buyers. There might be six or eight real buyers. So the marketplace is Blashill, whose contract with Detroit ends after the season. going to dictate. I’ll work the phone lines. We’ve had our meetings. I’ll work the phone lines. At the same time, I’ve got a number of players that For the rebuilding Red Wings, those decisions have major future are unrestricted free agents, some of those we have interest in retaining. implications for the franchise. With the NHL team off for the All-Star break, Holland addressed those topics, as well as the progress of the Now, if you’re thinking of retaining them and as we work our way rebuild as a whole, in an interview with The Athletic over the weekend in somebody out there has a real interest in them and they’re prepared to Grand Rapids. pay a price, then we’ll go in that direction. So the market’s going to dictate a little bit what we’re thinking. But at the same time, I guess I (This interview has been lightly edited for clarity, order and length.) would say to you, if we’re not able to make the playoffs this year — and barring something dramatic, it appears we’re out, OK? — so that’s three I guess to start, what’s your assessment at 50 games of what the years out. We’ve got 10 draft picks in the ’19 draft. I think over the ’17 season’s been like and what it means for the progress of the rebuild? draft, the ’18 draft and the ’19 draft, we’re going to have in the Obviously, there’s two ways to look at it. One is by the standings, and it’s neighborhood of 30 draft picks. So I can keep acquiring draft picks, but not been a very good year. The other way to look at it is the development we have lots of players that we’ve drafted that we think are on their way, of the team for the future, and I think that there’s been a lot of good pushing through the system. things. Obviously Dylan Larkin has taken a step forward. You look at I mean, you only carry a team of 23, and if somebody makes it — you Andreas Athanasiou’s taken a step forward. Lots of young kids up front. know, Larkin’s going to be here for a long time. So, at the end of the day, (Dennis) Cholowski’s been a good story, but Filip Hronek has gone up, what am I saying? I’m saying for the ’19-20 season, if we’ve got some he’s played well. We must have seven, eight guys who are all under 24, players that we think can help us be competitive and compete for a and they’re all playing — most of them are playing regular (minutes) — playoff spot, but we need to add to that, then I think we’ve gotta think and many of them have important roles. When we go on the power play, about re-signing them, if the deal makes sense. And at the same time a lot of them are on the ice in the offensive situations. So I think that’s the I’ve gotta explore the marketplace, and see if somebody has real interest positive that we take out of the first 50 games. in our players and is prepared to pay a price that we can justify going in When you look timeline wise, when do you see this team pushing for a that direction. playoff spot again? I assume you’re talking about a (Nick) Jensen or (Jimmy) Howard or Well, I guess I would say I hope next year. I think that if you look at the maybe Nyquist there? season this year, we played the first seven games with basically four You can mention the names, but the players that are unrestricted, whose defensemen out. We went 0-5-2. And then those guys come back we go contracts are up. That could help a team in the playoffs but also they 13-7-2. We got within four points of a playoff spot. (Mike) Green and could help us in ’19-20. (Danny) DeKeyser went out for six weeks and we won, like, three out of 15 and we’ve lost touch with the last playoff spot. I think that what I got When you look long-term vision — like the next Red Wings team that is a out of it, when we put our lineup out there, we can pretty well play with true contender for a Stanley Cup — how many of those pieces are many of the teams in the league. And when we have key injuries, we’re already in your organization, whether it’s in Detroit or here or the junior not quite deep enough, we’re not quite mature enough to find ways to leagues, and how many of those pieces do you think you’re going to win. Now if I look at the first 50 games, we had those two blowouts on the have to go find elsewhere? one road trip in October, at Boston, at Montreal; other than that, every night it seems to be a one-goal game. Well, first off, you’re always going to go find missing pieces. We’re trying to build the core of the engine. And then — we don’t win the Cup in ’08 I think Jeff Blashill and his coaches have done a great job, we compete without signing Brian Rafalski. You don’t win the Cup in ’97 without every night, I think we play fast. Many nights, the game is even. I thought trading for Larry Murphy and Tomas Sandstrom. You don’t win the Cup in two years ago the scores might have been close but we did lots of D- ’02 without the trade for Chris Chelios. We don’t win the Cup in ’08 zone coverage and we were relying on our goaltenders. I think that the without the trade for Brad Stuart. So you’re never going to have all the games (are) more even now. The games are — we get zone time, they pieces from within. We’ve gotta build the team up to where we’re good get zone time, the shots are more even, the games are closer. enough to compete — and then either through free agency, like Rafalski, or at the trade deadline, we’re buyers and we spend a second-round pick I think as I look to the summer of ’19 and the ‘19-20 season, and all the for a Brad Stuart, or we spend some futures to bring in Chelios. young people that we’ve got in our organization, you’d like to think that they’re all going to at least hold ground or maybe take a bit of a step. And So how many? I think quite a few. I think there’s, I don’t know, seven, then, you look at (Michael) Rasmussen who’s — I use the word getting eight probably on Detroit. Now, where does (Joe) Veleno’s career go? his feet wet — he’s been in the National Hockey League, and I think the Where does Rasmussen? Zadina? (Jared) McIsaac? (Gustav) first 30-40 games he was doing fine, and then hit the wall a little bit and Lindstrom? (Jonatan) Berggren? And there’s three or four others. How then he got injured. But he’s 19 years of age. You’ve got (Filip) Zadina good do they become, and how quickly do they become good to help us down here, who’s 19 years of age. So I look over the next two or three be competitive? I wish I could answer, but I’ve been in the game forever. years, those players — Cholowski, Hronek — in two to three years those You’re talking about 19- and 20-year-old kids. There’s so many variables guys are all going to be 22, 23. They’re still really young. And I think that involved in there, but I think at the levels that they’re at, or where they all of them are going to have some type of an impact on the success of came from … you look at their résumé. You try to project on their the Detroit Red Wings. So I’m looking at ’19-20, we’ve got cap space — résumé. … no matter what we do, whether we re-sign some of our players or don’t, we’re going to have cap space going into the summer time. So I think that it’s gotta be built homegrown, and the Red Wings have always been built homegrown. We’ve gone outside to supplement. The cores of our team were always built through the draft. That’s what I’m trying to do now is draft a number of players we think can be key pieces. So as we go, we’re going to have to step outside the organization to get But eventually we’re going to have go outside the organization to fill in some missing pieces. And somewhere along the line, is there somebody some missing pieces like I’ve just explained, or we never would have from within, or do we sign some free agent somewhere along the line — won the Cup in ’97-98, ’02 and ’08. and I’m not talking a superstar free agent, but the college free agent, the junior free agent, the European free agent — that all of the sudden has The notion of offer sheets in the league is always kind of a hot topic. an impact on our team. But we’re going younger. The younger people are What’s your philosophy on that? Do you feel like that’s a tool you can taking over our team up front. But they’re earning it. They’re earning it make work for you or is that something you would prefer to stay away and it’s never as fast as you want it to be. I wish I could snap my fingers from? and we’re competing for a Stanley Cup, but that ain’t gonna happen. I don’t believe you just do an offer sheet for doing an offer sheet — just They gotta go through the growing pains, and again I think that our because it’s something to do and it feels good. You do an offer sheet if organization’s further along — much further along today than it was 50 you think that the offer sheet is going to possibly allow you to get a player games ago when we started out in September. from another team that might be in some type of cap trouble. I’m not In more immediate news, what’s going to go into your decision on Jeff saying yes to you, I’m not saying no to you. I gotta get to the summer and Blashill and when do you want to have that decision made? we’ve gotta assess. We’re looking to get better. We’re looking at all the ways. We’ve got the greatest fans in the world. They want to see the I haven’t really sat down with Blash. I would think I’m going to make the Detroit Red Wings compete for a Stanley Cup, compete for a playoff decision, obviously, before the end of the season. Let me say this: I think spot, and win more games. It’s up to the management side here. Our Blash has done a great job. You know the evolution that I talked about, of ownership, always, we go to the cap. We’ve always spent. Even prior to those players? The Athanasious and the Bertuzzis and the Larkins? ’05, we had a high payroll, we go to the cap. Now, I don’t want to go to Certainly I think it’s been the same evolution for Jeff Blashill. He’s in Year the cap just for the sake of going to the cap. That’s what I’m sort of 4 now and he’s got experience. Things that worked in the American saying to you. We’ll assess. But if an offer sheet makes sense, we’ll look league, some work at the NHL and some don’t. It’s another animal. It’s at it. But I would say to you, we’re not going to just do it for the sake of another level of player. And I think that he’s got the experience. He’s because it’s something interesting to do. worked in two world championships, done a real good job with the players for Team USA at the World Championships, so he’s just got a I think a lot of people are interested in Zadina, and how to assess him bigger résumé. He’s got more experience. Our team plays hard. I guess, when sometimes the production isn’t what (was expected) coming into what am I saying to you? I think he’s done a good job. And I’ll sit down the year. What do you think of how he’s performed down here? with him at some point in time here over the next little while and have a First off, it speaks to — look at all the kids in these drafts. When they get conversation with him. But certainly, I think that, again, I think he’s been pro, it’s tough. So I believe he’s going to score goals in the National a big factor. He plays our young players, they play in important situations, Hockey League. I believe he’s learning here how to play against bigger, the team plays hard. I think he’s done a really good job. stronger players, and people that know how to take your space away. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 He’s learning to make those adjustments and he’s going through adversity. I believe adversity is a positive. I don’t believe it’s a negative. And I believe adversity is something that when the year’s over, you look and you say, “OK, I gotta do this differently, I gotta do that differently, I gotta do this, I gotta do that.”

And that’s what lots of our kids — I guess I would say to you, look at the evolution of Larkin, of (Anthony) Mantha, of (Tyler) Bertuzzi, of Athanasiou, and that’s probably going to be the same evolution for Rasmussen, for Cholowski, for Zadina, for Veleno. It’s the realistic — this is Year 5 since we drafted Dylan Larkin. One year at Michigan, then three years on the entry (level contract), this is Year 5 since we barked out his name at the draft. This is Year 1 for Filip Zadina. So at the same age — and I’m not telling you he’s Dylan Larkin, I’m not telling you he’s anybody …

Larkin was in college.

Yeah, he was in college. So I think, I’ve been down here a couple nights when he was really, really good. And there’s other nights when you’ve gotta look for him. But he’s 19 playing in a league against lots of players that are 23, 24, 25, 26 years of age. So I think he’s learned a lot. I think he’s a better player today than he was in September, and I think over the next two to three months hopefully (the Griffins) can make the playoffs. Hopefully he can be in an American league playoff series, have a big summer in the gym, and I’m hoping he can come in September and force his way onto our team. But at the end of the day, I don’t believe in entitlement, I believe that you — I mean, somewhere along the way I’ve gotta give young people an opportunity to give us a little … but if we’re going to be really good, if we’re going to compete for the Stanley Cup, it’s because these players take somebody’s job, and it’s not just that the coach is doling out ice time because you were selected in the draft, it’s because — and they gotta understand they need a big summer in the gym, they’ve gotta come in and take somebody’s job.

That’s what Larkin did, that’s what Mantha, that’s what these players I’ve just talked about, the evolution, they’ve slowly — they were the support players two years ago to the veterans, and the veterans now are turning over and those players up front, are starting to get more quality minutes, more ice time, playing against the better players. We need that to happen on defense with Cholowski, we need it to happen with Hronek. We’ve got a good young defenseman that we like a lot in Frolunda in Sweden, Lindstrom, playing regular (minutes) in the Swedish Elite League. And then somewhere along the line you need some surprises. You need some surprises. Luke Glendening, never drafted, started out in Toledo, and he’s worked his way into being a really, really important player on our team. 1128006 Edmonton Oilers Then the things that resulted in Chiarelli getting fired in Boston kicked in. Salary cap mismanagement. And spectacularly bad trades.

The purpose of this column isn’t to kick Chiarelli in the butt one more time JONES: Nicholson vows to get it right for Edmonton Oilers this time on his way out the door. Forty days ago I was patting him on the back after the hiring of Ken Hitchcock resulted in a 9-2-2 turn-around, his controversial US $2.5-million goalie Mikko Koskinen won seven straight Terry Jones at home and training camp tryout Alex Chiasson was running his goal total to 19.

A sports columnist is allowed to be wrong once in a while. Most of the anger and venom being directed toward the Edmonton Oilers surrounding the firing of Peter Chiarelli hasn’t focused on the guy who Nicholson knows he won’t be allowed to be wrong again. hired him. The Oilers players have a chance to hit the refresh button during their 10- But Oilers Entertainment Group Vice-Chairman and CEO Bob Nicholson day break and the organization has a chance to reset under interim doesn’t dodge it. He missed a chance to score on an empty net to begin general manager Keith Gretzky. Nicholson isn’t even going to start the the Connor McDavid era and knows that amounts to a crime against GM search until team is back on the ice. hockey. “We have to get a structure in place and it’s not one person,” said I put it to Nicholson straight up: “How much of this do you have to wear? Nicholson, not identifying what directions beyond general manager he And where did it go wrong?” might be looking at here.

There was no tap-dancing, waffling and shifting or sharing blame. “When it comes to the general manager, we have to get someone who will believe in where we’re going and make sure it’s someone who can “There’s no question,” Nicholson said. “It was my decision to hire Peter communicate within the coach to the players area but also manage all Chiarelli with Todd McLellan and I had the lucky rabbit’s foot to get the components of the hockey operation.” Connor.” At some point, he will decide if that will be one person or two — head of But now, with Chiarelli and McLellan both out of the picture, it can’t be hockey operations and general manager. understated how important it is for Nicholson to get it right this time — absolutely 100%, bang-on, totally right. Nicholson’s news conference quote went viral: “There’s something in the water here in Edmonton that we don’t have right. We have to get it He hasn’t picked up a phone or sent out an email yet to set up an figured out. And the way to figure it out is you talk to people. I’m going to interview with anybody. That process to hire a new general manager try to open up more doors in all aspects of this organization to find out likely won’t start until the team is back in town from the all-star break and those little things that just haven’t been fixed over the last number of all of the immediate issues are dealt with before they head to years for us not to be in the playoffs.” Philadelphia and Montreal for games on the weekend. To some extent, that has to happen next. Then the search begins. “This is going to be a huge hire for the Oilers,” Nicholson said. “I’d like to have that person in place tomorrow, but this time I’m going to make sure “We’re not doing a rebuild. We’re doing a build,” is how he now phrases I turn over every rock and talk to a lot of people. I need to make sure that it. when we name that person, it’s the right person for the organization long- term. That’s the No. 1 goal.” “There are good pieces in place, real good pieces.

Nicholson, before he begins, wants to do his homework, take a long, “We’re three points out of a playoff spot. hard objective look at the Oilers organization and make sure he has as “Our whole situation fits with our players and our coaches to turn this much thinking time as he needs. around immediately. We’re going to try to make sure everyone has those “Everyone is asking: ‘When?’ This time I want to do a lot of research tools to do it and we’ll continue to evaluate on a short-term basis to have about what we are and what all of our options will be,” he said. “This time a long-term approach. I want to be completely sure about what the characteristics of a general “I already know that we have a lot of real good parts. I’m not going to manager that we need to have going forward so I can stand up in front of touch the real good parts. We have to look at the other parts to make this the Oilers fans and tell them: ‘This is the person’ and why that person is better.” the best person moving forward.” To me, in addition to the obvious hockey expertise and experience Days after the Oilers drafted Connor McDavid, Chiarelli became available required, there is a real requirement that the new GM recognize the from Boston. So did McLellan from San Jose. They were hired almost the passion of hockey fans here and not be afraid of it. next day. It looked to virtually everybody in hockey like the Oilers couldn’t possibly screw this up. I’ve consistently written that Chiarelli operated as if he were in the witness protection program and got more invisible in Edmonton with Edmonton Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson, left, and new President and every day. He avoided interaction with the fan base directly and through General Manager Peter Chiarelli hold up an Oilers jersey with Chiarelli’s the media. name on it during a press conference in Edmonton on Friday April 24, 2015. Jason Franson / CP There was also the sense he didn’t really embrace Edmonton and didn’t appear to make many friends here. “My management style is to get the right people and to give them the responsibility to go forward and do the job,” said Nicholson. “I gave that Nicholson suggested there has been a lack of communication in several to Peter, he gave that to Todd. And we thought we had it going. directions, both external and internal.

“Two years ago, we made the playoffs and went to Game 7 of the Pacific “I really want to have open communication,” he explained. “I absolutely Division final. We were rolling.” want all lines of communication to be open with this organization. I want to make sure that’s done within the dressing room so the players feel Nicholson paused for a moment. comfortable speaking to the staff. It’s part of making sure that you are all “We’ve been an up-and-down team ever since.” pulling in the same direction.”

There’s been much written and said about what happened to put the He gives you the definite impression he’d like to have a GM who isn’t Oilers back where they were in the Decade of Darkness and miss the terrified about talking hockey with the fans through the media. playoffs for the 11th time in 12 years and put themselves in danger of Like Montreal, this isn’t an easy place to be a general manager. extending it to 12 of the past 13. When Chiarelli was fired in Boston it was news. But it was just after Chiarelli had set about attempting to build the Oilers into a heavy hockey opening day for the Red Sox and Boston columnists mostly ignore team in the image of the Bruins so they could compete in the then-heavy hockey anyway. It certainly didn’t involve 13 pages plus the paper’s front Pacific Division. He got caught doing that at the exact time the entire page and the sports section cover as was the case in the Edmonton Sun; NHL moved away from big body hockey toward speed and skill. or the entire front page poster of the Edmonton Journal featuring the pictures of all the general managers and coaches of the past 13 seasons.

Virtually every hockey writer in captivity has spent the past few days throwing out names of potential new GMs, including the likes of Kelly McCrimmon, Mark Hunter, Ron Hextall, Dean Lombardi, Bill Zeto, Sean Burke and several others still employed.

You have to wonder how many of those people would jump at the opportunity to do what Chiarelli failed to do — find the supporting cast to go with McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Oscar Klefbom and some of the other pros in place, as well as the developing talent clearly on the way.

That’s the baited hook.

But how many might want to run in the other direction because of the sorry situation Chiarelli has left here with the salary cap and fat contracts that can’t be moved?

Nicholson says he isn’t worried about the calibre and number of candidates who would covet the job.

“In fairness, this is one of the better jobs in the National Hockey League. We have a passion within this fan base that is unbelievable,” he said.

“The fan base is upset right now. My job is to find the general manager to make that happen for the fans.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128007 Edmonton Oilers

Connor McDavid wants to be part of the solution

Terry Jones

Bob Nicholson, regardless of whatever is wrong with the Edmonton Oilers, knows one thing is right.

Connor McDavid.

The Oilers Entertainment Group Vice-Chairman & CEO heard the words from the Oilers captain and best player in the game who faced a weekend of tough questions from the media gathered in San Jose for the NHL All-Star Game.

Major market writers, particular in Toronto were suggesting he must want out of Edmonton.

“That’s not the case at all. I want to be part of the solution,” he said.

He said he expects the players to return to try prove everyone wrong.

“The only people that seem to believe in us are the guys in the locker room and we need to rally behind that.”

Nicholson’s reaction to McDavid’s comments?

“No surprise,” said Nicholson.

“He’s evolving as a great leader and I was very proud of him.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128008 Edmonton Oilers Gravel is a cheap and competent No. 7 defenceman. Whether he stays or goes basically comes down to whether the Oilers need that slot for someone else or not.

Willis: An Oilers blueprint for the 2019 NHL trade deadline The last group to be dealt with are the summer decisions.

Lucic and Sekera own the toughest contracts. Much will be determined By Jonathan Willis Jan 28, 2019 by how they play the rest of the way. As of today, both are obvious candidates for buy-outs. Spooner and Manning are also in possession of difficult contracts and will get buy-out consideration, too. However, as each only has a year remaining on his contract, there may be The Oilers approach the trade deadline with a long list of wants and alternatives. needs. They want to compete for the playoffs this year. They also want to kickstart the process of building a contender around the duo of Connor Somewhere in the middle are Kassian, Benning and Nurse. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. In some ways those objectives are aligned, in others in conflict. Kassian’s contract is a different story. If he’s a third-liner, $1.95 million is reasonable. If he’s a fourth-liner, it’s far too much. His skillset absolutely This is the first entry in a two-part series looking at Edmonton’s decisions has value but it’s fair to ask how many minutes he would play on a strong in the spring and in the summer. Today we’ll cover the trade deadline team and the Oilers aren’t in a position to be overpaying depth players. and lay some of the groundwork for the offseason. On Tuesday we’ll dig into the Oilers’ larger summer operations. Benning is in a similar boat. He is a good third-pair defenceman but has struggled when asked to play top-four minutes. Nevertheless, a good The best place to start either discussion is with what the Oilers have now: third-pairing right-shot defender at $1.90-million isn’t a burden. What in the NHL, in the minors and in the system. complicates matters is the long list of right-shot prospects that Edmonton has on the way. It’s important to the organization that at least one of We can break the roster down into three parts: players who don’t need to those players pass Benning in the near future. be worried about their position over the next few months, players who need to be handled by the deadline and players who need to be handled Nurse is a lot tougher. If Edmonton goes forward with him on the second in the summer. pair, that’s not a bad outcome. He’s young, improving and capable in that role. What makes him interesting is a) he’s not cost-controlled long-term, The first category starts at the top. A GM can safely ignore McDavid, b) his offensive numbers are better than they’ve ever been and c) he got Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins, as those are the building blocks both this lit up when pushed on to the first pair. year and next. Ditto for Klefbom and Larsson. The way I look at effective trading shouldn’t just be ‘trade bad players, Brodziak is cheap enough that he falls in the same boat for the moment, keep good ones’ but as a search for inefficiencies to exploit. Nurse is a though he’s had a brutal year. Russell is in a similar position for different good player, but my bet is that the market generally overvalues him and reasons. His limited no-trade clause makes movement difficult and his there’s a window to deal him for the kind of player who can move up to contract isn’t so dear for a competent No. 4/5 defenceman. the first pairing. The players who need to be handled by the deadline are mostly that This is a little like the argument to trade Jordan Eberle in the summer of group of expiring contracts in orange, though obviously unrestricted free 2012 after his 34-goal season. Keeping the player then was a good agents are a higher priority than restricted free agents. Of the RFAs, we option, but cashing him in would have been a better one. can set aside Khaira and Puljujarvi (who should be back) and Rattie (who already went unclaimed on waivers). It’s hard to know what’s potentially out there, but if it’s possible to turn Nurse or Nurse-plus into a significant upgrade, the Oilers would have to That leaves five names. investigate the possibility. It’s not like there was anything wrong with Eric Chiasson is having a stunning year, but that doesn’t mean Edmonton Brewer in 2005, but sometimes a Brewer can be turned into something should re-sign him. He has earned a major raise in free agency and will spectacular. be able to get term on his next deal, but he’s a) 28, b) scoring on 27 All three would make sense as trade chips in the right deal, but going percent of his shots and c) the Oilers are getting out-shot 292-218 when forward with all three isn’t a bad outcome either. he’s on the ice, but nobody really notices because of his career-high 104.9 PDO. Edmonton’s AHL contracts matter in all of this because a steady pipeline of pro talent is essential to the health of a franchise. Chiasson has been a great find, but the smart money says next year he goes back to his career averages: 20-30 points with a reasonable two- Gambardella and Russell are both candidates for league-minimum, end- way game, and then afterward declines as he enters his 30s. Edmonton of-roster roles next season. Hebig and Benson are longer-term hopes for should make an offer consistent with those expectations, but if Chiasson more prominent roles. turns it down (as he should since he can surely cash-in somewhere) they should thank him for a wonderful season and move on. Of the most immediate interest are Marody and Yamamoto. Marody is 22 and at a point-per-game has been Bakersfield’s most efficient offensive Rieder is having a bad year, but (counterintuitively) that doesn’t mean player. The 20-year-old Yamamoto has incredibly played just 13 career Edmonton should trade him. His bargaining position is awful and there’s AHL games, with the Oilers continually trying to force him on to the NHL a decent chance the Oilers can talk him into a pay-cut. This is important roster. It should be hoped that he gets a long minor-league run. because he’s a) 26, b) scored on zero of his 100 shots, despite a history of being a good finisher, c) he’s still picking up assists at his usual rate Defensively Jones, Bear and Lagesson should all be in the recall and d) the Oilers have a 4.7 shooting percentage when he’s out there, conversation this year and compete for roster spots next year. Over- easily the lowest number of his career. ripening prospects is a good approach but they can’t all arrive at the same time, and with Jones and Bear nearing the end of their second pro Again, the smart money says Rieder goes back to his career averages: campaigns we’re getting to the point where NHL minutes are entirely 25-35 points with a reasonable two-way game, and that he stays at that reasonable. level for the next few years. Edmonton should make a short-term buy-low offer because Rieder won’t have many options and every player has the All the goalies in the system are longer-term plays. odd off-year. The great strength of the Condors is its list of defensive prospects. That Talbot appears to have no future with the Oilers. There may be some strength is echoed in the rest of the prospect system, making a further level of interest at the deadline, particularly if Edmonton retains salary. case to graduate players from within.

Petrovic fills a short-term role for Edmonton, but he’s not a top-four Overall, Edmonton has a couple of decent forward prospects in defenceman and the Oilers have a million options for third-pair right-side Maksimov and especially McLeod, but most of the pieces in the system work next season. I’m skeptical he has trade value at this point, though are long-shots or non-entities. Three of those 10 (McPhee, Rasanan and tough right-shots never seem to lose value entirely. Dudek) are playing for Boston College and have seen their offence all- but-disappear. I’d be surprised if Edmonton offered Dudek an entry-level contract. The defence is a very different story. Bouchard should probably be Petrovic was a weird addition because there was never much reason to penciled in at the AHL level for the start of next year, but I’d expect he believe that he could play top-four minutes. Furthermore, he needs a makes it very difficult to keep him there. Persson is an experienced SHL capable puck-moving partner, something which has long been an pro, and should be ready to make the jump immediately, give or take an Edmonton weakness. As mentioned, big, tough right-shot defenders ‘adjusting to North America’ AHL stint. always seem to have value, but he’s not as good as Benning, so he enters the asset pile. That gives Edmonton five prospect defencemen who should be pushing for NHL action no later than the middle of next season. Not all of them Making smaller deals is just fine. One of Chiarelli’s best moves as GM will get it, and some will still need AHL seasoning, but this is an area was flipping a fourth-rounder and a warm body to Anaheim for Patrick where the Oilers have some asset depth. Maroon, a trade tree that lives on in Marody (and, for the moment, Dudek). Edmonton’s been on the other end of those deals, too – Jeff The longer-term picture is good, too. In Samorukov, Berglund and Kemp Petry, for example, only brought back second- and fourth-round the Oilers appear to have three significant prospects. Again, this makes it selections. a little easier to contemplate moving someone from the current group in trade. Keith Gretzky and Co. can go to market with their stock of lower draft picks, and maybe some of the second-tier defensive prospects, and feel As frustrating as it might be in the short term, Edmonton’s depth on pretty good about coming back with an NHL player or two. It would be defence looks good enough – and specific players close enough – that great if those players were people the Oilers were interested in perhaps patience at the position makes a lot of sense. Today’s competent signing as free agents this summer, but it’s not essential. They do need stopgap No. 4 on a four-year contract is next year’s expensive third- to be better bets than Petrovic was, though. pairing defenceman with three years left to run. Based on their odds of making the playoffs, there are seven teams It’s a different story up front. Marody appears to be the most NHL-ready almost certain to be sellers, and I’d be inclined to include the always of Edmonton’s prospects, which is probably good in that it’s going to be budget-and asset-conscious Coyotes into that group as well. From those harder to find centres on the market than wingers. Nevertheless, there’s eight teams, I count 18 unrestricted free agents that Edmonton might no risk of the system providing two or three top-nine forwards in a plausibly be interested in beyond the next couple of months. There will reasonable timeframe, and that should be the Oilers’ focus in trades and be other options out there, but this is a good starting point. free agency. There are three groups here. At the top are players who will be too We should also note that Edmonton has most of their original draft picks expensive either for the Oilers generally or relative to their likely for the next few years. With the exception of a couple of depth selections, contributions. At the bottom are players who don’t make sense to me as the team hasn’t traded those away. deadline fits for Edmonton’s roster given what’s already there.

The 2019 first-rounder is often suggested as trade bait, but there’s still a In the middle are the players of interest: potentially good enough to help real possibility that pick falls in the draft’s top 10 selections – meaning it at some level, unique enough to provide the Oilers with something they should be treated with the same care as Evan Bouchard, who was a No. don’t have and probably cheap enough to make sense. 10 pick just a year ago. Picks are a little bit like farm animals in that people get attached to them once they have names. It’s impossible to know the exact price. Recent trade deadlines offer a market range, though, and two forward trades from last year are This, briefly, is the organizational depth chart that the interim hockey specifically helpful here: operations group takes into the trade deadline. It’s also most of what a new GM will inherit, likely in the summer. How should those people RW Michael Grabner: 59 games, 25 goals, 31 points. Traded for a 2nd- proceed? round pick and useful prospect Yegor Rykov.

Whatever those in charge of hockey operations for Edmonton might want LW Patrick Maroon: 57 games, 14 goals, 30 points. Traded for a 3rd- to do, the mandate (presumably from ownership) rang loud and clear in round pick and fringe prospect J.D. Dudek. Bob Nicholson’s press conference last week: arm as much as possible for the playoffs without mortgaging the future. Nyquist and to a lesser degree Zuccarello are likely to be the priciest and are sneaking up into the range where a first-rounder isn’t a crazy ask. It may sound odd given that both the coach and GM have been fired this Grabner was a unique player because of his exceptional two-way ability year, but incredibly it’s still realistic. I think it’s the right mindset. and crazy goals/assists split, so I wonder if they don’t fall into that trade value range instead, which likely equates to something like Edmonton’s The Oilers are only six points out of last place, but they’re also just three second-rounder plus Filip Berglund. That’s a hefty price and probably points out of a wild card slot. They’d be cooked in the East, but the means those two are too expensive to make good sense for the Oilers. implosion of the middle-ranked teams in the West means there is an opening here. If they make it, there’s both financial and developmental Far more appealing are Panik and Johansson. Neither scores as well as value. If they don’t, there’s still the benefit of keeping morale high by Maroon did for the Oilers last season, and even if we accept that there showing that the organization is focused on winning. was a market discount on Maroon because of the McDavid effect these guys shouldn’t cost much more than a third-rounder at the deadline. From a strict asset management perspective, stripping off what spare parts the Oilers have for some marginal picks seems like the right play, Panik turns 28 in early February, making him young enough to be but those pieces are so few and of such limited value that it’s unlikely to potentially more than a rental. He’s had 44 and 35 points the last two make much of a difference anyway. seasons, mostly at 5-on-5, and has already cracked 10 goals this season without even a single power-play marker. He’s on pace to once again The playoff push does need to be kept in perspective. Players cost more comfortably top 100 hits, too, and his shot metrics are habitually good. at the deadline than they do in the summer and big moves probably should be off the table. Bouchard, Puljujarvi, Yamamoto and the 2019 Mostly Panik has played against good opposition next to Derek Stepan first shouldn’t be offered at all – they’re too valuable to spend on a short- and that line has done pretty well, with a 52 percent Corsi, a 53 percent term play, and if the Oilers are looking at a long-term play those names shot share and a reasonable minus-3 goal differential on a team with have more value in the summer than they do in the present. consistently terrible goaltending.

What do the Oilers have to offer? With the playoffs as a goal, they’ll need If Edmonton picked Panik up, he’d instantly be the team’s best right- to hang on to Chiasson and his 17 goals, which is fine since they’re winger (or left-winger, depending on where the centres are lining up that probably only looking at getting a third-round pick anyway. night), and they’d be able to test-drive him prior to free agency. If the cost were, say, a third-rounder plus the rights to Graham McPhee, that could That leaves a couple of pending free agents with marginal value – Talbot, turn out to be a very reasonable swap for the Oilers. Petrovic – and smaller futures. Johansson is a little harder to gauge because he’s missed so much time A Talbot deal might be easier said than done, given that he’s essentially the last two seasons. He had 58 points in Washington in 2016-17, but an expensive reclamation project at this point, though there are a few tallied between 44 and 47 in four of the previous five seasons and that’s teams out there in playoff races that might potentially benefit from an probably a more reasonable blue-sky projection for him. He can skate, is upgrade in net. The other side of this is that Edmonton doesn’t have an a good two-way player, and though he lacks Panik’s PK utility and obvious replacement in the minors, and Koskinen is hardly established physical game, he’s a more talented offensive weapon. as a starter, so there’s some incentive to just hold on to him. What particularly interests me about Johansson is his linemates in New It’s also a good idea to investigate longer plays and moving out bad Jersey. If you can hit 2.0 points-per-hour at 5-on-5, you can usually play contracts, but these may not be manageable in the summer so we’ll deal on a first line in the NHL. Johansson has played at least three hours with with those in the summer section. three different Devils centremen (with little overlap) and the results are intriguing: Over the last five season, Edmonton has averaged four to five deals between Jan. 1 and the trade deadline, with a high of eight moves (2014) With Pavel Zacha: 266.4 minutes, 0.90 points-per-hour and a low of two (2017). Last year they made four. The course outlined here would be an active deadline, but on-par with the Oilers’ recent With Travis Zajac: 245.5 minutes, 1.96 points-per-hour history.

With Nico Hischier: 185.4 minutes, 1.94 points-per-hour The money is the trickiest thing to manage, depending on Sekera. The The Devils have struggled to get Zacha, the sixth overall pick in 2015, to assumption here is that he isn’t ready to go, but if he is the Oilers’ cap score and it certainly looks like he’s been a millstone for Johansson. space disappears pretty quickly. In that instance, moving out What happens if Johansson can get healthy and finds himself lining up Petrovic/Talbot becomes a necessity to make all but the smallest adds. next to McDavid or Draisaitl? It’s a fun idea to ponder. Of those moves, a forward should be the priority. Since the start of 2016, Jensen is also in this range by my assessment, though as a defenceman Nurse/Russell has managed a 49 percent shot share and 50 percent goal he has fewer peers at last year’s deadline. The Rangers’ Nick Holden, share, meaning that once Klefbom returns they can probably hold their averaging 19 minutes-per-game is probably the closest comparable, own as a second pairing. It would be nice to add Jensen and put Russell though Jensen has additional value as a right-shot defender. and Benning together on the third pair and run a veteran top-six, but it’s less of an immediate need than the forward corps. Beyond that, in my view, he’s also a better player. The West is a mess, so the return of Klefbom combined with a little boost “His best asset is his skating as a defensive weapon. His skating is at the deadline might be all it takes to get the Oilers at least limping into outstanding,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said in this excellent piece on the postseason. Jensen’s value. “He can get into people quick, he can gap, he can end plays early. It allows him to close on people in the D-zone and end plays That’s the immediate objective, and it’s reasonable to think the Oilers can real fast. That’s where he’s been at his best.” thread the needle here: improving the team, possibly enough to make the playoffs, all while not selling off anything they’re going to miss too dearly. Jensen’s most common partners have been Niklas Kronwall and Danny DeKeyser. Kronwall has faded badly in recent years while DeKeyser’s The larger decisions will come in the summer and likely be made by a early promise has given way to mediocre results. Nevertheless, on a bad different GM. Nevertheless, the important groundwork for those decisions team both Kronwall/Jensen and DeKeyser/Jensen are breaking even by can be laid now, including preliminary trade discussions to add to the Corsi and doing that or better by on-ice goal differential. team or subtract from the books. Thus it’s important to keep one eye on the horizon. We’ll dig into that Tuesday when we look at what the Oilers One interesting point about Jensen as a hypothetical target is that if the might be able to do with their bad contracts and how they should handle trade were agreed to early enough the Oilers could presumably use Alex summer free agency. Petrovic as a sweetener. They play the same position, with Jensen coming closer to what Petrovic (at the relatively steep cost of a third- The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 rounder plus warm body Chris Wideman) was supposed to provide Edmonton. Detroit would then have the option to flip Petrovic for an additional pick, though likely not one as good as what the Oilers gave up for him initially.

There’s also a need for some bargain shopping, which is where the last three names come in. These players are going to range in price from very cheap to less than that, given their contracts and contributions this year.

Kruger is the most questionable name on the list, since the Oilers have Kyle Brodziak doing his job at the moment. What makes him interesting is that he does it better. Still, a deal probably doesn’t make sense.

Michael Raffl and Carl Hagelin both have heavier (expiring) contracts and might be tricky to work in, unless the Oilers were also able to move out Talbot. Raffl’s been a good depth piece with some goal-scoring ability in Philadelphia for ages, though he’s fallen on hard times this year.

Hagelin fascinates me. He was moved for Tanner Pearson in November; Pearson has eight goals since the trade while Hagelin (who missed time) has just one. What makes him interesting is his speed, something that should allow him to stay effective as he ages. He’s a regular penalty killer, a Corsi king, and had 10 goals and 31 points just last season.

The idea here is that with his $4-million contract and low scoring he’s likely to be close to free in trade cost. There’s enough potential upside there that if the money can be made to work the Oilers could take him for a spin and maybe get lucky with him as a reclamation project.

This is only a rough outline of a trade deadline template since it’s hard to know from the outside which players are definitely out there and what the trade ask is. Broadly, Edmonton’s checklist should look something like this:

Pick up one or two complementary pieces that don’t cost too much, both for immediate help and as possible summer signings

See if there’s a buy-low reclamation project out there, again both in the hope of immediate help and as a test-drive for the summer

Move out Petrovic and/or Talbot, depending on the market, potentially as part of the above moves 1128009 Florida Panthers That number should increase pretty quickly, though, especially since he has moved up the Cats’ depth chart.

Montembeault opened his second pro season with a 5-0-0 record and The heir apparent: Panthers see growth in goalie of the future Samuel one shutout. Success, coupled with the Panthers’ recall of Michael Montembeault Hutchinson for a month, allowed Montembeault to solidify his role as the Thunderbirds’ starter.

By Erin Brown Jan 28, 2019 “There was never a time in the American League where he dipped,” Joyce said. “Hutch came up for 28 days, and he kind of had to carry the load. When Hutch got back, Monty’s rolling, so let’s stay with him and keep playing him. Hutch could never really get back in the net.” When Samuel Montembeault arrived at Florida Panthers development camp in June, he found his locker assignment exciting and a little The Panthers traded Hutchinson to Toronto on Dec. 30. intimidating. “Nothing has really changed for me,” Montembeault said. “The only thing The Panthers’ heir apparent to the crease found his gear next to the stall is I’m the next called up if there is an injury. For me, while I am here in of childhood idol Roberto Luongo. Springfield, nothing is going to change. I just have to play my game and keep working hard.” “I think it’s more inspiring,” Montembeault said. “Every year when I come here for training camp, they always pair me with him.” Montembeault has spent some time with the parent club and has seen the ice during the preseason, but he has not played yet in a regular- Consider it the first glimpse into a goaltending transition for the Panthers. season NHL game. Could his debut come later this season? (Steve In 2015, the Panthers began the long-term project to develop Luongo’s Roberts / USA Today) successor by drafting Montembeault with a third-round pick. The Montembeault has amassed a record of 13-8-7, a 2.95 goals-against Panthers also selected Ryan Bednard in the seventh round. average and a .905 save percentage. His play earned him an invitation to Almost four years into the process, Montembeault’s status within the the AHL All-Star Game on Monday in Springfield. organization continues to rise. It has required time, patience and He credits the success to the offseason program put together by Tallas discipline against temptation on the Panthers’ end to not rush the 22- and Thunderbirds goaltending coach Leo Luongo. year-old to the NHL. Montembeault spent five days a week in the gym and two to three on the When Florida found itself without Luongo and backup James Reimer in ice. Luongo would oversee his efforts in person at home in Boisbriand, January 2018, team brass debated whether to give Montembeault an Quebec. Tallas received weekly progress reports via text. appearance during his five-game call-up as a backup to then-No. 3 Harri Sateri. By the time Montembeault arrived at training camp in September, he felt “relaxed, more confident” and physically and mentally prepared. Figuring the demands of his first professional season were overwhelming enough, the Panthers instead used the experience as the ultimate carrot. The Panthers were most impressed by the evolution of his maturity.

“I don’t think he was ready to play in a National Hockey League game “He sent me texts once a week on what he was doing, which I think was last year, and we told him that. He understood it,” Springfield the first time he had to take control of everything himself rather than Thunderbirds general manager Eric Joyce said. “He put the time in this being told, ‘OK, come here and we’re going to do this.'” Tallas said. “He summer to give himself the opportunity to potentially play if there is a really took everything on himself, which is really what we wanted: that need up here this year.” responsibility.”

At the All-Star break, Florida’s goaltending ranks last in the NHL, with a What Florida hopes to gain from a seasoned Montembeault is a Marc- .887 save percentage. Its 3.40 goals-against average ranks among the Andre Fleury-style goaltender. league’s bottom five. The Cats love Montembeault’s size and athleticism. Tallas raves about Fans have questioned how long it will be before the Panthers simply Montembeault’s glove — a skill honed from growing up with a baseball- move forward. loving father. Joyce speaks highly of the goalie’s puckhandling and ability to act as a third defenseman. “When (young goalies) come up they’re playing with energy,” Panthers goaltending coach Robb Tallas said. “To come up and play a few games “If there’s a shot going into my chest, (it) deflects and goes in front of me sometimes is an easy handle to do. To stay consistent and have the like I was catching (in baseball),” said Montembeault, who briefly played longevity is the challenge.” catcher as a youngster. “It was an asset I always had growing up. When I got into junior, my goalie coach there did a real good job with me to help Developing an NHL goaltender is a process that takes years and, me develop that. A lot of help on tracking. I really track the puck well.” sometimes, multiple teams. Montembeault said he loves “playing the puck, and I know the D-men Of the 22 goaltenders Florida has drafted since 1993, only Kevin Weekes love that, too.” and Jacob Markstrom were developed in the Panthers’ system and went on to become full-time NHL players. Neither shouldered a significant So do the Panthers, who place a heavy emphasis on puck-moving from workload until he was long gone from Florida. the back end.

“You look at teams that draft young goalies, and you’ve got a small “Any time a goalie can move the puck, it just gives you so many different window,” Tallas said. “Look at a lot of goalies that have succeeded. A lot options,” Joyce said. “It really slows the opposing team’s forecheck of them aren’t with their team (they were drafted by). They’ve kind of down, and he’s one of the best I’ve seen in the American League this bounced from a couple teams until they find their team or where they year.” start to have success.” Assuming Florida’s crease remains healthy, Montembeault could see Compared with top skaters, who often make their NHL debuts as NHL action at the end of this season at the earliest. But not for long. teenagers, goaltenders at that age have seen a fraction of the ice time. “We just want to give him a taste to see, so he can understand the shots, During youth hockey, when many goalies are only starting to commit to so he can get used to the game speed and the shots,” Joyce said. “No the position full-time, they might play only half a season. At the junior pressure. Just have fun, play, learn and make a couple extra bucks.” level, the workload increases only slightly as teams are often developing two netminders. The same can happen in the minors. Getting the crease stable is an immediate need in Florida. Before the Panthers can entertain the thought of Montembeault jumping to the NHL Tallas estimates it might take a goalie 150-200 AHL games before he is as a backup next season — or even the season after — they must make NHL-ready. Montembeault is at the 70-game mark through a season and decisions about their current lineup. a half in Springfield. Roberto Luongo is under contract until 2022. The 39-year-old has reiterated — at least twice this season — his intent to play out the remainder of his deal. Reimer, meanwhile, is signed for another two seasons.

If the Panthers bought out either contract, the cap hit would cost no more than $660,000 but would stretch at least four years.

In the interim, Florida could pursue unrestricted free agents such as Sergei Bobrovsky, Semyon Varlamov or Cam Talbot.

Further down the team’s depth chart is Bednard, who is not yet under contract but could be soon. A junior at Bowling Green University, he ranks sixth among NCAA netminders with a 1.78 goals-against average.

Joyce believes Bednard could join Springfield as early as next year. Florida is also supportive of the 21-year-old returning to Bowling Green for his senior season.

Whatever happens with the Cats’ crease in the immediate future, the decisions will likely revolve around Montembeault and how quickly he gains the necessary experience.

Though a call-up is in the back of Montembeault’s mind, he remains focused on perfecting his routine as a pro and eyeing a postseason run with Springfield.

“We have a really good group of guys this year, so everything in the locker room, on and off the ice is a lot more fun,” Montembeault said. “Myself, I’m playing a lot more confident in net. Going into games, I know I can do the job and can help the team win.”

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128010 Los Angeles Kings

Kings trade Jake Muzzin to Maple Leafs for two prospects, 1st-round pick

By Robert Morales

Trading popular players is something the struggling Kings aren’t afraid to do, and they showed that again Monday when they traded defenseman Jake Muzzin to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a first-round draft pick in 2019, minor-league forward Carl Grundstrom and the reserve rights to defenseman Sean Durzi, who is currently playing junior hockey.The Kings in November traded forward Tanner Pearson to Pittsburgh for forward Carl Hagelin. Like Muzzin, Pearson was part of the Kings’ 2014 Stanley Cup title-winning team.Kings general manager Rob Blake discussed the transaction during a conference call.“Well, I think this is a move that obviously prepares for the future going forward,” Blake said. “And we got a draft pick and some younger prospects in return and whether it was now or at the deadline, it’s what we’ve been focused on here for a while and this is one that we got done here today.”The trade deadline is Feb. 25.The Kings (20-26-4, 44 points) have struggled all season. As of Monday, they were eight points out of the final playoff spot in

Western Conference and in last place in the Pacific Division. But when asked, Blake insisted this trade does not mean he has given up on this season.“No, not at all,” he said. “I expect our guys to come on their first day back to work here and compete every day.”The Kings don’t resume play until Saturday, when they begin a six-game road trip at the New York Islanders. Muzzin, 29, is in his eighth season – all with the Kings. He is having one of his best campaigns, with 21 points (4 goals, 17 assists) and a team-best plus-10 rating.Blake said the phone call he made to Muzzin informing him of his departure was very hard.“Terrific player, terrific person, took a huge step in leadership over the last few years here,” Blake said. “Very difficult day here for us. To move players that have brought so much to this organization and bringing a Stanley Cup to the organization, very difficult.

We wish Jake well. He was tremendous for his time here as an L.A. King.”Blake said being able to get a first-round draft pick was an important part of the equation.Grundstrom, 21, was selected in the second round by Toronto in the 2016 NHL draft. He is currently toiling for the Toronto Marlies of the AHL and has 13 goals and 16 assists in 42 games.Durzi, 20, was selected by Toronto in the second round of the 2018 draft. He has played junior hockey for two Ontario Hockey League teams this season – the Owen Sound Attack and Guelph Storum – and has 28 points (8 goals, 20 assists) in a total of 26 games.Blake referred to Grundstrom as someone with a solid compete level and poise. Blake also said Grundstrom is a strong skater.As for Durzi, Blake said he is more of an offensive defenseman who moves the puck well and has a “high hockey IQ.”Blake said he will continue to talk trade with teams as the deadline approaches.Toronto (30-17-2, 62 points) is in second place in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128011 Los Angeles Kings L.A.’s way in the Pearson deal, Carl Hagelin, is on an expiring contract, played on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ championship teams, can skate like the wind and is an excellent penalty killer. He would have trade value as With Jake Muzzin gone, who could the Kings trade next? a rental.

On defense, Muzzin’s some-time partner, Alec Martinez, might also be a target. Martinez, 31, is perhaps the Kings’ most versatile defenseman, a By Lisa Dillman Jan 28, 2019 left-handed shot who generally plays the right side and is signed for two additional years beyond this one. Given how clutch Martinez was in

playoffs past, a team seeking to add postseason experience could do Proof that the Kings are going firmly and decisively down the rebuilding worse than to acquire him. road came Monday when – almost a month before the NHL trading Ultimately, the Kings will have to dig themselves out of their salary cap deadline – they moved arguably their most valuable trade chip, hole, but unfortunately, the Leafs were not the trading partner that could defenseman Jake Muzzin, to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2019 first- help them there, given that they will need to find the money to sign both rounder, plus two prospects, forward Carl Grundstrom and unsigned Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to extensions this coming summer. defensive prospect Sean Durzi. The salary-cap albatrosses in Los Angeles include Dion Phaneuf, Two questions: Dustin Brown and Ilya Kovalchuk.

One: Did the Kings get enough for Muzzin, a former Stanley Cup As for the possibility that one of their marquee names could be moved, champion, a first-pair defenseman, who was signed to an attractive the reality is that the offseason is about the only time you can actually get contract that has this year and next year remaining? deals of that magnitude accomplished.

Second: Did they move too soon? Generally speaking, teams can create “We’re looking at a lot of different options and that will play out as we go more of an auction for their most valuable commodities closer to the forward,” said Blake cautiously. deadline. As it is, Toronto’s first-rounder, in what is perceived to be just a When asked to characterize the level of trade talk throughout the league, so-so draft past the top 20 prospects, will be in the 20-to-30 range. Blake was noncommittal. Ultimately, the Maple Leafs made the deal for Muzzin without giving up “There are active calls going on,” he said. “I’m not sure it’s much different either Timothy Liljegren, a 2017 first-rounder, or Rasmus Sandin, their than any other time. You’re always looking to improve in certain aspects 2018 first-rounder, their two top prospects, both of whom appear to have – and you look at all those options as we go forward here.” greater upside than either Grundstrom or Durzi. Someone asked Blake if the deal for Muzzin meant he was effectively But as in all transactions that feature a known commodity going one way raising a white flag on the season. Blake’s voice took on a tone of and futures going the other, it is impossible to evaluate the long-term incredulity as he answered. impact of a deal until years have passed. “We’re at the bottom of the league,” said Blake. “We don’t like the Durzi was the 52nd player chosen in the 2018 NHL Draft and is currently position we’re in at all. playing junior hockey in the OHL. Grundstrom was the 57th player chosen in the 2016 draft and was playing with the Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the “We’re in a position where, we’re looking up every day at the standings. Toronto Marlies. He will initially report to the Kings’ American Hockey We’re not happy about where we are. We’re not comfortable where we League team, the Ontario Reign, but if the Kings go further down the are – and now we have to make decisions for the best of the organization rebuilding rabbit hole between now and the deadline, he will likely get a going forward.” look at the NHL level before the season ends. But Blake also said that when the Kings’ players return to action following In a conference call with reporters, Kings general manager Rob Blake their bye week, he expected them to “come back to work here and made it clear he didn’t think the timing of the trade mattered at all in compete every day.” terms of the overall return he was able to get for Muzzin. Nor was he prepared to speculate on who might be out the door next – or if he was In assessing the two players joining the organization, Blake said he liked ready to move an even bigger piece, such as center Anze Kopitar, Grundstrom’s “compete, effort and work,” while he characterized Durzi as defenseman Drew Doughty, or goaltender Jonathan Quick – in order to an offensive puck-moving defenseman “with a high hockey IQ.” facilitate the organizational U-turn. An NHL team exec agreed with Blake on Grundstrom. He called the “As far as the trade itself and the timing, I think what happens is, you player, “a hard driving winger. Plays the right way. Strong. Competes. come to a point where the terms are acceptable both ways, and you get Gets to the net.” the deal done,” said Blake. “We were comfortable with what was in place He saw Durzi as “more of a high octane offensive guy. Skates well and here today. loves to join the rush but will need to sort out his defensive game some.”

“This is a move that obviously prepares for the future – and going Blake said it was difficult to trade a player of Muzzin’s stature, calling him forward,” added Blake. “Whether it was now or at the deadline, it’s what a “terrific player and a terrific person, who took huge steps in leadership we’ve been focused on here for a while.” the last few years here.

And while Blake didn’t tip his hand about future plans, he used the term “It was a very difficult day here for us – to move players that have “the future of the organization” enough times in his back-and-forth with brought so much to this organization and bring Stanley Cups to the reporters that you’d have to think he isn’t done yet – and that the Muzzin organization. We wish Jake well. He was tremendous for his time here as move was just the first domino to fall between now and Feb. 25. an L.A. King.”

Who’s next? The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 Among the team’s forwards, the two most talked about trade chips are center Jeff Carter and right winger Tyler Toffoli.

Carter was part of two Kings’ championship teams, but is 34, and has made it clear he likes raising his family in Southern California. Given that his front-loaded 11-year, $58 million contract drops off significantly in the final three years of the deal – and will only pay him a total of $7 million over that period of time – teams seeking to add Carter would be wise to get reassurances from his camp that he would report.

Toffoli, by contrast, is younger, at 26 and a proven 30-goal scorer. Like Muzzin, he is also attractively priced – at $4.6 million for this year and next. He played on the 2014 Stanley Cup championship team alongside Carter and Tanner Pearson, who was previously moved by the Kings earlier in this perplexingly underwhelming season. The player that came 1128013 Los Angeles Kings compete, his effort and his work,” calling them “mainstays.” “His sense and his poise are above average, and [he’s] a strong skater.”

Via Pronman ($): TRADE WINDS BLOW OPEN MONDAY; ROSTER RECONSTRUCTION COMMENCES 5. Carl Grundstrom, LW, Toronto-AHL

Grundstrom had a solid season over in Sweden, came overseas later and was a critical piece for the Marlies. He plays hard and he plays fast. JON ROSENJANUARY 28, 2019 Grundstrom is a hard-nosed winger who gets to the net and has an edge in his game. He’s not all muck and grind though, as he has some speed in his game, and can make plays. When he was younger I thought he PROSPECTS AND SCOUTINGTRADES had some real offensive upside as a playmaker. I’ve come off that expectation a bit in recent years but I have the plays he made when Projected trade winds blew open with gale force on Monday afternoon as younger in my head. Maybe he’s just a nice bottom-six/PK type, but I the LA Kings shipped 29-year-old defenseman Jake Muzzin to the think there could be more too. Toronto Maple Leafs for Toronto’s first round draft pick, forward prospect Carl Grundstrom (who will report to AHL-Ontario) and the rights to 20- Durzi, meanwhile, “moves the puck at a pro pace and displays very good year-old defensive prospect Sean Durzi (who remains in OHL-Guelph for vision,” according to Pronman, who deemed the six-foot, 196-poind right- his overage season). shot defenseman “…a good puck handler who can show the occasional flash of top-level offensive skill” during last summer’s rankings. He’s Grundstrom was a second round draft pick (57th overall) in 2016, and among the players who seem to fit in a newer, up-tempo NHL that favors Durzi was a second round draft pick (52nd overall) in 2018, while Muzzin, faster, skilled teams spending minimal time in their own zone. a 2014 Stanley Cup champion who grew into what General Manager Rob Blake described as “elite defenseman,” ends his 496-game Los Angeles “Yeah, and I think it fits in the mold of getting back, getting pucks, getting career with 51 goals and 213 points along with a 50-game playoff career them up quick and finding it,” said Blake, who also noted Durzi’s hockey that netted seven goals, 20 points and the 2014 Stanley Cup. He’s a intelligence. Of course, with additional changes potentially coming to the career plus-24 player who has been a possession-driving behemoth, Kings’ blue line – Alec Martinez is another player on the back end who especially early in his career. Gaining notice with a 64.0% Corsi-for has been scouted by opposing teams in advance of a hypothetical move percentage in 2012-13, Muzzin has never finished with a negative Corsi- – Durzi joins Sean Walker and Kale Clague as offensive-minded for relative to his teammates in any of his seven full NHL seasons. On a prospects who come in a touch undersized but in line with the way the last-place Kings team in 2018-19, he leads club defenseman with a +3.8 team and the game appears to be trending. CF%Rel and a plus-10 rating. “Sean Walker’s been able to come in with a different kind of look like that “Terrific player, terrific person, took a huge step in leadership over the with his feet and his speed, and Sean plays into that role going forward, last few years here,” Blake said of Muzzin. “Very difficult day here for us. also,” Blake said. Durzi, Walker and Clague all play on the right side, as To move players that have brought so much to this organization and does Matt Roy, who may be due for an opportunity potentially as early as bringing a Stanley Cup the organization, very difficult. We wish Jake well. the second half of this season. He was tremendous for his time here as an LA King.” David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire Blake speaks for a lot of people when praising Muzzin. While building for the “future” was certainly a theme on his conference call, emotionally this We’ve all reported this for weeks: change is coming to the LA Kings is a raw moment for an organization that could soon part ways with a organization, and there will be am effort to part with players with term and number of emotional leaders and productive figures who played key roles of significant expense who aren’t tied down by no-movement or no-trade during the team’s glory years. With Muzzin’s departure, 10 players clauses as well as players on expiring contracts. Some players will be remain from the club’s 2014 Stanley Cup team. more difficult to move than others; the reap of the full bounty won’t be known more firmly until after the NHL Draft and July 1. But while this will “It was a difficult conversation with him,” Blake said. “I have a ton of be healthy for an organization that needs to get younger, faster, and very respect for him, what he’s been able to do through difficult circumstances much more skilled, it will come at an emotional cost for those inside and this year. So it was a very difficult phone call. As far as the trade itself outside the Toyota Sports Center walls who both pull strings and bear and the timing and everything, I think what happens is you come to a witness to the distribution of parts that combined to lift the team to the point where you become on acceptable terms both ways and you get the greatest heights it had ever acheived. deal done. Whether you wait or not is another thing. We were comfortable with what was in place here today, and that’s kind of how the “I’m sure it comes as a shock as it does for a lot of players when they get deal went through.” traded. Like I said, they’re never easy conversations, and I’ll reiterate the amount of respect we have for Jake and what he’s been able to The two prospects acquired have shown well since their drafts and are accomplish with our organization. He’s helped us win the Stanley Cup, interesting, upper-tier prospects if not Grade-A, front line game-breakers. and you can’t ask for more than that out of a player,” Blake said. Fortunately, this trade was consummated with Toronto, so if you’re a subscriber to The Athletic, you can have your pick of Carl Grundstrom “I think we’re in a position where we’re looking up every day in the articles or notes on AHL possession rates. standings. We’re not happy about where we are, we’re not comfortable with where we are, and now we have to make decisions for the best of Noteworthy Carl Grundstrom AHL data for #GoKingsGO fans the organization going forward.”

– 59.1% CF (+1.7 Corsi Rel) Dave Sandford/NHLI

– 2.59 5-on-5 points per 60 (4th among regular Marlies) Rob Blake, on the pros and cons of the timing of the trade:

– 2.86 Game Score / 60 (6th) I’m not sure there is a pro and con on that aspect. Both sides have been in in some talks for a couple weeks and came to common ground earlier – Averaged about 15:20 per game TOI, played regularly on the PP today, s o that’s how that whole process took place. via https://t.co/UZPqsAgl39 Blake, on a trade that transitions the team: — Jeff Veillette (@JeffVeillette) January 29, 2019 This is a move that obviously prepares for the future and going forward, A non-Kings source said this of Grundstrom: “Great guy, team player, and we’ve got a draft pick and some younger prospects in return, and power forward who was known in Sweden being good in front of the net whether it was now or at the deadline, it’s what we’ve been focused on and fearless. Character guy.” Another source outside the organization here for a while, and this was one we got done here today. confirmed the character and power forward aspects of his game. I often Blake, on whether the idea of waiting longer factored into the trade: defer to Corey Pronman for these notes, and within Toronto’s system – graded 19th among NHL systems by Pronman – Grunstrom was ranked No, not really. I think once we understood the parameters of the deal, at fifth overall and in “Legit NHL Prospect” territory — below “Very Good least from our side we were comfortable doing it here today. NHL Prospect’ territory but above “Has A Chance.” Blake liked “his Blake, on how active his trade calls have been: I think the calls are general throughout the league. They’re active calls going on and that. I’m not sure it’s much different than any other time. You’re always looking to improve in certain aspects, and you look at all those options as you go forward here.

Blake, on whether there will be any transition for Jake Muzzin moving from West to East:

I don’t think so. I think he’s an elite defenseman. He’s going to bring the physical aspect, but he has poise and patience to make plays. I think the adjustment will come naturally for him because he is a top defenseman.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128014 Los Angeles Kings Muzzin has also played in 50 career NHL postseason games and recorded 20 points (7-13=20) and 18 penalty minutes. In 2014 he played in 26 playoff games as the Kings captured the Stanley Cup.

KINGS TRADE MUZZIN TO LEAFS FOR FIRST ROUND PICK, This season, the 6-3, 213-pound native of Woodstock, Ontario, has GRUNDSTROM, RIGHTS TO DURZI appeared in all 50 games for the Kings and recorded 21 points (4- 17=21).

JON ROSENJANUARY 28, 2019 LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 01.29.2019

TRADES

Lots, lots more to come on a conference call at the top of the hour, but the LA Kings announced Monday that they have traded Jake Muzzin to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2019 first round draft pick, 21-year-old forward prospect Carl Grundstrom and the rights to defenseman Sean Durzi.

Los Angeles now has nine picks at the 2019 NHL Draft: their own picks in each of the seven rounds, as well as Toronto’s first round pick and Arizona’s fifth round pick.

VIA LA KINGS:

The Los Angeles Kings today acquired a first-round draft selection in the 2019 NHL Draft, forward Carl Grundstrom and the reserve rights to defenseman Sean Durzi from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for defenseman Jake Muzzin. The announcement was made by Kings Vice President and General Manager Rob Blake.

“We feel this trade was necessary for the future of the organization,” said Blake. “Moving Jake was not easy as he has been a key player for us and a significant part of our most historic and memorable achievements. We are grateful for his contributions to the Kings and we wish him the best of luck in the future.”

Grundstrom is a 21-year-old forward from Umea, Sweden, who was selected by the Maple Leafs in the second-round (57th overall) in the 2016 NHL Draft. The 6-0, 194-pounder is currently playing for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL), where he has 13 goals and 29 points (13-16=29) in 42 games as a rookie. His 13 goals are tied for sixth and his 29 points are tied for ninth among all AHL rookies this season.

Grundstrom helped lead the Marlies to the 2018 Calder Cup championship with eight goals and 14 points (8-6=14) in 20 playoff games last spring. He led all AHL rookies in playoff scoring.

He has also represented Sweden on the International stage five times, including twice at the World Junior Championship, totaling four goals and eight points (4-4=8) in 14 career games. Sweden finished fourth in both the 2017 and 2016 tournaments.

Grundstrom debuted with the Marlies during the 2016-17 AHL playoffs, scoring three goals and four points (3-1=4) in six postseason games. He joined the Marlies that season after completing a highly successful regular season with Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League. In 45 regular season games with Frolunda, he collected 14 goals (tied for first on the team) and 20 points (ranked eighth on the team). He also skated in 14 postseason games with Frolunda (1-1=2) before joining the Marlies that year. He also suited up for Frolunda during the 2017-18 season, collecting 17 goals (ranked second on the team) and 24 points.

Grundstrom will be assigned by the Kings to the Ontario Reign (AHL).

Durzi is a 20-year-old from Toronto. The 6-0, 196-pounder was selected by the Maple Leafs in the second-round (52nd overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft.

Durzi, who shoots right, has 28 points (8-20=28) in 26 Ontario Hockey League games with both the Owen Sound Attack and the Guelph Storm. Durzi opened the season with Owen Sound (3-14=17 in 18 games) before he was traded to Guelph earlier this month (traded on January 9; has 5-6=11 in eight games since the trade). Durzi, an OHL Second Team All-Star in 2017-18, has collected 131 points (35-96=131) in 171 career OHL regular season games.

Muzzin, 29, has played with the Kings since the 2010-11 season when he made his NHL debut after originally signing with the Kings as an unrestricted free agent on January 4, 2010. In 496 career regular season NHL games, all with the Kings, he has recorded 213 points (51- 162=213), 298 penalty minutes and a plus-24 rating. 1128015 Minnesota Wild

Devan Dubnyk named NHL's third star of the week

By Sarah McLellan JANUARY 28, 2019

The accolades keep rolling in for Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk. On the heels of his franchise-record third All-Star appearance, Dubnyk was named the NHL's third star of the week Monday. Dubnyk went 2-0 for the Wild last week, posting a .926 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average in two starts. He racked up 30 saves in a 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights Jan.21 before making 20 stops to help the Wild cruise by the Colorado Avalanche 5-2 Jan.23. At the All-Star Game Saturday, Dubnyk then recorded 25 saves across a pair of contests – including 19 in a 10-4 triumph for the Central Division over the Pacific Division in the semifinals. Overall, Dubnyk is tied for fifth in the NHL in victories (20) while carrying a .913 save percentage, 2.57 goals-against average and one shutout. This is his fifth 20-win season in as many campaigns with the Wild. Star Tribune LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128016 Minnesota Wild Since Greenway’s cameo in Iowa, he’s tied for third on the Wild in goals with Jason Zucker, trailing only Eric Staal (14) and Zach Parise (17). His five goals since Dec. 15 are tied with Staal and Parise for the team lead. Wild Walkthrough: How Jordan Greenway is finding his stride It’s clear that Greenway is no longer playing from the periphery. Below, courtesy Sean Tierney’s Public Tableau, are Greenway’s shots By Evan Sporer Jan 28, 2019 mapped out pre- and post-Iowa this season. First nine games As an errant pass skidded behind Jordan Greenway, the 6-foot-6 forward From game No. 10 on didn’t panic, but rather adjusted. With the puck sliding toward the boards, Average shot distance isn’t much worth paying attention to (because of Greenway quickly changed direction on his edge, footwork normally how small the first sample was) but notice all those plots in the home reserved for skaters a few inches shorter than him. plate area in the second visualization. Then came a bit of the power forward persona Greenway can offer. Yes, you expect a big man to make his way to those spots in the Arriving first to the puck, he took one touch on his forehand before offensive zone, but Greenway is getting lots of clean looks, like that goal reversing the play, maintaining possession for Minnesota, while he scored against the Jets, and again, he’s made a concerted effort to absorbing a particularly big hit from the Jets’ duo of Dmitry Kulikov and generate those shots. Take this sequence from a Jan. 19 win over the Brandon Tanev. Blue Jackets: Greenway popped right back to his feet though, and like a shark smelling Off the draw, Columbus has the puck, but Greenway reads the play well, blood in the water, skated across the slot, positioning himself atop the angling toward the near boards to cut off this attempted rim to clear. faceoff circles, undetected. Waiting. And instantly, he creates a scoring chance, finding Charlie Coyle cutting A few touches later from various green sweaters, and Greenway, back door … identifying a pressure point, pinched down into the circle, his stick on the ice, creating a target. Eric Staal laid a pass onto his tape, and as soon as … only to miss his stick by an incredibly slim margin. the puck was on Greenway’s stick, it was off it. Those hands, again, typically reserved for players a bit smaller. Now here’s the important piece for Greenway. Jared Spurgeon pinches down the wall and chips the puck deep to Staal. Greenway has made his That goal in a Jan. 10 win over Winnipeg was Greenway’s eighth of nine way off the boards and sits down in the low slot. With Spurgeon so far this season. He is playing much better of late — any casual “showing” toward the net-front after his pinch, it forces those two Blue observer could tell you as much — with seven of those goals coming in Jackets skaters defending the slot to hold in place. (Sidenote: this is just his last 29 games. The Wild’s 2015 second-round pick, who excited the an example of one of the million things Spurgeon does so well that organization’s talent evaluators so much with his amateur play, is doesn’t show up on the scoresheet but drives scoring.) beginning to show why they were so bullish on the Canton, New York, native. So now you’ve got Greenway in the slot, and these two Columbus skaters a bit preoccupied with Staal, the puck carrier. As Staal makes a Most recently, it’s been Greenway’s ability to generate shots from the low move to pop up at the left post, Greenway shifts his weight toward that slot that has really stood out, and it’s not by accident that the biggest side. player on the ice is continuously finding himself open in one of the most difficult areas on the ice to do so. And then this last piece is incredibly vital. Staal gets above the goal line, and continues toward the edge of the trapezoid. Greenway mirrors that It’s all part of the 21-year-old forward’s maturation, and it’s a capital-B Big route taken by Staal, taking a few short strides to stay perpendicular the development for Minnesota. puck. This is important for two reasons: 1) It keeps the passing lane open for Staal, and 2) It widens Greenway’s shooting angle, giving him more to Through the first nine games of this season, Greenway had been largely attack, allowing him to go high-glove for the goal. ineffective. He had a single point — a secondary assist — and eight shots on goal. He wasn’t involved enough in the play for a player who Here’s another really great look for Greenway that produced a tough absolutely needs to be in order to have an impact. He wasn’t playing with save out of Jonathan Quick in a Jan. 15 game against the Kings. the necessary confidence to be successful. After Greenway does some solid work along the boards to maintain So Greenway was temporarily banished to Iowa, a two-game stint meant possession, he moves the puck up to Jonas Brodin. Stopping the play to revitalize the rookie forward. here, you can see how much open space there is in the opposite circle, and it would have been pretty easy to do a fly-by, skate through the zone “If we could get him playing 20 minutes in the next two games, then he’ll and presume a puck cycle. fly to Vancouver with us and go from there,” head coach Bruce Boudreau said at the time. “… When I’d go down (to the AHL), it was great for me. But Greenway, keeping tabs on the play, notices Brodin has taken a hard The competition is really good, but at the same time, if he does well, he step back toward the boards. And Greenway, wanting to keep this thing can gain confidence and come back where he wants to shoot the puck a going and make something of this sequence, button hooks up in the little bit more than he’s been shooting it right now.” zone, remaining on that side. The key thing here was that Greenway was going to get the opportunity By the time he pulls up, he’s still a ways from the puck. There are two to play big minutes and all three phases of the game, not exactly like Kings who could pick up Greenway; Alex Iafallo, across the slot, and Jeff demoting a player down the lineup and asking him to “find himself” in a Carter, right off Greenway’s left shoulder. The former is peeking over, less-than-ideal situation. And in this instance, it really appeared to work. and thinks Carter has it covered, but Carter is kind of puck-watching, Greenway netted a hat trick in that second game for Iowa, boomeranged which will give Greenway his chance. right back to the NHL, and scored his first career goal the very next game against the Canucks. Once Staal has the puck in a spot to move it, Greenway cuts down hard and through the dot. He’s got his stick on the ice, and his posture is very Since then, he’s never looked back. upright. With Iafallo the only one who can make a defensive play, it’s going to be hard to play through Greenway when he’s that stiff. Every athlete needs to be confident to be successful, but in the case of Greenway, this has been a longstanding point of emphasis among Here are a few other recent examples of Greenway finding that scoring coaches. David Quinn, now the bench boss of the Rangers, who had area in the low slot. Greenway for all three of his years at Boston University, said Greenway didn’t play or carry himself like an alpha at times, despite the big stature. Here, also from the Kings game, Greenway gets possession along the boards, and reverses the puck down to Staal. That’s going to force Alec But whether it was playing him on the penalty kill, or moving him to Martinez to check him below the goal line, vacating that net-front spot, center, Quinn was constantly doing things to keep Greenway’s motor taking away the only Los Angeles presence near the crease. running. And as soon as Greenway passes this puck, he goes, spinning off the Since that recall and goal in Vancouver, it certainly hasn’t been a shoulder of Jake Muzzin and going hard to the net, with a step on the problem. defenseman. Over this 40-game stretch, Greenway has nine goals and six assists, and And again, when Greenway gains that advantage, he uses his frame to 82-game pace of over 18 goals and 30 points. That’s also almost keep it. His stick is on the ice, ensuring as soon as the pass comes, exclusively come at 5-on-5. there’s going to be a quick shot. He’s tall on his skate, not letting any would-be defender coming from behind (Muzzin) play through the body. Last one here, again from that Kings game: Don’t need fancy pictures to diagram this, but the key is Greenway not over-skating the play. He keeps everything in front of him, and isn’t overaggressive as the forecheck is developing, staying above the goal line and ending up in the most opportune position. For a player of Greenway’s size and skill, if he can continue to learn and figure out how to consistently get to these spots, it will only increase the shot quality he will generate. It’s also easy to see how this skill can translate to the power play, if Greenway was in the net-front or bumper position. By identifying those little soft spots, rolling off contact, and finding free ice in the traffic, he’ll be buying valuable real estate low in the zone. Yes, he’s got the size, but he’s still so green. The size alone wasn’t going to allow him to come straight into the league and be dominant and imposing; there’s a learning curve, just like every other young player. Now Greenway seems to be picking things up a bit quicker, and it’s really showing in the on-ice results. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128017 Montreal Canadiens

Former Canadiens player Gerry Plamondon dies at 95

PRESSE CANADIENNE & MONTREAL GAZETTE

Joseph Gérard (Gerry) Roger Plamondon, the last surviving Canadiens player to have won the Stanley Cup in 1946, died on Saturday, the club announced. Born Jan. 5, 1924 in Sherbrooke, Plamondon died in his home town at 95 years old. Plamondon played 74 games in the National Hockey League, all with the Canadiens, between 1945 and 1951. He had seven goals and 20 points, plus five goals and seven points in 11 career playoff games. On March 24, 1949, Plamondon scored three goals in a 4-3 win in Detroit, completing his hat trick in overtime. Plamondon had difficulty getting regular work on the talent-laden Canadiens teams of the 40s. “Plamondon is one of the best at picking his spot,” coach Dick Irvin said on many occasion. Because of this skill, Plamondon was a great goal scorer in the minors and from the relatively brief NHL chances he enjoyed, came away with memorable experiences. For instance, after scoring 40 goals for the Valleyfield Braves of the Quebec Senior Hockey League in 1945-46, Plamondon played the final six games of the regular season with the Canadiens. He became a Stanley Cup champ as the Habs swept Chicago 4-0 in the semifinals and beat Boston 4-1 in the final. “The next season, Mr. Selke (Canadiens’ GM) wanted the Royals to win the Allan Cup, so I was assigned to play with the Royals,” the 84-year-old Plamondon told the Montreal Gazette in 2008. Plamondon scored 15 goals in that 1946-47 regular season and added seven more, along with 12 assists in playoff action, as Royals did indeed win the Allan Cup. They beat the Calgary Stampeders, with the final game being played at Quebec City. In 1947-48 he led the Quebec Senior Hockey League with 51 goals in 46 games for a 73-point season. Plamondon split the 1948-49 season between the Royals and the Canadiens, scoring five goals in his 27 games with Canadiens. He went on to score five more in seven Stanley Cup playoff games with the highlight being the winning goal in sudden- death overtime, which gave the Habs a 4-3 win over Detroit. “Billy Reay (centre) fed me a perfect pass and I was right in front of the goalie (Harry Lumley),” Plamondon said. The Red Wings recovered to win the series. Plamondon split the next season between Canadiens and the American League’s Cincinnati Mohawks, scoring one goal in his 37 games with Canadiens. He had 23- and 18-goal seasons the next two years with coach Frank Carlin’s Senior Royals, and in 1953-54 scored 18 goals while serving as playing coach with the Matane Red Rockets in the Gaspé. The team lost in the Eastern final of the Allan Cup playoffs to Sudbury. After coaching the Trois Rivières Flambeaux in the Quebec Junior Hockey league in 1954-55, Plamondon wound up his active career by playing one season with Chicoutimi Sagunéens, one with Cornwall Chevies and another with the Pembroke Lumber Kings as a playing coach. Shortly after his fling with the Kings, Plamondon opened a sporting goods store in Sherbrooke with friend Gaston St. Pierre in 1962. “At first we sold mostly hockey equipment, but we moved into other things quickly,” Plamondon said. “We sold boats.” Plamondon and wife, Martha, had two grownup children — John and Luce. Neither showed interest in any particular sport. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128018 Montreal Canadiens

Ex-Montreal Canadiens player Tomas Plekanec sues over $200,000 loan Money was to help finance The Perfect Kiss, a movie starring his wife and their two children.

MONTREAL GAZETTE

Former Montreal Canadiens centre Tomas Plekanec has gone to court to recover a loan of $200,000 plus interest used to finance a romantic comedy released last year starring his wife and the couple’s two children. The Perfect Kiss was released in Canada, the United States and Czech Republic between March and November 2018 and, according to a lawsuit filed by Plekanec’s lawyers on Jan. 23, financed in part with a $200,000 loan payable over two years at an interest rate of six per cent annually. The suit contends the loan, provided by Plekanec to two numbered companies described as being involved in film production services, included an “acceleration clause” that would hasten re-payment “after the occurrence of any sale or licensing of the distribution rights of the Motion Picture to any distributor having any sort of presence or distribution rights in Canada, the United States of America or the Czech Republic.” The Perfect Kiss, with a cast that includes Lucie Vondrackova, as well as Matyas and Adam, the couple’s two sons, was released in the United States last March and in Canada and the Czech Republic last November. The reviews were not positive. The suit contends that Plekanec, who separated late last year from Vondrackova, sought repayment last August under the the terms of the acceleration clause; however, the numbered companies informed the hockey player’s lawyers that the obligations of the loan had been transferred to a third party with Plekanec’s consent, which Plekanec denies. The suit seeks repayment of the loan plus interest and legal costs. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128019 Montreal Canadiens team that looks pretty promising for the future and who knows what can happen if we make the playoffs.”

This perfectly exemplifies how Molson and Bergevin continue to What the Puck: All tweaks aside, improved Habs aren't Cup contenders misunderstand the past six years and don’t really have a solid plan to If the Canadiens reach the playoffs, it is unlikely they'll be going on a long make the Habs true contenders. Molson says they decided there was a post-season run. In other words, it's business as usual. problem after the Rangers series in 2017, yet they traded Subban the year before. Why was that? It seems to confirm that it was personal, given the boss says they felt they had a team that was a contender. If so, why trade one of your leaders? BRENDAN KELLY, MONTREAL GAZETTE Secondly, management did nothing of import in summer 2017 when Molson claims they were aware there was a problem. The changes only came last summer. I am not going to make any apologies. I’m with Ted. Once again, they think they have the makings of an elite There was a funny piece in the Globe and Mail a couple of days back in team and the facts simply don’t back that up. which columnist Cathal Kelly — no relation — apologized for slamming the Canadiens at the beginning of the season. But his apology column Montreal Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 was one of those non-apology apologies and, in fact, he hardly discussed the Habs in the article, which is par for the course for Toronto hockey journalists because most of them never actually watch Canadiens games. But I feel absolutely no compulsion to take back anything I have said in this space during the past couple of years about Habs management. Non, je ne regrette rien. I have, as recently as late last week, lauded the surprising achievements of this season’s Canadiens. But I am not anywhere near ready to say this has happened because general manager Marc Bergevin suddenly transformed himself during the summer into Sam Pollock. I’m happy to see that, heading into Monday’s slate of games, Les Boys are in third place in the Atlantic Division. They’ve done better than anyone expected, but they’re not contenders despite the delusional thinking of many fans, who believe this is 1993 all over again. It’s not. They’re not going to end the season in third place in the Atlantic, in my view, but rather will probably end up holding down that last wild-card spot. And that might not even happen. It’s quite possible, crazy as it seems, that the slumping Washington Capitals might also be fighting for a wild- card spot. In fact, the two teams competing for the wild-card slots could quite easily be the Caps and the Pittsburgh Penguins. So the Habs making the playoffs is far from certain. And if they do, it is unlikely they’ll be going on any kind of run. In other words, it’s business as usual. No contending, no good draft picks. My good pal Ted Harman hit the nail on the head with his tweet on the weekend. I don’t think Valérie Plante will be telling Montrealers any time soon that the Parade will follow the usual route. The sad part of this season is that it will delude management into thinking this is a better team than it really is. Onwards to crappy draft picks. #Habs— Ted Harman (@tedh13) January 27, 2019 He’s right. The real danger is management will look at this team and think they’ve turned the corner, when they haven’t. And if they make that mistake, it will be the second straight time that team president Geoff Molson and Bergevin have made the same error. That’s why the team has been stagnating under this management group — because Molson and Bergevin looked at the team after Bergevin’s hiring in 2012 and truly believed they had a contender on their hands. But they didn’t. Molson was remarkably candid last week with TSN 690 morning host Conor McKenna, admitting they believed the team was ready to make a run for the Cup. “When Marc did come on board … we had a young team with a pretty interesting core of young players that were emerging, whether it was P.K. (Subban), Max (Pacioretty), Carey Price … and (Brendan) Gallagher, (Alex) Galchenyuk,” Molson said, on TSN 690. “That team, on two occasions, got pretty far in the playoffs and surprised the fans. But it also, at some point in time during that four-year period, was one of the top teams in the league and considered maybe a contender to win the Stanley Cup. … “Unfortunately one year Carey Price got hurt, that was when we were in the semifinals,” Molson added. “Then fast-forward to … two years ago, when we were playing the Rangers in the playoffs and it was a disappointing performance and we lost in six games. That was a point in time when Marc and his team and me, we sat down and re-looked at the core and said: ‘We’ve still good some really good players in place, but it’s not working. Here we are five years later … and it hasn’t happened yet.’ So we made some tweaks last summer and here we are today with a 1128020 Montreal Canadiens as he pushes, getting an outstretched pad on the puck, while his momentum from the initial powerful push carries him right, toward the puck. Despite getting his torso twisted back by the Wild player in front, The route Carey Price took to find his way back to elite status he’s able to keep his lead pad sealed to make the third save. and from there, he freestyles hard till the puck is in his glove.

The combination of sharp technique and sheer will that historically By Paul Campbell Jan 28, 2019 characterized Price’s periods of peak performance has been on display lately, and for just long enough to believe it’s not a lucky accident.

In a Jan. 18 game in Columbus, Price was still looking strong moving to It was a turning point, we can now say with some degree of assurance. his right. 6-5 Buffalo. Because of the layered screen, Price loses track of the puck carrier and has to butterfly when he thinks the shot is coming. The shot, of course, is That game was the deepest sinkhole in the swamp of Carey Price’s actually a pass, forcing him to move left to cover his post. The quick- struggles this season. release shot off the immediate pass back to the slot (which the D should Ahead of the matchup in Montreal on Nov. 8, the Canadiens had been be flogged for) is a tough ask for any goaltender to stop, but Price unexpectedly prominent in the early playoff picture, and shooting the engages his left foot rapidly, stopping his momentum and taking him lights out at 5-on-5. Fans had every reason to hope for an exciting game back to the centre of the net where he makes the save, and is able to against a similarly surprising Sabres squad. keep fronting the puck with another efficient left-skate push. Precise, efficient movement underpinned by excellent skating and good footwork They got it. has always been Price’s strength. He’s returned to the level of execution that has always characterized his best work. After Price allowed his third goal of the first period, the broadcast zoomed in on backup goaltender Antti Niemi, capturing the sentiment of the Price’s post play is back on point, and the asymmetry alluded to above moment perfectly: was Price up for this? Should his understudy (with has vanished. Here, he uses RVH twice on his blocker side, where’d he’d even worse numbers) step in? Did Price need saving? previously been preferring VH. That feeling had been festering since the end of November. After an ok The sharpness of the movement, and the recovery to his feet in between start to the season, Price’s numbers had started to slip, his save is a very positive sign: he’s not just “hanging out” or resting in the pose, percentage dropping as his goals against average balooned. The Shea but actively employing it in very specific circumstances. The poke check Weber-less Canadiens defence was certainly not helping, but while the Price flashes then retracts at the end is another good indicator that Price most advanced statistics showed Price was performing more or less to is feeling confident and tuned in, remaining reactive even in a blocking league average for the season, he was stopping long, lateral plays at a posture. rate far below his capabilities. The first goal of the night was a perfect example. And on the other side, a snappy looking VH where previously there had been an excess of RVH. Without excusing the defence (terrible), we can see Price being frozen by the clever fake-shot pass (watch the passer’s raised skate heel!), and not Again, Price is using this blocking technique in an active way, not getting in position to get across. The push is more of a half lunge, and leaves locked in and unable to respond to the changing situation. When the him no chance. shooter makes the slick lateral move (slaying poor Jordie Benn in the process) to the middle, not only is Price able to stay with him, he’s also This goal is a microcosm for Price’s play at the time. His defence was able to get a little depth before the shot is taken. The resulting pad-glove surrendering great chances, granted, but he seemed to be just a half wall on Price’s left looks a bit awkward, but it’s been a trademark of his step behind every time. Later in the same game, more of the same. game throughout his career (for reference, Braden Holtby is another frequent user). If anything, this version is more compact and well sealed Awful coverage, Price is frozen on the pass thinking a shot is coming, than the usual one, and while it limits mobility to the glove side, so long and the push across never really happens (initiated so late, its power and as the shooter can’t walk all the way across, it leaves very little net. technical soundness likely wouldn’t have mattered anyway). These goals underlined ongoing issues with Price’s usually excellent ability to read the When Price is struggling, he tends to slide to destinations more often play and revived questions about problems moving left to right. Was this rather than arriving on his feet. In the following clip, his patience on his injury? Age-related decline? Bad luck? edges is impressive. I won’t show the final goal of that game, in overtime, because it’s too lurid As the loose puck gets unexpectedly swatted to Price’s right, rather than for a potentially sensitive audience. But it wasn’t good, the kind of rush dropping to stop a potential (for all he knows) immediate shot from an shot that Price has eaten for breakfast throughout his career. After the open player, Price lets his head and upper body lead, as his torso game, Price commented that his problems were “upstairs” and he rotates, pulling his lower body into position. This allows him to see and proceeded to take the next week off to get his mind and game back in adjust to the play optimally, choosing his approach rather than blindly order. sliding in. After taking a bit of depth and setting, Price leaves the shooter with very little, and when the carry back against the grain starts, Price is When he returned, he turned in an excellent, gutsy performance, but already in his trusty VH position, ready to follow the shooter across the some unusual asymmetries were apparent. He was routinely drifting well goalmouth with a sliding wall of padding. No shot comes of it, but even if past his right post, and preferentially using VH on his blocker side, and one had, Price was over it, ready to shut it down. RVH on his glove side (click the link for descriptions of both) rather than employing each on both sides in situationally optimal ways. Was he A hockey season (to say nothing of a career) is a long, toilsome struggle suffering from the “irritation” he missed time for in late December? with periods of uplifting success and painful failure. Price is going to encounter more rough patches as the season wears on, but for the first On Jan. 3, he revealed that he’d been playing with a relatively minor time in at least two seasons, he’s been playing well enough for long malady for about seven weeks, which takes us back almost precisely to enough that one can start to believe the valleys, rather than the peaks, the Nov. 15 date of that return game. He posted mixed results through will be the exception. the end of November, but throughout December, and even more noticeably in January, Price has looked elite. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 So what changed? Shea Weber’s Nov. 27 return has brought some ease to an overstressed Habs defence corps, but that alone doesn’t account for the crisp edge Price’s game has regained. It’s reasonable to assume that recovery from injury has played a role in Price’s resurgence, though this is admittedly speculative because we’re working with the vaguest of disclosures. Whatever the reason, some problems that plagued Price earlier in the season have all but disappeared from his game, and his historic precision and power are once again on full display. This four-save sequence in a January loss to Minnesota is the very opposite of the final goal-that-shall-not-be-named vs Buffalo. Price fights through the initial screen to stop the first shot, then plants his left foot quickly to push right (showing no sign of weakness). He extends 1128021 Montreal Canadiens Things were looking up for Belzile. He had finally found the perfect wave, and he was going to ride it all the way to the top.

And then, an innocent hit shook his world. Alex Belzile has gone from ECHL healthy scratch to AHL All-Star, so why give up on his dream now? At the next Bulldogs training camp in the fall of 2013, Belzile took a slight bump during what he calls a harmless play.

The result was far from harmless. By Marc Dumont Jan 28, 2019 It took over five months for him to recover from the ensuing concussion.

“At first it’s scary because you don’t know how long it’ll last,” Belzile said. Located 40 minutes north of Riviere-Du-Loup, right off the St. Lawrence “My head was in the clouds. I knew something was wrong. My head river, Saint-Éloi has a population of just 286 people. That’s not enough really hurt. people to fill up a small section of the Bell Centre. “One month passed, two months passed, and I wasn’t worried too much. But growing up in a small village has its advantages. Sure, you’re far But after Christmas, it was starting to weigh on me. It was frustrating from the hockey-centric cities of Montreal and Quebec City, but big or because I couldn’t work out, I couldn’t do anything. I had to start from small, you can find a community rink just about anywhere in Canada. zero by March when I started back up with the Alaska Aces. For Alex Belzile, the Saint-Éloi rink was home. And though it could get “I wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t strong enough. That was the most relatively busy at times, meaning Belzile had to share the rink with three frustrating part. I had to accept that I wasn’t as good as I had been. But or four kids, at most, the rest of the time he had free reign to emulate his once I figured it out, I accepted it. I’m not going to wallow in my own favourite player, l’Artiste, Alex Kovalev. misery, I’m not that kind of guy.” He knew he couldn’t match Kovalev’s lightning-quick hands or his His prolonged recovery aside, Belzile was about to understand just how smooth skating, but his goal was to absorb as much information possible harsh professional sports can be once he finally returned to action. Less while watching games, then try to recreate the magic he saw from the than a year after producing at a solid rate in the AHL, Belzile was a most skilled players in the league. healthy scratch in the ECHL. It was this cerebral approach that eventually led to the Rimouski Océanic The wave that once seemed so promising had quickly come crashing picking Belzile in the 2009 QMJHL entry draft, the same year the down on top of him. Victoriaville Tigres selected Canadiens centre Phillip Danault ninth overall. Unlike Danault, Belzile had no chance of hearing his name called “That’s tough on the ego. Yeah. A healthy scratch in the East Coast,” he in the first round. He had to wait until the latter part of the 11th round said, pausing before he let out a muffled chuckle. before Rimouski decided to select him 193rd overall. “But you can’t avoid adversity. It takes lows to have highs, and I’ve And though that may seem like a demoralizing situation for a player always believed in my potential. My greatest strength is hockey sense, hoping to carve out a professional career in hockey, it wasn’t the first either you have it or you don’t. I kept telling myself I can work on my time Belzile faced adversity. weak parts, my skating and my strength. So at every practice, I tried to push harder than others to work on my flaws.” Having failed to earn a spot on a stronger team, at 15 years old he played Midget CC hockey. The next year, despite a rather strong camp, That attitude epitomizes Belzile’s view on life. He’s an ultra-positive he was again cut from the Midget AAA team, forcing him to return to person and has relied on that personality trait throughout his time in the Midget CC hockey. ECHL. There used to be a time when the ECHL was seen as a dead end by many, but Belzile never saw it that way. He took it upon himself to “What burned me the most was my cut from triple-a midget,” Belzile work through the tough times and commit to his passion explained. “I wanted to show them they made a mistake, I wanted to prove them wrong.” “Sure, it was tough,” he said. “You could play Friday, get on the bus right after the game for a 5-hour road trip, get there in the wee hours of the He went on to earn a roster spot with Rimouski at age 18, though his morning, sleep, play a game, then get right back on the bus for another QMJHL career was relatively uneventful, except perhaps for his overage 4-5 hours, arrive at the hotel at 5 am and try to sleep before the next season in which he scored 92 points in 63 games. game. But it’s all about your mentality. My parents were always positive. Ignored at the NHL draft, Belzile was at a crossroads in 2012. They taught me that if you’re going to do something, you may as well do it right. To do that you need a healthy mindset, and when I faced He was hockey obsessed. It was his everything. Even before he played adversity in the ECHL it helped. Now my game is much more complete, in the CHL he was the kind of kid who would spend hours watching so I’m glad I went to the ECHL. Sometimes taking a step back can be a highlight shows and replays. He wasn’t just watching. He was analyzing. good thing. I didn’t see playing in the ECHL as a punishment. I figured if I have to go through this route that’s fine. Though many would have abandoned their dreams long ago, Belzile forged ahead in the great unknown, signing his first professional contract “Playing seven games in 11 nights isn’t easy. But then again, it’s easy to with none other than the Gwinnett Gladiators, an ECHL team based in complain. It’s easy to make excuses. Too many people are negative. the hockey hotbed that is Georgia. Usually, when you go through tough times, you grow. And now, adversity is normal. It doesn’t bother me at all.” Keep in mind, this young man hailed from a very small village in Québec, meaning his English was far from perfect. In fact, it was quite poor by his He went through the trials and tribulations, playing 168 regular season own admission, though he figured it was good enough just to get by. As games in the ECHL and 145 games in the AHL before he signed a one- you’d expect, the coach only spoke English, yet another early hurdle for year contract with the Laval Rocket this season. And though he was the Francophone from Saint-Éloi. coming off a good season with 34 points in 61 games with the San Antonio Rampage, Belzile was projected as a secondary, if not a tertiary “It was a great experience in Georgia,” Belzile said. “But I had never source of offence for the Rocket. experienced an English coach either.” However, he had one ace in the hole. At age 27, he had more Thankfully there was another Francophone on the roster, Louis experience, more maturity and more battle scars than the majority of the Domingue, and he would translate all the information Belzile had missed team. Whether it’s playing in the top-six with skilled players or the fourth despite his best effort to grasp a new language. line with tough guys, Joël Bouchard knew he could trust Belzile in any situation. “It took time to adapt, but it also brought me out of my comfort zone, and that’s a good thing,” Belzile said. “You have no choice but to figure things “Joël showed me that it’s not always about the big play,” Belzile said. “He out going from the QMJHL to Gwinnett.” wants you to play the right way. It’s something that I started to learn when playing bottom-6 in the ECHL. I had to adjust my game, and that Thirty points in his first 40 games in Georgia in 2012-13 were enough to made me a more complete player. Now in Laval, I’m realizing it’s one of earn him a call up to the AHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs, where he was my strengths.” immediately given power play time as well as 5-on-5 shifts on the second line. The audition, which lasted just 14 games, went quite well. He scored Thanks to that experience, Belzile completely blew everyone’s a goal in his first game and had eight points in 14 games. Though that expectations, including his own, out of the water. may sound like underwhelming production, the Bulldogs’ points leader that year was Gabriel Dumont, who finished the season with just 31 points in 55 games. With 35 points in 44 games, Belzile was named as the Rocket’s representative at the AHL All-Star festivities this past weekend in Springfield, Mass. “I had never dreamed of this when I was in the East Coast,” Belzile said. “If you had told me two years ago I would have started to laugh. I’m very honoured to represent the organization because they’ve been so good to me. It’s like playing in the NHL, the equipment, the staff, everything is top notch.” Alex Belzile, AHL All-Star. It has a nice ring to it, especially given how hard he fought to make it to this level. “I think sometimes the younger kids who are just starting, the ones who have been stars and haven’t endured getting cut from a single team their entire lives, they hit the pros and they realize it won’t be that easy,” he explains. “Many of them hit the wall. Often times, they have a hard time reacting to getting cut for the first time, and understandably so. That means a quick exit to Europe or something else. But it’s part of life. I had the right mentality to go through it.” He admits he’s quite interested in the coaching side of hockey — he regularly attends Océanic training camp to help out his good friend and Rimouski head coach Serge Beausoleil — but he’s still dreaming of one day making it to the NHL. And he won’t quit until he makes it. “One hundred percent,” Belzile said. “It’s for the love of the game.” The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128022 Nashville Predators Here’s a wild thought, and let me stress it’s my own thought at this point: what if Matt Duchene doesn’t sign an extension with Ottawa over the next few weeks and by Feb. 10 or so he’s put on the market by the LeBrun: The buyers, the sellers and who’s available ahead of the trade Senators. It just so happens that Poile spent two years chasing Duchene deadline when he was in Colorado but couldn’t find the right pieces to appease the Avalanche. As we all remember, Duchene ended up in the three-team parlay which netted Nashville Kyle Turris instead. By Pierre LeBrun Jan 28, 2019 Would Poile throw all of his chips in now and take a run at Duchene yet again? File that one away.

What I’m hearing from the Jets, meanwhile, is a cautious approach, even A year ago, the entire hockey world knew months in advance that the if they are surely scouring the market. I’m told they’ve already had a Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets would eventually hook up in the conversation with Pittsburgh about Derick Brassard, a guy they tried to playoffs. land a year ago before getting Stastny instead. Their eventual meeting produced the best series played in last year’s But the party line out of Winnipeg is that they aren’t going to force a NHL playoffs. move just to say they got in on the trade deadline fun. Like Stastny a year ago, a wonderful playoff pickup, it has to feel like the right fit. Before they got there, each team loaded up and spent a first-round pick doing it, the Preds for Ryan Hartman and the Jets for Paul Stastny. Jets captain Blake Wheeler is leaned on by Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff and head coach Paul Maurice for his thoughts ahead of the deadline. Well, here we are again. He’s clearly on board with what their approach is again this year. The Central Division goes through Winnipeg or Nashville. One of those “I think ultimately we don’t just want to make a move to say we made a two teams will most likely be in the Western Conference final. move,” Wheeler said Saturday after the All-Star weekend had wrapped It’s one of the reasons why the Feb. 25 trade deadline will be fascinating up. “I think it was the same mindset last year. Had the thing with Stas yet again this year. Not only may both teams end up bidding on some of (Stasny) fallen through, we probably would have stood pat. So those the same players — both clubs want to make additions up front — but guys do a great job, they do their due diligence in a number of different they’ll be doing so while keeping an eye on the other. ways. They’re going to try to find somebody that can make us a better team. If that guy is out there and it works out, then great. If not, you Oh, they both deny it of course. They insist they’re not going to make a know, I think we like our team.’’ reactionary deal just because the other team may act first. The hardest part for the Jets is determining how that rental player — Still … neither team can possibly ignore what the other is doing. given their cap issues moving forward it’s more likely than not that they target pending UFAs — fits in. How can they make sure adding a forward “Sometimes it’s like a domino effect where some years one or two teams to their mix makes them better while not affecting chemistry or pushing make a trade and everybody says, `Whoa, I better do something.’ You down a current Jets player who might have a bigger impact? got to do your own thing,’’ veteran Preds GM David Poile told The Athletic over the phone during All-Star weekend. “Just because another “You don’t know how a player is going to fit,” Maurice said on Saturday. team does something, it doesn’t mean you have to or should. There will “So you do all your background but you truly don’t know how he’s going be good players available but there are probably more buyers than to fit. And then for us, we’ve got this other thing we’re dealing with. Which sellers, so once again you have to determine what you are willing to give is in two months’ time, how much different are the players that we have? up. So often times it’s not a lack of desire that you want a player but it So Brendan Lemieux is a good example of that. In the last month he’s a might be a lack of desire to give up the price that the seller gets for that completely different player than he was in October. Certainly, after the player. The trading deadline is a tricky situation for everybody.’’ All-Star break, you’re not developing anymore, you’re assessing whether you’re taking a stab at it or not. But can you find a bigger, stronger young He then paused before adding: man like that? You might (already) have all the pieces that you truly need “I’m going to be out there making calls after the break and see what’s now. So when you are as young as we are, that’s a real question. Can available. But first and foremost I want to see our team play when we’re a we go out and get a better player, three months from now we may be a bit healthier.’’ different looking team.’’ This is where those rental power forwards like Wayne Simmonds and Where does the Jets coach sit on that question right now? Micheal Ferland come into play. They’d look good in either of those Jets “I’m not sure, that’s the honest answer.’’ or Preds lineups. Imagine Simmonds joining a Jets roster that already had Adam Lowry and Dustin Byfuglien. Beef city. To me, Brassard, Ferland or Simmonds are excellent targets, but again the price will matter. Which is why if you’re Poile, no matter what anybody says, you’re making sure you’ve got Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher on speed dial and ensuring The Pacific-Division leading Flames will look to add. They’ve afforded when he’s ready to deal Simmonds that he checks back in with you. themselves that opportunity with a wonderful season to date. And no question in my mind, Hurricanes GM Don Waddell will do the “You always as a team and a coaching staff want to put yourself in a same with Ferland. He’ll keep going to all five Western Conference good position come trade deadline to be guys that are looking to acquire, contenders, bringing in the Pacific elite of Calgary, Vegas and San Jose add on, if you’re missing any pieces,’’ Flames head coach Bill Peters said and using the potential interest and competitive juices to drive up the on Saturday. “We really like the team that we have, so it’ll be interesting price. And he will do the same with Eastern contenders. to see, there’s lots of hockey between now and the deadline. We’ll see what happens health-wise with our team. But definitely, it would be nice Waddell, as we’ve reported before, wants at least a first-round pick in a to add and complete what are perceived holes if we have any holes and Ferland deal and preferably a first plus a prospect. I would think become a better team.’’ Simmonds would fetch a slightly better package based on his more polished pedigree. I love the idea here of Ferland being reacquired by the Flames. Undoubtedly GM Brad Treliving will inquire at some point with Carolina Here we go again. First-round picks. They might be low first-round picks, but I also think he’s going to set a ceiling on what he’s willing to pay. but they’re still choices among the first 31 players selected and they’re valuable. Vegas will be all-in on adding as well. If Mark Stone doesn’t re-sign in Ottawa, watch out, I bet the Knights go hard after the pending UFA Poile has dealt a few of those over the years, and he may have to do it winger. But really, my sense on the Knights is that they’re looking at all again, to the mighty chagrin of his amateur scouting staff. the notable rental pieces to see who might fit. They want to go on “That is the million-dollar question,” Poile said of whether he’d be willing another run. to pay the price of a first-rounder again. “Our scouts at our meetings said Finally, in the West, we have the All-Star game hosts, San Jose. GM they were coming down to Nashville a week before the trade deadline to Doug Wilson has never been shy to add ahead of the deadline. But I take over my phone. We’ve traded our first-round pick too often. I would also say that this season is a little different. They gave up a certainly can see their position. But you know, we’ve got to make the call package of assets, including their 2019 first-round pick, to land Erik here as to where we are, how healthy we are the deadline, look at where Karlsson in September and in many ways I think the organization views our weaknesses are and if we have an opportunity to improve on those that blockbuster at their main centrepiece already ahead of this trade weaknesses. There’s nothing off the table for me.’’ deadline. Which makes sense since they also gave up a first-round pick for Evander Kane last year meaning they lack the most sought-after asset most selling teams look for ahead of the deadline. Still, I would never sleep on Wilson. Could adding a Marcus Johansson or Brian Boyle from New Jersey make sense in a third-line role? We’ll spend more time on the Eastern Conference contenders later on when I put out a Buyers and Sellers piece in a few weeks but by now everyone knows the Leafs are looking to add on defence (Jake Muzzin, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Colton Parayko? Take your pick but I think the Leafs have looked at many options). Update: Toronto acquired Muzzin on Monday, sending forward Carl Grundstrom, the rights to unsigned draft choice Sean Durzi and their 2019 first-round pick to the Kings in exchange for the 29-year-old defenceman. The Bruins would like to add a top-nine forward. The Penguins could deal Brassard but are also looking to add to their forward group (Ferland?). The Capitals would presumably like to beef up their third line. The Blue Jackets, well, they could use another centre and they’ve got a few big decisions to make on Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. The surprising Islanders? Who knows with Papa Lou! But I get the sense the offseason will be a more fertile playground for Lamoriello to get things done. And finally, well, what about those NHL-leading Lightning? You could argue they need absolutely nothing. But I feel they got pushed around a little by Washington in the Eastern Conference final last season. As I’ve said before, I love — let me repeat it — I love the idea of Simmonds in Tampa Bay. And my understanding is that GM Julien BriseBois has at least given it some thought even if I have no evidence to suggest he’s talked to Philadelphia yet. I turned to Bolts head coach Jon Cooper on Saturday after the All-Star Game and asked him what the Lightning should do before the deadline. “Well there’s a reason it says `Jon Cooper, head coach; not Jon Cooper, general manager,’’’ he laughed. “Because that’s a tough job. And our group, Steve (Yzerman) and Julien, have done an exceptional job assembling the group we have. But if you’re looking in the broader spectrum, there’s something to chemistry. Everybody thinks you have to add somebody at the deadline to put yourself over the top. I don’t necessarily think that’s true. In all these years we’ve been together, we really haven’t made big deals at the deadline except for last year which was a big one (acquiring Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller). And that was not a deadline deal to push us over the top, that was a deal that has worked into the future for us. There was a lot of thought put into that, giving up the prospects we did. But I believe that trade deadline deal last year has set this team up this year, if that makes any sense. What happens this year? Maybe in years past a team would be looking for something but if nothing at all happened, I don’t think anybody would lose an ounce of sleep because we really like our group.’’ Most contenders always say that, that if they don’t add they still like their team. In this case, it’s actually very much true with the Lightning. Still, Simmonds in that Tampa lineup … The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128023 New Jersey Devils

New Jersey Devils vs. Pittsburgh Penguins: LIVE score updates and chat (1/28/19)

By Chris Ryan

PITTSBURGH -- Miles Wood, Keith Kinkaid, Nico Hischier, Kyle Palmieri and the New Jersey Devils will play their first game out of the bye week when they visit Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7 p.m. on Monday at PPG Paints Arena. Wood will return to the lineup after missing three games prior to the break, and Kinkaid will make his third start of the season in goal against the Penguins. He is 2-0-0 so far. Devils' lines vs. Pens Join NJ.com's live chat in the comment section, and follow along with live updates in the box above. Here is everything you need to know about the home game: What: New Jersey Devils (18-23-7) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (26-16-6) When: 7 p.m. EST, Monday, Jan. 28, 2019 Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus Ohio TV: MSG+ Star Ledger LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128024 New Jersey Devils Less than two minutes later, Severson attempted to throw a puck on net to start a play off the rush but it was a laser that went right past Murray to give New Jersey a 2-0 lead. ravis Zajac's 4-point night helps NJ Devils over Penguins “I thought we did a really good job tonight in all three zones,” Greene said. “We were winning battles to get pucks out at our blue lines, we were smart coming through the neutral zone and when we had time and Abbey Mastracco, Jan. 28, 2019 space coming down with rushes we made plays.” Notes PITTSBURGH -- To put it bluntly, the Devils just have the Pittsburgh Prior to the game, the Devils activated Wood off of injured reserve. … Penguins’ number. Zajac has registered three or more points twice this season and twice in the last five games. … Coleman has goals in three of his last five games Maybe it’s the fact that they have the Penguins’ former general manager and four of his last six against the Penguins, dating back to February 3, in Ray Shero or their former American League head coach in John 2018. … The Devils scratched Egor Yakovlev, Kurtis Gabriel and Cory Hynes. Whatever it is, the Devils always seem to look like Stanley Cup Schneider, who remains with Binghamton of the American Hockey winners when they play the team that won two of the three most recent League on a conditioning assignment. Stanley Cup championships. Bergen Record LOADED: 01.29.2019 In three games this season, New Jersey has gone 3-0-0 and outscored Pittsburgh 15-6. The latest effort was a 6-3 win Monday night at PPG Paints Arena, the Devils’ first game after the All-Star break. “Sometimes you match up with teams well and some teams give you troubles,” Devils’ captain Andy Greene said. “Obviously we’ve been pretty good against them the last year or two but it doesn’t matter. They’re always dangerous and you never know what’s going to happen.” Travis Zajac had a goal and three assists for New Jersey (26-17-6, 58 points) marking the first four-point performance of the season for the alternate captain. Damon Severson, Brian Boyle, Blake Coleman, Pavel Zacha and Kyle Palmieri, fresh off his first All-Star appearance, also scored while Keith Kinkaid posted a 37-save effort in his third win against the Penguins (19-23-7, 45 points) this season. The line of Zajac, Coleman and Miles Wood combined for four points and were a plus-three on the night. “You see the three of them together and they make really good decisions with the puck,” coach John Hynes said. “When to put it in, when to make plays. And defensively, they’re all very difficult to play against, they’re stingy on the puck and good on the system detail.” There was plenty of good to take from a game like this moving forward. The top-five penalty kill unit was stellar, going 5-for-5 and producing a shorthanded goal, they had scoring depth up-and-down the lineup and they had key players doing small things that added up to big goals. “It wasn’t ideal with the amount of penalties we had in the game,” Hynes said. “But our penalty kill came up big and picked up right where they left off after the break.” However, it’s clear the power play is still just as bad as it was before the break. The Devils had a solid block of extra-man time in the third period after Derick Brassard was tossed for smashing Vatanen's face into the glass. Brassard received a five-minute major for elbowing and Vatanen went back into the locker room with his face bloodied. Palmieri one-timed one from close range to extend New Jersey's lead to 5-1. The game got out of hand from there with Matt Cullen scoring a short-handed goal and Zacha scoring on that extended power play at 13:37. Bryan Rust capped a crazy third period with a goal just under the 18- minute mark. "You take the good with the bad," Hynes said. "There are certainly some things that need to be cleaned up." Boyle scored a short-handed goal 3:30 into the second period to put the Devils up 3-0 but Pittsburgh got one back 58 seconds later when a nifty passing sequence had Kinkaid looking out of sorts. Brassard finished it off to make the score 3-1. Special teams dominated the rest of the second period. The Devils did themselves no favors with two minor penalties they were forced to kill off and they came up empty in two power play opportunities. But Coleman made it 4-1 at 12:57 in the second period, roofing a one- timer past goalie Matt Murray, giving the Devils a solid cushion to work with in the third period. The Devils opened the scoring with a goal from Zajac at 13:08 Wood sent Zajac a drop pass to the top of the left circle and he beat Murray with Coleman screening him. 1128025 New Jersey Devils Scratched: Chad Ruhwedel, Jamie Oleksiak Injured: Zach Aston-Reese (upper-body), Justin Schultz (left leg fracture) How they line up: NJ Devils’ Keith Kinkaid gets nod against Penguins Bergen Record LOADED: 01.29.2019

Abbey Mastracco, NHL writer Published 1:31 p.m. ET Jan. 28, 2019

Good morning from… Well, not Pittsburgh. Newark Airport. My flight didn’t take off in time to get me to the morning skate in Pittsburgh. But never fear, your lineups are still here. Los Angeles Kings right wing Dustin Brown, left, tries to get a shot past New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, in Los Angeles. Keith Kinkaid will start against the Penguins on Monday night at PPG Paints Arena. This was determined ahead of time to allow for Mackenzie Blackwood to play in the AHL All-Star Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts. Kinkaid hadn’t played a lot prior to the All-Star Break so this was a game John Hynes had eyed for him all along. Cam Johnson is up with the NHL club to serve as Kinkaid’s backup since Cory Schneider is still with the Devils’ American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton on a conditioning assignment. He can play two more games in the AHL before the Devils will have a tough decision to make about their $6 million man. Kinkaid has historically played well against the Penguins and that’s something Hynes always factors into the goalie decisions. He’s 5-2-2 with a 2.97 GAA and a .916 save percentage in nine games. This season alone he’s 2-0-0 allowing only three Penguins’ goals on 67 shots (1.50 GAA). Much of the Devils’ coaching staff came from the Penguins’ organization which could possibly be why the team has had success against Pittsburgh. The Penguins always seem to see the best of New Jersey. Miles Wood will also return to action Monday night. He missed three games with a lower-body injury and could have played before the All-Star break but he wasn’t at 100 percent so the trainers opted against it. New Jersey Devils left wing Miles Wood (44) celebrates his goal during the second period of their game against the Vegas Golden Knights at Prudential Center. Here are the projected lineups for Monday night’s tilt. Devils (18-23-7, 43 points) Marcus Johansson - Nico Hischier - Kyle Palmieri Miles Wood - Travis Zajac - Blake Coleman Brett Seney - Pavel Zacha - Brett Seney Brian Boyle - Kevin Rooney - Drew Stafford Andy Greene - Damon Severson Will Butcher - Sami Vatanen Mirco Mueller - Steven Santini Keith Kinkaid Cam Johnson Scratched: Egor Yakovlev, Kurtis Gabriel, Cory Schneider Injured: Taylor Hall (lower-body), Stefan Noesen (lower-body), Ben Lovejoy (lower-body), Joey Anderson (ankle surgery) Penguins (26-16-6, 58 points) Jake Guentzel - Sidney Crosby - Dominik Simon Bryan Rust - Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel Tanner Pearson - Derick Brassard - Patric Hornqvist Riley Sheahan - Matt Cullen - Garrett Wilson Brian Dumoulin - Kris Letang Olli Maatta - Juuso Riikola Marcus Pettersson - Jack Johnson Matt Murray Casey DeSmith 1128026 New Jersey Devils

Devils continue surprising dominance over Penguins

By Associated Press January 28, 2019 | 11:16PM

PITTSBURGH — Nothing has come easy this season for the New Jersey Devils. Except, that is, when they play the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then, the power play clicks. The penalty kill, too. The goals they’ve struggled to score all season come in bunches. Throw in Keith Kinkaid’s steady play in net and the gear New Jersey has been unable to find much of the year suddenly reappears when Pittsburgh is on the other side of the ice. “It’s just one of those things,” Kinkaid said. “I guess we match up well against them. We always have our A game.” Travis Zajac had a goal and three assists, Kinkaid made 37 saves and the Devils had little trouble in a 6-3 victory over Pittsburgh on Monday night to improve to 6-0-1 in their last seven meetings with the Penguins. New Jersey has drilled Pittsburgh in each of their three meetings this season, outscoring the Penguins 15-5 in the process. “Everyone looked fresh,” Kinkaid said. “Everyone was moving. Everybody was flying out there and playing good defensively. The PK was solid, our special teams were solid. We just have to be consistent and that starts from me out to consistency the rest of the way.” Pavel Zacha, Damon Severson, Brian Boyle, Blake Coleman and Kyle Palmieri also scored as New Jersey snapped a three-game skid. The NHL’s worst road team improved to 6-17-3 away from home. Two of those wins have come at the expense of Pittsburgh, which has dropped four of five overall and looked a step slow following a nine-day break. Keith Kinkaid makes a save during the Devils' win. Derick Brassard got his ninth goal for Pittsburgh before being ejected in the third period for elbowing. Matt Cullen and Bryan Rust added late goals after the game was decided. Matt Murray allowed six goals on 32 shots and the Penguins gave up their league-leading 11th short-handed goal of the season. “I think they’ve just outworked us, plain and simple,” said Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, held scoreless two days after winning the MVP award at the All-Star Game. “You look at the games, they’ve worked harder, they’ve deserved it. As disappointing as that is and as much as you don’t like saying that, it’s the truth.” Pittsburgh limped into the All-Star break following a 2-3 West Coast trip, each loss coming in a game in which they surrendered at least five goals thanks in large part to sloppy play in front of the net. A chance to reset at home against a team well off the pace in the crowded Eastern Conference playoff picture didn’t exactly go as planned. The Devils, like the Penguins coming off a week-plus layoff, showed more jump from the outset and it resulted in an early lead when Zajac took a feed from Steven Santini at the top of the left circle and fired a shot past a screened Murray 13:08 into the first period. Severson doubled the advantage less than two minutes later when he cruised uncontested through the neutral zone and beat Murray from high in the slot with a shot that nicked Murray’s glove before settling into the net. Kinkaid withstood power-play opportunities by the Penguins to preserve the lead, and Boyle and Zacha’s aggressive forecheck on the penalty kill set up Boyle’s short-handed goal 3:30 into the second that put the Devils up 3-0. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged it might be time to change things up on Pittsburgh’s first power-play unit, a group that includes stars Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel and Kris Letang. “They’re all really good players,” Sullivan said. “But we all have to take defensive responsibility when guys are in danger.” Brassard responded less than 90 seconds later to get the Penguins back within two, but Coleman’s rocket from the right circle 12:57 into the second restored the three-goal edge and the Devils cruised from there. Brassard’s night ended 9:12 into the third period when he lined up Sami Vatanen along the end boards behind the New Jersey net. Vatanen tumbled to the ice and officials gave Brassard a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. New York Post LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128027 New York Islanders And trading him to a team they might face along the way? Highly, highly unlikely. Lamoriello will be in there pitching before July 1, no doubt. Panarin checks a lot of boxes for the Islanders in their top six and if he From ridiculous to realistic, 21 potential targets for the Islanders at the costs only money and cap space, the Isles have that. trade deadline Tyler Toffoli, Kings: There isn’t much evidence that Toffoli is even available, but like Panarin, he checks some boxes for the Isles — a right- shot scoring winger. He has one more year at a very reasonable $4.6 By Arthur Staple Jan 28, 2019 million remaining. He’s 26, which makes him an infant in the aging Kings lineup. That’s likely the reason they’ll keep him and try to sell off some older players, but he’s certainly worth a conversation or two. With the All-Star Game behind us and 28 days to go until the NHL trade The long shots deadline, things are going to get serious on the trade-rumor front. Not that Lou Lamoriello goes in for such folderol — he’s been known to be Brayden Schenn, Blues: Probably the best fit for the Isles of any of the 21 direct with his fellow GMs on keeping mum regarding trade discussions guys listed. He’s a scoring center who plays with an edge and he has and even on trades that have been completed — so our list below is another year left at a $5.125-million cap hit, a number that won’t get in based on players around the league who may be available and who may Lamoriello’s way this summer. fit what the Islanders are doing. Whether the Blues, suddenly back in the playoff picture by playing a It’s also, quite surprisingly, based on the very easy assumption that the defense-first, stingy game, decide to move one of their more enticing Islanders are buyers as we hit the final turn towards Feb. 25. They sit in players is still up in the air. The return would be big — St. Louis may first in the Metro Division, are 15-3-1 in their last 19, and in 49 games surrender its first-rounder to the Sabres as part of the Ryan O’Reilly overall have built a foundation for defense and being extremely difficult to trade, so the Blues will want a first plus two-to-three other pieces. One face under Barry Trotz and Lamoriello. would figure Dobson among them. Not that there aren’t holes. Everyone on this list would fill a need. It’s, as Charlie Coyle, Wild: Basically Schenn Light — Coyle is a year younger always, a matter of what the Islanders would be willing to give up. than Schenn, a couple million cheaper with a year left on his deal and not as dedicated a checker or scorer. But he would help the Isles’ middle six Cap space is not an issue. As of today, according to Cap Friendly, the and can contribute on the power play, where the Islanders need massive Isles could add $28.2 million worth of contracts; by the deadline that help. number balloons to $48.2 million. He also presumably wouldn’t cost as much in a trade. If Lamoriello is It’s assets where the Isles are lacking. Assuming the Flames, having an willing to part with what, for now, looks like a first-rounder in the early even better season than the Islanders, decide to send their 2019 second- 20s, the rest of this trade wouldn’t be so tough to swallow. With only a rounder over to complete the Travis Hamonic trade from two years ago, possible late second-rounder from Calgary (the Isles don’t have their own that would leave Lamoriello without third- and fourth-round picks in the second this year), letting go of a first in a projected deep draft may not be upcoming draft; those would be extremely helpful to have in acquiring Lamoriello’s preferred plan. depth rental players for the rest of the year. Jeff Carter, Kings: It’s not a long shot because it would hard to pry Carter And in terms of prospects, the well is pretty shallow. Among the current out of L.A. This just simply looks like the wrong time to acquire the 34- Bridgeport players, only Kieffer Bellows, Sebastian Aho, Mitch Vande year-old, who has three seasons left at a $5.27 million cap hit. True, he’s Sompel and Parker Wotherspoon rate as attractive prospects. Otto only owed $7 million in actual salary after this year and the Kings could Koivula may, as well. But even a resurgent Michael Dal Colle isn’t back eat part of the cap hit. to major prospect status and Josh Ho-Sang is still persona non grata for a long list of teams. But the fact is this is not a young Islanders team. With Toews and Dal Colle in place of Andrew Ladd and Thomas Hickey, they are marginally One would figure the four high picks from last June — Oliver Wahlstrom, younger, but they began the year with an average age of 28.5 years on Noah Dobson, Bode Wilde and Ruslan Iskhakov — are off-limits barring the roster, among the oldest in the league. Getting older going forward a major deal for a young player with term remaining on his contract. Ditto seems like the wrong move, especially when a few of the older guys on Russian goaltender Ilya Sorokin. the team are putting forth their best (and luckiest, in terms of shooting percentage) seasons right now. Among the current NHL roster players, the emergence of Devon Toews might make Adam Pelech and his eminently reasonable contract (two The Kings want futures in picks and assets. The Isles don’t have much of more years at a $1.6 million cap hit per season) available. Jordan Eberle either to spread around, not even for Carter, who would help this season. is a pending UFA, but unless Lamoriello has a replacement at the ready, moving Eberle in a crowded forward market for mid-round picks is not J-G Pageau, Senators: Not the biggest name potentially out there and likely to be the play, especially on a team with good cohesion and one he’s a fan favorite in Ottawa, a place that could use as much goodwill as that has trouble scoring goals. possible. But with another year at $3.1 million left, he’s an ideal candidate for an Isles third line that will need some revamping for 2019- So, armed with that knowledge, off we go into an absurdly long list of 20. Wouldn’t imagine there’s a high cost for Pageau, who is just getting possible additions: back from a torn Achilles tendon. The pipe dreams Mattias Janmark, Stars: A young, speedy winger who’s stagnating in the Dallas dysfunction. Still only 26 and an RFA at season’s end, the Isles Matt Duchene/Mark Stone, Senators: Garth Snow tried hard to pry could find a role for him on a team where the bottom six isn’t getting Duchene from Colorado the summer before last, but the Avs wanted younger. Mathew Barzal and Sorokin in that deal. Joe Sakic ended up with a pretty sweet return on Duchene, who may now force his way out of Ottawa if he Not that the Stars are looking to take more risks on a room that’s already decides he doesn’t want to sign long-term with the sinking Sens. near the breaking point, but if there’s a spot Lamoriello could sell Ho- Sang to, it’s Dallas. The Stars do not score and aren’t terribly dynamic, Stone is two years younger than Duchene and seems to have more so maybe this is a package deal to be made. interest in staying. Either way, the Sens will require a ton for both pending UFAs and it’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Isles could The rental forwards have time to negotiate a new deal for either one in the time needed before the deadline. Ottawa relinquished its 2019 first in the Duchene Brian Boyle, Devils: The 34-year-old center has been through the wringer deal, a pick that could turn into the No. 1 overall, so Pierre Dorion will in recent years, battling leukemia and coping with family health issues. need a first-rounder and then some to save a bit of face should he move But he’s scored 12 this season for the struggling Devils, he wins faceoffs either one of these premier forwards. and he’s a presence on the power play. Unless Lamoriello digs into future drafts or is willing to part with Lamoriello traded for him once before, at the 2016-17 deadline, when the Wahlstrom at a minimum, this feels like a no-go. cost for the Leafs was a second-rounder and a low-level prospect from Tampa. Boyle fit right in with Toronto and he’s among the most well-liked Artemi Panarin, Blue Jackets: Our man in Columbus, Aaron Portzline, guys around. recently reported that Panarin and his agent are still mulling whether to talk contract with the Jackets. Even if they choose not to and head to July Without a third-round pick this year, the cost for Lamoriello could be 1 and free agency, there seems little chance that Columbus, currently tricky — either a second-rounder (which is an overpay) or a 2020 third, four points back of the Isles, moves their star winger, not with the which would likely require a low pick this year as well. Not ideal, but you opportunity to finally win a playoff series. work with what you’ve got. Gustav Nyquist, Red Wings: Probably the most attractive name on the list of rental forwards. He can still score, second on the ugly Wings with 43 points so far, and he’s also a power-play producer. He would improve the Isles team speed, which has been surprisingly good but could use a boost. And, like some of the pipe dreams, he’s a right wing on a team fairly devoid of them. Detroit has a desperate need to sell and so little in terms of what it can realistically move, though, so a second and a mid-range prospect would most likely be the cost. Or a couple of seconds. Not ideal for the Isles, but perhaps necessary, even if Nyquist only stayed for a couple of months. Ryan Dzingel, Senators: A seventh-round pick who’s carved out a nice career as a scoring winger, already with 20 goals for Ottawa this season. He’s due an enormous raise, which might price him out of an extension — and also into the Sens wanting far more for Dzingel than he might really be worth. As a rental, he fits the Islanders well at the right price. Marcus Johansson, Devils: He played three pretty productive years for Barry Trotz in Washington before a cap crunch forced what appeared to be a very underwhelming return from the Devils — just a second and a third in the 2018 draft. But it’s been Johansson who has underwhelmed, felled by a concussion last year and ineffectiveness this year. If Ray Shero isn’t demanding a big return — less than what he got for Johansson, for sure — he might be a useful player again for Trotz. Jakob Silfverberg, Ducks: Another right-handed forward who would be a good fit for the Isles. His game has slipped a bit this season as the Ducks have struggled, but he’s still a reliable scorer who plays in all situations and brings a speed element to his game. Unlikely to cost much more than a second-rounder too, and that seems like the right price for what he offers. Carl Hagelin, Kings: Would certainly be the cheapest option available on this list and still has the wheels and a bit of finish, plus that winning pedigree Lamoriello and Trotz often talk about. He’s also got 121 playoff games under his belt in just seven seasons, so he can help with that playoff experience people like to throw out there. Patrick Maroon, Blues: He’s been aging fast in his return to his hometown this season and he didn’t pan out so well as a deadline rental last year when he went from the Oilers to Jersey for a third and a low prospect. Certainly wouldn’t cost much for the Isles, but a big, slow winger may not be the cure for what ails the Isles forward group. Colton Sceviour, Panthers: Another right-shot forward, albeit with less scoring touch than the others listed here. A versatile guy, however, and one that could be had for a small cost to be a jack-of-all-trades bottom- sixer. The rental defensemen Nick Jensen, Red Wings: The Islanders don’t appear to need much on defense. Toews has made himself a regular and Pelech has steadied enough that the Isles can be patient with Hickey, who may not be back from a suspected concussion until close to the trade deadline. That would give them eight defensemen including Luca Sbisa, seemingly enough to take them down the stretch and into the postseason. If the Isles were to move Pelech in a deal for a forward, then the need on D becomes a bit more urgent, obviously. If there is a need, it’s for a depth right-shot player. Jensen, 28, fills that role, though with rental depth D-men usually in demand, the Isles could get priced out for a player who should bring back nothing more than a fourth-rounder or so. Adam McQuaid, Rangers: The Isles’ city rivals have plenty on the sale shelf that could help — Kevin Hayes and/or Mats Zuccarello might look good in blue and orange — but the cost would be too high. McQuaid, a righty who doesn’t need to play every game and, like Boyle, is as well- liked as anyone in the NHL today, would fit right into the Isles room. The cost for such a depth add would be right in line with what the Isles have. Nathan Beaulieu, Sabres: He’s been on the block for a while now, unable to crack Buffalo’s better-than-recent-seasons defense. He’s a lefty, which doesn’t add much to the Isles corps as it currently stands, but he’s versatile and provides decent puck-moving skills at what should be little- to-no cost. Roman Polak, Stars: Not exactly the fleetest of foot, the 32-year-old righty was brought back to Toronto by Lamoriello on a two-year deal a few months after being dealt to the Sharks for a pair of second-rounders. He won’t cost nearly so much now, but it’s fair to wonder if he provides any benefit to the Isles defense. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128028 New York Rangers New York Post LOADED: 01.29.2019

Former Islander wants to remain part of Rangers’ solution

By Larry Brooks January 28, 2019

The Rangers know what to expect. “We all know what time of year this is and what that brings. It’s the same every season,” Ryan Strome told The Post in advance of Tuesday’s second-half opener at the Garden against the Flyers. “There’s going to be all sorts of talk about the [Feb. 25] trade deadline, that’s going to be all over the media and all the fans will be talking about it, and rightfully so. “It’s exciting stuff and it’s fun for people to speculate. We all get that. But I can tell you this, and what people who aren’t in the room might not realize, but on every team that I’ve ever been on, whether it’s a rebuilding team or a Cup contender, players come in here with pride every day and to try to win every game. “There is no doubt in our mind or our coaches’ minds that we have the ability here to make a run at making the playoffs. That’s uppermost in everybody’s mind. We have to play very well. We have to get hot. We know that. But that’s our challenge. That’s the message here.” The Rangers, seeking their fourth straight victory, have been more competitive than expected, having gone 21-20-7 thus far. Still, the Blueshirts entered Monday night nine points out of a playoff spot with three teams over which to leapfrog in order to claim a wholly unexpected berth. Ryan Strome battles for position against his brother, Dylan, during a recent game against the Blackhawks. But they had been an improved team in winning four of their past five following a soul-bruising stretch in which the Blueshirts went 5-11-5 from Thanksgiving through Jan. 10. And Strome represents a key piece of the recent improvement with his work centering the second line between Filip Chytil and Jesper Fast after having spent most of his first couple of months as a Ranger as a bottom-six right wing or center. “It’s been about a 50-50 split throughout my career between center and wing. It’s tough for me to say which I prefer but I think I’ve played better hockey in the middle” said Strome, acquired from Edmonton on Nov. 16 for the since-waived Ryan Spooner. “Playing center here, the thing that hits me right now is that a player of my caliber can’t make risk plays on defense to try to create offense. I’m not one of those 60-70 points guys who might get some leeway. “I’m also appreciative of this opportunity. With that comes responsibility. In Boston before the game, [coach David Quinn] told me I might be seeing a lot of Patrice Bergeron, and to be ready. I’d never really had that chance before in my career as a top-six center. So I want to make sure I can handle this and help the team. “I want to be part of this.” Strome, of course, was the fifth-overall selection in the 2011 entry draft, chosen by the Islanders directly ahead of centers Mika Zibanejad (six), Mark Scheifele (seven) and Sean Couturier (eight). After four middling seasons (45-81-126 in 258 games), he was traded to the Oilers for Jordan Eberle, who recorded 59 points (25-34) last year while Strome posted 34 (13-21). Strome went 1-1=2 in 18 games this year before the trade to New York. “It’s not the same spotlight with the draft-pick issue and then in Edmonton with the numbers he had and with the way we played and missed the playoffs, but the lack of that glare, maybe, isn’t that important for me,” Strome said. “What is, is that I’m already on my third team at the age of 25 and I don’t want to keep bouncing around. “I want to be a guy who can be counted on by my coach in key situations. I think I can play the middle, I think I can play the Swiss Army Knife role, too, be on the power play and penalty kill and be a good guy for a team, which I think I am. “Quinney has talked to me about how he isn’t going to coach me like the younger guys, so I feel an opportunity and responsibility here with the younger guys, to let them know to appreciate every day in the NHL and enjoy it and have fun with it, while at the same time preparing properly and maintaining a strong work ethic. “I think I can spread that message. I want to be a mentor, I want to be a leader and I want to play an important role for this team.” 1128029 New York Rangers

Mats Zuccarello’s likely Rangers goodbye is not starting well

By Larry Brooks January 28, 2019

The likely last leg of Mats Zuccarello’s stint on Broadway is getting off on the wrong foot. For when the Blueshirts resume their schedule Tuesday night when the Flyers come to the Garden, the popular winger will be sidelined with a left foot infection that manifested itself during the combined bye/All-Star break that began after the club’s 3-2 victory in Boston on Jan. 19. Zuccarello, a pending free agent expected to be traded by the Feb. 25 deadline, is receiving antibiotics to treat the infection and may be available for Thursday night’s contest in New Jersey. The Norwegian, who has not skated since that victory over the Bruins, entered the break on a five-game scoring streak in which he recorded nine (4 goals, 5 assists) points. The alternate captain has 24 points (8-16) in 35 games, having missed 13 bridging November and December with groin issues. Coach David Quinn is moving Vladislav Namestnikov into Zuccarello’s spot on the first line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider while shifting natural center Brett Howden to right wing on the unit with Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Vesey. Pavel Buchnevich thus remains as the fourth-line right wing while Jesper Fast skates on the intact second unit with Ryan Strome and Filip Chytil. The 20-year-old Howden is one of only eight players — the others being Marc Staal, Kevin Hayes, Zuccarello, Kreider, Zibanejad, Fast and Strome — to not suffer a healthy scratch thus far. But the rookie hasn’t scored a goal since his Nov. 12 third-period winner against the Canucks, going 0-5 in 30 games since (0-1 over the last 15), while losing even- strength and penalty-kill time to Boo Nieves. Howden was dropped to fourth-line center the past four games, getting under 10:00 in each one. “I thought he needed this break,” Quinn said of Howden. “He’s played center the whole time [has missed only one game, Nov. 6], we’ve been asking him to do an awful lot and that’s an awful lot to put on the lap of a 20-year-old. He’s handled it well, but you’re going to have some peaks and valleys in your first NHL season, especially when you play as many minutes as he has, so we felt the time off was best used by mentally and physically taking a rest. “I want to see what he looks like on the wing, and get him a little relief from playing down low defensively [as a center] and get him going a little bit.” Quinn said he had not yet determined whether Neal Pionk will rejoin the lineup. If he does, he likely would play on the right with Kevin Shattenkirk on the left while the Staal-Tony DeAngelo and Brady Skjei-Adam McQuaid pairs remained intact and Brendan Smith sits as the healthy scratch. The right-handed Shattenkirk played the left for a stretch with DeAngelo in Las Vegas on Jan. 8. He also remembered playing the left in St. Louis with Colton Parayko for a stretch, with a check of Naturalstattrick revealing that the two skated together for 330:52 over No. 22’s last three seasons with the Blues. Alexandar Georgiev will start in nets, thus permitting for another heavy practice for Henrik Lundqvist, whose history upon returning from extended breaks is not a particularly sterling one. If, as appears likely, Smith does sit, it would mark the 18th time this season. That would put Smith one up on DeAngelo for the dubious distinction of the most healthy scratches under Quinn. Cody McLeod leads the forwards with six, but hasn’t been scratched since Game 16, Nov. 9 at Detroit. New York Post LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128030 New York Rangers

Rangers coach David Quinn hopes pre-break momentum continues

By Colin Stephenson

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Thirty-four games remain in the season for the Rangers, beginning Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden against the Philadelphia Flyers. And for coach David Quinn, the question at practice Monday was whether his team can carry the momentum from its three-game winning streak across its nine-day bye week/All-Star break into the season’s second half. “You sure hope so,’’ Quinn said. “I liked our practice today. I thought, maybe [at Sunday’s practice], you’re trying, really, just to not get anybody hurt, not shock the system too much, after being off the seven days. Today was certainly more of a workmanlike effort and attitude from our end of it. I thought the guys did a good job and we just talked about carrying over what we did leading into the break.’’ They will have to tweak one or two things from where they left off before the break, though. Right wing Mats Zuccarello will not play Tuesday after missing the last two practices with a foot infection, the team said. Quinn said Zuccarello was much improved Monday over Sunday and that his absence will be “a short-term thing, hopefully.’’ He said the plan is for Zuccarello to be back for Thursday’s game in Newark against the Devils. Zuccarello’s linemate, Mika Zibanejad, left practice early Monday after shooting a puck on a power-play drill and collapsing to his knees. Quinn said Zibanejad, the team’s leading scorer and the NHL’s second star of the week last week, is OK and will play Tuesday. Without Zuccarello, though, the red-hot first line will have a different look. Vladislav Namestnikov took Zuccarello’s spot on the right side of Zibanejad and Chris Kreider on Monday. The return of Kevin Hayes, who missed the last nine games before the break, also creates a different look. Hayes, the team’s third-leading scorer with 10 goals and 23 assists, will center the third line, between left wing Jimmy Vesey and rookie Brett Howden, who has played center all season but now will be asked to play right wing. With Hayes returning, Quinn had to move either Howden or Boo Nieves to the wing. In the end, he said he wanted to get a look at Howden on the wing, and he hoped that perhaps relieving him of some of the defensive responsibilities at center might kick-start the 20-year-old’s offensive game. The second line of Filip Chytil, Ryan Strome and Jesper Fast remains intact, and the fourth line will feature Nieves between Cody McLeod and Pavel Buchnevich. Quinn said the decision will be made Tuesday about whether to reinsert defenseman Neal Pionk, who missed the last three games before the break with a lower-body injury. Pionk, a righthanded shot, took turns with lefty Brendan Smith playing on the left side of Kevin Shattenkirk at practice Monday. Pionk also worked on the second power-play unit. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128031 NHL They’re going to get tired of hearing my voice and we really need you guys to step up. They’ve done a terrific job in being an extension of the coaching staff, made sure the younger players have bought in.” Coyotes fight through injuries to remain in playoff picture Tocchet has been the rudder through choppy ice, getting the players to believe and stick to the system, putting himself in the early conversation for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s best coach. By JOHN MARSHALL “His approach is as good as I’ve seen,” Chayka said.

The challenge now will be to keep it going. GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes lost their starting goalie for the season, normally a crushing blow for a team’s playoff chances. Seattle Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 The hits literally kept coming. Their dynamic new player, gone for the year. Their leading scorer, out indefinitely. Six regular players, missing from the lineup at one point. Just when it couldn’t seem to get any worse, captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson went down just before the All-Star break. “I’m expecting the worst; that’s just the way we’re living right now,” Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said while awaiting results on Ekman- Larsson’s MRI. “I’m usually a positive guy, but I’m expecting the worst. It’s just weird.” Thankfully for the Coyotes, the news on Ekman-Larsson didn’t go the same route as the other injured players before him. He’s only day-to-day. The best news: Despite all the roster attrition, Arizona is still in the playoff mix. Relying on leadership from their veteran players, a scrappy group of young players filling bigger roles and superb coaching by Tocchet, the Coyotes will start the second half of the season two points out of the final Western Conference playoff spot after closing the first half 10-2-2. “The number and types of injuries we’ve had, it’s hard to understand, to believe that they’re even real,” Coyotes GM John Chayka said. “At some point, adversity hits and you have to decide whether you’re going to shy away from it or embrace it. Teams form the character of their coach and guys are looking to Toc to see how he reacts. To his credit, he’s embraced the challenge, fought through it and guys have followed his lead.” Antti Raanta struggled with injuries in his first season as a No. 1 goalie a year ago before playing well down Arizona’s strong closing stretch of the 2018-19 season. Raanta kept his roll going early this season, only to have it end after 12 games due to a lower-body injury. Three of Arizona’s four regular centers, Christian Dvorak, Nick Schmaltz and Brad Richardson, went down with injuries. So did Jason Demers, Ekman-Larsson’s partner on the top defensive pairing. Defenseman Jakob Chychrun has been limited to 32 games due to lingering knee issues from ACL surgery last year and forward Michael Grabner suffered a gruesome eye injury after taking a stick to the face. Grabner recently started skating again. The cliche of taking it game by game became a reality in the desert. “Sometimes I can’t tell you who we’re playing three days from now,” Tocchet said. “My mind is just on that team, our roster, our practice that day and we’ll deal with what we deal with the next day. There’s always something that comes up the next day and we’ve just focused on that as a team. Our energy level is better when we do that. I think when we start looking at different scenarios down the road, our focus isn’t there, even as a staff. It’s helped us taking it day by day. I know it’s a cliche, but that’s really us.” Schmaltz dazzled after being traded from Chicago for Dylan Strome and Brendan Perlini, racking up five goals and nine assists in 17 games. He’s out for the season after suffering a knee injury. Richardson was Arizona’s leading scorer when he went out with a hand injury. He’s listed as week to week. With so many key players out, the Coyotes have been forced to rely on players who have taken on bigger-than-expected roles. Conor Garland has had an immediate impact, scoring nine goals — one with his face — with three assists in 23 games. Darcy Kuemper has played well since Raanta’s injury and Ilya Lyubushkin has been solid on defense. Veterans like Ekman-Larsson, Richardson, Derek Stepan and Niklas Hjalmarsson have reinforced the coaching staff’s message, pushing the younger players to fight through the adversity. “I had a meeting with those guys last month and told them I’m going to really need you guys to preach what we’re saying,” Tocchet said. “We have a lot of young guys and they’re going to be looking for direction. 1128032 NHL Rather than choosing the major junior route like True, he instead played three seasons for an Iowa-based team in the United States Hockey League – a junior circuit where players don’t lose their NCAA eligibility. One Seattle product starred in the NHL All-Star Game. Two more are on After that, it was on to Denver for a college experience he cherished, the horizon. getting nominated for a 2018 Hobey Baker Award – college hockey’s version of the Heisman Trophy – his junior year.

Nowadays, with an NHL team having been awarded to Seattle for Geoff Baker October 2021, Gambrell hopes it increases opportunities locally for young players so they don’t have to leave home so young like he did.

“I think it’s going to be huge for youth hockey there,’’ Gambrell said. “It Inside the NHL will just bring more popularity and there will be more youth programs available. I think there will be more opportunity in general coming from To no one’s surprise, our city’s biggest presence in San Jose at this past that.’’ weekend’s NHL All-Star Game came from onetime Seattle Thunderbirds junior star Mathew Barzal. Like Gambrell, True also feels “pumped’’ at the prospect of eventually playing an NHL game in a city that became his adopted home after The reigning NHL Rookie of the Year for the first-place New York leaving Denmark. Islanders scored twice and added three assists for the Metropolitan Division squad in a 10-5 tournament championship victory Saturday over For now, he and Gambrell find common ground cheering for Seattle- the Central Division. Unlike all-star contests in other leagues, the NHL based teams in other sports. And knowing that, just as Barzal is now version features teams from all four divisions playing abbreviated games excelling at the sport’s highest level, they’ve played alongside him and tournament-style with two semifinals and a finals match. will soon get their chance to prove they belong. But while British Columbia native Barzal was just passing through San “A couple of years back I was playing (for Denmark) at the World Juniors Jose for the weekend, two other professional centermen with ties to both against some really good players, including Mat,’’ True said. “It was good him and the Seattle area have been lighting the lamp year-round in that to see because you knew a lot of those guys were going to the NHL and city. Barzal’s ex-Thunderbirds teammate Alexander True, 21, and they weren’t super-human like I’d once believed. Bonney Lake native Dylan Gambrell, 22, sit No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, in scoring for the San Jose Barracuda, the American “So, it’s awesome to see a guy like Mat doing so well. He’s worked hard Hockey League affiliate of the city’s NHL Sharks. and deserved it. I know that if I keep working hard, someday that could be me playing up there as well.’’ “He only comes though town once a year, so we try to keep in touch,’’ True said of Barzal. “It’s too bad that we were out of town all weekend Seattle Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 because I’m sure we would have found a way to catch up.’’ Seahawks mailbag: Tag and trade Earl Thomas? Why does Russell Wilson get sacked so much? The Barracuda share the SAP Center with the Sharks and were on an eastern road trip to free up the venue for All-Star festivities, which included a skills competition Friday in which Barzal placed third in the “fastest skater” event behind perennial winner Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Jack Eichel of the Buffalo Sabres. True scored the overtime winner for the Barzal-captained Thunderbirds team that clinched their first Western Hockey League championship in 2017, but he went undrafted due to concerns about his own skating ability compared to his speedier teammate. After foregoing his final year of junior eligibility, True signed a two-year deal with the Barracuda and scored 15 goals and compiled 28 points last season while emerging as a solid power-play contributor in his inaugural AHL campaign. That led the Sharks to reward him with a three-year, $925,000 entry-level contract last July. And True is now justifying that with a team-high 34 points — 12 goals and 22 assists — in just more than half this sophomore season with the Barracuda. “I think it’s just the everyday work I’ve put in,’’ said True, expected to make his NHL debut later this season. “I get all of the possibility to develop over here and it’s been the best place. All of the small things are starting to add up.’’ Second-round draft pick Gambrell already made his debut for the Sharks in three games last spring, becoming the 14th Washington native to play in the NHL after three years with the University of Denver. He’s been recalled twice by the Sharks this season – including a stint earlier this month – and got into two more games. “It’s been a dream come true, really, especially growing up in Washington,’’ Gambrell said. “You can see hockey is getting more popular over there now, but it wasn’t as much when I was growing up.’’ The Kent Valley Hockey Association youth grad had to leave home at 14 to play for an Under-16 Colorado elite team. Then, Gambrell faced a choice between returning to play juniors for the Thunderbirds – a team he’d watched with his family growing up when they held season tickets – or going the NCAA route. The Thunderbirds brought him in to a training camp at age 16 where he was put on a line with a then-15-year-old Barzal. The pair dominated most of the scrimmages they partook in together. “We actually had a really good camp that year,’’ Gambrell said. “It was a great experience and they wound up having a really good team that year. But by then, I was already sort of committed to going to school. That was always my deal throughout and I stuck to it.’’ 1128033 NHL

Seattle’s NHL franchise needs a top minor-league affiliate. And they’re going to own that team, too

BY ANDREW HAMMOND

The NHL is coming to Seattle, just in case you hadn’t heard anything about that over the last few months. That also means the expansion hockey franchise is going to need a minor-league team, which we had not heard much about until Monday. The American Hockey League’s president and CEO David Andrews gave his state of the league address before Monday’s All-Star Classic in Springfield, Mass., and during it, he addressed a potential AHL team for Seattle. This nugget of news comes from Tony Androckitis, who covers the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers minor league club) Andrews: "We are in conversations with Seattle about the AHL. Nothing to announce today, but thought is Seattle will own their own team & it will probably be on the west coast." — Tony Androckitis (@TonyAndrock) January 28, 2019 There are 31 AHL teams; one for each NHL team. So expansion is coming. But where? Twenty-five of the NHL’s 31 teams have separate ownership so if Seattle ownership group were to own both, they would be joining a small but substantial club that includes the Toronto Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres. Keeping the AHL franchise on the West Coast makes sense. American Hockey League does have teams in western markets, five in California and one in Nevada. (Note: The AHL is basically the Triple-A of hockey leagues). The Western Hockey League has their U.S.-based teams in the Pacific Northwest with four teams in the state of Washington (Everett, Seattle, Tri-Cities and Spokane). But those junior hockey teams in the WHL are stocked with high school-aged players, not the players needed for the NHL. News Tribune LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128034 Ottawa Senators

Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame announces 2019 inductees

VITO PILIECI Updated: January 28, 2019

Chris Phillips and the 1968 and 1969 Ottawa Rough Riders are among the list of inductees who will be added to the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame this year. The induction ceremony, which will be held on May 31 at the Horticultural Building at Lansdowne Park, will see Chantal Benoit, Chris Phillips, Rick Desclouds, John Halvorsen, along with the 1968 and 1969 Ottawa Rough Riders included as its 2019 inductees. Phillips, a former Ottawa Senators’ defenseman and alternate captain with the team, had an 18-year career in the NHL. In that time he played in 1,179 games, and holds the team record for longevity with the club. He was selected first overall by the Senators in 1997 entry draft, and represented Canada twice at both the World Championships and the World Junior tournaments. Benoit was a member of the Canadian National Wheelchair Basketball Team from 1984 to 2011 and is widely considered to be the best player in the sport’s history. She represented Canada at six Paralympic Games, winning two Gold Medals. She received the International Wheelchair Basketball Federation ‘s highest honour, the Gold Medal Triad Award, for contributing to the growth of wheelchair basketball domestically and internationally. Desclouds coached championship teams in baseball, track and field, cross-country, and basketball. He is best known for his coaching achievements in volleyball. After 35 years as a teacher at Glashan Public School, he coached the Spikers to an astounding 32 Elementary School Championships, and 10 Ontario Cups. Halvorsen is being recognized for his career as a middle distance runner. Born in Norway, he was Norwegian National Champion at 5,000 and 10,000 metres before moving to Canada, and settling in Ottawa. He has competed in two Olympic Games, and is a four time winner of the Canadian Intra-University Cross- Country Championships, and countless other honours in middle distance running. His time of 28:12 in Ottawa 10k was a course record that endured for 20 years. He has been instrumental in helping to expand Ottawa Race Weekend into an International Athletics Associations Federation (IAAF) Gold Standard event. The Ottawa Rough Riders teams of 1968 and 1969 were powerhouses in the CFL, as they won Grey Cups in consecutive years. Led by Hall of Fame quarterback Russ Jackson, 29 of 36 players were on BOTH teams. The 1969 team was named “Canada’s Team of the Year” by the Canadian Press. Jackson’s four touchdown passes in the 1969 game, remains a record to this day. Of the 29 players who played on both teams, eight are in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, in addition to legendary head coach, Frank Clair. “The selection process is always extremely difficult and this year was no exception”, said Dave Best, chair of the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame. “Once again, we received a large number of very strong nominations from the community, a reminder of the broad range of sporting achievement and commitment to excellence that exists in the nation’s capital. This year’s class is exceptional, not just for their contribution to sport, but what they have done for our city.” The Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame is located in the Heritage Building at Ottawa City Hall and honours more than 250 local athletes and coaches who have made a significant impact on the sports culture in the nation’s capital. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128035 Ottawa Senators The Senators are excited about his return because it means they’ll be 100% healthy after the break officially ends.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 01.29.2019 Colin White should be ready to return Friday against Penguins

Bruce Garrioch

Colin White isn’t getting much of a break. The Ottawa Senators’ centre was supposed to be in the Bahamas vacationing with teammates Brady Tkachuk and Ben Harpur. Instead, White was on the ice at the Canadian Tire Centre Monday morning skating with Chris Kelly and Shean Donovan from the club’s player development department. Sure, White would probably rather be on a beach, but the hard work will pay off when he returns from a shoulder injury Friday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the PPG Paints Arena. Speaking to TSN 1200 in a telephone interview Monday afternoon, White indicated all signs are pointing in the right direction. He’ll have to go through one final skate with his teammates Thursday afternoon in Pittsburgh, but it looks good for him to get the green light. “It’s really good. I skated and worked out today and I’m feeling really good again,” White told the station. “It’s still a target and it’s almost 100% percent I’m playing Friday. It’s exciting to get back in the lineup here.” Injured Jan. 10 on a hit from Jake Muzzin in a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on the road, White has spent the last three weeks working hard to come back. He resumed skating with his teammates last week and was confident before everybody went their separate ways he would return. He did have the weekend off and returned to Boston College to visit with old friends while taking in a practice along with a game on the weekend. The injury forced White to alter his vacation plans for the nine-day break because he wants to make sure he’s ready to play. “I just decided to go home, keep rehabbing and come back as quick as I can,” said White. White, who will celebrate his 22nd birthday Wednesday, was playing well at the time he suffered the ailment. He has 11 goals, 15 assists and 26 points in 44 games this season plus he’s developed good chemistry with winger Mark Stone and Tkachuk. The timing of the injury was difficult but before it happened White established himself as a strong centre for the Senators. “Coming into training camp it was just play wherever I fit in the lineup, work hard and try to move up the lineup,” White said. “Unfortunately, injuries happen and I got put in different spots. I always knew I had been a centre my whole life and then I got the opportunity to play there. “I’ve just worked game-in and game-out at trying to be consistent. It’s just worked out so far.” White had no issue with the hit from Muzzin that caused the injury. “It was definitely a clean hit,” White said. “I saw him coming and the last second I tried to put (the puck) behind him and, by doing that, I was reaching forward. I knew he was coming and I thought, ‘Oh crap’ because I saw him coming. I was protecting my head in a way. “I took it all to my shoulder. I got up, I thought I was fine, I took three steps back and I thought, ‘Oh no’ and just went right to the bench. I felt it right away after that. There was no chance of me returning.” Putting in the work to get back has been the hardest part for White. “We just got off the ice and I think that was my hardest skate in two years with Donovan and Kelly,” White said. “It was a tough skate today. It was definitely a lot of conditioning to keep the playing time up.” A Boston native, White is a huge fan of the New England Patriots. The day after they beat the Kansas City Chiefs to advance to the Super Bowl, he was in the dressing room wearing a Rob Gronkowski jersey and wearing a wide smile as he was chided by his teammates. Of course, White, who will watch the game with his teammates at a party, was asked if he was more excited about his return from the injury or the fact the Patriots will take on the Los Angeles Rams in Atlanta Sunday night in the big game? “I don’t know what I can say, but I guess I’ve got to go with coming back,” said White with a laugh. 1128036 Ottawa Senators Now the defencemen can stay with the attacker to the top of the circles. It keeps more pressure on the puck carrier who, before the tweak, could find that little soft zone between the defenceman and the forward as they How Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s return and a slight defensive adjustment are were exchanging responsibility. This afforded the opposition a little more responsible for Sens recent success time and space to make a play. It’s a small thing, but it seems to have helped. Maybe it shouldn’t have taken half a season to give it a try. By Chris Stevenson Jan 28, 2019 We also can’t overlook the contribution of goaltender Anders Nilsson. I was skeptical, given his career numbers, if he was going to be an upgrade over Mike McKenna after he was acquired from the Vancouver The Ottawa Senators modest success going into their All-Star/five-day Canucks. But his numbers (4-2-0, .944 save percentage and 1.80 goals break (they had won four of seven, including three on the road where against average in six games since Jan. 6) place him in the top 10 during they had won just four times previously this season) can be attributed to that time period. several factors. It will be interesting to see if the trends continue when the schedule While we’ve got a few days to mull some things over here (the Senators resumes Friday and Pageau and the rest of his teammates face Sidney don’t play again until Friday in Pittsburgh), a couple of key factors come Crosby in Pittsburgh. to mind in regards to the Senators improved play of late. The big question is if the team can continue down this successful road when they The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 resume play. At the top of the list for reasons the Sens have experienced some success lately is the return of centre Jean-Gabriel Pageau eight games ago. His return has given the coaching staff a valuable asset when it comes to game management. It would be easy to say Pageau is a defensive centre and his return has aided in the team’s attempts to shut down the other team’s best players and leave it at that. While this is true, there are other factors to consider. One gain has been the ripple effect that Pageau’s return has caused throughout the lineup. By using Pageau in the shutdown role, it has afforded the Senators the ability to take that responsibility away from their own No. 1 centre, Matt Duchene, who was being used against the other team’s top lines. It was a matchup that didn’t often turn out in the Senators’ favour too often, as I wrote about here. That’s part of it. Some of the underlying numbers say Pageau has been effective because he’s had the puck, so it goes beyond just being a defensive asset. When he or his teammates have the puck, the other team’s top threats don’t. For me, that’s more effective than defending against guys in your own zone because you make the other team’s top offensive players expend energy defending. Pageau’s possession numbers since he has returned have put him among the top three players on the team in that span, according to naturalstattrick.com (players who have played at least 89 minutes 5v5). The possession metrics lead us in this direction: In the first 41 games of the season, the Senators gave up an average of 37.61 shots a game. But in the eight games (an admittedly small sample size) since Pageau returned, the Senators have given up an average of 33 shots a game. It’s not all Pageau, of course (we’ll get to that in a minute), but those numbers are hard to ignore. One of the reasons why the Senators have allowed fewer shots recently is Pageau’s performance in the faceoff circle. Simply put, he has been close to the best in the NHL since his return. The Senators have been starting with the puck more often than not when Pageau takes a draw. (NHL.com) Pageau has been one of the Senators best faceoff men since he became a full-time NHLer in 2014-15, but he’s taking it to another level this season. His numbers since 2014-15: (NHL.com) A good example of how his faceoff performance translates into defensive success, particularly against the other team’s top lines, came in the Senators 5-2 win on Jan. 16 against the Colorado Avalanche and arguably the top line in the league (Nathan MacKinnon with Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen). Pageau won 15 of 18 faceoffs (83 percent) against the Avs, meaning his side was starting with the puck an extraordinary amount of the time. All the more remarkable was everybody else who took a faceoff for the Senators in that game was a combined 17-28. In part because of Pageau’s work in the faceoff circle, the Avs’ top line was limited to two points at 5v5 in that game. The other reason for the Senators modest success and slightly reduced shots against is a tweak to their defensive zone coverage. Around the beginning of the month, Senators defencemen were given more latitude to stick with opposition puck carriers inside their own blueline. Before the change, the defencemen would hand off the responsibility of covering an opponent to the forward when they got above the faceoff dots. 1128038 Philadelphia Flyers League with the Johnston Chiefs. Just before his 27th birthday, he made his NHL debut with the Quebec Nordiques, the first ECHL player to ever climb that ladder. Hart had a far different set of expectations, but the Carter Hart gives Flyers a break after the break | Bob Ford challenge of the next puck isn’t any different. “The way he goes about business hasn’t changed, whether he’s in Lehigh or since he’s been here,” Gordon said. “I don’t think anybody by Bob Ford could know how this would play out, but (he’s) handled the pressure of playing in the NHL, coming in at a time where there’s a new GM, a new coach, and all the fanfare that goes with being drafted and being the next goalie. It’s how he handles things mentally, and for a goaltender that’s The All-Star break, which stretched for a little over a week before ending huge. To be in the situation we’ve put him in and to be successful…he Monday night against Winnipeg, came at a seemingly inopportune time gives the team a chance to win every night.” for the Flyers. It’s not like the season has been a joy ride through Pleasantville, so the apparently unwanted interruption was in keeping Maybe this team’s luck is finally headed for a change. They overcame with the team’s recent luck. the effects of the apparently ill-timed break – at least for a night – and they are playing with confidence in front of a fuzz-faced kid who The Flyers have been through nearly every major upheaval an NHL measured the goal and found it was the same width as back in Hickory. franchise can endure, not to mention some decidedly dreadful results, since the home opener kicked things off with an 8-2 loss that had uh-oh Bringing a hot prospect up too soon can go wrong, unless you happen to written all over it. be lucky with him. And, boy, it’s way too soon to say this, but it feels as if the Flyers finally might be. And uh-oh it has been. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.29.2019 The general manager, assistant general manager, head coach and an assistant coach were all fired as the front office grew impatient with a deliberate building strategy that had begun to look instead like a strategy for an empty building. Aside from having the roof blow off the arena, the team pretty much hit for the cycle on organizational chaos. Even with all that, nothing was going to save this season, so the new regime went for the next best thing: bring up the kid savior goalie so people will pay attention again. That’s a risky move in some ways, and not one previous general manager Ron Hextall – who knows the position awfully well – was prepared to do just yet. Rushing goalies to the big team, particularly when the big team isn’t ready to compete yet, can be disastrous. It would be interesting to know how much of Hextall’s dismissal was due to his obdurate refusal to compromise in general, and how much was specifically because he blocked the promotion of Carter Hart at a time the team desperately needed something to sell the fans. We’ll never know that one, but Hart came up a couple of weeks after Hexy was tossed and just a day or so before coach Dave Hakstol was given the chance to once again enjoy a North Dakota winter. Hart is 20 years old and has never known anything but success, and the Flyers figured if he was going to succeed it might as well be with them. “You’ve just got to stop the next puck, man,” Hart said after the team’s final practice before the end of the break. “That’s all you have to worry about is one puck at a time, one shot at a time.” To this point, after 13 starts, Hart has been doing fine with the next puck. His goals-against average and save percentage are both better than they were in 17 games with the Phantoms. His record, after the 3-1 win over the Jets on Monday night isn’t stunning at 7-5-1, but consider the situation. The Flyers, in the words of new GM Chuck Fletcher, “have good players, (but) we haven’t been a good team.” With Hart, who gets a break in New York on Tuesday night when Anthony Stolarz starts in goal, the team might not be actually good, but they sure look better. Hart was in goal for all five games before the break as the team won four of them to end a post-Christmas skid that had extended to eight losses. He twice stopped the bleeding at a 2-0 deficit during that hot streak; games that the Flyers ended up winning. And then, with the team finally looking settled and possessing a little bit of rhythm, the break arrived. “That’s pretty much all I thought about for eight days,” said interim coach Scott Gordon. “When I came in, the first four games, I think we had three wins, then a break. That’s something hopefully we can learn from. When we came back after that Christmas break…we were probably a little reckless and that snowballed quickly. We just have to get back to doing what we need to do, and not try to win the game on the next shift.” Hart has been a steady influence in that regard. He doesn’t cover all mistakes in the Flyers’ end, but he doesn’t let in soft goals, either. If it’s a stop he should make, he almost always makes it. Those gifts were evident in juniors and with the Phantoms. The unknown was how he would handle the big jump. “The first couple of games my nerves were just crazy,” Hart said. “I just realized it’s another game. The boards are the same. The ice is the same. Just go out and play.” Gordon, like Hextall, knows something about young goalies and what it takes to deal with the pressure. He played the position for Boston College and then scuffled to make it professionally. His stops took him up and down the AHL and even included a stop in the East Coast Hockey 1128039 Philadelphia Flyers coach with the Islanders a decade ago. That team was a mix of first- and second-year players and thirty-somethings, and he perhaps was missing the skill set that players like Claude Giroux have cited as the root of their Can Flyers coach Scott Gordon get past ‘interim' status? | Sam reclamation. Donnellon “He’s about details,” said the Flyers' captain. “We do a lot of video to make sure everybody’s on the same page. Especially with a new coach, it’s important to be sure everybody’s on the same page.” by Sam Donnellon Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.29.2019

Halfway through Monday night’s 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets, Flyers forward Phil Varone broke a scoreless tie with the kind of greasy goal the Flyers have spoken about all season but have rarely been in position to convert. A fourth-line energy guy, it was Varone’s second goal since being promoted from the AHL Phantoms on Dec. 7. It was made possible through the hard work of rookie Mikhail Vorobyev, who returned to the team Sunday after an early-season demotion earlier due to uneven effort and a perceived on-ice indifference. That estimation, by the Flyers' former coach, Dave Hakstol, was not disputed. And no one had a problem with Vorobyev’s return to the team after reclaiming his reputation down below as the kind of heady playmaker he proved to be while assisting on Varone’s goal. The common denominator is Flyers interim coach Scott Gordon. When new general manager Chuck Fletcher sought to send a message to the underachievers on the big club, Gordon endorsed Varone, a minor- league journeyman who seems to improve with each season he has played under Gordon. And it was under Gordon that Vorobyev’s reclamation began, as it had for Travis Sanheim before him, and Scott Laughton before that. Nolan Patrick has played better recently. Oskar Lindblom has played better, too. Gordon’s AHL goalie during the first 2 1/2 months of the season, Carter Hart, is ahead of expectations, his calm and competitiveness resetting a team that was literally falling all over itself for most of this disappointing season. That word doesn’t crop up as much anymore inside the Flyers' dressing room. Now it’s all about reclamation and renewal, playing for the slightest chance of still making the playoffs, playing really because of an ingrained pride of craft. That might be the most impressive of Gordon’s influence on the Flyers so far. “It’s about short-term goals,” he was saying before Monday’s game. “Let’s try to look at the teams who are right in front of us, two or three points ahead of us, and see if we can leapfrog them. You do that, you’re going to move a little closer to the other teams. And then you’re going to get yourself in situations where you could be looking at a team that hasn’t hit their slump or maybe they get some significant injuries. Right now we just have make sure we put ourselves in the ballpark …” Said Fletcher: "We’re working together every day and I’ve been very impressed with the job he’s done. Scott is very demanding, but he does it in a very professional way. He’s a strong communicator. The players know exactly what he likes and what he doesn’t like. “He’s not afraid to take ice time away and to give ice time to players who do the right things. And I think that’s what you have to do. I think the players respect that. No one is confused as to what the expectations are. And he’s working hard on trying to give up fewer chances. Trying to fix how we defend. Habits, details away from the puck. Positioning … And that’s going to pay dividends for this franchise going forward.” The question is, will it pay dividends for Gordon as well? When Fletcher was hired to replace Hextall on Dec. 3, there was widespread speculation that former Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville would follow shortly. When he didn’t, when Fletcher’s first few weeks were accompanied by the awful losses that marked his predecessor’s three-plus seasons here, Gordon was given what most deemed a no-win task. His title reflects that. And to hear Fletcher speak Monday, will continue to, no matter how the final 33 games of this season play out. His litany of praise was in response to a question I posed, asking if there was anything Gordon could do to have that ``interim’’ tag removed. That he didn’t answer was, in my view, an answer. Fletcher wants to pick his own guy, and he should have that chance, as his predecessor did. But the lesson Monday night was to not overlook the overlooked, to judge what you see in front of you rather than the resume that might have preceded it. Gordon had a tough go of it in his first go-round as an NHL 1128040 Philadelphia Flyers the season, GM Chuck Fletcher said. … Anthony Stolarz (3.90 goals- against average, .880 save percentage) will make his first NHL appearance since Dec. 15 when he faces Rangers backup Alexandar Carter Hart, Travis Konecny lead Flyers past Jets for 4th straight win Georgiev (3.43, .895) on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. … The Flyers will play their final 34 games in a span of just 76 days.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.29.2019 by Sam Carchidi,

While many of the Flyers traveled to tropical beaches during their bye week, Carter Hart went back home to the Edmonton area -- suntan lotion wasn’t needed -- so he could be with family and friends before returning and playing in an AHL game Saturday with the Phantoms. The tuneup obviously kept him in sync. Hart, the impressive 20-year-old rookie, resembled the goaltender who won three straight games before the long layoff as he led the Flyers to a 3-1 victory over gifted Winnipeg on Monday at the Wells Fargo Center. Hart made 31 saves as the Flyers extended their winning streak to a season-high four games and avenged a 7-1 loss to Winnipeg on Dec. 9. “He’s given us a chance to win every night,” captain Claude Giroux said. “He makes big saves that give us momentum and he just makes us feel comfortable.” “I’m just trying to compete and trying not to overthink things,” Hart said. “I feel comfortable at this level. I think after the first couple games, and the first game against Detroit, my nerves were just crazy. But after that, I realized that, ‘Hey, it’s just another game.’ The boards are the same, the ice is the same. You just have to go out and play. That’s the approach I have to have.” Travis Konecny’s 13th goal, scored late in the second period, turned out to be the game-winner. Konecny (two points), playing in his 200th career game, also set up James van Riemsdyk, who finished a slick two-on-one to make it 3-1 with 3 minutes, 35 seconds left. Beating the Central Division-leading Jets “definitely builds our confidence,” Konecny said. “We’ve been on a pretty good roll, but we knew coming off the break and playing these guys it was going to be a tough game. I think we just kept things simple and did the right things all night.” Phil Varone, the AHL’s MVP last season, scored on a rebound with 10:13 remaining in the second to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Mikhail Vorobyev, recalled from the Phantoms on Sunday, put the play in motion. From deep in the right circle, Vorobyev found Christian Folin at the point, and the defenseman’s shot deflected off Michal Raffl and went to Varone, who knocked in his second goal in 19 games since being promoted from Lehigh Valley. “Sometimes you just try to get to the net and good things happen,” Varone said. A little over four minutes later, Jack Roslovic tied it as he deftly deflected Jacob Trouba’s point drive past Hart with four seconds left in a Jets power play. Roslovic tipped the puck in the right circle and it bounced crazily past Hart. With 1:14 to go in the second, Konecny gave the Flyers a 2-1 lead. Skating from right to left, he was in the left circle when he deflected Andrew MacDonald’s drive high into the net. Earlier, the pace was slow. Passes didn’t connect. An inordinate number of shots were fired high or wide. In other words, it was a typical first period for teams that had eight days between games because of bye weeks, teams trying to find their rhythm after the layoff. Winnipeg’s best early scoring chances came after it received its first power play late in the first period, but Hart denied stars Mark Scheifele from the slot and Patrik Laine from the left circle in the final minute of the sloppy, scoreless session. “Those guys beat some of the best goalies in the league, and he looked like he was pretty confident in there and making some big saves,” Konecny said after the Flyers inched to within 12 points of Pittsburgh for a playoff spot. “... He’s been a wall in there for us.” Breakaways Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere missed the game with a lower-body injury, apparently suffered in warm-ups, and was replaced by Folin. … Defenseman Samuel Morin (knee) will go on a rehab assignment with the Phantoms within the next two weeks before playing for the Flyers later in 1128041 Philadelphia Flyers Carter Hart has become the Flyers’ No. 1 goalie, but he could spend some late-season time with the Phantoms.

“I’m hoping we’re in the playoff race here, but if we’re not and they’re in Chuck Fletcher: Claude Giroux virtually Flyers' only untouchable the playoff race ... absolutely, he’ll play for them,” Fletcher said. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 01.29.2019 by Sam Carchidi,

General manager Chuck Fletcher, addressing the media Monday, said that captain Claude Giroux was virtually the Flyers’ only untouchable, that whether he signs or deals dependable right winger Wayne Simmonds will become clear in a few weeks, and that he hopes to add a player before the Feb. 25 trade deadline who can help them in the long term. “We could both buy and sell,” he said in a wide-ranging interview after the Flyers’ morning skate at their practice facility in Voorhees. Entering Monday night’s matchup against visiting Winnipeg, the Flyers have won three straight but are still 14 points out of a playoff spot with 34 games remaining. Fletcher, named the GM on Dec. 3, acknowledged the playoffs are a long shot but said he was still hopeful. “We’re at a stage where we need a big run here,” he said. “We finished well before the break and we have an opportunity here — six of the next eight are at home — and clearly we need to get a lot of points.” Fletcher said the Flyers “have good players, [but] we haven’t been a good team. We haven’t defended very well. Our specialty teams have been atrocious, at least in terms of what the numbers say. “I think we’re killing penalties much better. Our power play — it may sound goofy to say this — it’s been historically unlucky. It’s crazy the number of chances we’ve been able to generate and what we’ve been able to convert on. It’s below any team I’ve ever seen in terms of bad luck.” Fletcher said he was talking to every team in the league about potential trades. “Whether it’s now or the summer, we need to find some pieces to improve our team,” he said. “We have a lot of good players here, but I would never say never to almost anybody besides Giroux,” Fletcher said, mindful the Flyers star has a no-trade clause. “… He’s probably one of the best players in the history of the franchise, so I don’t think [asking him to waive his no-trade clause] makes much sense. There’s a lot of guys that don’t make much sense, either, but I can’t say never.” As for Simmonds, who can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, Fletcher has had ongoing discussions with the right winger’s agent. Asked if he had made Simmonds an offer, Fletcher said he didn’t want to get into details. “The dialogue has been clear,” he said. “There’s a tremendous amount of respect from our organization to Wayne.” He said Simmonds’ strong play recently has not affected negotiations from his standpoint. “Wayne’s a good player. I don’t think he needs to prove anything to us,” Fletcher said, adding there were “different factors” he was considering. “We have lots of holes and a certain amount of money in which to do it with the salary cap. We’re just trying to balance everything and make the right decision.” Fletcher said interim coach Scott Gordon and his staff were working to improve the defense and the special teams. “You can’t just flip a switch every training camp,”he said. “You have to start building the right habits and playing the right way. Scott’s working hard, and I think we’re making progress.” Fletcher praised Gordon — “He’s very demanding, but he does it in a very professional way” — but danced around a question on whether there was anything he could do to remove his “interim” tag. He made it sound as if several moves will be made before next season. “We can’t keep putting the same players out there and expect different results,” said Fletcher, who implied Phantoms defenseman Phil Myers would be recalled at some point in the season. Fletcher said that goalie Brian Elliott, who has not played since Nov. 15 because of an apparent groin injury, was making progress and that he would take shots during practices on the team’s coming road trip to New York and Boston. Elliott might play within the next two weeks, Fletcher said. 1128042 Philadelphia Flyers “I’m trying not to overthink things [and] just play,″ he said. “We had an unbelievable third period. We didn’t give them much. In a crucial part of the game like that, we battled hard. Flyers look relaxed, sharp in fourth straight win “In the third periods where we weren’t doing well, we were giving up some leads. That was a different case tonight. In the third period, we came out with a mission and we cleaned up our end. We kept the By Wayne Fish Posted Jan 28, 2019 at 9:54 PM pressure on them.″ Stolarz set to return PHILADELPHIA — There’s nothing better to get a hockey team playing After sitting out 16 games with a lower-body injury, goaltender Anthony loosey-goosey than to tell it the playoffs are simply a dream. Stolarz is set to make his return on Tuesday night when the Flyers visit the New York Rangers. Just look at how the Flyers performed against the Central Division- leading Winnipeg Jets on Monday night. Originally, Stolarz was called up from Lehigh Valley back on Nov. 24 after injuries to both Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth. No jittery puck-handling moves. No tight grips on the sticks. No panic decisions in the defensive zone. In nine games with the Flyers this season, he’s 2-3-2 with a 3.90 goals- against average and .880 save percentage. Result? A 3-1 victory at the Wells Fargo Center, giving the Flyers their first four-game winning streak of the season and victories in five of their At the Monday morning skate, Stolarz said he’s completely recovered last six. from his latest injury. Last year he missed almost the entire season with a pair of knee operations. Even though the Flyers are still an imposing 12 points out of a playoff spot, they’re starting to feel a little better about themselves. “I’m looking forward to getting back in there and getting that competitive edge back,″ said Stolarz, the first and only NHL goaltender to have been Once again, they were led by the goaltending of rookie Carter Hart, who born and raised in New Jersey. turned in another steady performance. “It [Madison Square Garden] is definitely an exciting building [and] There was concern that the Flyers might show up with a little rust after something you look forward to.″ having seven days off due to the bye week/All-Star break. Gostisbehere late scratch But that time off didn’t seem to be a problem. And don’t forget, the Jets were in the same boat. Shayne Gostisbehere took part in pre-game warm-ups but was a late scratch with a lower-body injury. Gostisbehere was one of just nine Phil Varone gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at 9:47 of the second period when Flyers players who had played in all 48 games prior to Monday night. he poked in a rebound past goalie Laurent Brossoit. It was just the 19th Christian Folin was a late fill-in. time in 49 games the Flyers have scored first this season. Burlington County Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 As for playing a powerhouse like Winnipeg, Varone said the Flyers just had to play their game. “You can’t be scared or nervous,″ Varone said. “They’re just like us — they’re human beings, right? So, it’s whoever is willing to do a little more and go that extra inch.″ Maybe the Flyers are finally gaining their composure. “I think five or six games ago we were in the basement, so the only way to go was up,″ Varone said. “You look around the room [and] there’s tons of talent in here. We were underachieving. There’s a lot more to give, even over these last five or six games. It will be tough [to make the playoffs], but there’s a lot of hockey left.″ The Jets tied the score on a power play at 12:59. Jack Roslovic deflected a shot past Hart while on the power play. But Travis Konecny, playing in his 200th NHL game, countered for the Flyers, deflecting Andrew MacDonald’s point shot high into the net for his 13th goal of the season. Konecny set up James van Riemsdyk’s insurance goal with 3:35 to play. Beating a strong team like the Jets should give the Flyers some additional confidence. “It definitely does,″ Konecny said. “We knew coming off the break this was going to be tough. We just kept things simple.″ Hart has won four straight games and is now 7-5-1. Are the Flyers starting to draw some extra confidence by Hart’s strong efforts? “It’s impressive,″ Konecny said. “Guys like (Winnipeg’s) Patrik Laine and (Mark) Scheifele have beaten some of the best goalies in the league [they were scoreless against Hart]. “He looked pretty confident tonight, making some big saves. We’re happy for him. We’re playing hard in front of him. It’s not like we can play looser, but he gives us the confidence. ... He’s been a wall in there for us.″ Van Riemsdyk now has scored seven goals in his past six games. He’s finally hitting his stride after missing 16 games with a foot injury. “That break came at a tough time because we were starting to feel good, getting into a nice rhythm,″ JVR said. “We wanted to pick up where we left off.″ Hart continues to impress, with this performance ranking among his best. 1128043 Philadelphia Flyers ♦ The state of the goaltending: “We need to get everybody healthy. Brian (Elliott) is doing better. It’s been a tough go for him. He’s trying hard. He’s just had these lingering issues. He feels better. He’s back on skates. As Chuck Fletcher: Claude Giroux is the Flyers’ only ‘untouchable’ of this morning, he’s going to accompany us on the road trip (New York, Boston). He’ll be taking shots. Once you get back on the ice and you’re taking shots you’re obviously getting closer. Whether that means one week or two weeks, I don’t know. But he’s clearly made big strides the By Wayne Fish last two, three weeks. (Anthony) Stolarz (who will start vs. Rangers in New York on Tuesday) went down to Lehigh, played two games, played

really well. He’s feeling good. (Michal) Neuvirth, just having a hard time VOORHEES — When a general manager uses words like “atrocious″ to getting him feeling right. He doesn’t feel right, lower body. I can’t even describe his team’s play, you know he’s clearly unhappy with the give you a prediction on that one. Alex Lyon has a groin pull, lower body. franchise’s current state of affairs. He’s day to day. I think we’re running out of goalies. (Mike) McKenna’s healthy. That’s all we have. We don’t have any other goalies.″ So when Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher rolled that adjective out in what amounted to a state of the team address after Monday morning’s practice ♦ Simmonds’ contract negotiations (the GM and the agent have talked) at the Skate Zone, heads turned. and whether his play will impact an offer: “No, everyone is going to have ups and downs, but Wayne’s a good player. I don’t think he needs to With the Flyers almost hopelessly out of the playoff picture (14 points prove anything to us. There are different factors you have to consider beginning Monday play), it’s only natural to wonder what Fletcher has on when you’re going to sign a player. We have lots of holes and a certain his mind as the Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline quickly approaches. amount of money in which to do it with the salary cap. We’re just trying to balance everything and make the right decision, but certainly in a a few When asked about this, Fletcher was quite blunt. weeks I think it will be resolved one way or the other. He made it clear that the only player he would not consider trading is ♦ Evaluating interim coach Gordon’s status moving forward: “Well, we’re captain Claude Giroux. working together every day, and I’ve been really impressed with the job Of course, Giroux has a no-trade clause written into his contract, so any he’s done. Scott, he’s very demanding, but he does it in a very potential movement would require consent from both sides. professional way. He’s a strong communicator. The players know exactly what he likes and doesn’t like. He’s not afraid to take ice time away, and That said, where does that leave Wayne Simmonds, Jake Voracek, Sean to give ice time to players that do the right things. I think that’s what you Couturier and other long-time veterans on the Flyers’ roster? have to do, and I think the players respect that. No one’s confused as to what the expectations are, and he’s working hard. Working hard, again, Fletcher wouldn’t confirm or deny that just about any player but Giroux on trying to give up fewer chances, how we defend. We don’t defend well would be fair game, given the right circumstances. enough, and he’s working at it every day.″ “I’m not trading Claude Giroux, that’s for sure,″ Fletcher told assembled Short shots media. “We have a lot of good players here but I would never say never to almost anybody besides Giroux. Fletcher said there’s a chance both defensemen Samuel Morin (recovering from ACL surgery) and Phantoms stalwart Philippe Myers “Giroux’s got the no-trade and he’s our captain and probably one of the may see action with the Flyers down the stretch. ... The decision to waive best players in the history of the franchise. So I don’t think that makes Dale Weise (he’s now with Phantoms) was done with the intention of much sense. There’s a lot of guys that don’t make much sense either, but helping him eventually find a “better″ spot in the NHL. ... If the Flyers are I can’t say never.″ out of the playoffs and the Phantoms are in, Fletcher expects goalie There’s a very good chance Fletcher will be active leading up to the Carter Hart to see action with the AHL team. ... Fletcher provided no deadline because, in a sense, this team as it is currently configured, has update on contract negotiations for Ivan Provorov and Travis Konecny. vastly underachieved. Both are restricted free agents at the end of the season. It is coming off a 98-point season and a playoff appearance but has Burlington County Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 stumbled so badly that ownership felt a need to fire a general manager (Ron Hextall) and a coach (Dave Hakstol). By the time Fletcher arrived, the Flyers had already dug themselves a deep hole. Part of the problem has been the health of goaltenders (a franchise record seven have been employed so far). Another part has been horrible special teams, which have lagged at the bottom of the NHL rankings all season. And finally, the overall defensive play (forwards and defensemen) has been brutal. Too many goals allowed at too many inopportune times. Because of all that, Fletcher is keeping an open mind as far as restructuring this outfit. “Right now we’re not good enough,″ Fletcher said. “We have to get better. We have good players, we haven’t been a good team, we haven’t defended very well. Our specialty teams have been atrocious, at least in terms of what the numbers say. “I think we’re killing penalties much better. Our power play, you know it may sound goofy to say this, it’s been historically unlucky. It’s crazy the number of chances we’ve been able to generate and what we’ve able to convert on. It’s below any team I’ve ever seen in terms of bad luck. I do believe we have the talent there where that (luck) should turn and the power play should get better.″ Fletcher made it clear he would not trade a high draft pick, etc., for a “rental.″ But if he could get his hands on a player who might have some long-term value. . . “Going forward,″ he said, “whether it’s defensive zone play, our specialty teams, our goaltending, we have things we can do to improve this team pretty quickly. But clearly, we’ve dug ourselves a big hole for this year, so what I’m trying to do is talk to every team in the league and looking for opportunities. Whether it’s now, the summer, we need to find some pieces to improve our team.″ Other subjects Fletcher discussed: 1128044 Philadelphia Flyers

Staying on right track Flyers’ goal down the stretch

By Wayne Fish

VOORHEES — There’s more than just pride at stake as the Flyers embark on the final 35 games after the bye week. You might say there are jobs involved, starting with the interim coach Scott Gordon and then working your way down through the roster. Aside from a handful of players, hardly anyone is untouchable as the Feb. 25 trade deadline approaches. The Flyers enter Monday night’s home game against Winnipeg seeking a season-high fourth straight win. Philadelphia will have rookie goaltender Carter Hart back in goal against the Jets, according to coach Scott Gordon. Hart finished up the pre-bye week/All-Star break with wins over Minnesota, Boston and on the road at Montreal. Sean Couturier gives the impression the Flyers want to keep this rhythm going and feeling good about themselves. They’re double digits out of a playoff spot, so they don’t want to even think about getting back into contention. “It’s always fun when you’re winning,″ Couturier said after Sunday’s practice at the Skate Zone. “You want to kind of be in that environment. “Obviously we’re in a tough situation that we’ve put ourselves in. It’s not over until we’re told it’s over. If we can get on a roll, you never know what happens.″ Last season, which saw the Flyers come on with a rush after the furlough break to make the playoffs with 98 points, Philadelphia won five out of six to push themselves back into contention. “We’re playing three games in four nights (Winnipeg, at Rangers, at Boston),″ Couturier noted. “You want to keep it simple the first few shifts. Get everybody going. “From there, you just play the game. You don’t want to overthink it, especially (with it being) a while since you’ve played the game.″ Jake Voracek liked the way his team was playing before the break and hopes to continue that good vibe. “We got six days off to kind of charge the batteries,″ Voracek said. “That helps. We have a tough three games coming up. We just have to play the same way we did before the break.″ Robert Hagg is one of the steadiest players on the Flyers. He believes that simplicity is the key. “We have to keep it simple,″ he said. “You can’t try to do anything crazy. I believe Winnipeg is going to feel the same way we do. “Keep it simple then start to play your game.″ Hart ready to roll Hart said a start with the Phantoms on Saturday night was helpful in shaking off some of the rust from being off for a week. Hart made 32 saves in a game which Allentown lost to Bridgeport, 4-1. “It was kind of good to get out there again,″ Hart said on Sunday at the Skate Zone. “A couple days off the ice for me was good to go home, get some rest and hang out with my family and friends.″ At one point, Hart made 20 consecutive stops against the Tigers. “It was good to go and feel the puck a little bit,″ Hart said. Anthony Stolarz was activated recently and he will start Tuesday night’s game in New York against the Rangers. For now, the Flyers are keeping three goalies on the roster (Mike McKenna the third). With so many injuries, it’s good to keep some spare parts in the building. Burlington County Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128045 Philadelphia Flyers will go to New York for a game Tuesday night armed with a newfound quiet confidence.

And a quiet, young goalie to thank for it. Hart's steady beat has Flyers in a groove; Beat Jets for 4th-straight win "Well, he makes those big saves to kind of give us momentum," Claude Giroux said of Hart, "and he just makes us feel comfortable. He’s a pretty By Rob Parent quiet guy, kind of does his own thing and that’s good for us." NOTES >> Shayne Gostisbehere got injured in warmups and missed the game. Coach Scott Gordon said the injury wasn't serious, "just a bruise," PHILADELPHIA — From the perspective of making the playoffs, the but speculated that the Ghost may miss the Rangers game Tuesday numbers are undeniably dire. From the 20-year-old goalie's perspective, night, too. ... Hart will back up Anthony Stolarz against the Rangers, then however, anything's possible. likely be in net Thursday night in Boston. ... GM Chuck Fletcher said that Hart "absolutely" would go down to help out the Phantoms in the playoffs Maybe others are starting to believe it, too. should the Flyers fall completely out of the playoff-hope picture. Said Hart: "I don't really care what happens there. I just want to worry about Carter Hart is now the face of an unlikely Flyers rejuvenation. It might be making the playoffs here. That's our goal." too late on the calendar and in the standings, but with each passing Hart- hewn victory the feeling of relief and belief becomes a little more Delaware County Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 perceptible. Hart made 31 saves Monday night and the Flyers beat the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets 3-1. Save for a crucial injury to Jets defensive leader Dustin Byfuglien, who has missed the last 11 games, this is the same Cup-contending Jets team that took the Flyers apart 7-1 on Dec. 9. For the Flyers, that loss dropped them under hockey's version of .500 ... and things would get a lot worse afterward. Yet this turnaround home victory, coming after a nine-day schedule break, was the fifth Flyers win in their last six games. It's not only Hart, but he has certainly set the beat for what may be a turnaround of another sort. Or is too early to say that? "It's the ups and downs of the season," said Travis Konecny, whose second-period goal put the Flyers ahead for good. "It's just a matter of finding a groove and sticking with it. It's easy to look now and say we could have did this a couple of months ago, but sometimes it takes time to get in a groove and now we're finding our way in." The search has become a lot easier with the young puckfinder leading the way. "He looked like he was pretty confident in there tonight, making some big saves," Konecny said. "We're happy for him, we're playing hard in front of him and just trying to keep feeding off his confidence." It has worked the other way, too. "It's definitely given us confidence to play offensively and create opportunities up ice," Konecny added. "He's just been a wall in there for us." It took a wholly unforgiving half-season in the dumper, along with what should have been anticipated injuries to veteran goalies Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth, followed by Ron Hextall's dismissal as general manager. But finally, the Flyers had to find out if the kid was ready for a big-league game. He already had the name. "I feel comfortable at this level," Hart said after improving to 7-5-1, but with a goals-against average now of 2.38 and saves percentage of .927. "After the first couple of games, or at least after the first game against Detroit, my nerves were just crazy," Hart added. "But after that I just kind of realized it's another game. The boards are the same, the ice is the same, you've just got to go out and play. That's the approach I've had." Against a very physical and skilled Winnipeg team, Hart's approach and execution were both rock-solid. The Jets (31-16-2, 64 points), who like the Flyers were coming off a bye week break, didn't have much going for them in the first period. Nor did the Flyers. A goal by Phantom-turned- Flyer-fourth-liner Phil Varone 9:47 into the second got the home team up. But just 3:12 later Winnipeg's Jack Roslovic scored on a power play to tie it. And that was all they'd get against Hart. While he held strong, a Flyers defense that was shabby at the start solidified. Konecny scored, then worked a nice go-and-give for a James van Riemsdyk goal in the third to lock it up. Simple, right? It can be when the goalie's going good. That's something this Flyers team hadn't experienced much in the first half. Of course, everyone knows the mountain that has to be scaled down the stretch for the seemingly impossible postseason dream. Yet the Flyers 1128046 Philadelphia Flyers Fletcher indicated he's interested in getting Wayne Simmonds signed to a contract extension,

"I’ve had several conversations with, you know, a couple with Wayne, but Flyers Notebook: You've got to have Hart ... but somebody else, too more importantly with his representation," Fletcher said. "I’ve certainly had some meetings with them and I think we all know where we stand. I can’t really predict how it’s going to play out but clearly in the next few By Rob Parent weeks we will have to resolve that one way or the other." In other words ... the NHL trade deadline is Feb. 25, so stay tuned. VOORHEES, N.J. — Not that it's surprising, but even with the ascension • • • of Carter Hart, the Flyers' goaltending isn't a completely stable force these days. Another hopeful to stick with the Flyers is interim head coach Scott Gordon. That's not expected to happen since Joel Quenneville is still Certainly Hart has added a sense of calm where it was needed. He took vacationing on his Blackhawks contract, but so far, Gordon has been to the crease Monday night against the Winnipeg Jets for his sixth making a good case. consecutive start and eighth out of the last nine Flyers games. Hart came in with a 6-5-1 mark but nicely paired with a 2.66 goals-against average "I’ve been really impressed with the job he’s done," Fletcher said of his and .918 saves percentage. head coach. "Scott, he’s very demanding, but he does it in a very professional way. He’s a strong communicator. The players know exactly What comes with that sense of calm, however, is a measure of what he likes and doesn’t like. He’s not afraid to take ice time away, and confusion. As in ... what's behind him? to give ice time to players that do the right things. I think that’s what you have to do, and I think the players respect that." "That's a great question," general manager Chuck Fletcher said Monday. "I’m open to suggestions. We need to get everybody healthy." Delaware County Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 While the cry for better health is an annual rite of Philly hockey passage at this time of year, it is particularly imperative with the state of the organization's goalie guys. Starting from what used to be the top, Brian Elliott, Michal Neuvirth and Alex Lyon are all out with various injuries. The Phantoms, buoyed by game appearances by Anthony Stolarz and Hart while the Flyers were on a long break, are now using usual Reading Royal Branden Komm as their go-to goalie. This because Hart and Stolarz, finally healthy after being shelved four weeks after tweaking his previously wrecked knee, are the top Flyers tandem. Longtime bubble goalie Mike McKenna is around as a third Flyer goalie and he could see Phantoms duty at some point, presuming he'd clear waivers. But the Phantoms' best shot at more stability in net is for onetime Flyers starter Elliott to finally get past the core muscle issues that have sidelined him since mid-November. "Brian is doing better," Fletcher said. "It’s been a tough go for him. He’s trying hard, he’s just had these lingering issues. He feels better, he’s back on skates. ... Once you get back on the ice and you’re taking shots you’re obviously getting closer." Fletcher said his hope is such that Elliott would be available again in perhaps two weeks' time. But that time frame has been pushed back time and again. Then there's Neuvirth, who has so many injuries it's hard to keep track of where and why they happen. While Fletcher was optimistic about Elliott, with Neuvirth ... not so much. "Just having a hard time getting him feeling right," Fletcher said of Neuvirth. "He doesn’t feel right (in his) lower body. I can’t even give you a prediction on that one." Join the club. As for the others, Fletcher added, "Alex Lyon has a groin pull, lower body. He’s day to day. I think we’re running out of goalies. McKenna’s healthy. That’s all we have. We don’t have any other goalies." They do have Stolarz, who is the scheduled Tuesday night starter at Madison Square Garden. The tall guy from Jackson Twp., N.J., who missed much of the past two seasons with a couple of major knee problems and a month of games with a more minor issue this season just played a sharp game for the Phantoms and wants to extend that to the Flyers. "I want to leave an impression," Stolarz said. "Whatever (Fletcher) decides to do going forward, you want to make sure you leave a positive impact in his mind. ... I want to try to go out there in the second half and show that I'm an asset; show that I'm healthy and I still have a lot of game left in me." Like Elliott and Neuvirth, Stolarz, 25, is on an expiring contract. That's another reason he feels the urgency to show he's really back healthy. "This is where I want to be," he said. "It's close to home, I love what the organization is doing with a youth movement. I've kind of grown up here, developed relationships. ... It would be great to stay." • • • 1128047 Philadelphia Flyers In listening to Fletcher Monday, it's clear he's on the same page with Holmgren, the guy who hired him eight weeks ago. It's also clear this Flyers roster already has a figurative "For Sale" sign hanging on it. Parent: Flyers' Chuck Fletcher emerges from hibernation, seems warm to "Trying to make the team better at all costs, I guess, would be the best trading task way of putting it," Fletcher said. "I’m not trading Claude Giroux, that’s for sure. We have a lot of good players here, but I would never say never to almost anybody besides Giroux. By Rob Parent "Giroux’s got the no-trade and he’s our captain and probably one of the best players in the history of the franchise. So I don’t think that makes much sense. There’s a lot of guys that don’t make much sense either, but VOORHEES, N.J. — Chuck Fletcher doesn't do the press conference I can’t say never (with them). thing very often, but in taking the opportunity to do so Monday, he didn't waste much time on platitudes. "I don’t expect us to trade a first-round pick for a rental," he added. "We could both buy and sell, but I guess my point is, every decision we make, On the eight-week anniversary of his appointment as Flyers general if we’re going to try to improve our team going forward and we can get manager, Fletcher let everybody know that his period of assessment was that player now, great. There’s always opportunities. For me, it’s not the over. The conclusion? next eight games or even the rest of the year. From this point forward, we have to get better. To be better next year, we may have to try to get "We’re not good enough right now," Fletcher said. better this year. See? General managing isn't rocket science, after all. "The bigger focus is we’d like to get some pieces in here that will be a Overall, however, Fletcher's feelings about his Flyers are somewhat part of this for a few years. That’s really where my focus has been." mixed, perhaps because he's hoping their interrupted run of four wins in Of course, it's not exactly where his players' current focus is trained. After five games as they entered Monday's date with the Winnipeg Jets wasn't a too-long break from action, they were to play a game against a Cup- a pre-schedule-break anomaly. contending Jets team, hoping the result would indicate an ability to pick "We’re playing better," Fletch said. "You know, the (playoff) odds aren’t up right where they had left off before the nine-day respite. great for us this year. But with this group, you never count them out. ... It's their jobs to still believe this is at the very least a playoff team We’re at a stage here where we need a big run. We finished well before the break. We have an opportunity here, six of the next eight are at home It's Chuck Fletcher's job to deal from a more realistic angle, one that and clearly we need to get a lot of points. We’ll see." should result in shaking the locker room to its core. That was the buoyant Fletch, but he had no mixed metaphors about how "I think we’re a better team than what our record indicates, but our record he's gauging the club's immediate future from a personnel standpoint. is our record," Fletcher said. "We’re a long way back. We’ve got a lot of work to do." "I think as I mentioned before, right now we’re not good enough," Fletcher continued. "We have to get better. We have good players, we Delaware County Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 haven’t been a good team. We haven’t defended very well. Our specialty teams have been atrocious, at least in terms of what the numbers say. I think we’re killing penalties much better. "Our power play, you know it may sound goofy to say this, it’s been historically unlucky. It’s crazy the number of chances we’ve been able to generate and what we’ve been able to convert on. It’s below any team I’ve ever seen in terms of bad luck. I do believe we have the talent there where that (luck) should turn and the power play should get better. But going forward, whether it’s defensive zone play, our specialty teams, our goaltending ... we have things we can do to improve this team pretty quickly." Well, with all that said, why bother? No matter the buoyant feeling left over from the four wins just prior to the ridiculous NHL "bye week" and subsequent All-Star Weekend waste of air time, Fletcher knows the score. The Flyers have played as many games as the eighth-and-final-wildcard team in the East, the Penguins, and trailed them by 14 points heading into Monday's game against the Jets. Good luck catching them in the remaining 34 games, or even in passing the five teams that stand between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, for whatever that's worth. But part of Fletcher's hiring agenda was to retain a little of that buoyancy, that personal bounce he showed to make deals and signings that kept his old team, the Minnesota Wild, playoff-caliber for the last six seasons of his nine-year rule. Never won much of anything once there, but hey, that's an argument for another day. Like when the challenges and goals are loftier. "Clearly we’ve dug ourselves a big hole for this year," Fletcher said, "so what I’m trying to do is talk to every team in the league, looking for opportunities. Whether it’s now or the summer, we need to find some pieces to improve our team." This would be another departure area when it comes to comparing Fletcher to his predecessor Ron Hextall. While he was doing an admirable job of rebuilding the Philadelphia prospect pool, Hextall was holding onto his opinion that the "core group" of forwards would not only stay in place but be planted here for the long term. In a recent talk with Flyers president Paul Holmgren, he mentioned Claude Giroux as the club's only untouchable, primarily because he has a full no-trade clause in his deal. 1128048 Philadelphia Flyers Only time will tell. “To be honest, probably better,” said Phil Varone, who played with Hart in Lehigh Valley. “It’s not easy for anyone to transition to pro, especially for Imagine if Carter Hart arrived before having to clean up Flyers' mess a goaltender. He’s been phenomenal. It’s more than what I saw in the American League. He deserves to be here.” By Tom Dougherty January 29, 2019 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019

Moments after the final horn blew Monday night and The Boils’ “Orange And The Black” began serenading a joyous Wells Fargo Center, it was hard not to wonder if this was an instance of What Could Have Been, or even What Probably Should Have Been, if only. If only Carter Hart was here from the onset. If only injuries didn’t force the Flyers to cycle through five goaltenders before turning to their prized prospect. If only 33-year-old Brian Elliott’s offseason surgically-repaired lower body held up and everything went according to plan. But here we are, and this is where the Flyers are. The Flyers on Monday rung off their season-high fourth straight win, a 3- 1 decision over the Jets (see observations). It served as a reminder of just how much has changed in the seven weeks since the Jets mopped the dreary streets of Winnipeg with the Flyers, the second game of a five- game trip that began with a 6-2 win in Buffalo and ended with Dave Hakstol’s firing. In reality, the Flyers are so far down in the standings that it’s damn near impossible for them to make the playoffs. It’s easy to let the mind wander, after a team effort like Monday’s, after another impressive outing from Hart, where was this three months ago? Goaltending, as historically decayed as it’s been, wasn’t the No. 1 reason the Flyers fired their general manager, then their AGM and assistant coach and then, eventually, Hakstol. But it is the chief reason why they’re showing glimpses of their potential. Hart has stabilized the Flyers’ crease and his performance Monday was just another in a string of games that has us no longer questioning whether he belongs. He does. “If I’m surprised? Yes, I am,” Claude Giroux said. “You’re not supposed to be a 20-year-old and play the way he’s playing. … I don’t think he knows how to panic.” The latest chapter of The Legend of Carter Hart entails a 31-save showing against a Jets team that averages 3.41 goals, sixth best in the NHL. Hart allowed one goal Monday, and it was a blemish that no goalie stood a chance at stopping. There were a bushel of quality saves from Hart, perhaps none better than his post-to-post robbery of Mark Scheifele shorthanded near the end of the first period. Hart, after his 13th career start, sports a .922 save percentage and is the first Flyers goalie to record a four-game winning streak before his 21st birthday. Since Jan. 5, he owns an NHL-most 260 saves, a 2.39 goals- against average and a 5-2-1 record. “I feel comfortable at this level,” Hart said. “I think after the first couple of games, my nerves were just crazy. After that, I kind of just realized, ‘Hey, it’s another game. The boards are the same, the ice is the same, just got to go out and play.’” Some things are worth the wait. Some myths you have to confirm with your own eyes. Some things are hard to screw up unless you’re Edmonton. It’s easy to look at what has unfolded over the past four months and say Hart should have been here since Game 1. That’s not how this season has played out. Hart very well may have needed those 17 games with the Phantoms before his NHL call-up. He figured out the AHL quickly, and by circumstance, found himself in South Philadelphia faster than anyone anticipated. With the Flyers attempting to figure out their identity going forward into the next stage of whatever this is, Hart is oozing with confidence, and it's impacting everyone else. It’s as if when the stakes get higher, there’s another level inside of Hart that breaks free. There remains so much untapped potential that it's exciting to see what's to come. We keep telling ourselves there will be bumps in the road. There sure will be. It’s part of the process. But 13 games into Hart’s young NHL career, the hype that followed him in junior, on the international stage, in Lehigh Valley, seems very real. Hart might actually be the goalie that sheds the Flyers’ label of Goaltending Graveyard. 1128049 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers 3, Jets 1: Carter Hart keeps rolling out of break to lead season- best 4th straight win

By John Boruk January 28, 2019 9:40 PM

The Flyers picked up where they left off and now have their first four- game winning streak of the season. They received contributions from three different lines in taking down the Jets, 3-1, Monday for the seventh straight time at the Wells Fargo Center. It was also the Flyers' first win over one of the current first-place teams. Prior to this win, the Flyers were 0-2-4 against the four divisional leaders. Here are my observations: • As expected, the Flyers looked like a team coming off an eight-day layoff. The team had trouble completing simple breakout passes in the first period and had difficulties navigating its way through the neutral zone through the first 40 minutes. • With Shayne Gostisbehere a last-minute scratch with a lower-body injury, Christian Folin gave the Flyers a solid 9:12 in his place with a couple of hits and blocked shots. Collectively, the Flyers' defense as a whole stepped up and played one of its better all-around games, contributing at both ends of the ice. The question moving forward is if "Ghost" is out for an extended amount of time, will we see Philippe Myers? “I think Phil has earned the right to get some games and we’ll have to find the right time where,” general manager Chuck Fletcher said Monday. • Against a hard, heavy team like the Jets, it was important to create offense from rebounds and redirected shots. The Flyers did just that, scoring their first two goals on shots from the point. Even though Mikhail Vorobyev wasn’t credited for an assist on the Flyers' first goal, he set up that tally by skating the puck across the line into the zone before spotting an open Folin at the blue line. Fourth line coming through! Varone gives the Flyers a 1-0 lead! | @skiJFBB pic.twitter.com/Drr2KX6KMa — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 29, 2019 I liked Vorobyev’s game at both ends of the ice in his first contest back with the Flyers since October. Interim head coach Scott Gordon was cautious with his ice time (only 7:36), but that will be the test to see how he handles limited shifts and how he stays engaged after playing 20-plus minutes with the Phantoms. • The Jets' top line of Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler is one of the tougher top lines the Flyers have faced this season. It’s difficult to work the puck away from it, but because it comes hard on the forecheck and plays deep in the offensive end, it also left itself susceptible to some odd-man rushes and the Flyers had some quality scoring chances as a result. • Perhaps there was some criticism behind playing Carter Hart with the Phantoms last Saturday night, but I didn’t see much downside and the extra start looked like it gave him an opportunity to work off the rust of a layoff. Hart was locked in from the opening jump and the Grade-A saves he made on the Jets' first power-play opportunity were proof that he would keep his teammates in this game.

Carter Hart doing Carter Hart things  pic.twitter.com/SeIET4mGCI — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 29, 2019 • James van Riemsdyk was buzzing in the Jets' zone in the final 20 minutes of this game. He had a no-look pass to Sean Couturier that could have led to a goal and then perfectly executed a give-and-go with Travis Konecny that sealed the Flyers' victory. Along with Nolan Patrick, I expect JVR to have a considerably better second half of the season. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128050 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers' Shayne Gostisbehere a last-minute scratch vs. Jets with lower- body injury

By John Boruk January 28, 2019

Shayne Gostisbehere was a last-minute scratch for the Flyers' game against the Jets Monday. The defenseman suffered a lower-body injury as he left pregame warmups to head to the dressing room and never returned. "I think there was something that happened this morning," Flyers interim head coach Scott Gordon said after a 3-1 win. "I didn't get the details of it, but it's apparently nothing more than a bruise." Gostisbehere will miss Tuesday's road game against the Rangers but the Flyers are hopeful he'll be able to play Thursday in Boston against the Bruins. Christian Folin took Gostisbehere’s place in the Flyers' lineup Monday. "Ghost" had played in 86 consecutive games dating back to Jan. 13, 2018. The fourth-year defenseman has seen his role decrease dramatically over his past five games, no longer on the top power-play unit. Against the Canadiens, Gostisbehere played a season-low 13:47 despite contributing a pair of assists in a 5-2 victory. For the season, Gostisbehere has five goals and 15 assists in 48 games. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128051 Philadelphia Flyers 4. Weise is done with the Flyers As reported two weeks ago, Dale Weise will no longer be a part of the Flyers moving forward as Fletcher is looking to move him to another Chuck Fletcher on the future of Wayne Simmonds and who's team as part of a packaged deal in which the Flyers may end up eating a untouchable portion of his salary. Interestingly, there doesn’t appear to be a fallout between the player and By John Boruk January 28, 2019 1:55 PM the organization other than that Fletcher was ready to move on and give his roster position to someone else (like Mikhail Vorobyev) where the team could evaluate their future moving forward. VOORHEES, N.J. — Chuck Fletcher is at a crucial juncture of the Fletcher: “He’s been working out on his own. I spoke to him again season with the Flyers currently 14 points back of an Eastern Conference yesterday, and once the American League All-Star break’s over, he’ll playoff spot and the NHL trade deadline now less than a month away. report to Lehigh, and he’s obviously hungry to get playing, and to find a situation that’s better for himself.” The Flyers' general manager held a post-All Star break “State of the Flyers” in which he discussed at length a number of pressing topics. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 1. A new deal for Simmonds doesn't appear imminent Fletcher didn’t get too detailed into negotiations regarding Wayne Simmonds' agent, but he has spoken to Simmonds and his representative and I think it’s clear Simmonds wants a long-term contract and the Flyers are hesitant to make that type of commitment. To compound those issues are league-wide reports that Simmonds will be a hot commodity on the trade market, which only strengthens his bargaining chip as a player that other teams around the league covet. My feeling is that Simmonds will be traded and the Flyers get a nice return to help them moving forward for next season. Fletcher is also mindful of the Flyers' salary cap situation moving forward as Ivan Provorov, Travis Konecny, Scott Laughton and Travis Sanheim all need new contracts after this season as well. Fletcher: “I’ve certainly had some meetings with them and I think we all know where we stand and I can’t really predict how it’s going to play out, but clearly in the next few weeks we will have to resolve that one way or the other.” 2. Giroux is an untouchable, but outside of that ... This was perhaps some of the more intriguing stuff Fletcher provided as he gave some insight when questioned about the leadership group of the team moving forward. I would put Sean Couturier in that same group as you need an effective two-way center to win a Stanley Cup championship if you look at teams like the Blackhawks (Jonathan Toews), the Bruins (Patrice Bergeron) and the Kings (Anze Kopitar). Provorov to some degree is untouchable unless you receive an overwhelming return. Fletcher: “We have a lot of good players here but I would never say never to almost anybody besides [Claude] Giroux. Giroux’s got the no- trade and he’s our captain and probably one of the best players in the history of the franchise. So I don’t think that makes much sense. But there’s a lot of guys that don’t make much sense either, but I can’t say never.” The Flyers' GM also believes he can be "a buyer and a seller" before the deadline, whereas his predecessor Ron Hextall took more of the seller’s approach with his team out of the playoffs in 2014-15 and in 2016-17, adding primarily draft picks. I foresee Fletcher trying to add more NHL- ready players that fill a need or a certain role on the Flyers. Fletcher: “We have things we can do to improve this team pretty quickly. But clearly we’ve dug ourselves a big hole for this year, so what I’m trying to do is talk to every team in the league and looking for opportunities. Whether it’s now, the summer, we need to find some pieces to improve our team.” 3. Expect to see Morin and Myers soon Which promising defenseman will we see play his first game with the Flyers this season? Once he’s completely healthy and ready to go, Samuel Morin will report to the Phantoms for a conditioning stint that can last no longer than two weeks. Speaking with Morin on Sunday, it’s all about timing, the mental side of his game and finding that trust within himself. He believes a mid-to-late February return is a more likely timeframe. As far as Philippe Myers, Fletcher saw the 22-year-old defenseman over the bye week and was highly impressed in his evaluation that he’s NHL- ready. Fletcher: “Myers, to me, looks like he’s earned the right to get some games. He’s played really well. What I like about Phil is there’s a lot more consistency in his games.” 1128052 Philadelphia Flyers Shayne Gostisbehere - Robert Hagg Andrew MacDonald - Radko Gudas Flyers vs. Jets: Live stream, storylines, game time and more Goalies Carter Hart By John Boruk January 28, 2019 1:00 PM Anthony Stolarz Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 It’s a big test against another big team from out West. The Flyers (19-23-6) host the Jets (31-15-) tonight as the orange and black shoot for a season-high four-game winning streak in their first game back from their bye week and NHL All-Star break. Winnipeg hasn’t won in Philadelphia since January 31, 2012. The Flyers have won six straight over the Jets at the Wells Fargo Center. Let's take a look at tonight's essentials. • When: 7 p.m. ET • Where: Wells Fargo Center • Broadcast: NBCSP, NBCSN • Live stream: NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com and the NBC Sports MyTeams app • Claude Giroux returned from the All-Star Game in San Jose after helping lead the Metropolitan Division to a 10-5 championship victory over Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and the Central Division. Giroux scored 1:53 into the game as the Metros exploded to a five-goal first- period lead. As part of the winning All-Star team, Giroux will receive a percentage of the $1 million earnings. The Flyers' captain hinted that he will donate some of those winnings to his foundation, which supports the Silver Springs Martin Luther School, CHOP and the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. Giroux was definitely ready to get back to work. Upon returning to the team, he asked interim head coach Scott Gordon if there were any video review sessions that he missed Sunday. The player and coach sat down and looked at film of the team’s neutral zone forecheck. • Mikhail Vorobyev returns after he was recalled Sunday from Lehigh Valley. Vorobyev practiced with the team and centered the Flyers' fourth line with Michael Raffl and Phil Varone. Vorobyev opened the season as the Flyers' third-line center, beating out Jordan Weal and Scott Laughton in training camp. After collecting a point in each of his first two games, Vorobyev went scoreless in his next five games and saw his ice time nearly cut in half. I was so happy. It’s another chance for me. I just want to stay in the NHL for my whole career and just try to do everything for this. • With a point against the Jets, Sean Couturier will set a new career best with a seven-game point streak. With an assist Jan. 19 against Montreal, Couturier matched his previous six-game streak established back in December 2014. Couturier has 10 points (four goals, six assists) during his current streak, including a hat trick in a 4-3 win over the Bruins. • The Jets will be without the services of hulking defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, who has missed the previous 10 games with an ankle injury. Byfuglien scored a power-play goal during Winnipeg’s 7-1 trouncing of the Flyers on Dec. 9. Winnipeg’s power play is fourth in the NHL at 26.0 percent, but outside of Manitoba, it’s not quite as lethal. The Jets' power play has a 35.2 success rate at home compared to a 16.2 percentage on the road — the widest disparity between home/road splits in the NHL. Projected lineup Forwards James van Riemsdyk - Claude Giroux - Travis Konecny Oskar Lindblom - Sean Couturier - Jake Voracek Scott Laughton - Nolan Patrick - Wayne Simmonds Michael Raffl - Mikhail Vorobyev - Phil Varone Defensemen Ivan Provorov - Travis Sanheim 1128053 Philadelphia Flyers a player, sort of revolutionize the position that a quote, unquote undersized centerman can persevere and make it to be a superstar in the National Hockey League — because there's not a ton of them that have An inside look at Jack Hughes, the top NHL draft prospect Flyers fans done that. are craving Wroblewski calls Hughes "manicured." It's an excellent way to describe him. Hughes doesn't sound like a 17- By Jordan Hall January 28, 2019 year-old. He's well-spoken because he's well-groomed, unfazed by the hype of being the top-ranked 2019 draft prospect.

He credits much of his maturity and preparation to his "great support Understandably, John Wroblewski had initial doubts. system," featuring his family and coaches. Not necessarily about the player as much as the situation. Wroblewski His father Jim Hughes, mother Ellen Weinberg-Hughes and uncle Marty was coaching the 2016-17 U.S. national U-18 team when the little brother Hughes all played Division I hockey. His older brother Quinn was drafted of star defenseman Quinn Hughes tagged along for a skate. seventh overall by the Canucks last summer and plays at Michigan, while his younger brother Luke is 15 years old and considered an up-and- That little brother was Jack Hughes and Wroblewski had yet to see him coming talent. play. "We've all kind of been through the ringer already," Hughes said last "You sort of ask the questions, OK, well how often do you have a 15- Tuesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. "I'm thankful year-old skating with a U-18 team and how good is the kid?" Wroblewski to have them around me." said. Wroblewski said the scouting presence this season for the Hughes-led U- The verdict? 18 team has been "overwhelming," but in a good sense. "The answer is he's pretty good, he's pretty good," Wroblewski said with "It's been nonstop, it's been relentless," Wroblewski said. "The scouting a laugh last Wednesday in a phone interview with NBC Sports community — reporters doing articles or scouting prospects, [people] that Philadelphia. "We've got to keep an eye on him. You get him out there do this for a living, and of course the NHL scouts — is all trying to and instantaneously he fits in and exceeds and then also enamors you — decipher where do these guys fall in the pick of the litter. And I'll tell you, all three of these observationalist thought processes come to your right behind Jack on this team, there's a slew of other players that are senses in that hour and a half skate of this tiny, little kid who somehow going to be right there with him in the National Hockey League." comes out and impresses you so much within that short period of time. For Hughes, the eyes on him are at an all-time high with the draft a little "Not only with his skill level, but kind of how some of the great players out less than five months away. there, how they can make the game slow down or speed up at their will. It's tough to describe unless you've been around him." Is he keen to the amplified attention? Wroblewski has been around him a bunch, coaching Hughes for the "No, I've been dealing with that since I was 14, 15 years old," Hughes second straight season in the U.S. national team development program. said. "A scout is pretty much another person in the building. All I have to do is play my game and have fun." Unequivocally, he now knows all about the 17-year-old, a darting and dynamic center whose playmaking ability can cause motion sickness for Like Wroblewski said, Hughes is manicured. opponents. He gives you guys the clichés at times, but there's a little bit of twist to his Before the start of 2018-19, Hughes was hardly a blip on the Flyers' cliché answers. There's insight there, it's not like he's just throwing out radar. Not with the team signing James van Riemsdyk to bolster an these random phrases. He's got practice at it, but he's not just going experienced roster and take its biggest step since the 2011-12 season. through the motions when he talks to the media, which gives me a lot of The NHL draft was an afterthought. hope that he could be at that ultimate ambassador to the game. Not just a guy that goes through and plays excellent hockey and is a focal point, Oh, how things have changed. but somebody who is also attractive to the media. The Flyers entered the All-Star break at 19-23-6 and with more points At the same time, when the cameras are away and he's not on the (44) than only two other NHL teams — the Devils (43) and Senators (43). spotlight, he's a kid. He's a high school kid who is goofy and funny in the A startling shake-up within the front office and coaching staff became the back of the bus — he's got personality, he's got swagger, he has a lot of messy byproduct of another slow start, this one the most impactful of the intangibles. them all. Jack Hughes Suddenly but inevitably, Hughes' name has permeated the fan base. He is widely considered the consensus No. 1 pick for the 2019 NHL draft. There wasn't just one play or game that convinced Wroblewski. And Flyers fans are astutely aware. "I don't think moments capture excellence," he said, "particularly with a kid that's going to go No. 1 overall in the draft." The golden spot is in sight. The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in November 2017 was when Jack Hughes Wroblewski really saw it. The U.S. had taken home gold by beating Canada, 6-4, in Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Similar to any NHL draft, the climb of the top overall pick will be debated. Many will line Hughes up against past No. 1 selections — from Patrick Hughes led the field with 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in six games. Kane (2007) to Connor McDavid (2015) and fellow USNTDP product Auston Matthews (2016). "He just completely dominated the event — and then as the octane and the temperature rose in the tournament, he continued to surpass While Hughes is only 5-foot-10, 168 pounds and turns 18 just a month expectations and continued to dominate and find another level," before the draft, Wroblewski sees him developing into a player of his own Wroblewski said. "In a hostile environment — he was a kid who grew up mold. a bit in Toronto wearing the American sweater, and all of a sudden he's thrust into this environment; it was such a pro-Canadian environment, My belief is that he'll be in the NHL next year and there's really not a and he allows himself to block out all the X-factors and just concentrate comparable. You're starting to see more and more of the hybrid type of on dominating the game at hand. player — guys that play with speed and skill. One of Jack's unique traits is that even though there are questions out there in regards to his size, "That to me was kind of the time where I was like, 'This kid is No. 1.' I he's a true center iceman and he will play in the middle and he will figure always had that throughout the fall, but from there on, it was like, 'This is out a way to make it work. the kid that's going No. 1 next year.'" You throw him into the blender with wingers like Kane and [Johnny] Hughes strives to be the entire package. Gaudreau, but then you have to put him in the middle of the ice, so he's got that speed like McDavid. He doesn't have McDavid's size, but he's That doesn't mean he's there yet. However, the multifaceted, no-holes-in- got things that I think McDavid would be envious of, as well. your-game mindset is what pushes him. There's a component here that I think has yet to be realized. Like his "As a hockey player, everything you do you want to improve," Hughes brother Quinn, young kids are going to look at him and want to be him as said. "You see the best players in the world working on their game, year in and year out. For me, I focus on everything, but some of the things I focus on the most are my faceoffs and my shot. Those are two things that need to be really good to be a good player." What about his strengths? I play a new brand of hockey — speed and skill, the way the game is now. I'm kind of an open book. There are a lot of great players out there and something that they all have in common is that they're Swiss Army knives. They can do everything really well. I feel like my game is what my game is, but I'm working on other parts of my game and trying to become the best at everything that I do. I'm going to show up to the rink to compete and have fun. In 28 games this season as the captain of the U.S. national U-18 team, Hughes has 56 points on 13 goals and 43 assists. In 60 combined games last season between the U-17 and U-18 teams, Hughes had 116 points on 40 goals and 76 assists. "He's a workhorse on and off the ice," Wroblewski said. "He'll do whatever it takes. When he finds a deficiency in his game, or if there's something not at — if you want to scale things out of five — if there's something that's not at a five, he'll start working right away at getting to that number. "Last year, it was his shot. He did not have a very good shot. It was still good, but it wasn't elite. He went at it hard this summer, his one-timer, his release, everything else has improved so much in that regard. And that's something that I think he'll continue to do." Jack Hughes The Twitter hashtag has grown in popularity for any struggling team near the NHL basement and in the ballpark of the 2019 draft's first overall slot. #LoseForHughes. Hughes isn't oblivious to the slogan in which many Flyers fans have adopted. "The first time I heard it was actually my OHL draft year (2016-17)," he said with a laugh. "It's not new to me, but every time I see it, it's pretty funny and I get a little chuckle out of it." How hard the Flyers charge after the All-Star break will determine their chances for Hughes, while the NHL draft lottery results will have the final say. Whichever team does land Hughes, its fans will be on board with his message. "I'd tell them I hope to give them a lot of good years," Hughes said. "That's what every player wants — they want to go to a city that's hungry to win and a city that's a lot of fun. That's really what I'd be excited about — have fun with the city and playing hockey for the community and the city, for however long I'm there." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128054 Philadelphia Flyers Patrick continues to impress Approaching the trade deadline, the Flyers have a lot of decisions to make and there will be trickle-down effects. Nolan Patrick isn’t a likely Flyers 5 takeaways: Carter Hart continues to fuel his teammates candidate to be traded but he may still be affected in some way. If he plays well enough perhaps the Flyers elevate him back to the second line and slide Claude Giroux back to the wing on Sean Couturier’s line. Dave Isaac, Jan. 28, 2019 Recently Patrick has shown he’s ready for it and the Winnipegger didn’t factor in on the scoresheet but had a really good game against his hometown team Monday night. He logged 13:41 of ice time, had three PHILADELPHIA — More stats continue to pile in to justify what everyone shots, one block and won 71 percent of his faceoffs playing mostly has been able to see quite clearly: not only is Carter Hart playing great against Mathieu Perreault, Bryan Little and Patrik Laine. as a rookie goalie thrown to the wolves, he’s also providing a level of confidence for those around him. “With Nolan Patrick, I really like what I've seen in the last month,” general manager Chuck Fletcher said Monday afternoon. “I know he's scored With the Flyers and Winnipeg Jets both coming off their bye weeks, Hart some goals right before the break but, even before that, he was moving made 11 first-period saves in a sloppy first period and had 20 more in the his feet and was playing very well on both sides of the puck. You can see next two periods to help extend a win streak to four games with a 3-1 him with his head up, carrying puck through the middle of the ice and victory. playing with confidence. Everyone can see that. He's a big man and highly skilled, so he's hard to handle. Nolan Patrick is going to be a very “You’re not supposed to be a 20-year-old and play the way he’s playing big part of our team moving ahead.” right now,” captain Claude Giroux said. “He’s just playing, having fun and we’re trying to do the best in front of him. Varone learning to play new role “I don’t think he knows how to panic, so that’s a good thing.” In the American Hockey League, Varone was the most valuable player last season. He was playing 20 minutes a night. He was the Lehigh Carter Hart doing Carter Hart things  pic.twitter.com/SeIET4mGCI Valley Phantoms’ version of Giroux. Up in the NHL he has learned how — NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) January 29, 2019 to adjust to playing a different role and much fewer minutes. Hart became the first goalie in Flyers history to post a four-game win BIG MOOD. #WPGvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyerspic.twitter.com/5MFOoymkPP streak before he’s of legal age to have a beer. He is the youngest goalie — Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) January 29, 2019 to have played more than two games in franchise history and assuming he plays the full game the next time he starts, he will also have Monday he got the Flyers on the board when he put home a loose surpassed Brian Elliott as having the most action of the season among all rebound in the slot, his first goal in 13 games. That’s a drought he’s not seven Flyers goalies. used to in the minors. His line with Mikhail Vorobyev and Michael Raffl was very effective. He stood tall Monday night long enough for Phil Varone to open the scoring in the second period and Travis Konecny and James van “It just comes with understanding the situation you’re in,” Varone said. Riemsdyk to follow in the scoring parade. “Everyone wants to play 20 minutes. Everyone wants to be on the power play, but sometimes you’re not in that situation and you’ve got to make From his pregame rituals to his routine in the crease of testing his post- do with what you have. It is what it is. I’m trying to do the best I can with it to-post speed, skating out to the slot and jumping in the air, Hart says and go from there.” there are no indicators that tell him whether he’s going to have a good night or a bad one. So far in the NHL, he’s only had one bad one: a loss Loose Pucks to the Carolina Hurricanes on New Year’s Eve where he got pulled. • Shayne Gostisbehere was a late scratch after he left warmups with “I think there’s times when things aren’t gonna go your way. there’s what the team called a “lower-body injury.” Gordon said it’s nothing gonna be times when you’re not seeing the puck well or you’re not major, likely just a bruise, and that the team hopes he can play Thursday controlling rebounds,” Hart said. “When you do play in those kind of in Boston. That means Christian Folin, who was pressed into duty games you just have to compete and I know for myself competing is a Monday night, will play Tuesday in New York against the Rangers. huge part of my game and making sure I’m pushing the pace on every play and trying to be one step ahead on every play.” • Ivan Provorov seemed back to his old self Monday. He logged 28:03 of ice time, his third most this season, and played virtually mistake-free. “I think it’s just been, from Day 1 to where he is now, he’s gotten better Those type of games were the expectation in his first two seasons but every day,” interim coach Scott Gordon said. “I think it’s not surprising hasn’t been the case most of this year. that he has been capable to be as good as he is because we know how talented he is. But I think the part that’s been impressive is how he’s • Monday marked the 200th NHL game for Konecny. Fletcher said handled the whole process of getting to this point and doing it in some Monday that he’s talked to Konecny’s agent, Mark Guy, but there’s no pretty good competition.” rush on an extension for the pending restricted free agent. He’s certainly going to be a fixture for years to come and has found chemistry with van Here are four more takeaways from Monday’s game… Riemsdyk. Where’s this been? “It flew by. I’m sure as the games get going my body will start feeling it,” Konecny said of his milestone. “It kind of flies by. It’s crazy when guys The victory puts the Flyers 12 points out of a playoff spot. It’s still a huge talk about how fast it goes by. Two hundred games is quite a bit. I hadn’t mountain to climb but considering how well they’ve been playing lately thought about it until today.” there’s got to be some level of frustration that they couldn’t put the pieces together sooner. Courier-Post LOADED: 01.29.2019 Gordon said a lot of that points back to how unstable the goaltending was because of injuries to Elliott, Michal Neuvirth, Anthony Stolarz and Alex Lyon before Hart came in and provided some solidity. “Carter’s obviously been the benefactor of that and that’s great for him and if anything, when you look at what happened with the team, I can’t speak to everything but that certainly has an impact,” Gordon said. “All of a sudden you lose a few games and you start to press and you probably try to do things you wouldn’t normally do if it’s a normal situation and you lose ground quickly.” “Now things are set up a little bit differently than they were,” van Riemsdyk added. “Obviously we weren’t good enough at the start of the year. There’s always coulda, woulda, shouldas in certain ways but we’re not gonna worry about that. We’re gonna worry about taking the next game, taking care of business and hopefully putting ourselves in a position where we can be knocking at the door toward the end of the season.” 1128055 Philadelphia Flyers Other pieces the Flyers have that might be attractive to other teams would be Michael Raffl, also on an expiring contract, and right-handed defenseman Radko Gudas who has one more season at $3.35 million. Chuck Fletcher says Flyers ‘could both buy and sell’ at trade deadline Why Fletcher would potentially “buy” at the deadline is for a veteran defenseman who can log big minutes (multiple times Fletcher brought up the Flyers’ need to defend better) and another goalie who can be in the Dave Isaac, NHL writer Published 1:13 p.m. ET Jan. 28, 2019 long-term plans to play alongside Carter Hart. “It’s pretty hard to find goalies in the middle of the season,” Fletcher said. “It’s difficult. You look around and most teams, even if you have two VOORHEES — If an NHL general manager’s phone is ringing these healthy guys and you trade one, you’re tempting fate a little bit there. days, there’s a good shot Chuck Fletcher is on the other end of the call. Usually it’s easier in the summer to do that. It’s usually easier to do most The Flyers’ GM is casting a net so wide that he wants to reach out to all things in the summer. You’re always looking, but for right now I’m excited other 30 teams with the league’s trade deadline now less than a month to get Brian Elliott back (in a week or two).” away. After spending a lot of the past month meeting with both the team’s pro After the bye week the Flyers found themselves 14 points out of a playoff scouts and amateur ones, Fletcher feels more educated and prepared to spot and Fletcher is trying to make moves with this year and the future in start making deals. mind. No trading first-round picks for expiring contracts, but getting a player that could have a big role for years to come is absolutely on the “I could see us buying and selling, I guess to use those terms,” Fletcher table. said. “but the bigger focus is, we’d like to get some pieces in here that will be a part of this for a few years.” “Whether it’s now, the summer, we need to find some pieces to improve our team,” Fletcher said. Courier-Post LOADED: 01.29.2019 “We could both buy and sell, but I guess my point is every decision we make, if we’re going to try to improve our team going forward and we can get that player now, great. There’s always opportunities. So for me it’s not the next eight games or even the rest of the year. From this point forward, we have to get better. To be better next year, we may have to try to get better this year.” It’s a hard thing to accomplish for a team that knows how far away a playoff spot is to try and erase that kind of deficit while Fletcher, who was hired in December, is looking at all options from small trades to doing major surgery on the roster. Captain Claude Giroux, who Fletcher said was untouchable in any potential trade scenario, is trying to get his teammates to look even smaller than just one week at a time. “Looking at the big picture, it’s not pretty,” Giroux said. “You start looking at the small picture and going one game at a time. We have three games here in four nights. You win those ones and you look at it and you’re maybe 10 or eight points behind. “It’s important to set yourself some small goals. If you set yourself too much of a big goal, if your goal is to win the Stanley Cup that’s too big and your mind is going a little too much. It’s important to have small goals and try to achieve them and set new small goals.” Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher was hired in December and could start making many changes to the team's roster. The Flyers have historically broken the schedule down into four or five- game increments and tried to set goals that way — like, say, get six out of eight possible points or eight of 10 — but aren’t doing that now. By the next day, the team might change. For instance, Fletcher decided that Dale Weise wasn’t going to be part of the plan moving forward so he waived the winger who still has one year left on his contract, sent him to the minors and brought up Mikhail Vorobyev. There may be more moves like that as Fletcher puts his stamp on what he thinks the Flyers should look like. “I don’t know if we have to get younger, but again, just looking for opportunities to, yeah, maybe to see what we have, that would be a fair statement,” Fletcher said. “But we just need to get better, and it’s not all Dale Weise, or Jordan Weal, or anything like that. We just can’t keep putting the same players out there and expect different results. At some point, you have to make some changes, and those are two of the changes we’ve made so far.” There will likely be more changes and other general managers could surely find a couple more useful pieces that would garner a good return to the Flyers. Wayne Simmonds is the most obvious of the potential trade pieces because he’s a power forward who has always been around the 30-goal mark since he came to Philadelphia and has the character that any team would covet. Him being on an expiring contract at a team-friendly $3.975 million cap hit is all the more reason why a team would want to acquire him as a rental. “There’s a tremendous amount of respect from our organization to Wayne,” Fletcher said, not delving too far into the Flyers’ limited interest in an extension for Simmonds as opposed to trading him. “Everything has been professional, and the communication has been pretty clear.” 1128056 Philadelphia Flyers 5-Dmitry Kulikov & 57-Tyler Myers 83-Sami Niku & 70-Joe Morrow Flyers vs. Jets: Game 49 preview, line combinations, broadcast info Goalie 30-Laurent Brossoit Dave Isaac, NHL writer Published 7:00 a.m. ET Jan. 28, 2019 (37-Connor Hellebuyck) Injuries/suspensions The Flyers re-open their schedule after the bye week with a game D Ben Chairot – lower-body injury, day-to-day against the Central Division-leading Winnipeg Jets. LW Nikolaj Ehlers – shoulder injury, injured reserve Tonight: Flyers vs. Winnipeg Jets D Dustin Byfuglien – lower-body injury, injured reserve Site: Wells Fargo Center / Philadelphia, Pa. Courier-Post LOADED: 01.29.2019 Time: 7 p.m. TV/Radio: NBCSP, 97.5 FM Records: Flyers 19-23-6 | Jets 31-15-2 Last game: Flyers beat MTL 5-3 on Jan. 19 | Jets lost to DAL 4-2 on Jan. 19 Bovada odds: Flyers +1/5 | O/U 6.5 As the Flyers gear up to the stretch run they figure to have some fresh blood. It may not be newly acquired players via trade like some teams making a playoff run would do. The Flyers are 14 points out of a would- be postseason spot so they are looking to see who might be ready in the American Hockey League. Mikhail Vorobyev is one of those players, given a second chance after not being able to sustain his play in seven games at the start of the season. There may be more reinforcements soon. “Of course, we want to see all those guys coming up and chipping in to what we’re doing here,” veteran Jake Voracek said. “Hoping they’re going to help us find a way to win the games. We know what (Vorobyev) is about and he’s a really smart player and I’m sure he’s gonna give us the boost.” FLYERS PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards 25-James van Riemsdyk, 28-Claude Giroux, 11-Travis Konecny 23-Oskar Lindblom, 14-Sean Couturier, 93-Jake Voracek 21-Scott Laughton, 19-Nolan Patrick, 17-Wayne Simmonds 12-Michael Raffl, 24-Mikhail Vorobyev, 44-Phil Varone Defense 9-Ivan Provorov & 6-Travis Sanheim 53-Shayne Gostisbehere & 47-Andrew MacDonald 8-Robert Hägg & 3-Radko Gudas Goalie 79-Carter Hart (41-Anthony Stolarz) Injuries/suspensions G Brian Elliott – lower-body injury, out two to three weeks F Corban Knight – collarbone surgery, out until February D Samuel Morin – surgery to repair torn ACL, out until February F Pascal Laberge – hip surgery, season opening injured reserve JETS PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards 81-Kyle Connor, 55-Mark Scheifele, 26-Blake Wheeler 29-Patrik Laine, 18-Bryan Little, 28-Jack Roslovic 85-Mathieu Perreault, 17-Adam Lowry, 13-Brandon Tanev 48-Brendan Lemieux, 9-Andrew Copp, 82-Mason Appleton Defense 44-Josh Morrissey & 8-Jacob Trouba 1128057 Philadelphia Flyers No one in the Flyers’ locker room is throwing up a white flag and surrendering their status as a non-playoff team, but they all know how steep the hill they have to climb is. Mikhail Vorobyev among those getting new opportunity with Flyers “We don’t want to be sellers (at the Feb. 25 trade deadline). We want to be guys that are contending for a playoff spot,” Hart said. “Right now we’ve just got to keep pushing. We’ve won three in a row and we’ve just Dave Isaac, NHL writer Published 5:18 p.m. ET Jan. 27, 2019 got to keep it going. Sure, we need to win a couple games here, but we can do it. That’s the message that we have to have. We want to make the playoffs and we want to make the push. We have a group that is capable of that.” VOORHEES — Late Saturday night, after a car ride from Connecticut where he had just played a game for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Carter Courier-Post LOADED: 01.29.2019 Hart checked into the hotel down the street from the Flyers’ practice facility. The 20-year-old goalie has spent a lot of time there recently after he was somewhat unexpectedly called up last month. Hart’s first crack at the NHL has sparked the fan base since then and more of his Phantoms teammates might be joining him in the NHL soon. As the Flyers head toward the stretch run 14 points out of a playoff spot, it looks like they’ll try to make an improbable run with a younger roster. Even though Hart figures to be a big part of that, the team hasn’t told him to find a more permanent living arrangement just yet. “I haven’t heard anything,” said Hart, who will be in goal Monday against the Winnipeg Jets. “We’ll see. It would be nice to get out of the hotel, but it is what it is. I’m just trying to make the most of it there.” Mikhail Vorobyev checked into the hotel Saturday night also. He started the season in the NHL and played seven games but couldn’t maintain the level of play that saw him lead all Flyers in scoring in the preseason so then-general manager Ron Hextall sent him back to Lehigh Valley where he played last season. Now he’s back and will center a line with Phil Varone and Michael Raffl against the Jets as the Flyers resume their schedule after the bye week. “It’s another chance for me,” Vorobyev said. “I just want to stay in the NHL for my whole career and just try to do everything for this.” New life has been a common theme since Chuck Fletcher took over for Hextall. Vorobyev isn’t the only one to get opportunities. Perhaps players like defenseman Phil Myers or newly-acquired winger Justin Bailey could be next. Blueliner Samuel Morin may start playing games soon, but his absence from the NHL has been more injury related than merit based. The hulking defenseman who is recovery from ACL surgery last summer, figures to start playing games in the next couple of weeks. Goalie Anthony Stolarz, who was buried on the organization’s depth chart to start the season, is now back in the NHL after playing two games for the Phantoms last week on a conditioning stint. He also missed time with an injury after playing in nine games this season. “I think it’s the difference between what you’ve seen in the past where they’ve slowly brought guys up and now it seems like they really want to dive right in and get these guys some experience,” said Stolarz, who will face the New York Rangers Tuesday. “It’s going to be fun down the stretch. Obviously I’ve played a with a lot of these guys, being able to mature and grow with them. Guys like Sammy (Morin), guys like (Scott Laughton), even Hartsy this year. It’s nice to see (Nicolas Aube-Kubel) and Phil Myers, it’s nice to grow with those guys and you develop a relationship with them. You want everyone to succeed and make it to the next level. To see some guys potentially coming up, it’s going to be definitely exciting for sure and make for some fun hockey.” “Of course, we want to see all those guys coming up and chipping in to what we’re doing here,” veteran Jake Voracek said. “Hoping they’re going to help us find a way to win the games. We know what (Vorobyev) is about and he’s a really smart player and I’m sure he’s gonna give us the boost.” The challenge for the Flyers and interim coach Scott Gordon, who coached the young players getting more consideration these days when he was with the Phantoms, is meshing the veteran group and the young players trying to gain traction in the NHL. “Certainly my experience with those players makes it a little bit easier because for me I know what Travis Sanheim is capable of and Robert Hägg is capable of and how they play and if they make a mistake I know how they handle it,” Gordon said. “It’s the same thing with all those players down in Lehigh. That part of it’s easy for me. The harder part is if you are bringing players up to play, how the older players are gonna handle that. Whether it’s good or bad, there’s only 23 players on your roster and it’s not like five guys are gonna come up and you have to manage that.” 1128058 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan mulls changes to stop flood of shorthanded goals against

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2019, 5:33 a.m.

As the season rolled on and total of shorthanded goals given up by his team continued to rise, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan resisted the urge to make wholesale changes to his top power play. These are guys, Sullivan would say, who have played key roles in countless victories over the past few seasons. They only gave up three shorthanded goals all of last season, he reminded. They’re capable of cleaning up this mess themselves as long as they start to heed the lessons that had been heaped upon them. The total hit a league-high 11 when Brian Boyle scored shorthanded to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 6-3 victory over the Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Monday night. That’s three shorthanded goals allowed in the past six games. Now, Sullivan feels like staying the course might no longer be a viable option. “I think we’re probably there,” Sullivan said. “As a coach, it’s always a fine line. You want to show faith and trust in your guys. As I’ve said all along this year, our first power-play unit has been a difference maker for this team for a long time. They’re all really good players, but we have to take more responsibility for having a defensive conscience when guys are in trouble, and it doesn’t seem like we’re recognizing the danger. “And we don’t take care of the puck. We’re careless with some of the decisions we make with the puck and it cost us.” Sullivan didn’t specify any specific remedies he might take, but the obvious solution would be using a second defenseman on the first power-play unit. Marcus Pettersson and Juuso Riikola combined to set up a Derick Brassard goal two seconds after a power play ended Monday night, so they would be logical candidates for a promotion. Whatever route Sullivan takes, it seems likely the team’s power play will have at least a slightly different look when the Penguins play host to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night. “It’s always comes back to we have to trust each other and work for each other,” winger Patric Hornqvist said. “We don’t do the right things for each other and those things happen.” Tribune Review LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128059 Pittsburgh Penguins Tribune Review LOADED: 01.29.2019

Penguins' woes against last-place teams continue with loss to Devils

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, 9:54 p.m.

A shot by the Devils’ Travis Zajac (not pictured) gets past Penguins goaltender Matt Murray as he is screened by New Jersey’s Blake Coleman (right) with Matt Cullen defending during the first period. After limping through a mediocre western road trip heading into their midseason break, the Pittsburgh Penguins had a week away from the rink to get their minds right. Instead, they got pretty much everything wrong Monday night against the New Jersey Devils. Travis Zajac had a goal and three assists, and the Devils handed the Penguins a thorough 6-3 beating at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins are 3-5-0 since an eight-game winning streak came to an end Jan. 6. They also are 0-3 this season against the last-place Devils, having been outscored 15-6 in those games. “I think they’ve just outworked us, plain and simple,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “You look at the games, they’ve worked harder. They’ve deserved it. As disappointing as that is and as much as you don’t like saying it, that’s the truth.” It wasn’t hard to pinpoint the ugliest moment of the night. It came with the Penguins on the power play, already down 2-0 early in the second period. Evgeni Malkin couldn’t handle a pass back to him in the defensive zone and turned a puck over to Pavel Zacha along the boards. Malkin was shielded by the Devils forward as he angled his way toward the net. Zacha’s pass eluded Kris Letang’s stick and found Brian Boyle, who had a step on Phil Kessel, streaking to the far post for the goal. The Penguins have allowed 11 short-handed goals this season, most in the NHL. “It’s 11,” Crosby said, dumbfounded. “I think it could probably be a couple different things depending on the play. It’s not a stat we’re proud of, that’s for sure.” Aside from the obvious impact the goal had on the scoreboard, it also shined a light on some of the problems that have plagued the Penguins regularly throughout the season. It was evidence of a casual approach to mistakes with the puck that is a hallmark of all the team’s worst efforts of the year. “A lot of games are won before the puck drops,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “For me, it starts with a mindset going in. Are you ready to play? Are you more determined than your opponent? We can control those things.” The play also illustrated Malkin’s woes with the puck. He’s a minus-10 in his past five games and minus-20 for the season. “Obviously, we’d like him to have more of a positive impact on the game,” Sullivan said. “He’s such a talented player, and he’s such an accomplished player and I know how much he cares about this team and this organization and trying to help us win. Part of my responsibility as his coach and our staff is we’re trying to help Geno through this process to try to help him capture his very best game.” The Penguins fell behind 2-0 in a two-minute span of the first period. The first goal came after a high dump-in by Steven Santini into the left-wing corner bounced past Letang and onto Miles Wood’s stick for a pass to Zajac. The second came on a long-range wrister from Damon Severson. Jack Johnson left the game with an injury with about 12 minutes left in the third period. Sullivan did not have an update on his condition. Derick Brassard and Matt Cullen scored for the Penguins, who fell to 1-7- 1 against the four teams currently in last place in the NHL’s four divisions: New Jersey, Ottawa, Chicago and Los Angeles. “The foundation of the game is just rooted in competitive spirit,” Sullivan said. “You’ve got to be willing to invest emotionally, first and foremost. When you do, that’s usually when players and teams are at their best.” 1128060 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins trade Jamie Oleksiak back to Dallas for fourth-round draft pick

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, 3:27 p.m.

Pittsburgh Penguins’ Jamie Oleksiak (6) returns to the bench after scoring during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils in Pittsburgh, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. Trading Jamie Oleksiak back to the Dallas Stars on Monday cleared some things up for the Pittsburgh Penguins. First and foremost, it cleared a roster spot for Justin Schultz to return from injury. It also cleared some salary cap space for general manager Jim Rutherford to play with as the Feb. 25 trade deadline approaches. The Penguins essentially received the same asset in return for Oleksiak – a fourth-round draft pick – that they gave up to get him from the Stars in December of 2017. In between, Oleksiak recorded eight goals, 25 points and eight fighting majors in 83 regular-season games for the Penguins. He suffered a concussion in a Dec. 19 fight with Washington’s Tom Wilson and was a healthy scratch for eight of the 12 games the team has played since Christmas, falling to seventh on the depth chart behind Juuso Riikola. Schultz, who has been out Oct. 13 with a broken leg, has been skating on his own for more than a week and is due back at practice soon. His return would have given the Penguins nine healthy NHL-caliber defensemen. Trading Oleksiak helps to alleviate that logjam. In the absence of the 6-foot-7, 255-pound Oleksiak, fighting chores would likely fall to fourth-line winger Garrett Wilson should the situation present itself. Wilson has 44 professional fighting majors, including five in the NHL. Oleksiak signed a three-year contract with the Penguins with an average annual salary of $2,137,500 in July. Since then, Riikola has emerged as a viable NHL player and the Penguins acquired Marcus Pettersson in a trade with Anaheim. Both make less than half of Oleksiak’s salary. Before the trade, the Penguins were butting right up against the $79.5 million cap. Now, Rutherford will have a little more space to pursue a roster upgrade through trade. He is likely targeting a left-wing who could play on the second line with Evgeni Malkin or a third-line center who would be a better fit than Derick Brassard. The Penguins acquired Oleksiak last December in exchange for either their fourth-round pick or one they had acquired from Arizona via Minnesota in the Josh Archibald deal, whichever was higher. The pick involved in Monday’s trade was Minnesota’s choice. Tribune Review LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128061 Pittsburgh Penguins

Rested Penguins set to tackle troubles against last-place teams

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, 12:45 p.m.

The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby tries to get something going from below the goal against the Devils Monday, Nov. 5, 2018 at PPG Paints Arena. Something’s got to give when the Pittsburgh Penguins return from a weeklong midseason break to face the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena on Monday night. The Penguins have been extraordinarily good under coach Mike Sullivan coming off league-mandated breaks of three days or more. In their first game back after time off for Christmas, the All-Star Game or a bye week over the past three-plus seasons, they’re 9-0-0. Conversely, the Penguins are 1-6-1 when they face last-place teams – New Jersey, Ottawa, Chicago and Los Angeles – this season. The lone win came in overtime over the Kings at home. They’re 0-2 against the Devils. Coach Mike Sullivan gave much of the credit for the success coming off long breaks to the team’s strength and conditioning staff. He said the staff provides a bye-week program for every player on the team, tailored to where they’ll be vacationing and what facilities will be available for working out. “We’d like to think we’re doing stuff right during the bye weeks and during the breaks,” winger Bryan Rust said. “Our strength and conditioning staff does a good job of making sure we’re doing some things over the break, keeping our bodies into it. That’s a pretty decent record. Hopefully we can keep it going.” Sullivan said he didn’t think the team’s record against bottom-feeding teams was a coincidence. He said his team has lacked urgency in previous meetings. “We’ve got opportunities in front of us starting tonight,” Sullivan said. “We’re going to take each opportunity as they come and we’re going to try to take advantage of it. The urgency should be inspired by the opportunity that’s in front of us, regardless of who our opponent is. Every team in this league is good. We’ve got to be ready.” Matt Murray will start in goal for the Penguins, who are expected to employ new-look second and third lines with Evgeni Malkin centering Rust and Phil Kessel and Derick Brassard centering Tanner Pearson and Patric Hornqvist. Reigning NHL MVP Taylor Hall won’t play for the Devils. He’s been out since Dec. 23 with an undisclosed injury. Tribune Review LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128062 Pittsburgh Penguins

NHL awards piling up for Penguins captain Sidney Crosby

JONATHAN BOMBULIE | Monday, Jan. 28, 2019, 12:30 p.m.

The NHL gave Sidney Crosby another award on Monday afternoon. He still hasn’t figured out what he’s going to do with the last one he got. Crosby was named the NHL’s first star of the week Monday, beating out San Jose forward Joe Pavelski and Minnesota goalie Devan Dubnyk for the honor. Two days prior, he won NHL All-Star Game MVP with a four-goal, four- assist performance in San Jose, earning a new Honda SUV in the process. Close friends and family members of Crosby take note: He said he hasn’t figured out yet what he’s going to do with his new ride. “I haven’t had time to think about it, to be honest,” Crosby said. “It’s been a pretty busy week or so. I’ll think about that later, but it was a good experience.” One of the highlights of the all-star weekend was the blistering lap U.S. Olympic gold medalist Kendall Coyne during the fastest skater portion of the skills competition on Friday night. Crosby said he wasn’t surprised by Coyne’s skating ability. He had seen her play when she was teammates with his sister Taylor at Northeastern. “She can skate,” Crosby said. “It was great to see her flying around out there.” Tribune Review LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128063 Pittsburgh Penguins After some early-season shorties, Sullivan split his top threats into two different units, with Crosby and Letang on one and Malkin and Kessel on another. The Crosby unit typically got first dibs. That only lasted for a few 'Drastic' changes to Penguins power play loom after another shorthanded games and those four, when healthy, have been together since. goal Their scoring surge played a big role in the team getting hot in late December and climbing up the standings. Even after their 0-for-5 showing Monday, the Penguins still rank sixth in the NHL on the power MATT VENSEL play. But if you subtracted 11 goals, they’d plummet into the bottom third. “As a coach, it’s always a fine line. You want to show faith and trust in your guys,” ,” Sullivan said of a group that led the NHL last season. “And, Patric Hornqvist, sweaty and irritated, stood in front of his locker Monday as I’ve said all along this year, our first power play unit has been a night after an ugly 6-3 loss to the last-place New Jersey Devils and difference-maker for this team for a long time. They’re all really good answered for a Penguins power play that had done it again. players. Asked about the team coughing up its league-worst 11th shorthanded Sullivan continued: “But we have to take more responsibility for having a goal, which turned a chance to pull within a goal into a 3-0 deficit, and defensive conscious when guys are in trouble. It doesn’t seem like we’re their third in the past six games, he could only sigh. recognizing the danger and we don’t take care of the puck. We’re careless with some of the decisions we make with the puck and it cost “It always comes back to [the fact] we have to trust each other and work us.” for each other,” the feisty winger said. “Right now, we don’t do the right things for each other, and those things happen.” “We’re trying to get our group to heed the lessons. But if we don’t heed the lessons, I think something needs to change.” That second-period shorthanded goal was a back-breaker and a breakdown on a couple of levels, and it has Mike Sullivan considering The Penguins practice Tuesday in advance of Wednesday’s home game “drastic” changes. More on that after the latest autopsy. against the high-powered Tampa Bay Lightning. We’ll see then if Sullivan is still in the mood to make changes, and whether they include sitting New Jersey Devils center Brian Boyle celebrates after scoring against down two of his biggest threats – to opponents and the Penguins – the Penguins in the second period Monday Jan. 28, 2019 at PPG Paints again. Arena. Post Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 Jason Mackey Poor showing against Devils ‘concerning’ for Penguins First, Evgeni Malkin mishandled the puck as his blue line, lackadaisically giving away the puck to Pavel Zacha. Zacha powered around Malkin and flicked a one-handed pass past Letang and across the front of the net to Brian Boyle, who snapped a shot over Matt Murray’s blocker. Malkin was a minus-1 on the night largely due to that miscue, and since Nov. 1 he’s a minus-24. At least he tried to defend on that play, unlike Phil Kessel, who had a great view of Boyle’s goal. After Malkin’s turnover, Kessel slowly glided back towards his net, neither skate leaving the ice as he watched the play. At the last second, Kessel tried to lift the big winger’s stick. It was too late. The PPG Paints Arena crowd booed after the Penguins reclaimed sole possession of the league lead in shorthanded goals against. “It’s not a stat we’re proud of, that’s for sure,” captain Sidney Crosby said. He said there are probably “a couple” of common themes on all those shorthanded goals, eight more than they gave up a year ago. He didn’t go into specifics, but one would guess that bad turnovers and uninspired back-checking from the team’s top players are in serious contention. And on this night, the power play didn’t make up for its latest miscue by burying a goal or two. The Penguins did not score during 10 minutes of 5-on-4 play, though the second unit did just after one penalty expired, with Derick Brassard wristing one past Keith Kinkaid’s blocker. Penguins player Jamie Oleksiak (6) attempts to clear the puck from their half, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, at PPG Paints Arena in Uptown. Jason Mackey Rutherford: Penguins have 'options' for potential next deal The top unit did have some promising moments. Kessel had a good look at an empty net during the first period but his shot deflected off the shaft of Devils defenseman Marco Mueller and out of play. In the second, they possessed the puck in the zone for more than a minute straight but could not score. “They pressured us all over the ice. We couldn’t get the puck to the net. Even in our breakouts, they came really hard at us,” Hornqvist said of the Devils. “They outworked us even [while shorthanded].” So, where do Sullivan and the Penguins go from here? The coach kept the top power play mostly intact throughout Monday’s loss, the only fluctuation being Jake Guentzel subbing in some for Hornqvist, including during that shorthanded goal. But a new day could bring changes. Asked if things can get to the point where he would considering doing something “drastic” with his personnel or structure, Sullivan snipped, “Yeah, it does, and I think we’re probably there.” 1128064 Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins also might have a hole to fill on defense, as Jack Johnson left with an injury late. (Sullivan had no update.)

As far as other on-ice stuff, the Penguins will want to clean up plenty Poor showing against Devils ‘concerning’ for Penguins from this one. Like the time and space they gave Travis Zajac (four points) on his goal, JASON MACKEY the Devils’ first. Or the one from distance Damon Severson got to put the Devils up, 2-0, after the first period, a goal Matt Murray will undoubtedly want back. Jamie Oleksiak wasn’t the only big thing the Penguins were missing after There was the shortie tallied by Brian Boyle, after Pavel Zacha picked a seven-day break. Evgeni Malkin’s pocket. And a lack of pressure on Blake Coleman’s marker, the Devils’ fourth. Their work ethic, sense of urgency and competitive spirit were also conspicuously absent in a 6-3 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Monday Sullivan changed some lines around for this one, but there was barely a at PPG Paints Arena. flicker, let alone any sort of spark. Heck, Garrett Wilson (six shot attempts, four on goal, seven hits) was one of their more noticeable Perhaps those three traits had their flight canceled, and they were players on the night, as Malkin’s months-long malaise has persisted. hanging out with the Penguins’ defensive conscience on the power play, (He’s a minus-24 since Nov. 1.) which hasn’t been around much at all this season, either. Add to that a pair of power-play tallies for New Jersey in the third, the fact 'Drastic' changes to Penguins power play loom after another shorthanded that the Penguins converted 25 five-on-five scoring chances into just two goal goals — they scored a third short-handed — and it made for a frustrating evening. Add up all that transpired Monday night, the Penguins’ first game back here in 20 days, and it was probably enough to make captain Sidney One that should theoretically put a scare into the Penguins (26-17-6), Crosby sick all over again. who have suddenly lost five of their past eight while allowing 28 goals in the games they’ve dropped. “The urgency and desperation and work ethic … there should be a lot of energy from our group,” Crosby said. “It didn’t seem like there was.” Oh, yeah. And Tampa Bay, with an NHL-high 76 points, comes to town on Wednesday. So it’s probably wise to work fast. It was a similar theme echoed in other parts of the Penguins dressing room. “We’re a mature group. We’ve been through different things,” Crosby said. “It’s not the first time we’ve come off a layoff. We should know how “Everyone can’t have their best game every single night, but we can to come out and at least play hard, especially given the situation. control our effort, attitude and work ethic,” Patric Hornqvist said. “That’s what we have come back to and start controlling.” “I don’t think there’s much that needs to be said. I think we can all look at the game and know from that.” The loss stung for myriad reasons, but the biggest one was probably where the Penguins are at in their season — about 60 percent of the way Post Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 through, the time where stuff should be getting serious. “We talked a lot about getting this back stretch of the year off to a good start,” Matt Cullen said. “We didn’t have it. There’s really no reason for that.” Well, actually there was, if you examine some of what transpired Monday night. Rutherford: Penguins have 'options' for potential next deal For one, the loss came against the Devils, the Metropolitan Division cellar-dwellers who have had the Penguins’ number. New Jersey has won six of seven matchups since the start of 2017-18, including all three this season by a combined score of 15-6. They’re no longer the 2-1 snoozefests the Penguins had for years in Newark, N.J., but that doesn’t make the results any more palatable. “They’ve worked harder,” Crosby said of the Devils. “They’ve deserved it. As disappointing as that is, and as much as you don’t like saying it, that’s the truth.” Also, New Jersey is bad … or at least when the Devils aren’t sharing a sheet of ice with the Penguins. They’re just two points out of the Eastern Conference basement and came into this one having lost 20 of 25 on the road this season. But maybe, against the Penguins, occupying last place in your division is actually a key to victory. After all, they’re now just 1-7-1 against such teams this season. “It is concerning,” coach Mike Sullivan said of losing like this so late in the season. “Every team in this league plays hard. Give Jersey credit. They played hard, and they defended hard. We have to do a better job in those areas of our game so that we can bring more consistency.” A third issue was special teams. The Penguins had five chances on the power play totaling 10:00. They had no goals and weren’t within a couple zip codes of having a positive impact on the game. They did, however, wind up having a negative one. With another short-handed goal allowed — that’s No. 11 on the season, worst in the NHL — Sullivan said “we’re probably there” when it comes to personnel or tactical changes to the unit. 1128065 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins GM critical of protocol in Oleksiak-Wilson fight

JASON MACKEY

Jim Rutherford doesn’t regret his comments over the summer that criticized Capitals forward Tom Wilson for refusing to fight Jamie Oleksiak in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Rutherford, however, wasn’t thrilled with how Wilson’s Dec. 19 knockout of Oleksiak went down. “All I know is, in that fight, Wilson didn’t even give Oleksiak a chance to get his gloves off,” Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday, a few hours after trading Oleksiak to the Dallas Stars for a 2019 fourth-round draft pick. Fifty-five seconds into that Dec. 19 game, Wilson found Oleksiak and engaged him right away. Wilson landed a haymaker with his right fist, and down Oleksiak went. Dave Molinari’s Penguins Report Card: New Jersey 6, Penguins 3 The bout was a spillover from the playoffs, when Wilson refused to fight Oleksiak after Wilson broke Zach Aston-Reese’s jaw and concussed him with an illegal hit to the head. Rutherford was critical of Wilson in a May 2018 interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “When Jamie challenged Wilson, he couldn’t run quick enough to get away from him,” Rutherford said. Speaking after the Dec. 19 game in Washington, Wilson told reporters he read what Rutherford had said and figured a fight was in order. “I read the stuff that’s said after last season and leading up to it,” Wilson said. “Yeah, I think it probably had to be done sooner or later, give him a chance to defend his teammate after what happened last year.” Asked whether he was OK with how everything went down that night with regard to the fight, Rutherford said simply, “No.” While that fight was seemingly the beginning of the end to Oleksiak’s Penguins tenure, Rutherford didn’t agree with that assessment. 'Drastic' changes to Penguins power play loom after another shorthanded goal “It didn’t have any effect on him,” Rutherford said. Oleksiak played just four of the past 14 games — three of the 10 he missed were because of the concussion he suffered — and ceded his lineup spot to Juuso Riikola. With Justin Schultz due back soon, it’s likely that Schultz will replace Riikola next to Olli Maatta. “Part of this, if you go back to when we signed Jamie [July 2018], since that time we’ve added Riikola, [Marcus] Pettersson and [Jack] Johnson," Rutherford said. "Our structure has changed on defense. That’s another part of this.” Post Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128066 Pittsburgh Penguins see more of an upside to him, but when you can get a guy that size with that strength to play in your top-six on defense, he can do some things that a lot of other players can’t.” Rutherford: Penguins have 'options' for potential next deal This season, though, Oleksiak struggled some before the Wilson fight, then never reclaimed his place after it. And with the Penguins potentially looking to free up some money for another deal, Oleksiak became JASON MACKEY expendable. “It’s always tough trading a player,” Rutherford said. “He’s a player who has come a long ways. We like him.” Jim Rutherford no longer has too many defenseman. He does, however, have a wish list. It’s tough, too, because Oleksiak wasn’t having a terrible year by any stretch. He had four goals and 11 points in 36 games and played a lot on On Monday, the Penguins general manager put himself in better position the second pair, although it’s likely he was more tradable than Riikola or to pursue an impact forward or two by trading Jamie Oleksiak to the Ruhwedel. Dallas Stars for a 2019 fourth-round draft pick, freeing up more than $2 million in salary-cap space. The Penguins will now have three fourth-round picks in the 2019 NHL draft — their own, this one and the one they got from Buffalo in exchange “Nothing immediately,” Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about for Conor Sheary and Matt Hunwick on June 27, 2018. an hour before the Penguins took on the Devils at PPG Paints Arena. “It just puts us in a position when something comes along — which, it will — Since the Penguins avoided arbitration with Oleksiak, they added three over the next few weeks here.” defensemen in Riikola, Johnson and Pettersson. That also had an effect on Oleksiak getting squeezed out of a spot. The position Rutherford eyes could be big. “Our structure has changed on defense,” Rutherford said. “That’s another New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid makes save on Pittsburgh part of this.” Penguins center Sidney Crosby Monday Jan. 28, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena. But it’s not bigger than the potential of having nine defensemen. Or the fact that Rutherford remains one of the NHL’s most aggressive GMs, With the remainder of Oleksiak’s yearly cap hit ($2,137,500) off the always looking for an opportunity to tweak. books, and the potential that Derick Brassard ($3 million that the Penguins pay) could be on his way out, Rutherford could have plenty of “Sitting here with potentially nine defensemen, we had to make a move room with which to play. with the possibility of Schultz returning here in the next few weeks," Rutherford said. "We had to move somebody out. It frees up cap space He's also never been shy about trading premium draft choices, and to give us other options.” Rutherford will be dangling a former second-round pick in Tristan Jarry. Post Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 Suffice to say, things could get interesting, as Rutherford remains interested in getting more production out of the third line. That could come in the form of a straight swap for Brassard, or Rutherford could also target an above-average wing and provide an offensive infusion that way. Oleksiak, 26, had basically lost his lineup spot after he was concussed Dec. 19 in Washington while fighting Penguins nemesis Tom Wilson. Since that date, Oleksiak played just four of 14 games, though three of those were because he was hurt. The situation was not easy on Oleksiak, who often times stayed on the ice long after everyone else, working on specific parts of his game with the other healthy scratches. Oleksiak seemingly had a clue he might be shipped out. “There’s always rumors and always speculation, so you can’t really dwell on it,” Oleksiak said Monday morning, about four or so hours before the swap was announced. “That can get in your head, so I just try to come in every day and think of it as a new day when you can put in some work. ... There’s not much you can do about it other than come in and do your job.” When Schultz comes back, the Penguins’ top-six will likely look like this: Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang, Olli Maatta and Schultz, and Marcus Pettersson and Jack Johnson. Dave Molinari’s Penguins Report Card: New Jersey 6, Penguins 3 Juuso Riikola and Chad Ruhwedel are Nos. 7-8, although the Penguins can reassign Riikola to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League if they want to get him more work. It’s ironic Oleksiak was traded for a fourth-round pick because that’s actually what the Penguins acquired him for back on Dec. 19, 2017 — a conditional pick that wound up being a fourth-rounder. The Penguins had acquired the pick in a previous trade with Arizona, one that involved winger Josh Archibald. It looked like Oleksiak might’ve found a future in Pittsburgh. He had four goals and 14 points and was a plus-13 in 47 games last year after the trade, becoming an NHL regular for the first time. His average of 2.9 hits per game led all Penguins regulars a season ago. The Penguins liked Oleksiak for his size (6-feet-7, 255 pounds) and the protection he provided his teammates. He had also shown decent offensive ability for a big man and a powerful shot. Over the summer, the Penguins avoided arbitration with Oleksiak and signed him to a three-year deal that ran through the 2020-21 season. “We liked how he fit in with us,” Rutherford told the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette at the time. “We felt that his game was coming along. We still 1128067 Pittsburgh Penguins COACHING Grade: D. Dave Molinari’s Penguins Report Card: New Jersey 6, Penguins 3 It wouldn’t be entirely accurate to say that Mike Sullivan didn’t have his team ready to play for the first time in nine days, because the Penguins actually looked fairly focused and involved through the early part of the DAVE MOLINARI opening period. They seemed to get that out of their systems by around the middle of the first, however, and were consistently outworked throughout the evening. Sullivan has accomplished an awful lot during his three-plus years behind the Penguins’ bench, but figuring out how to (After every Penguins home game, the Post-Gazette will assess how beat New Jersey isn’t on the list. The Penguins are 1-5-1 in their past each unit performed and what it means during the playoff push.) seven against the Devils, who have won just six road games – the fewest of any NHL club – all season but are 2-0 at PPG Paints Arena. If the FORWARDS Penguins get an unfavorable matchup during Round 1 of the playoffs – or Grade: D+. simply fail to qualify for the postseason – their inability to take points from teams like New Jersey will be a big part of the reason. Credit Derick Brassard with the play of the game by a Penguins forward. No, not the goal he scored in the second period to briefly give the illusion Post Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 of the Penguins being back in contention; rather, it was the elbowing major and game misconduct Brassard picked up midway through the third period that allowed him to escape this mess before any of his teammates were able to do so. After winning 13 of 20 faceoffs during the first period, the Penguins went 16-for-45 on draws the rest of the way. Of course, that probably wasn’t as significant as it might seem, since they rarely were able to do anything productive with the puck once they had it, anyway. New Jersey Devils goaltender Keith Kinkaid makes save on Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby Monday Jan. 28, 2019 at PPG Paints Arena. Matt Vensel 'Drastic' changes to Penguins power play loom after another shorthanded goal DEFENSEMEN Grade: D. Even if he hadn’t been traded to Dallas a few hours before the game, Jamie Oleksiak likely wouldn’t have been in the lineup Monday night, although his physicality might have come in handy against the Devils. As it was, Penguins defensemen routinely failed to prevent New Jersey forwards from operating around – and occasionally, on – goalie Matt Murray. Bad play was compounded more than once by bad decision- making, like when an ill-conceived clearing attempt by Brian Dumoulin was picked off by New Jersey defenseman Andy Greene, who promptly set up Pavel Zacha for the Devils’ final goal. GOALIE Grade: D. Matt Murray, who was 10-1 in his previous 11 starts, looked sharp early in the game, as he was anticipating shots and moving laterally well. And while he couldn’t be faulted on New Jersey’s first goal – Blake Coleman of the Devils and Penguins center Matt Cullen had him completely screened when Travis Zajac wristed a shot into the net from the top of the left circle – he bore sole responsibility for the one that followed. Murray had a clear look at defenseman Damon Severson’s wrist shot from about 45 feet out in the slot, but the puck glanced off his glove and fluttered into the net. Although Murray is 6 feet 4, he looked a whole lot smaller at numerous points in the game. SPECIAL TEAMS Penguins player Jamie Oleksiak (6) attempts to clear the puck from their half, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, at PPG Paints Arena in Uptown. Jason Mackey Rutherford: Penguins have 'options' for potential next deal Grade: D-. The Penguins failed to score on five tries with the extra man, and that wasn’t even the low point of the evening for their power play. Not even close, really. Rather, it reached its nadir 3 ½ minutes into the second period, when Pavel Zacha of the Devils bulled past Evgeni Malkin and fed a pass to Brian Boyle, who had gotten behind Phil Kessel and deposited the puck behind Murray for a shorthanded goal and 3-0 lead. Giving up a league-worst 11th shorthanded goal had to be deflating for the Penguins; the lack of effort several of them put into preventing the most recent one should have been even more discouraging. The Penguins’ penalty-killers gave up a goal, but they also scored one, even though the outcome had pretty well been determined by the time Cullen beat Devils goalie Keith Kincaid with 7:30 to go in regulation. 1128068 Pittsburgh Penguins Entering Monday, the Penguins were 1-6-1 this season against the four teams currently in last place in their respective divisions — including losing twice to the lowly Devils, last in the Metropolitan. Back on the top line, Dominik Simon looking to click again with Sidney “I don’t think it’s coincidence,” Sullivan said. “It’s about a mindset and Crosby making sure that we play the game with a certain level of urgency that’s required to have success in this league. There’s such a fine line between winning and losing. I think every team in this league is good.” MATT VENSEL He added, “My experience has been that if you don’t bring your best game, you’re going to run the risk of getting beat.” Dominik Simon has done some of his best work next to Sidney Crosby, Crosby on Coyne Schofield which of course does not make him a member of an exclusive club. Crosby has made dozens of Penguins teammates more productive. Kendall Coyne Schofield and Brianna Decker turned heads with their performances during Friday’s All-Star Skills Competition in San Jose. It is, however, noteworthy that Simon’s presence seems to elevate Crosby, who missed that event with an illness but felt good enough to be Crosby’s performance, too. named All-Star Game MVP the next night, was asked for his thoughts on the two women. This season, when on the ice at full strength with Simon, Crosby has averaged 3.55 points per 60 minutes, according to NaturalStatTrick.com. "I only saw Kendall [in the fastest skater contest],” he said. “She was That’s the highest rate among the five forwards who have logged at least flying. Actually, she played with my sister [Taylor] at Northeastern, so I 70 such minutes next to Crosby. Yes, even higher than Jake Guentzel. had a chance to see her there as well when we were playing in Boston a few years back. She can skate and it was great to see her flying around Crosby and Simon were clicking yet again in early December when out there.” Simon suffered a lower-body injury that sidelined him for two weeks. During his absence, Bryan Rust took his spot on the top line with Crosby Speaking of Crosby, on Monday he was named the NHL’s First Star of and Guentzel and got scorching hot, at one point scoring in four straight the Week for his MVP performance Saturday. games. Post Gazette LOADED: 01.29.2019 'Drastic' changes to Penguins power play loom after another shorthanded goal “It always [stinks] when you get hurt,” Simon said. “We had something going. That’s the worst.” Rust remained on that line until the final game before the team’s long All- Star Game layoff, when Mike Sullivan shuffled his lines during a 7-3 loss in Vegas, reuniting Crosby and Simon. The coach kept them together to start Monday’s game against the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena. Simon had skated on either the second or third line but did not have as much success with Evgeni Malkin or Derick Brassard, respectively. He has four goals and five assists — all of them primary helpers — next to Crosby. He has 11 points in about twice as many minutes with everyone else. Simon and Crosby have a knack for seeing the ice similarly, evidenced by some pretty give-and-go plays. And while there is more pressure to produce on that line, Simon said he doesn’t mind it. “He makes the game easy for you,” the right winger said. “Yeah, I really like playing with him.” Rust, meanwhile, moved down to the second line with Malkin. In doing so, he switched over to the left side to accommodate Phil Kessel. Despite the change in lineups and position, Rust will “still try to bring the same thing” — speed, pressure on the forecheck and a responsible two-way game. “I’ve played with everyone at this point and I’m used to guys’ tendencies,” Rust said. “I might be able to make small little adjustments here and there. … But things don’t change too much.” Penguins GM critical of protocol in Oleksiak-Wilson fight Murray could use a break, too Many Penguins players the last two days expressed how beneficial it was mentally and emotionally to get a week-long break after a roller-coaster start. Surprisingly, Matt Murray was among them. The goalie, who got the start against the Devils, had won 10 of 11 starts since returning from injured reserve in December and was perhaps the NHL’s hottest goalie during that stretch. One would think Murray wouldn’t want to stop playing, but he said he has the big picture in mind. “You’ve got to take advantage of these breaks when you can,” he said. “We’ve got a real battle coming up here down the stretch. … It’s a grind. So I try to get away from it for a bit and mentally take a step back while still obviously maintaining my fitness and flexibility and stuff like that.” Upon returning to Pittsburgh over the weekend, Murray was itching to get back to work. He said he popped into the practice facility in Cranberry for a Saturday workout, “just to try to get the heart rate going again.” Murray stopped 31 of 33 shots in his previous start, a 3-2 overtime win in Arizona on Jan. 18. Losing to last-place teams 1128069 Pittsburgh Penguins We have to be willing to work more down low. You don’t give up the odd- man rushes when you do that. We have to play the game the right way.”

For whatever reason, playing the game the right way is sometimes a Mike Sullivan suggests changes are coming after an embarrassing loss foreign concept to these Penguins. It bit them against the Devils, as it to Devils often does. They fell behind 2-0 in the first period and were never really in the game. By Josh Yohe While they did generate some offensive opportunities, they were outworked all evening, lost many puck battles and were characteristically sloppy. The Penguins traded Jamie Oleksiak earlier in the day to the Dallas Stars “It was a start-to-finish (failure),” Sullivan said. “A lot of games are won for a fourth-round pick. Jim Rutherford didn’t make the trade because of before the puck drops. For me, it starts with a mindset going in. Are you any disapproval for Oleksiak, but rather, wanted to acquire an asset and ready to play? Are you more determined than your opponent? And we some salary cap flexibility so that he may orchestrate a bigger deal can control those things.” before the Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline. The Penguins aren’t exactly flourishing in the Eastern Conference His team’s performance on Monday at PPG Paints Arena suggests that standings. They currently reside in the final playoff spot. Performances Rutherford shouldn’t stop at one trade. like this, against one of the NHL’s worst teams, won’t help them gain ground. The Penguins lost to the Devils, 6-3, in a game that wasn’t nearly as close as the score would suggest. Suddenly, that impressive win streak a few weeks back feels like a long time ago. “We had some good spurts,” Brian Dumoulin said. “But, man, we had some bad spurts, too.” “We saw the way we needed to play on that win streak,” Dumoulin said. “That was fun. When we play the right way, good things happen. When That’s putting it kindly. we don’t, it costs us. Every team we’re playing right now is playing with desperation. We have to match that urgency.” The Penguins are now a remarkable 1-7-1 against teams in last place of their respective divisions this season. They most certainly did not on Monday. As has been the case far too often this season, Mike Sullivan was Ten postgame observations disturbed with his team’s performance. The coached pulled no punches about his team’s performance. In 83 career games with the Penguins, defenseman Jamie Oleksiak had 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists). (Tom Szczerbowski/USA Today) An Evgeni Malkin turnover led to the Penguins’ NHL-leading 11th shorthanded goal against. • I didn’t think Oleksiak was so bad this season, but the coaching staff definitely felt like his level of play had dropped. He was always going to Sullivan, for the first time this season, acknowledged that changes might be the odd man out of the defensive mix, and the Penguins got what be coming on the top unit. As recently as two weeks ago in Los Angeles, value they could for him. The Penguins are going to compile all the he suggested this wouldn’t be the case. This time, he suggested that assets they can — and most importantly, clear some cap space — with time has come to make changes. the idea of bringing in at least one forward, and possibly two. They’re now set on the blue line it would appear. Oleksiak was a well-liked player “Yeah, it does,” Sullivan said. “And I think we’re probably there. As a in the locker room and certainly has the ability to become a reliable NHL coach, it’s always a fine line. You want to show faith and trust in your defenseman. He wasn’t thrilled about playing for Ken Hitchcock but, he’s guys. As I’ve said all along this year, our first power-play unit has been a no longer in Dallas, so it will be a clean slate for the Big Rig. difference maker for this team for a long time. They’re all very good players, but we have to take more responsibility for having a defensive • This was a really horrific performance from the Penguins, and it’s conscience when guys are in trouble. It doesn’t seem like we’re pretty difficult to be complimentary of anyone — other than the Devils — recognizing the danger and we don’t take care of the puck. We’re after this outing. It’s peculiar that a team that is filled with so many careless with some of the decisions we make with the puck, and it costs veterans of Stanley Cup runs could offer such extraordinarily inconsistent us. We’re trying to get our group to heed the lessons. But if we don’t play. Have you ever seen a team that is capable of playing at such of a heed the lessons, I think something needs to change.” high level one night, and such of a low one the next? Nothing about this team makes sense. It’s a good thing the Penguins produced that eight- OK, then. Sullivan hasn’t spoken that way all season. Clearly, he’s game winning streak a few weeks ago because, without it, they’re annoyed with his team’s indifference to taking care of the puck, and for probably not in the current playoff picture. The five-game road trip earlier good reason. The problem is, his best players are most responsible for this month produced a lot of red flags and only two victories. A general these issues, which puts the coach in quite a position. display of cavalier hockey was again on display against the Devils and, He also acknowledged that the relative lack of urgency displayed by the frankly, it’s not very becoming. This team possesses one of hockey’s Penguins all game is troubling. best coaches, one of hockey’s best captains and a plethora of players in possession of multiple Stanley Cup rings. There is no plausible “Yeah, it is,” Sullivan said. “It is concerning. We knew the game we were explanation for the mental lapses, but they’ve been on display at times up against. Every team in this league plays hard. Give (New) Jersey this season and most certainly were against the Devils on Monday. credit. They played hard tonight, and they defended hard. We have to do a better job in those areas of our game, so we can bring more • It was another rough outing for Malkin. I hate to be critical of the future consistency. When we talk about forging an identity, those are the very hall of famer who is on pace for 90 points this season, but something isn’t things that we talk about. The foundation of the game is just rooted in right with him. Perhaps, as he suggested in Arizona, it’s all mental. competitive spirit, and you’ve got to be able to invest emotionally first and Whatever the case may be, the issues remain. He committed a horrible foremost. When you do, that’s usually when players and teams are at turnover while the Penguins were on the power play, which led to Brian their best.” Boyle’s goal. The turnover was bad enough, but the lack of effort from Malkin following the turnover was much worse. History says Malkin will When the Penguins lose, games too often look familiar. They try to escape this funk eventually. The sooner, the better. Check out what dazzle the opposition with skill, often at the expense of their goaltender. Sullivan had to say when he was asked if Malkin had taken a step back Matt Murray was shelled by the Devils on Monday and, while he wasn’t during his past few outings: sharp, he couldn’t be blamed for this result. “Obviously, we’d like him to have more a positive impact on the game. The Penguins were guilty of too much stick handling through the neutral He’s such a talented player, and he’s such an accomplished player. I zone and didn’t look all that interested in dumping the puck deep and know how much he cares about this team and this organization and going to work. Their best defensive player wasn’t happy with the helping us win. Part of my responsibility as his coach and staff is we’re approach. trying to help (Malkin) through this process to try to help him capture his very best game, and we’ll continue to work with him.” “We have to play that way,” Dumoulin said of a hard-working approach that relies more on the Penguins’ ability to dominate down low in the • Derick Brassard scored a goal, which is nice. offensive zone and not rely on their ability to score on the rush. “Look at the Devils. They’re really fast. They’re playing a 1-2-2. So, there’s hardly For all of the criticism he’s received this season, and justifiably so, he any room in the neutral zone. Almost none. You can’t just skate through does have nine goals in 40 games which is an 18-goal pace. Not a team like that. If you want to beat them, you have to tire them out in spectacular, but not as bad as you may believe. Still, Brassard certainly their defensive zone, make them work. We didn’t do that enough tonight. looked disinterested at times. He endured one shift that was especially noteworthy, as he managed to lose the puck, lose a battle for a puck and execute a bad pass that led to an offside violation all within a few seconds of one another. The numbers with Brassard aren’t great, but it’s the eye-test that is a major issue with him. He simply needs to be better. Brassard wasn’t alone on this night, but still, if you’re waiting for him to magically become the player the Penguins thought they were receiving a year ago, I’m not seeing any evidence. • Brassard was ejected from the game in the third period, and it was a truly terrible call. Did he deserve a boarding penalty? Sure. But I don’t even know that Brassard’s elbow made contact with Sami Vatanen, yet he was given a major penalty for elbowing. This tells me the officials didn’t see what happened but did see that Vatanen was bleeding profusely. It was probably an unnecessary hit from Brassard, as the Penguins were essentially out of the game in the third period. It warranted a penalty. But I felt the officials overreacted a good bit. • As Seth Rorabaugh wrote on Monday morning, Matt Cullen became the oldest Penguins player to ever participate in a game, outlasting Tim Horton, of all people. Cullen was one of the few Penguins who actually looked interested in playing and scored a pretty goal, his fifth of the season. At 42, Cullen’s NHL days have to be numbered, I’d imagine. But for all of the Penguins’ issues — they have talent, but you had better believe they have issues — Cullen isn’t one of them. He remains a good fourth liner, a good penalty killer and among the most positive locker room figures in franchise history. • Murray didn’t play especially well on Monday, though the Penguins were so hideous that I’m not sure how to analyze his play. The only goal I didn’t like was New Jersey’s second tally when Damon Severson beat him to the glove side. It’s the same old story with Murray. When he endures an off game, he invariably gives up goals on the glove side. He actually looked sharp in the early going and made a couple of nice saves. Patrick Roy in his prime probably wasn’t winning this game for the Penguins but, like the rest of his team, Murray wasn’t razor sharp. • Speaking of that second goal, Juuso Riikola needs to be better on that play. He invited Severson to unload on that shot because his gap control was very poor on the play. Riikola needed to be considerably more confrontational on that rush. Instead, he backed up and gave Severson a quality look. The jury is still out on Riikola. He can play, no question. But I’m not yet sure if he’s top-six ready. With Oleksiak out of the picture and Jack Johnson injured — he left in the third period, and there was no update on his condition — perhaps we’re about to find out. • The Penguins’ power play wasn’t good. It looked pretty at times, but the top unit passed up an enormous amount of good looks and, of course, was horribly sloppy once again. It must be maddening to the coaching staff, this poor play from the power play, as it’s the same five guys that were historically good on the top unit last season. Sullivan threatened changes after the game. He sounded serious. Stay tuned. • The Penguins’ schedule is about to turn nasty. They play the Lightning twice in the next two weeks. They play in Toronto. In Florida against the resurgent Panthers, too. The Penguins have generally been good about elevating their play against tough competition this season. Here comes quite a test. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128070 Pittsburgh Penguins First, it clears up the logjam a bit with Schultz’s impending return. The room was cluttered with defensemen even with Schultz sidelined. With Johnson and Pettersson bolted together as a third pairing, the coaching Discussion – Devils at Penguins staff is hesitant to break up that duo. That would presumably have led to Oleksiak and his salary cap hit of $2,137,500 to be a healthy scratch most nights (to say nothing of Riikola or Chad Ruhwedel By Seth Rorabaugh Jan 28, 2019 Second, coupled with the trade earlier this month or Derek Grant ($650,000 cap hit), the Penguins have quietly cleared out $2,787,5000 off their books as the trade deadline approaches. Rutherford will have a little more room to work with his salary cap should he choose to make A preview of the Scouts Rockies Devils: any deals. When and where: 7 p.m., EST, Consol Energy Center PPG Paints • This fourth-round pick the Penguins re-acquired from the Stars has Arena been around the block quite a bit as it has been traded four times TV: KBL Fox Sports Pittsburgh Root Sports ATT Sportsnet already: Record: 18-23-7, 43 points. The Devils are in last place in the Smythe (Source: CapFriendly) Patrick Atlantic Neapolitan Ice Cream Metropolitan Division • Presuming he plays, Matt Cullen will surpass Tim Horton as the oldest Leading Scorer: Right winger Kyle Palmieri, 38 points (22 goals, 16 player to appear in a regular season game for the Penguins. assists) • Sidney Crosby became the fourth player in franchise history to win an Last Game: 3-2 home loss to the Devils, Jan. 19. Left winger Jesper Brett All-Star Game MVP on Saturday. His predecessors are Greg Polis had a goal and an assist for the Devils. (1973), Syl Apps, Jr. (1975) and Mario Lemieux (1985, 1988 and 1990). Last Game against the Penguins: 4-2 home win, Nov. 13. Left winger • Evgeni Malkin has 598 career assists. Taylor Hall had two goals and two assists for the Devils. • The Devils activated left winger Miles Wood (undisclosed) from injured The last time the Penguins played the Devils, this happened: reserve. Probable goaltenders: Matt Murray (14-6-1, 2.86 GAA, .913 SV%, 3 SO) • The Devils recalled goaltender Cam Johnson, center Kevin Rooney and for the Penguins. Keith Kinkaid (13-14-6, 3.10 GAA, .899 SV%, 3 SO) for defenseman Egor Yakovlev from Binghamton of the AHL. the Devils. • The referees are Justin St. Pierre and Pierre Lambert. The linesmen are Injuries: For the Penguins, Zach Aston-Reese (suspected left hand) and Matt MacPherson and Derek Amell. Justin Schultz (left leg) are on injured reserve. For the Devils, right Postgame notes wingers Joey Anderson (ankle), Stefan Noesen (undisclosed), Hall (undisclosed) and defenseman Ben Lovejoy (undisclosed) are on injured Observations from the Penguins’ 6-3 loss. reserve. Devils right wing Kyle Palmieri (not pictured) scores past Penguins Potential lines and pairs: The Penguins’ lines and pairs at today’s goaltender Matt Murray as Devils center Brian Boyle battles Penguins morning skate were: defenseman Marcus Pettersson during the third period of Monday’s game at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire/USA Today) The Devils’ lines and pairs at today’s morning skate were: Randomly speaking Pregame notes • Jack Johnson did not play the final 12:13 of the contest after suffering • Mike Sullivan was asked after practice Sunday about how he’ll sort out an injury. There was no update on his status. his blueline once Justin Schultz returns from his left leg injury in February. He would have nine NHL defensemen at his disposal at that • The Penguins surrended a short-handed goal at 3:30 of the second point. period to Devils center Brian Boyle. It was their league-leading 11th short-handed goal they have allowed this season. “It will force the coaching staff to make difficult decisions but those are good decisions to have to make,” Sullivan said. “Because you know • The Penguins’ special teams were wretched as they went 0 for 5 on the when you have to make those types of difficult decisions, you know you power play and gave up two power-play goals on five opportunities to the have real capable people that you have to put in your lineup.” Devils. One of those people is no longer part of the equation. Jim Rutherford • The Devils are no 3-0-0 against the Penguins this season. dealt Jamie Oleksiak back to the Dallas Stars in exchange for the 2019 fourth-round pick they originally traded to Dallas to get Oleksiak back in Statistically speaking December of 2017. • The Penguins led in shots, 40-32. Oleksiak has appeared in 36 games this season and has 11 points (four goals, seven assists). • Olli Maatta, Bryan Rust, Crosby and Sami Vatanen each led the game with five shots. He was a reclamation project for the Penguins, specifically Sergei Gonchar who pushed for management to acquire Oleksiak. A first-round • Kris Letang led the game with 26:43 of ice time on 31 shifts. pick in 2011 by Dallas, Oleksiak never found his footing with Dallas and • Defenseman Andy Greene led the Devils with 23:01 of ice time on 23 was dealt to the Penguins. He finished 2017-18 by appearing in 47 shifts. games for the Penguins and scoring 14 points (four goals, 10 assists). • The Devils led in faceoffs, 36-29 (55 percent). After signing a three-year contract extension this past offseason, Oleksiak ran into the same problems which hounded him in Dallas: • Devils center Travis Zajac was 16 for 24 (67 percent). Inconsistency and depth. The Penguins boosted their blue line with the additions of Juuso Riikola, Jack Johnson and Marcus Pettersson over the • Crosby was 13 for 25 (52 percent). past six months. Despite the long-term absence of Schultz, Oleksiak • Defenseman Steven Santini led the game with four blocked shots. found himself as a healthy scratch for nine games this season. Seven of those scratches took place over the past 11 games. He also missed • Brian Dumoulin and Marcus Pettersson each led the Penguins with two three games due to a concussion after he was injured in a fight with bocked shots. Capitals right winger Tom Wilson. Historically speaking Blessed with considerable size – he’s one of the NHL’s biggest players at 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds – as well as adequate speed for the modern • Rust (102 points) surpassed Nick Harbaruk and Warren Young (101 NHL, Oleksiak will get ample chance to prove himself in Dallas once each) for 89th place on the franchise’s career scoring list. again. The Stars are dealing with long-term injuries to defensemen Marc • Matt Murray (334 goals) surpassed Johan Hedberg (328) for the 12th Methot as well as Stephen Johns. most career goals allowed in franchise history. For the Penguins, this trade is significant on two fronts. • Derick Brassard was assessed 15 minutes in penalties for a violent check in the third period which injured Vatanen. His previous single- game high for penalty minutes was 10. • Cullen surpassed Horton as the oldest player to appear in a game for the Penguins. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128071 Pittsburgh Penguins (Sidney Crosby) could play for as long as he wants. He’s just unique in every way. But also with his mindset, with the intelligence he has. Even if he lost his ability to skate, he could play because he’s so smart. Five questions with Matt Cullen on being the old guy You were 20 when you first started playing in the NHL. You were still playing when you were 40. What will you be doing when you’re 60? By Seth Rorabaugh Jan 28, 2019 Probably will be coaching my kids in hockey. But aside from that, I have no idea. I used to make plans. The last few years, I started planning for down the road but I just kind of stopped doing that. I love doing it, what I’m doing right now. I’m so happy to be here. I feel really fortunate to be To a lot of people, the name Tim Horton is symbolic of two things. here. I don’t know. I’ll figure it out when it comes. As soon as I start making plans, things change. I just found you’re better off enjoying where Coffee and donuts. you’re at and letting things come. They always seem to fall into place. For others less focused on caffeine and carbohydrates, Tim Horton the The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 man was a vital component to the last great era of success for the Maple Leafs in the 1960s. A six-time All-Star, he spent parts of 20 seasons in Toronto and helped the Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup four times. Simply put, Horton is a Canadian icon. But he’s not exactly a Penguins icon. In September of 1971, the Penguins lured Horton out of retirement, and he returned to Pittsburgh – Horton previous played for the AHL’s Pittsburgh Hornets for parts of three seasons in the 1950s – for the 1971- 72 campaign. Aside from collecting estimated $100,000 on a one-year contract – the largest such deal in the Penguins’ five-year history to that point – Horton didn’t do much of note that season. Injuries limited him to 44 games and 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 1971-72. But he did set a franchise record by becoming the oldest player to play in a game for the franchise. In the regular season finale, Horton and the Penguins defeated the rival Blues, 6-2 at the Civic Arena, April 2, 1972. Horton, who would play two more seasons in Buffalo, finished his regular season Penguins career that evening at the age of 42 years and 82 days. That obscure milestone will be surpassed tonight when Matt Cullen presumably steps on the ice of PPG Paints Arena to face the New Jersey Devils. In his third season with the Penguins, Cullen will claim the record from Horton at the ripe vintage of 42 years and 88 days. Sunday, following the Penguins’ practice in Cranberry, Cullen discussed Horton, the notoriety of being the NHL’s oldest player and playing with other old guys. What do you know about Tim Horton aside from the coffee and donut shop? Not a lot, to be honest. I don’t know a whole lot. He obviously played a long time ago. But I don’t know a ton. You have the mantle of “oldest player in the NHL” which has previously been affixed to the likes of Jaromir Jagr or Chris Chelios. Do you take pride in that? Do you dislike it? Are you indifferent about it? I don’t mind. There’s no getting around it. You are what you are. I guess I am proud that I am still able to still play at this level. And I’m enjoying it. I feel good, and I enjoy it. So yeah, I guess I’m a little proud of it. It’s not something I’m running around telling everybody. It’s a young man’s league so I guess I’m happy I’m still around. I enjoy playing, I love being around the guys, and I love the competition. It’s a challenge. It’s good to be around. The fact that I’m the oldest player in the league, it is what it is. But I’m not embarrassed by it or anything. I guess I’m more proud of it than anything. Who is the best “old guy” you’ve played with? Oh, that’s a good question. I played with (Mark Recchi in Carolina). Roddy Brind’Amour was an older guy at the end of his career. Man, he was a great leader and just an awesome guy. Bret Hedican was an older guy at the end. But as far as closer to 40, Ray Whitney was a smaller guy, super skilled guy, one of the funniest guys I ever played with. Just a funny, kind of grumpy old guy by the end of the line there. And I loved playing with him. Played with Jagr in New York (Rangers) for a season. It’s funny, when I started in the league, it was a lot older. It felt like there were a lot more old guys. There was very few younger guys. It was bigger. It was the old rules before the (2004-05) lockout. There was a lot of old guys … big, strong, old guys. It was a completely different feel, a different game entirely. A lot more old guys early in my career than later. Who is the one guy in this room with the Penguins that could be playing into his 40s? 1128072 San Jose Sharks

Will Sharks' goaltending be a strength or weakness during stretch run?

By Chelena Goldman January 28, 2019 4:46 PM

The Sharks are currently enjoying their bye week before kicking off the last 30 games of the season and hosting the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday night. San Jose faces a few questions as the stretch run towards the playoffs gets underway. One of the questions, naturally, comes between the pipes. Goaltending has been one of the unofficial topics-du-jour for the better part of the Sharks’ 2018-19 campaign. From inconsistent play to winning streaks and back again, Martin Jones and Aaron Dell were talked about plenty ahead of the All-Star break. So we ask: Is the Sharks’ goaltending corps ready to play at the high level that can carry through the end of the regular season, and support a deep playoff run? There are a couple things to keep in mind as we search for the answer. If you looked at San Jose’s last couple of games before the break, you’re probably worried. Jones and Dell gave up a combined 24 goals in a four- game span ahead of the break – six goals in four straight contests. That includes a rough 6-2 loss to the Florida Panthers, in which both goalies played and gave up goals. That week-long stretch did a number on their save percentages, with Jones’ dropping to .895 and Dell’s hovering around .891 after losing two of his last five starts. Those numbers don’t reflect goaltending that can lock down the end of the regular season, and carry a team to a long playoff stint. But before you go pulling your hair out and posting a massive social- media rant, a couple of things are worth remembering. For starters – like we’ve discussed many times throughout the season – the defense has to be tight in front of the goalie to stop the other team from scoring six times a night. The Sharks' blue line has been beat up since the beginning of January, San Jose’s netminders haven’t always had the strongest support system in front of them. A healthy defense can go a long way to help Jones and Dell out down the stretch. As far as end-of-the-season and playoff hockey goes, Jones has shown in the past he can be a brick wall in high-stress situations, something Sharks coach Peter DeBoer has noted a few times throughout the season. Jones’ playoff resume speaks for itself, with a 2.07 goals-against average and .926 save percentage throughout his postseason career. As Jones’ season turned around in December, DeBoer told reporters multiple times he felt Jones was improving as the year rolled along. Take away that losing streak right before the All-Star break, and it’s difficult to disagree with him. That being said, the number of goals both Jones and Dell are letting by them on a nightly basis is still worrisome. While scoring across the league is the highest it’s been in over a decade, no team can give up six goals on a nightly basis and win games. There are exceptions to the rule -- like San Jose's wild win in Washington before the break -- but a stronger defensive front and a solid playoff history won’t mean a whole lot if both goalies are letting in six goals per game. The Sharks’ schedule has a healthy mix of division standoffs and non- conference meetups through the last couple months of the regular season, and the travel schedule is nowhere near as crazy as it was previously. It will likely become clear very quickly how ready San Jose’s netminders are to raise their game as the push for the playoffs goes into full swing. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128073 St Louis Blues well for a few weeks, especially the way he has looked on the road this season, I sometimes think there’s a chance that a team might bite on him. But as I’ve written before, with two years left on Allen’s contract at Blues mailbag: Does Jaden Schwartz need a change of scenery? $4.35 million annually, I believe the Blues would have to sweeten the pot in a trade with another club, meaning they’d have to cough up an asset like they did in moving Jori Lehtera to Philadelphia (two first-rounders) for Brayden Schenn and Patrik Berglund and Vladimir Sobotka to Buffalo By Jeremy Rutherford Jan 28, 2019 (first-rounder and Tage Thompson) for Ryan O’Reilly. If they’re willing to do that, and they find a suitor, I think a trade could happen, but my guess

is that it would come in the offseason, not before this year’s deadline. What a great performance Blues center Ryan O’Reilly had Saturday night We have to be thrilled with the way Armstrong has gotten out of some in the NHL All-Star Game, registering seven points (two goals, five bad contracts (which, admittedly, he gave out in the first place). But with assists) in two games! the rumor that we’d need to include someone like Klim Kostin or Jordan The Metropolitan Division skated to a 10-5 win over the Central Division Kyrou to get rid of Allen’s contract, eventually giving up assets to get out in the championship, and O’Reilly nearly skated away with MVP honors of bad contracts is going to catch up with the team, right? –Ryan but was edged out by Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby. The simple answer is yes, at some point it would catch up to them. But I O’Reilly’s success was good news for Blues fans, but the All-Star would caution — and I might be going out on a limb here — that I don’t festivities wrapping up in San Jose came with some bad news: no Blues think the Blues would trade a prospect of that caliber just to move Allen’s hockey to watch until Saturday’s game in Columbus because of the bye contract. Look at the trades that I touched on in the question above. In week. both, the Blues got a quality player back in Schenn and O’Reilly. I don’t believe they’re not going to trade a Kostin or Kyrou just to get a deal like So I thought I’d address your Blues fix with a good, old-fashioned Allen’s off the books. If the speculation about the Blues talking to Detroit mailbag at The Athletic St. Louis today, followed by a feature story on about Jimmy Howard and the asking price being a high prospect was O’Reilly — we go in-depth with the center about his No. 1 passion off the true, that’s probably why nothing ever materialized. The Blues do have ice — on Tuesday. several good young forward prospects, including Kostin, Kyrou, Thomas and Dominik Bokk, and they’re not going to have room for them all. But Let’s get to the mailbag … as much as a move with Allen is probably needed, trading one of those Jaden Schwartz has struggled this season. Do you think he could use a prospects in that type of deal, unless you’re getting an established player change of scenery? — Kimberly back, would be a very bad decision, in my opinion. People are going to scoff at that question, but it’s a fair one. Between his Is there any chance the Blues buy out Alexander Steen to make room for injuries and slumps, Schwartz just hasn’t fully developed into the player a younger player in the bottom six? — Trevor he could be. In my mind, and I’m being serious here, Schwartz could be I’ve said in the past it’s pretty doubtful, but with the emergence of players one of the two best players on a lot of teams and should be in the All-Star like Zach Sanford, Sammy Blais and even Oskar Sundqvist, the Blues conversation and Team Canada’s roster consideration for international have to seriously consider it. When Steen signed his four-year, $23- play. He has a reputation around the NHL of a guy who works hard and million contract extension in 2016 at age 31, we knew that his offense pulls the team together, but I don’t think Schwartz lives up to that had been declining in recent years and that his overall game would be reputation. trending downward near the end of the deal. But part of the reason I Schwartz isn’t young (26) and he’s paid well (two more years at $5.35 didn’t mind the extension at the time is because I believe the Blues million), so he must produce. He’s not producing, so like any player on needed to hang on to some of their leadership. They had parted ways the roster, the Blues must consider their options. with David Backes and Troy Brouwer, and while I felt that Alex Pietrangelo was ready to step up in that regard, there weren’t many All that said, in my estimation, it would be a huge mistake if they were to veteran forwards to mix with the young talent coming up. trade Schwartz. First of all, with him having just three goals, they would be selling extremely low. But more importantly, I don’t believe this is who Fast-forward to 2019 and, as we expected, Steen’s production has been Schwartz is. He’s a very competitive guy who happens to be struggling, limited. But more of a factor is that the Blues’ leadership, of which he is a but I don’t view him as an issue in the locker room, and I think with some huge part, remains in question. The roster has evolved, and now you retooling of the roster, they would be fine if he stuck around. have players such as O’Reilly who can assume those roles. In addition, as I touched on, the club has players who can fill the third-line and With rumors about Colton Parayko or Alex Pietrangelo possibly being power-play roles that Steen currently has. traded, what are the Blues’ plans to increase their defensive depth? There isn’t much in the minors, plus Jay Bouwmeester and Carl The Blues aren’t in the business of giving money away, and Steen will Gunnarsson could be gone (after the season), so the cupboards seem have $9 million left on his contract this summer. The team would be on pretty bare. — C.J. the hook for two-thirds of that ($6 million) paid out over double the time left on the deal (four years). So they would be saving $3 million in actual Obviously, the answer to this question depends on what moves the Blues cash, and the salary-cap hit, according to Capfriendly.com, would be make before the Feb. 25 trade deadline and this summer. But as we sit $1.75 million in 2019-20, $3.75 million in 2020-21, $1.5 million in 2021-22 here today, yes, I believe the club will have to add on defense, especially and $1.5 million in 2022-23. That’s a lot of money, but if Steen won’t on the left side. We can expect Joel Edmundson to be re-signed and consider waiving his full no-trade clause — we don’t know if he would — Vince Dunn to be back, but at this point, we don’t know if the Blues will that may be the cost of doing business. trade Gunnarsson and/or Bouwmeester at the deadline or re-sign one or both. If GM Doug Armstrong moves on from them, he’ll definitely have to Can you please elaborate on why all of a sudden Armstrong may not be look at the trade and free-agent markets because I don’t think they’d be interested in changing out this core group? It’s amazing to me this hasn’t comfortable starting the season with lefties Niko Mikkola or Jake Walman already been handled. If he’s trying to save face, Tom Stillman needs to in their top six to open the 2019-20 season. That’s not to suggest Mikkola understand that and not allow him to make any brash moves. Are they and/or Walman couldn’t be ready at some point next year, but with no tone-deaf? — John NHL experience, it would be a leap of faith. You are likely referring to some recent speculation, which I have On the right side, the Blues are fairly set with Pietrangelo, Parayko and mentioned in my weekly Q&As and on a few radio interviews, that Robert Bortuzzo, who was recently signed. That’s unless, as you Armstrong has told some people within the organization that he’s going speculate, the Blues trade Pietrangelo or Parayko. My guess is that if to stick with the core. If true, here’s my take: Armstrong traded Pietrangelo or Parayko, he would either be getting a Armstrong probably would selling low on a couple of his core guys and, top-four righty-shot defenseman among the return or make another deal and after exploring the idea, he isn’t excited about the possible returns. that would bring in that player. I can’t imagine he would trade one of those two without having a replacement in mind. Bortuzzo isn’t a top-four He’s in his ninth season as GM of a team that has made one trip to the guy, and while the Blues do have Schmaltz and Mitch Reinke in the conference finals, and although he has three years left on his contract, minors, we’ve seen that Schmaltz probably isn’t the answer and Reinke he feels pressure to win now and there’s no time for a retool/rebuild. may not be ready yet. Possibly, possibly, possibly ownership doesn’t want to trade a player like Do you think the Blues will trade goaltender Jake Allen before the Vladimir Tarasenko, etc. deadline? — Scott If I’m missing something, please feel free to offer your thoughts in the If there’s a taker, yes, but that unlikely possibility has been my response Comments section. I can’t imagine that the speculation about Armstrong for about two years now. When Allen goes through a stretch of playing sticking with his core is because he honestly believes they are on the last game before the break. It seems like the club made a wise call right path. If he does, he’s the only one who believes that. keeping him out of that game with nine days of rest ahead. Since he was on the verge of being ready, I can only guess that he should be good to How likely is it that Armstrong joins Ken Hitchcock in Edmonton? go after the break. But like with Perron, we won’t know until the Blues Wouldn’t compensation be required since he is under contract? Would return to practice. Chris Pronger then become a candidate to replace him? I’ve been in Army’s corner but feel a change in direction may be necessary. — Barry The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 I don’t think it’s likely, but you never know. For those of you wondering why Barry would be asking about Armstrong reuniting with Hitchcock, it’s because my The Athletic colleague Pierre LeBrun recently listed Armstrong among the qualified candidates to replace fired Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli. You should read how LeBrun lays it out, but basically he says Edmonton CEO Bob Nicholson and Armstrong have a relationship from their time together with Hockey Canada, and because the Blues are having a disappointing season, perhaps there’s desire from the organization and/or Armstrong to mutually part ways. Again, I don’t see this happening, and LeBrun admits he’s speculating, but he doesn’t usually write things without any merit for doing so, and I don’t think the idea is as far-fetched as it sounds when you first hear it. I don’t believe there would be compensation owed to the Blues because they would obviously be involved in the decision. I also don’t believe Pronger would be a candidate to replace him; he’s making a name for himself with the Florida Panthers’ management group. But if the Blues had interest in bringing Pronger on board, they would have done it before he was hired by the Panthers and before they hired Larry Robinson, who has an extremely lengthy track record of Stanley Cups and success. Pronger isn’t there yet, and I think if the Blues wanted Pronger, they could have had him years ago. What’s the latest on forward David Perron? With how well he was playing, I’m concerned that all we have heard is upper-body injury? — Riz This is a tough one to answer because Perron missed the last road trip then the Blues went on their extended break, so there hasn’t been any availability with the team recently. I wish I had more information, but we really won’t get an update until the Blues return to practice later this week to prepare for Saturday’s game. No one has given me any specifics about the upper-body injury that has kept Perron out for three games now. You just hope with him having a concussion history that that’s not the reason, but with him finishing his last game in Boston on Jan. 17, it’s hard to figure out what else it could be. Now let’s head to the Twitter-verse … WHAT’S YOUR BOLD TRADE PREDICTION FOR THE ST. LOUIS BLUES BEFORE THIS TRADE DEADLINE? ALSO WHAT WOULD BE YOUR BOLD PREDICTION FOR AN OFFSEASON TRADE? #THEATHLETICSTL THANKS AS ALWAYS, JR. — MORGAN ELIZABETH (@MOEERRETT) JANUARY 28, 2019 This isn’t very bold, but from what we know about talks the Blues have had and players they’d probably like to move, I would guess that Schenn is a guy they move before the trade deadline. My bold one for the offseason would be Pietrangelo, but bold only because he’s the captain and has a no-trade clause. There’s a lot that would have to be done for that to happen, but I think it’s possible. #THEATHLETICSTL SCHENN LOOKED GREAT ON THE WING WITH ROR. WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL OUTLOOK OF HAVING HIM AROUND LONGER AT THE WING CONSIDERING HIS LONG TERM OUTLOOK AT CENTER ISN’T STRONG WITH THOMAS, BOZAK, AND TRADE DEADLINE APPROACHING — MATT WHELAN (@MATTSQUADCAR) JANUARY 28, 2019 It was a small sample size, but I loved Schenn with O’Reilly and Tarasenko. You would have to think the Blues come back with that line intact after the break, right? I believe that if Schenn had his choice, he’d rather play center, and as you said, the Blues have O’Reilly and Thomas penciled in the top-six at center for the foreseeable future. Also, as I’ve mentioned, Schenn has one year left on his deal then the Blues are going to have to pay him, dishing out as much as $7 million a year. Do they want to do that, and does Schenn even want to re-sign here after giving up ice time and power-play time to O’Reilly? I think with the value he could bring in a trade and the reasons I gave here, the situation seems to me like it will end with a trade. ANY WORD ON ROBERT THOMAS? I REALLY LIKE HOW HE WAS PLAYING AND WAS BEYOND BUMMED TO SEE HIM GET INJURED. #THEATHLETICSTL — AFISTFULOFPUCKS (@A_PUCKS) JANUARY 25, 2019 Thomas (shoulder) traveled with the team to the West Coast and Blues coach Craig Berube said there was a chance he could have played in the 1128074 Tampa Bay Lightning

Extended breather was nice, now back to work for Lightning The team practices for the first time since the All-Star break, which came at just the right time.

By Mari Faiello

Jon Cooper and Sidney Crosby compared schedules during the NHL All- Star weekend. The Penguins were right back at it with a game Monday night, whereas the Lightning has two practices before Wednesday’s matchup in Pittsburgh. The Lightning coach was unsure whether it was an advantage or disadvantage having a game right out of the break. But Cooper figures getting those couple of extra days of practice is very beneficial for his players. Following Monday morning’s practice, Cooper didn’t seem to be alone in that sentiment. Defenseman Braydon Coburn was happy about having some time on the ice before competing again on the road. “It’s nice,” he said. “I’m a big proponent of having a couple of practices for sure.” The 33-year-old veteran was impressed with the team’s mentality throughout practice. Coburn said most of the guys looked pretty sharp and he has been on teams where that wasn’t the case. “I think it’s just a testament to the focus the guys have and when it’s time to practice the guys show up and get out there,” Coburn said. Even though it was the first practice back in a week, Cooper made players work, while still keeping the tone lighter, with a fair amount of five-on-five, full-ice play. He compared it to a mini training camp and a refresher course. Cooper likes having the longer break with the bye week added to the All- Star Game this year. He compared it to the longer Olympic break of 2014. “I think the hockey’s better down the stretch,” he said. “There may be a little sloppiness in the first game back, but I think every team in the end will be better off that their guys got that break going into the final part of the season.” The extended time off gave the players a chance to miss hockey. Cooper liked the energy on the ice Monday morning. “By the end of this break here everyone’s excited to come back,” forward J.T. Miller predicted before the break. “In the beginning it’s nice to get the break, but by the end of it you’re ready to start playing again.” Right wing Mathieu Joseph was thankful for some practice time before Wednesday’s game. “It took me a couple of minutes to get back at it,” Joseph chuckled, “and it’s definitely very helpful.” Miller is happy with the way the team has set itself up leading into this stretch of the regular season. “We play a lot of good teams coming up,” he said. “Everybody is pushing for the playoffs and playing for a position, so it’s definitely crunch time in the season and the hardest part of the year. We have to make sure we’re ready for it. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128075 Tampa Bay Lightning

It’s been a while, so here’s a reminder: The Lightning is good How does Tampa Bay compare to the league in the first part of the season? Quite favorably.

By Diana C. Nearhos

Though, it’s not halfway, the all-star weekend provides a natural breaking point for the season. So, as the Lightning prepares to get underway again, let’s take this opportunity to look at where the league stands and how Tampa Bay compares. 4,713 NHL goals scored this year (the league includes the 43 shootout-deciding goals in that figure). That’s the most at this point in the season since 2005-06, and that season finished with the most goals in league history (7,588). 199 Lightning goals scored this year (including three shootout-deciding goals). The league average is 152 and Tampa Bay has nine more goals than the second-best team (Calgary, 190). 20% Overall NHL success rate on the power play. In all, there have been 4,695 total power plays and 938 power-play goals. 30% Lightning success rate on the power play. Tampa Bay has scored 49 power-play goals on a total of 166 power plays, making it the best power play in the league. 64 NHL games featuring 10 or more combined goals (still including shootout-deciding goals). That is the highest total at this point since 1995-96 (75). 8 Lightning games featuring 10 or more combined goals. That’s 12 percent of the 10-goal games for one team, representing three percent of the league. Tampa Bay had another seven nine-goal games in its first 49. 55 Times a team scored seven or more goals in a single game, across the league. That’s the most since the 1995-96 season. 4 Times the Lightning has scored seven or more goals in a game. Again, that’s more than Tampa Bay’s fair share, proportionally. 33 NHL players with at least 50 points on the season. That’s the highest since 1996-97, when 36 reached the mark. 3 Lightning players with at least 50 points: Nikita Kucherov (78), Brayden Point (65) and Steven Stamkos (57). Calgary has five players, while Toronto and Pittsburgh match Tampa Bay’s three. There are 14 teams, or almost have the league, without any 50-point players. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128076 Tampa Bay Lightning Fill-in arena announcer Andy Frost gets the crowd on its feet. Steven Stamkos knocks a stack of pucks over on the edge of the bench and leads his team on the ice. Players from both teams whiz by me as Watching an NHL game between the benches: Sights, sounds, danger of warmups begin. a ‘whole different world’ As Alex Killorn stretches near mid-ice, he catches a glimpse of me — and my helmet — and laughs. He tries to get Dan Girardi’s attention. Then he pokes J.T. Miller with his stick, pointing at me. Miller turns, he Joe Smith Jan 28, 2019 smiles. And shakes his head.

The ribbing is just beginning, but being at this level allows you to pick up everyone’s routine. TAMPA, Fla. — “Don’t get killed.” Ryan Callahan puts his right leg on the bench to stretch. Long-time Lightning team photographer Scott Audette gives out those three golden words of advice as he hands me a helmet for my latest Victor Hedman comes to the bench and tips his stick blade between the assignment for The Athletic. I watched the Tampa Bay-San Jose game fingers of assistant equipment manager Rob Kennedy (a brave man). on Jan. 19 from between the benches, hoping to offer a unique perspective on the action. Anton Stralman skates back and forth from side to side passing to himself off the boards. The sights. The sounds. The speed. Andrei Vasilevskiy, whom they call “Big Cat,” stretches into the kind of “It’s a whole different world,” Fox Sports Sun analyst Brian Engblom said. splits that strain my hip flexors just watching it.

And a dangerous one. Defenseman Mikhail Sergachev flips a puck over the glass to a fan on his way into the locker room. Audette warms me up with some horror stories. Like the time, several years ago, when one of his photographers was shooting the Lightning Nikita Kucherov is usually the last player on the ice, taking several shots bench, turned around and took a deflected Victor Hedman pass off the from his office, the right circle. He’ll stickhandle around imaginary mouth. The puck knocked out several teeth and zapped his courage. The defenders, curl near the dot and rifle a wrist shot. Top shelf. Far post. photographer didn’t return after his “upper-body injury,” which former captain Martin St. Louis mercilessly ribbed him about at the next practice. As Sharks star forward Evander Kane makes one last stride to the bench, he stops on a dime, ice shavings flying over the boards. I can feel “So if you get hurt,” Audette said. “You’ve got to come back.” the mist — and the cold — as a few flakes reach my face.

Engblom has been there. The two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman (Joe Smith / The Athletic) with the Canadiens took a shot off the forehead three years ago on a Sidney Crosby deflection, earning nine stitches. Crosby came in at Sonya Bryson’s rendition of the national anthem sounds just as beautiful intermission and apologized; Engblom returned for the next period. at ice level.

“I got more attention on social media (for that) than anything else I ever Players settle in on the bench for their pregame traditions. Trainer did,” Engblom said. “I didn’t need any reminder on what it was like to get Tommy Mulligan reaches into his bag and tosses out some smelling hit by the puck in the head. It hurts every time.” salts, which several players use before faceoff — Stamkos, Cedric Paquette and Killorn are among the regular users. Coach Jon Cooper NBCSN’s Pierre McGuire, a pioneer in the between-the-benches world tosses his gum to backup Louis Domingue, a superstition that dates back who has suffered a broken finger and bruised ribs covering games, also years. had some advice: don’t wear a watch. The first thing you notice down here are the sounds. “Sticks will come close to impaling you,” McGuire said. “So pay attention. The way the skate blades carve up the ice. With every tape-to-tape pass, “You won’t make it through a full game if you’re tweeting.” there’s a whack. Whack! The booms of the bench doors opening and shutting with each line change, which are minor miracles of their own. (Joe Smith / The Athletic) “Thought you were going to call that,” Kane yells at the referee about an After getting fitted for a helmet — a non-negotiable condition for my icing call. access — I settle in a back room near the Lightning dressing room with Engblom, who is going over his lineup sheet and notes. Three minutes in, Stamkos, who had a hell of a night, blows through the neutral zone. He’s been using the middle of the ice a lot more in his hot You can hear music piped in from the Amalie Arena speakers, with host stretch. “Skating to daylight,” as Engblom says. Greg Wolf getting the sellout crowd hyped up for the matchup. Fifteen minutes before warmups, Engblom turns to me: It looks slick from up top, but down here, you see the footwork, the turns. When Stamkos toe-drags in the right circle, stick handling around wing “Ready for an education?” Joonas Donskoi, you see how he sets it up. Ondrej Palat can’t finish, but We walk through the Lightning bench into the booth, which has enough it’s a highlight-reel type of play. room to fit three chairs side to side, but not much more. Engblom said in Up in the press box, the entire ice is in view, allowing you to catch a Florida and Philly the booths are so tight, you can’t even back up. glimpse of what’s happening behind the play. Between the benches, “This is luxurious,” he says. there were times I couldn’t fully see goals scored thanks to the mass of bodies in front of me (including the bench). Fans are piling in, including a female Sharks fan in a Brent Burns-style beard. Regulars welcome Engblom. Others wonder who the hell I am. But what you miss in the macro perspective you more than gain in the Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” is blaring from the speakers. micro. It’s in the details. You get a whole new appreciation of players down here. Turnovers, or giveaways, as they’re called on the stat sheet, You think it’s loud in the stands? Multiply that by 10 at ice level. are just consequences of great plays in tight spaces.

“You don’t hear as much trash talk as you think,” Engblom says. “But you When Brayden Point zips through the neutral zone, you feel it, with the can read guys’ lips as they ‘mother F-‘ each other.” wind from his wake blowing in your face.

Rookie Mathieu Joseph, in his shorts and T-shirt, pops out to the bench “You appreciate the fine little moves that players do under pressure that for some stretching. He’s got headphones on, bobbing his head to the go unnoticed,” Engblom said. “There’s a play on the wall where there’s a music. The winger is battling for a spot in the 14-deep forward rotation, real threat where a guy may get wailed on, and he spins around and and soon enough, he’ll add to his already compelling case. makes a play, avoiding the hit. You see everything up (in the press box), you don’t see much detail. (Joe Smith / The Athletic) “Up there, everything is slow. It’s the equivalent of watching TV and “Tampa Bay, welcome your Tampa Bay Lightning!” saying, ‘That quarterback is an idiot. That guy was wide open by 20 yards.’ You go down to field level, and you see the reason he didn’t throw It’s truly controlled chaos to put a television broadcast together. A minor was because there are five guys, 6-foot-5, 300 pounds, trying to rip his miracle. frickin’ head off. Everything is happening so much faster.” There are two dozen employees in the truck working in sync, with the Midway through the first period, Joseph scores the first goal, pouncing on producer counting the team in and out of breaks. “Five, four, three, two, a loose puck in front. There’s not a lot of chatter on the bench, though one.” The director is, well, directing traffic, scanning 18 camera angles guys stand up and smack their sticks against the boards, then do the row and deciding which ones to show on the broadcast. Another is working of fist bumps. The Sharks bench isn’t deflated either, and guys just magic to prepare graphics and stats for the big screen. shuffle into their seats. San Jose coach Peter DeBoer barks out the next lines. You know 95 percent of the replays you see on Lightning broadcasts? They come from suggestions by Engblom between the benches. You see the chess match between coaches, too. Cooper will peek over to the Sharks bench, seeing who DeBoer is sending out next. The Engblom watches a replay from his spot between the benches during a Lightning, as the home team, have the last change. When Logan break in the action. (Joe Smith / The Athletic) Couture’s line comes out, Cooper sends out Anthony Cirelli’s. The Lightning-Sharks game is rolling along as the teams battle back and (Joe Smith / The Athletic) forth.

“Go, go, go!” Cooper yells. Kane ties it up in the first minute of the second, getting the Sharks fired up before taking a seat right next to me. Seven minutes later, Gourde “Hurry the fuck up!” DeBoer says as his lines change. scores — finally — snapping a nine-game goal drought, a frustrating stretch during which he scored just one goal in 20 games. Yanni Gourde’s line gets caught out in an odd-man rush as the Sharks’ Tomas Hertl gets a scoring chance from the high slot. But Vasilevskiy You can see the relief in Gourde’s celebration as he blows a kiss up to makes the save, one of 28 on the night the ceiling, pumps his fist forcefully and delivers a primal scream toward the heavens. The Lightning bench erupts for Gourde. As Gourde comes back to the bench, he flips his stick back and forth over his shoulder and mumbles, “Fuck.” Palat shakes his head. “It had been so long,” Gourde would say later. “I really needed that.”

Body language is one thing you only notice down here. You can tell when With eight minutes left in the period, Hedman delivers the dagger. The guys are pissed off or frustrated. Like when Kucherov slams the bench Lightning’s top-ranked power play is magical to watch from upstairs, but door after an ineffective power play. You see Point, as quiet as any even more fascinating from down below. You can see where Hedman player you know, jump up and yell “Come on!” when there’s a penalty on and Kucherov are looking — or, more accurately, not looking — when the Sharks that’s not called. they make their passes. Their anticipation of where the other is going to be — on the blueline or behind them for a drop pass — is remarkable. “The temperature of the game is how the players really feel,” Engblom says. “It’s important. It gives you context. Upstairs, it’s all the same. It’s Hedman makes a pass to Kucherov, but his eyes are as big as saucers room temperature.” as he skates to mid-ice. He wants the puck back. Hedman accepts the pass near the Sharks’ blueline, blowing past Burns, splitting the defense Engblom recalls being on the end of Anaheim’s bench during their Game and ripping a shot past San Jose netminder Martin Jones. 7 loss to the Kings several years ago. He could tell the Ducks were defeated in the first period by their body language, as the Kings were just There is no celebration, no fist pump. Hedman, with a stone-cold stare, rolling, going in for the kill. just takes out his mouthpiece.

“You could smell it,” Engblom says. His goal song, “Takin’ Care of Business“ by Bachman-Turner Overdrive, roars from the rafters. Fans bang the glass behind me. I’m in sensory McGuire was there in Washington in December for the infamous war of overload. words between Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin, when the two were challenging each other to a fight from their respective benches. This It’s the last goal I’ll see — at least from ice level. Our agreement is for came after Capitals tough guy Tom Wilson knocked out defenseman two periods, so I leave the bench at intermission, take off my helmet and Jamie Oleksiak in a fight. McGuire found himself in the middle as two of bring it back to Audette’s office. the game’s brightest stars jawed. While waiting for the Lightning dressing room to open for postgame “We’ve got action here,” McGuire said. interviews following their 6-3 victory, I’m standing against the wall.

“Crosby says why don’t you fight him,” McGuire relayed. “Ovechkin said, Fox play-by-play man Rick Peckham walks by with his laptop in a roller- ‘Why don’t you fight me?’ bag and smiles at me.

“That’s not the first time they challenged each other. I was there once “Well, you didn’t get killed.” where they were swinging sticks at each other.” The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 Following the Lightning-Maple Leafs game from Fox Sports Sun’s television truck outside Amalie Arena. (Joe Smith / The Athletic)

McGuire was the first to be a staple between the benches for an NHL broadcast. And the idea was sparked in Tampa.

It was during the 2004 Stanley Cup final before Game 5 between the Lightning and the Flames. NBC executive Sam Flood approached McGuire, who was working for TSN.

“You think you could broadcast the game between the benches?” Flood asked.

“I know I can,” McGuire said. “I don’t think they’ll allow you.”

“You leave that to Dick Ebersol and me. You can have the job,” Flood said.

“The rest,” McGuire says, “is history.”

McGuire said it has changed the complexion of NHL broadcasts. It’s not just reporters like me, lucky enough to get this inside look on the bench, who benefit. It’s the viewers.

To illustrate that, I spent the previous Lightning game against the Maple Leafs on Jan.9 in Fox Sports Sun’s television truck outside Amalie Arena. 1128077 Toronto Maple Leafs

Dubas gets his defenceman: Maple Leafs acquire Muzzin in trade with Kings

DAVID SHOALTS

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas continued his run as the National Hockey League’s boy wonder by pulling the defenceman his team needed out of his hat. The 32-year-old GM landed Los Angeles Kings defenceman Jake Muzzin, 29, on Monday night from the Los Angeles Kings for the Leafs’ first-round pick in the 2019 NHL entry draft, forward Carl Grundstrom and the rights to unsigned defence prospect Sean Durzi. It was a brilliant move since it gives the Leafs the veteran top-pair defenceman they need at a price they can easily fit under the salary cap and without sacrificing a player from their NHL roster. On top of that, Dubas managed to land Muzzin, considered one of the top prizes in the league’s annual trading frenzy, one month before the Feb. 25 trade deadline. This gives him more time to adjust to both the Leafs system and his new partner, Morgan Rielly. With Muzzin joining Rielly on the top defence pair – there was no immediate confirmation from either Dubas or Leafs head coach Mike Babcock that this is the plan, but no one expects otherwise – Ron Hainsey will probably move down to the third pair with Travis Dermott. This will provide a veteran influence for Dermott, who is considered a talent on the rise, and bump Igor Ozhiganov to the press box. The second pair of Jake Gardiner and Nikita Zaitsev will remain intact. This gives the Leafs a set of six defencemen that can match up well with just about any team in the league. It is a huge leap forward and puts them back in the conversation as Stanley Cup contenders. While Muzzin is not the right-hand shot the Leafs were hoping to get in the trade market, he can play the right side, which is what they were after. The native of Woodstock, Ont., may not be a superstar like his now ex-partner Drew Doughty, but he is a proven winner and a top-three defenceman. He played a key role in the Kings’ 2014 Stanley Cup championship and was a member of the winning Canadian team at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, which was coached by Babcock. The Leafs’ timing on this trade is good for another reason – Kings forward Dustin Brown recently told The Athletic that Muzzin, who has 21 points in 50 games this season, has been the team’s best defenceman this season. “This is the best I’ve seen [Muzzin] ever play,” Brown said. “This season, I think he’s been our best defenceman over all and he’s been really, really consistent, which is, I think, something that every player battles with is consistency. For the most part he has been really good for us every night and provided a lot of leadership.” Muzzin has the rest of this season and 2019-20 left on his contract at an annual average value of US$4-million. While this helps Dubas with his task of dealing with the salary cap next season when big new contracts for Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have to be added, it probably means Gardiner, who will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, is even less likely to remain with the Leafs. However, the Leafs have a lot of defence prospects in the pipeline. Aside from Ozhiganov, the Leafs have highly regarded youngsters such as Timothy Liljegren, Rasmus Sandin and Calle Rosen moving up quickly. There may be some who argue the cost of a first-round pick plus Grundstrom and Durzi is too high for Muzzin. Grundstrom, 21, had 29 points in 42 games for the Leafs’ Toronto Marlies farm team, and Durzi, 20, is playing junior in the Ontario Hockey League. Both were second-round picks and both are considered by some to be among the Leafs’ best prospects. But there are no guarantees on either and the price for Muzzin was reasonable since the Leafs obviously believe the future is now when it comes to the Stanley Cup. Globe And Mail LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128079 Toronto Maple Leafs Muzzin’s acquisition ought to make traditionalists happy, too. History suggest Muzzin, after all, will actually hit someone, a mostly forgotten concept on a team largely made up of skill-first finesse players who don’t Jake Muzzin deal should thrill Maple Leafs fans, and Morgan Rielly too see the bodycheck as an essential part of an on-ice repertoire. What else would you expect from a player who grew up in Woodstock, Ont., cheering for the Leafs? By DAVE FESCHUK “Growing up in Ontario, everyone was a Leafs fan, and I was included. Playing hockey at a young age, looked up to Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark. We were all Felix Potvin in net,” Muzzin said. “It’s funny how life works, and here were are, coming back home to play for the team I Until Jake Muzzin was traded to the Maple Leafs on Monday, he’d spent rooted for growing up. It’s a bit ironic.” the bulk of an eight-year NHL career playing alongside a defence partner named Drew Doughty. Muzzin’s presence on the Toronto blue line, beginning at the team’s post- break practice on Thursday in Detroit in the lead-up to Friday’s game You know Doughty, the 2016 Norris Trophy winner and two-time Stanley against the Red Wings, ought to set devotees of analytics abuzz, as well. Cup champion with the Los Angeles Kings. A couple of off-seasons ago, Muzzin, after all, is an veritable Corsi god. Since he came into the league Doughty sent Toronto into a tizzy when he broadly hinted at a desire to in 2010-11, no NHL defenceman who has played at least 300 games has play in the centre of the hockey universe. commanded a higher percentage of shot attempts than Muzzin’s 57%. Defenceman Jake Muzzin has played big minutes in big games, helping Doughty, of course, is also the defenceman who famously branded Corsi L.A. to the 2014 Stanley Cup. “a bunch of crap.” Even if you don’t believe in the merits of such “I think of all us southern Ontario players, we secretly want to play for numbers, maybe you’ll find value in these. Muzzin has played in 50 the Leafs,” Doughty told TSN radio in June of 2017. playoff career games and been a reserve minor-leaguer for a bunch more. Before he logged 23 minutes a game playing alongside Doughty Fans of the blue and white, who’ve been not-so-secretly pining for an en route to winning the Stanley Cup in 2014, Muzzin was a practice upgrade to their beloved team’s defensive corps for eons, couldn’t help player during L.A.’s run to the Cup in 2012. Though Muzzin never but ponder of the tantalizing possibility. Adding a Norris Trophy-level dressed in a playoff game during that 2012 trip through the gauntlet, he talent to Toronto’s blue line, given the obvious gifts of Toronto’s forwards hung around in case of an injury and had his picture taken hoisting Lord in the Matthews-Marner era, could be just the thing to take the franchise Stanley’s chalice in the celebratory aftermath of the franchise’s from pretender to contender. breakthrough win. In other words, he’s been through what the Maple Leafs are imminently hoping to go through, and he’s been through it It turned out Doughty, who is from London, Ont., was only teasing about more than once, even if he’s played in just seven playoff games since his Highway 401 homecoming. This past summer he signed an eight- winning the Cup in 2014. year contract extension with the Kings worth $88 million. Now that Muzzin is on board, it’s hard not to like his chances And maybe, seen in hindsight, that’s for the best. Toronto, after all, reacquainting both himself and his new franchise with the wild beauty of suddenly has its own Norris Trophy-level talent in Morgan Rielly, who at a post-season run that lasts more than a handful of games. age 24 is enjoying a breakout season as one of the league’s top- producing defenceman. And thanks to the outlook-changing trade that Toronto Star LOADED: 01.29.2019 brought Muzzin to town — while shipping a 2019 first-round pick and prospects Carl Grundstrom and Sean Durzi to L.A. — the Maple Leafs are also now equipped with a Stanley Cup-winning, top-pairing defenceman who’s more than equipped to log the big minutes required of Rielly’s partner. In other words: This is a deal that ought to overjoy both Maple Leafs fans and their top defenceman. Though Rielly would never complain, playing the past couple of seasons alongside the 37-year-old Hainsey hasn’t been ideal for Toronto’s top rearguard. Hainsey, for all his Stanley Cup- winning experience with the 2017 Penguins and all his tireless service, doesn’t skate well enough to be the kind of puck-moving playmaker a top-pairing role demands. His glass-and-out style will be far more palatable seen in smaller doses down the depth chart. Muzzin, age 29 and in his prime, has spent his career proving himself a deft complement to the pace-pushing, rush-jumping Doughty. And while the downside is easy to see — Muzzin, who shoots left, doesn’t address the long-lamented hole on Toronto’s right side — it’s worth remembering both Rielly and Hainsey are also both lefties. While not ideal, there’s no doubt the arrangement can be made to work. “I’m very excited to join Toronto,” Muzzin said in a conference call with reporters late Monday night. “I’d be fine (playing) either (the left or right side), I think. And there’s good enough D back there where we can figure something out.” This deal works for the Maple Leafs on a lot of levels. Muzzin’s $4-million cap hit, on a contract that runs through next season, suits a team poised to find itself up against the salary ceiling next year, when Toronto is likely to lose second-pairing defenceman Jake Gardiner to free agency. And by making the deal now, instead of waiting until the Feb. 25 trade deadline, Muzzin gets two-plus months and 33 remaining regular-season games to find his footing in the Toronto system before the playoffs. “That was one of the things that was appealing about Jake (Muzzin) — (he’s) in his prime and we’re happy to know he’s going to be here for at least the next year and a half and two runs into spring,” said Kyle Dubas, the Toronto general manager. Muzzin’s arrival figures to make Babcock happy. When Muzzin made Canada’s roster for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, eyebrows were raised that the likes of P.K. Subban and Kris Letang weren’t among the chosen Canadian defencemen. And while Muzzin played in just one game, his selection said something about Babcock’s preference for low- risk, high-IQ blueliners. 1128080 Toronto Maple Leafs “Growing up in Ontario, everyone was a Leafs fan, me included,” said Muzzin. “It’s funny how life works, and here were are, coming back home to play for the team I rooted for growing up.” Maple Leafs beef up blue line, acquire defenceman Jake Muzzin from In 496 career NHL games, Muzzin has registered 213 points (51 goals, Kings 162 assists) and 298 penalty minutes. Muzzin has also appeared in 50 career playoff games, with seven goals and 13 assists. By KEVIN MCGRAN While Grundstrom is probably close to NHL ready, his upside is that of a third-line agitator with some scoring ability, in the mould of Leo Komarov. Trevor Moore had moved ahead of Grundstrom on the depth chart, and Jeremy Bracco was closing in. It came as a bit of a shock to be leaving the Los Angeles Kings, but defenceman Jake Muzzin can’t wait to start playing for the Toronto Maple Dubas managed to make the deal without giving up his top prospects, Leafs. including Marlies defencemen Rasmus Sandin, Timothy Liljegren and Calle Rosen. “I was a little shocked to get the phone call,” said Muzzin, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night. “You hear Gardiner missed the last two games with back spasms. But Dubas said rumblings and rumours and stuff like that, and you continue on with your he expected Gardiner back when their season resumes Friday in Detroit. ways until it happens and everything sinks in. Toronto Star LOADED: 01.29.2019 Jake Muzzin has worn the maple leaf before, representing Canada in the 2016 World Cup. “But I’m very excited to join Toronto.” Muzzin fills the Leafs’ need for a top-tier blueliner. A regular on the L.A. blue line for the last seven seasons, he was a key component of the Kings’ 2014 Stanley Cup win, playing top defensive minutes with Drew Doughty. “He’s been a very good defenceman in the NHL for a long time,” Leafs GM Kyle Dubas said. “When he joined Los Angeles coming out of junior, they were sort of in the same stage we are now. “He has that experience of seeing a team mature from wanting to contend, to contending, and then ultimately winning. He was a big part of their championship team in 2014. “Beyond that is his ability to play the top end of our defence, play in all situations, play against the other team’s top players. He’s proven himself over a good career to be able to move the puck, and to excel playing against high quality competition.” The price was reasonably high for the 29-year-old left-handed defenceman. The Leafs sent Marlies forward Carl Grundstrom, the rights to unsigned draft choice Sean Durzi and Toronto’s first round selection in the 2019 NHL draft. The move sets up the Leafs in both the long and short term. They add a quality blue liner for a playoff run, early enough in the season that Muzzin can adapt to coach Mike Babcock and the Leafs system. But also importantly, Muzzin remains under contract for a reasonable $4 million next season, and is insurance on the left side of the ice if Jake Gardiner leaves the team as an unrestricted free agent in the summer. Gardiner is expected to command as much as $7 million a year, and the Leafs might not have the salary-cap space to accommodate him. While Muzzin is left-handed, he has played the right side a bit in Los Angeles. “I played a little bit of the right, more so on the left,” said Muzzin. “I’d be fine either way. We have good enough defencemen back there where we can figure something out.” It’s certainly possible Muzzin could replace Ron Hainsey on the right side in the top pair with Morgan Rielly. “To add him and bolster that group is certainly something we’re happy about,” said Dubas. Muzzin’s arrival could allow Babcock to play Hainsey a bit less — he’s still the Leafs’ main penalty killer, even at age 37, but has struggled in 5- on-5 play. Hainsey would most likely play with Travis Dermott in the bottom pair. Both Dubas and Babcock are familiar with Muzzin. The defenceman spent his OHL career with the Soo Greyhounds while Dubas was working his way up the management ranks there. And Babcock coached Muzzin on Team Canada at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Muzzin, however, only skated in one game. “Being in Toronto for that tournament was exciting and I got a glimpse of what everything is about in Toronto, the media, and the city,” said Muzzin. “I’m excited to come and put on a Leafs jersey.” The Woodstock, Ont., native, who grew up admiring the Maple Leafs, has appeared in 50 games with the Kings during the 2018-19 season and has four goals and 17 assists. 1128081 Toronto Maple Leafs “It’s important for me to be able to give back,” Hyman says. “I’ m lucky guy. I’m in a position where I can give back.

“I grew up in Toronto, so I’ve had lots of friends who’ve gone through Many Leafs find charity is a place where assisting is the goal, and a Sick Kids and gotten better. That’s something on a personal level where rewarding one at that Sick Kids has had a an impression on me. Every year we come here as Leafs. They’re always excited to see us, always have a smile on their face. By KEVIN MCGRAN “It gives you a really different perspective on life, and to be able to give back to a place that helps children is really important.” When Mitch Marner was a teenage hockey phenom with the London Some Leafs support charitable work in a more private way. The ones that Knights, he quickly learned what it meant to be a famous hockey player. hold public events do so to raise awareness. And how to harness that power for good. “The more people you can get involved, the more kids you can get involved,” Hyman says. “When I was a kid I went to some of these Leafs winger Zach Hyman, right, joined by David, Clara and Simcha events. It makes a lasting impression. Bensimon, presents a cheque for $100,000 to Sick Kids, money raised at a golf tournament hosted by Hyman. “The more people you can get involved, the more money you can raise, and the more everybody feels they’re a part of it.” Leafs winger Zach Hyman, right, joined by David, Clara and Simcha Bensimon, presents a cheque for $100,000 to Sick Kids, money raised at Toronto Star LOADED: 01.29.2019 a golf tournament hosted by Hyman. “In London, we went to the sick kids hospital quite a bit,” Marner says of his visits to the Children’s Hospital, part of London’s Health Sciences Centre. “That hit me hard, seeing those kids battle every day. When you walk in there, you see how big their smile got, so I wanted to make sure I can make them smile as long as I could.” It was only a matter of time before Marner and some of the other young stars with the Toronto Maple Leafs started flexing their muscles to drive the charitable causes that mean the most to them. Over the summer, Marner ran his first Marner Assist Fund, a two-day skills camp putting NHLers’ and fans together on teams, with money going toward children’s causes. “The opportunity of playing here, you have that big market behind you, I realized I can do something great with it,” Marner says. “It’s going to be a yearly thing.” He’s not alone: Zach Hyman announced his second annual golf tournament, recently presenting a cheque for $100,000 to Sick Kids as proceeds from his first one. Morgan Rielly mentors at the Boys Club Network in North Vancouver and is in talks with local youth networks to import it to Toronto. Nazem Kadri has long had his Kadri Foundation, which champions mental health, but has also held fundraisers for families of the Humboldt Broncos accident and the victims of the Danforth Attack. “We’re helping the community,” Kadri says. “I think we’ve been put on a pedestal. And we have the opportunity to give back. I try to spread the love out as much as possible, and head back to my hometown (London) to do as much work as I can there and help the less fortunate, which I get some serious satisfaction from.” Even coach Mike Babcock is involved. He leaned his name to cancer causes previously because the disease took his mother. Now Babcock is focused more on mental health for similar personal reasons. “A close family friend of ours lost their son, he stepped out of a moving vehicle, a survey truck. He had mental health issues,” Babcock says. “Another guy just around the corner at the lake, within two weeks, the son took the dad's life. He had mental health issues. One of the dads just said to me, 'You've got to get involved.' “When my mom got cancer and died of cancer, I didn't know what cancer was. I heard of it, but I didn't know everybody had it. It was the same with mental health. I had no idea, I wasn't educated. I didn't know about it. I didn't know that one in five Canadians had (mental health issues). I didn't know the issues people have. “I think it's simple, when you have a broken leg, everyone knows you have a broken leg. When you're wounded on the inside and you're carrying it around, nobody knows unless you're willing to talk about it. That's why I got involved.” In a way, it’s a Leafs tradition, the team fully supporting Toronto’s Hospital For Sick Children with annual appearances, and other causes like arena refurbishments around the league. There’s a banner honouring former Leafs captain Mats Sundin at Sick Kids. The hall of famer kick-started a research program linking the University of Toronto and the Karolinska Institutet in his native Stockholm. 1128082 Toronto Maple Leafs But he can’t. He can hope some of those players have benefitted greatly from first-round playoff losses the past two years, but it usually takes many more miles in playoff competition than that for players to truly Maple Leafs’ answers come playoff time might have to come from within understand what it takes. So Dubas can either: (a) trade one of those youngsters for a more experienced player; or (b) surround them with more experience. By DAMIEN COX Of the young group, you could only really see Kapanen or Dermott being moved, and it would have to be for an exceptional return. As mentioned in this space before, if the Kings want to move 29-year-old defenceman No better, no worse. Jake Muzzin, who has one more year left on his contract, the Leafs might have to consider sacrificing Dermott. But given that Dermott is likely the Despite all the many changes the Maple Leafs made going into this replacement for Jake Gardiner next season, it would be a very costly season — the acquisition of John Tavares; the deletion of Tyler Bozak, move, and Dermott has enormous upside. James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov; the promotion of farmhands Kasperi Kapanen, Andreas Johnsson and Travis Dermott; the addition of Kapanen, meanwhile, has been an overachiever this season. What Par Lindholm and Igor Ozhiganov — the results haven’t changed a great message are you sending when you move an overachiever? deal. If Dubas is going to have more playoff success than Lou Lamoriello did John Tavares has 22 points in 24 career playoff games, the kind of as GM the last two years, he’s going to need the experience he does production the Leafs will be counting on from the all-star centre. have on the roster to deliver, and deliver big. The Leafs are still headed for more than 100 points this season, after 105 Nazem Kadri is 28, and his hat trick last week against Washington was last year. They have a top five offence and a defence not quite good encouraging. Kadri has been sculpted and developed, and now it’s time enough to be in the NHL’s top 10. In terms of team performance, the for him to deliver a crucial playoff season. Ditto for Gardiner, also 28, biggest difference is that the Leafs aren’t nearly as good at home this which is why Leafs fans dreaming of playoff success might want to season — blame the change to a new sponsor for the home rink? — and discourage their fellow diehards from riding Gardiner too hard over the much better on the road. rest of the season. The Leafs are going to need him. For what it’s worth, with 39 games to go, they’ve gone from being the Finally, there’s Tavares, 29, and Patrick Marleau, 39. Tavares has only second-best team in Canada last year behind Winnipeg to the third best 24 playoff games on his resume, and none since 2016. But he has 22 behind the Jets and Calgary. points in those games. This is a big chance for Tavares to shine on a bigger stage. But in general terms, the Leafs are about where they were last season. Marleau, meanwhile, has oodles of playoff experience, 184 post-season Some would praise this as consistency. Others could suggest it really matches in all. He’s been to a Stanley Cup final. The question is does he means a lack of improvement. have enough left in the tank for all that experience to make a difference With fewer than four weeks to the Feb. 25 trade deadline, catching first- for the Leafs now, for one more big run? place Tampa Bay in the Atlantic Division seems a long shot at best. The Leafs, it’s clear, need older players to support their youth. They can Which means the Leafs are now focused on the battle for second in the buy one or two over the next few weeks. As Plekanec demonstrated, division, and home-ice advantage in the first round. Their challengers are however, such acquisitions may or may not prove useful. the Canadiens and Bruins, and you can’t rule out Buffalo despite a January swoon. Better to depend on Kadri, Gardiner, Tavares and Marleau. Better to depend on the players you already have to lift your group to the next The Leafs are done with Boston for the season, but have three more level. games with Montreal (Feb. 9, Feb. 23, April 6) and three more with Buffalo (Feb. 25, March 2, March 20). So those are six games right there Toronto Star LOADED: 01.29.2019 that could determine whether the Leafs get to open at home this spring. People love consensus — it saves on energy compared to independent thought — so the popular narratives continue to be that the Leafs require help on the blue line and could use a big body, preferably one capable with his fists, up front. The kind of defenceman that would likely make the difference some Leaf fans are looking for isn’t likely to be available, or would be extremely expensive. The big, brawny forward might be available, but whether he could keep up with a fast team like the Leafs is unclear, and given that Tampa doesn’t have this type of player, you wonder about the real need here. Nevertheless, trade deadline moves officially kicked off on Monday with the Dallas Stars’ acquisition of defenceman Jamie Oleksiak from Pittsburgh for a fourth-round draft pick, and there’s no question expectations of Leaf management are going to be much, much higher this year. The Leafs picked up Tomas Plekanec from Montreal at last year’s deadline, and the deal made almost no difference. It wasn’t a costly acquisition, but it was ineffective. Kyle Dubas has to do better than that. If Willam Nylander can get return to form, that will ease the pressure on Dubas a bit. Beyond that, what he really needs, he can’t get. See, the main weakness of the Leafs has to do with something management can’t change, and that is the youth and inexperience of most of the team’s key players. Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews are 21 years old. Nylander, Kapanen and Dermott are 22. Morgan Rielly is 24. Compare that to Tampa Bay. Of their key players, only Brayden Point (22), Mikhail Sergachev (20) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (24) are under 25. The Bolts aren’t relying on as many youngsters, and it shows in the standings. It would be one thing if Dubas could wave a magic wand and suddenly empower Marner or Kapanen with the wisdom of a 30-year-old NHLer. 1128083 Toronto Maple Leafs

A first-round gamble Maple Leafs could afford

Lance Hornby

Unlike previous trades of Maple Leafs 2.0 first-rounders, with question marks about the return or reason to fear Toronto had gambled away too much future, this Jake Muzzin deal makes more sense. After a futile attempt at fast-tracking success to get playoff dates for previous impatient bosses, such as the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, the Leafs were left with a nearly bare cupboard. Between 2003 and 2010, the Leafs either traded their No. 1 pick four times times or the pick itself (Tuukka Rask in 2005). The biggest of those deals did bring in scoring machine Phil Kessel, but no Cups and just three playoff series between 2004-13. To acquire Kings championship defenceman Muzzin, the Leafs gave up a first-rounder in the 2019 draft, in addition to previously chosen second- rounders Carl Grundstrom and the unsigned Sean Durzi. But with the Leafs at 62 points and still capable of hitting 100 that pick the L.A. Kings get should be far down the board in June and Grundstrom, while a valued member of the Calder Cup-winning Marlies, faced a long lineup for a Leafs job on the wing. The lost pick has been preceded by nine first-rounders since 2011, four of them top 10 and seven still with the club. In other words, this was a move a Toronto team that’s two or three years into a planned rebuild could afford. Here’s a look at how their previous trades of first-rounders in the 2000s worked out: 2003 To get Owen Nolan from San Jose, the Leafs gave up the first plus prospects Alyn McCauley and Brad Boyes. The Sharks sent the pick to Boston, which selected defenceman Mark Suart, who played just under 700 games. Nolan helped during the balance of the 2002-03 season, but had no goals in Toronto’s only playoff series. 2004 Future Hall Of Famer Brian Leetch was acquired from the Rangers for two Europeans who never panned out and a first- and second- rounder. Calgary wound up with the former, taking Kris Chucko, while the Rangers turned the second into Michael Sauer, so the Leafs escaped damage. Leetch loved Toronto and contributed to what has been their lone playoff series win to date, but after the next season’s lockout he did not re-sign. 2005 The Leafs picked Rask 21st overall, then a year later sent him to Boston for Andrew Raycroft. Neither Raycroft or the highly-rated Justin Pogge worked out for Toronto which came into the ‘new’ NHL without strength in net. 2007 After holding on to the 2006 top pick (Jiri Tlusty), the Leafs went big-name goalie shopping again, this time for Vesa Toskala. That lost first-rounder ended up with the Blues who selected the still-active Lars Eller. 2010 Re-stocked with Luke Schenn and Nazem Kadri, the Leafs tried to speed things up again by landing Kessel for their first-rounder and another in 2011. Tyler Seguin went to Boston in the first draft, Dougie Hamilton in the second, with Toronto getting back in the game via trades in 2011 for Kris Versteeg and Tomas Kaberle, allowing them to pick Stu Percy and Tyler Biggs late in the first round. From 2012 up until Monday’s Muzzin deal, they’ve held on to their first rounders. Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128084 Toronto Maple Leafs Muzzin helped the Kings win the Stanley Cup in 2014 and has played in 50 post-season games.

“That’s why we play, is to get to the playoffs and having a chance to win Maple Leafs acquire defenceman Jake Muzzin from Los Angeles the Stanley Cup,” Muzzin said. “I was fortunate enough early in my career to have that opportunity and be brought in on a good team and thrown into the fire. The last few years has been a battle and a struggle, Terry Koshan and I’m definitely excited to have another crack at it.” Dubas had said he likes the Leafs’ defence corps more, probably, than others. Now, even more. The Maple Leafs got their man. “I do like our D,” Dubas said. “We have talked at different points of Specifically, their D-man. continuing to try to bolster it. To add Jake into that group, we have got some very solid veterans as part of it and some nice up-and-coming General manager Kyle Dubas on Monday night got the defensive help players as well. the Leafs have needed for a while, acquiring defenceman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings. Going to Los Angeles are forward Carl “I think the key things for us is in acquiring a player like Jake is that he Grundstrom, the rights to unsigned defenceman Sean Durzi and the has been a very good defenceman in the NHL for a long time. He has Leafs’ 2019 first-round pick. that (playoff) experience, but I think beyond all that the key is his ability to play at the top end of our defence, play in all situations, play against the In short, Dubas has made a significant upgrade to the Leafs without other teams’ top players. He has proven himself over a good career to be touching the current roster. able to move the puck, to excel at playing against high-quality Muzzin is under contract through 2019-20, with an annual average salary competition and to contribute offensively and defensively. Just thought it of $4 million US, after which he will become an unrestricted free agent. was a great fit for us and knowing his character, thought it would be a great fit for our locker room.” “(Contending) is something we’re aiming to do year in and year out,” Dubas said. “Our preference was always to add players who are going to There’s depth in the organization at both forward and defence, and be here for more than just a few months and that was one of the things Dubas isn’t taking a big bite out of the club’s future in trading Grundstrom that was appealing about Jake. and Durzi. “He is still in his prime and we are happy to know he is going to be here As for the first-round pick, it’s bound to be late. By no means will the for at least the next year and a half and two runs at the spring.” player the Kings take at the spot be a guarantee to one day make a large impact in the NHL. Important for the Leafs is the timing. Weeks remain before the Feb. 25 NHL trade deadline, and Muzzin will have plenty of games to get Muzzin played for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for four seasons and accustomed to his new teammates before the playoffs begin. was a fifth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2007. “Coming back from the break, it makes it a little easier than if you were In 496 NHL games, all with Los Angeles, Muzzin has 51 goals and 162 just immersed in a full schedule and it gives Jake a couple of days with assists. He has four goals and 17 assists this season. his family to get a little bit organized,” Dubas said. “It’s just more KINGS GM: MUZZIN ‘AN ELITE DEFENCEMAN’ serendipitous than anything that it happened this early and with us on the break.” Rob Blake has no doubt: Jake Muzzin will make a smooth transition to playing in the Eastern Conference. The Leafs’ first game after their bye week is on Friday in Detroit against the Red Wings. Toronto is scheduled to practise in suburban Detroit on “I think he’s an elite defenceman,” Blake, the Los Angeles Kings’ general Thursday afternoon. manager, said during a conference call on Monday night. The 29-year-old Muzzin has played in the shadow of Kings star Drew “He’s going to bring the physical aspect but he has poise and patience to Doughty, but has earned a reputation as a solid blueliner whose first make plays. I think the adjustment will come naturally for him because inclination is to take care of his own end. Muzzin has been the Kings’ top he’s a top defenceman.” defenceman in possession and should go a long way into bringing a calming influence to the Leafs group. Blake said Muzzin has taken steps as a leader for the Kings and that it was “very difficult” to include Muzzin in a trade. Talks with the Maple “I was a little shocked to get the phone call,” said Muzzin, a native of Leafs regarding a deal had been ongoing for a couple of weeks, Blake Woodstock, Ont. “You hear rumblings and rumours and stuff like that and indicated. you continue on with your ways until it actually happens and everything sinks in. Very excited to join Toronto. I was thinking about it, playing “Moving Jake was not easy as he has been a key player for us and a them, how we got beat (twice this season). I was like, Damn. And now to significant part of our most historic and memorable achievements,” Blake be a part of that team, I’m really excited for the opportunity.” said. The expectation is that Leafs coach Mike Babcock will put Muzzin, a left- Still, there’s optimism for Blake with the additions of forward Carl handed shot, on the top pairing with Morgan Rielly and move Ron Grundstrom, defenceman Sean Durzi (who is unsigned) and the first- Hainsey to the third pair with Travis Dermott. If that’s what happens, Igor round pick this year. Ozhiganov, who would not have to be placed on waivers to be sent to the Toronto Marlies, would be the odd man out. “We had to make a tough move (but looking) toward the future,” Blake said. “The first-round pick was key. We made this deal for the future of “As for which side of the ice (Muzzin) is going to play, we are going to the team.” have a player or two that is going to have to play their off side, and talked it over with Mike, and that’s more of a discussion we will have with all of Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.29.2019 our players once we all get back from the break,” Dubas said. “(We’ll) find what might be the best fit to have everybody play to their best potential.” Said Muzzin: “I have played a little bit on the right but moreso my career on the left, but I would be fine either way. There is good enough D back there where we can figure something out.” There’s some question as to what this means for Jake Gardiner, who is headed for unrestricted free agency this summer. The thinking is Gardiner, who is dealing with back issues, will get more on the open market than he would in Toronto, and the acquisition of Muzzin could have no bearing on Gardiner’s future. So with Muzzin — who averaged 21 minutes, 32 seconds through 50 games with the Kings this season — a Leaf through at least next season, it would make the loss of Gardiner over the summer easier to digest. Hainsey also is headed for unrestricted free agency. 1128085 Toronto Maple Leafs Happy Father's Day to my biggest supporter and all the other great Dads out there! pic.twitter.com/N2OQm2oNTe

— Zach Hyman (@ZachHyman) June 21, 2015 GET TO KNOW YOUR MAPLE LEAFS: 20 questions with Zach Hyman 13. What’s the first thing you do in the morning and last thing at night?

“I wake up and brush my teeth, and at night set my alarm (for practice). If Lance Hornby the news is on, I just turn it off.” 14. Finish this sentence: “I can’t live without my … “ There’s a lot more to the Maple Leafs than watching them a couple of “I’d better say my fiancee.” nights during the week. 15. Who is your favourite historical figure? The Toronto Sun gets to know more about left-winger Zach Hyman and his thoughts on a variety of topics in our new feature. “Julius Caesar. I did a lot of Roman history in college.” Hyman is in his fourth year in the Leaf organization, acquired in 2015 in a 16. What’s something you did yourself that you’re most proud of? trade with Florida. The Toronto-born University of Michigan star has gained a reputation as a tenacious checker and at 26, he’s also an “My books. Being able to write for kids and also run my golf tournament, accomplished children’s author. His three books, ‘Hockey Hero,’ ‘The to be able to help kids and give back.” Magician’s Secret’ and ‘The Bambino and Me,’ are all themed on the We are very excited to announce the 2nd annual Zach Hyman Celebrity power of imagination. Classic! ⛳️ Read on to find out more about Hyman: In support of @sickkids @UJAFederation and @RightToPlayCAN 1. What’s your favourite movie or TV show? pic.twitter.com/0oMLd0HMex “Game of Thrones, hands down. A bunch of movies, Interstellar is one.” — Zach Hyman Celebrity Classic (@ZachHymanGolf) January 15, 2019 2. What do you recall of your first NHL game? 17. Which NHL player or team are you most excited to play against? “Everything. We played Tampa Bay, it was Feb. 29, 2016, a leap year. I “It’s crazy. I’ve played a bunch of games against all the stars. But I love started with Willy Nylander and Michael Grabner against the (Steven) playing Detroit because I went to school there, Montreal because of the Stamkos line and Victor Hedman. Late in the game, (Babcock) put me, old rivalry, and obviously now, the new rivalry with Boston and Tampa Willy and (Kasperi) Kapanen out there, down 2-1, all the young guys. It Bay.” was awesome.” 18. What is the best or worst nickname given you? 3. What was your best birthday gift? “Standard hockey names, Hymes, Hymer, Hymie. You can choose best “I was around 12, went to bed, woke up and my mom said, ‘Look out the or worst from that.” window.’ The family stayed up all night and our driveway was painted like 19. What’s your best family vacation spot or family tradition? a hockey rink with my number in the middle. There was a bouncy castle for all my friends to come over for a party.” “My grandparents moved to Palm Springs in the ’80s and ’90s so we always go down there. I’ll go there for a bye week, too. I love being in the 4. What’s your favourite NHL city or rink to visit? warm weather, so me and my four brothers hang out there.” “It’s always special to play against the Canadiens in Montreal.” 20. What’s the best advice you ever received? Toronto Maple Leafs’ Zach Hyman (11) Auston Matthews (34) and “When I met Howe, who had these huge hands, and told him I was a William Nylander (39) celebrate a goal during the third period of NHL hockey player, he gave me a friendly elbow and said ‘100% is all we ask hockey pre-season action against the Montreal Canadiens in Toronto on of you in the NHL.’ That always stuck with me. When you’re a little kid, Sunday, October 2, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn you always believe. I never saw him play, but when my dad and grandpa 5. What was your best subject in school? said, ‘Gordie Howe told you that?’ it was so cool. Then I learned more about Howe and when I wrote my ‘Hockey Hero’ book, I ended up putting “I was a history major at Michigan, but I liked creative writing.” him in.” 6. Who was your favourite teacher? Toronto Sun LOADED: 01.29.2019 “Mr. Vernon in high school at CHAT (Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto). I’m still in contact with him and he helps out at my charity golf tournament.” 7. What’s your most memorable celebrity encounter? “I met Gordie Howe when I was 12.” 8. What was your favourite pet, past or present? “My family has always had sheep dogs. Arthur was amazing, he’d sit outside without a leash on him and now we have Gordie, who is more of a watch dog. Big fluffy dogs, they’re the best.” 9. What’s your favourite meal or the food you hate most? “Hamburger, pizza, pasta, they’re all good. The one I hate is easy, blue cheese.” 10. What’s your favourite type of music? “I listen to all genres.” 11. What’s one thing you’d like to change about the NHL? “Hopefully, that guys can get back in the Olympics” 12. How did you get your sweater number? “I’ve been really lucky to have 11 growing up. My grandpa (Steve Hyman) and my dad (Stu), it was a family number. I wore 11 all through GTHL, junior and at Michigan, the guy who had 11 changed the year I got there. Then I came to the Leafs and no one had 11.” 1128086 Toronto Maple Leafs GM has closely followed his progression ever since assisting with that pick.

Muzzin also played for Babcock on Team Canada the 2016 World Cup, Mirtle: How much better are the Maple Leafs after the Jake Muzzin albeit briefly. trade? And he grew up in Woodstock, 140 kilometres west of Scotiabank Arena.

On the conference call late Monday night, he recalled playing street By James Mirtle Jan 28, 2019 hockey pretending to be Leafs heroes Doug Gilmour, Wendel Clark or Felix Potvin (when in goal, naturally).

“Very excited to join Toronto,” Muzzin said on a 15-minute conference Jake Gardiner can’t play the right side. He is just not comfortable there, call with media. “I was just thinking about, just playing them, how we got he’s explained over the years, and basically has never done it since he beat. I was like damn. Now I’ll be a part of that team. I’m really excited for moved from forward to defence in his final high school seasons. the opportunity.”

That, then, means Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin will become coach One hockey person who knows Muzzin well called him “just a big Mike Babcock’s guinea pigs over the Maple Leafs’ final 33 games of the farmboy” in describing his personality on Monday night, noting his season. hardworking, under-the-radar qualities. Despite the fact he had recently bought a home in L.A. and his wife, Courtney, is seven months pregnant, One lefty will have to play as a righty, for the first time – at least in a the trade isn’t likely to faze him. lengthy stretch of meaningful games – in their NHL career. On the ice, the Kings may have imploded this year, but Muzzin was quite That’s Kyle Dubas’ bet. That’s the gamble, as far as it exists in this trade. possibly their best player through that mess. If it works, it solves the biggest problem the Leafs have had on the roster since drafting Auston Matthews three years ago. Some will ascribe Muzzin’s strong underlying numbers to playing all that time with Drew Doughty, but the reality is that the last three years, they If it works, they have three good, puck-moving defencemen in their top were often split up. And Muzzin’s results with other partners – primarily four and a very strong third pair. Alec Martinez – aren’t far off what he produced with Doughty. If it works, this is the best Leafs blueline in … well, let’s avoid Lebdaville Realizing his contract will be up in 2020 and their need to restock their and call it decades. prospect pool, however, the Kings had been trying to move him for some The deal – Muzzin from L.A. for a 2019 first-round pick, Carl Grundstrom time. Trade talks with the Leafs began in earnest more than a month ago. and Sean Durzi – had barely been announced and already word was The fact Muzzin is signed another year – and for a very cap-friendly $4- filtering out from sources that Muzzin would play with Rielly on Toronto’s million – was a vital part of the deal. Dubas reiterated Monday he had top pair. been looking to land a defenceman with at least some term, rather than That, in turn, will mean Ron Hainsey would be bumped down onto the moving assets for a player who would play just one spring in Toronto. Leafs’ third pair with Travis Dermott, who will be freed up to do a little With both Gardiner and Hainsey set to be lost in free agency this July, more offensive freelancing than he has been able to alongside rookie the trade serves the dual purpose of upgrading the Leafs D now and Igor Oziganov. ensuring they don’t have to try and find two new blueliners in a free-agent Even the most staunch anti-Leafs folks in the crowd here will have to season thin on talent on the back end. admit this looks like a sizeable upgrade to their top six: I really don’t have a problem with what they gave up, either. Muzzin isn’t Rielly – Muzzin a rental, and Dubas basically paid a rental price for a top-four D.

Gardiner – Zaitsev The Leafs’ first-round pick was the best trade chip they were willing to part with, but it’ll be at the back end of the draft. The fact they were able Dermott – Hainsey to bring in Muzzin to bridge the gap to when Rasmus Sandin and There are options in that mix now, too – at least, more than before. Rielly Timothy Liljegren will be 20 and 21 years old without giving up one of the could shift to the right side and play with Gardiner, and Muzzin could young Swedes was ideal. slide in alongside Zaitsev or Hainsey. Or maybe, in situations where they In a perfect world, one of those two can step in and take many of the need a goal, the top four gains Dermott on the right side. minutes they’ll lose when Muzzin potentially moves on.

Because suddenly Babcock has four quick puck movers to rotate in The two prospects lost, meanwhile, are likely nothing more than fringe instead of three. NHLers. Carl Grundstrom will play for the Kings but may never have the This Leafs blueline certainly now more resembles Dubas hockey: skate talent to progress beyond the third line. And hard-nosed, depth wingers quick, carry the puck, move it up the ice fast and maintain possession. are a far easier commodity to come by than top-four D in this They finally boast a top pair where both D can play big minutes, against environment. (Look at all of them available at the deadline this year.) good players, and do all four. As for Sean Durzi, well, his stock with scouts seems to be falling during Muzzin is elite at exiting the zone and controlling play. Between 2015-16 his over-age year in the OHL, despite the impressive point totals. There’s and last season, he ranked fifth in possession (55.4 percent) and 11th in no guarantee he would have been even a Marlie. scoring-chance share (55.0 percent) among all defencemen with at least If there’s a downside to the trade – aside from the risk that one of 1,000 minutes played at 5-on-5. Toronto’s left D can’t adequately switch to the right – it’s that the Leafs “The key is his ability to play at the top end of our defence,” Dubas said. are getting close to capped out. While Cap Friendly lists them with $4- “Play in all situations. Play against the other team’s top players. He’s million in projected space, there is $3.7-million in performance bonuses proven himself over a good career now to be able to move the puck, to that Matthews and Marner can earn which will eat much of that. excel at playing against high-quality competition and be able to contribute Technically, the Leafs can exceed the cap due to those bonuses, but any offensively but defensively (too). Just thought it was a great fit for us.” overage would carry over to next season, when things are ultra-tight.

The difference between the way Muzzin plays the game and the way That said, the Leafs are currently carrying nine defencemen on the 23- Hainsey does couldn’t be much more dramatic. man roster, which can’t continue. Either Martin Marincin or Justin Holl Chart and data courtesy C.J. Turtoro and Corey Sznajder (tool available could be dealt or waived in the coming days, which would provide a little here) more breathing room under the cap. (Sending down Ozhiganov – who is waiver exempt – is another option.) There are some interesting connections here, too. Muzzin was drafted by the Soo Greyhounds 11th overall back in 2005, when Dubas was still Regardless, there will still be significant constraints on what Dubas can there as a teenage scout. Muzzin never played for the Greyhounds while pull off between now and the Feb. 25 trade deadline. Barring moving a Dubas was with the organization due to a bad back injury, but the Leafs salary out, he can’t really add even a medium-sized rental at this point without pushing some of the cost into 2019-20. So Muzzin will most likely be the biggest midseason addition to the roster. He very well could be the only one.

Whether that’s enough to boost the Leafs past the Bruins and Lightning when the playoffs start up in a couple months is certainly up for debate. But I like that it forces Babcock to rethink his blueline and to play a more skilled player while significantly curtailing someone like Hainsey’s minutes.

That alone is a huge upgrade from a year ago when the then-37-year-old logged 21:26 a game in the playoffs and the Leafs were filled in on the shot clock.

You combine that change with the addition of John Tavares in free agency last summer and the progression of players like Marner, Rielly, Kapanen and Johnsson and this is a better, deeper roster than a year ago, one far better equipped to advance deep in the postseason.

Once they determine who plays where.

“I’ll be fine either way, I think,” Muzzin said when asked about playing on the right side. “There’s good enough D back there where we can figure something out.”

“I do like our D,” Dubas said. “We’ve talked at different points about continuing to bolster it. I think certain players have made outstanding strides this year… (and) we’ve got a very good group there. So to add Jake into that group – we’ve got some very solid veterans as a part of it and some nice up-and-coming players as well – is certainly something we’re happy about.”

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128087 Toronto Maple Leafs nameplates,” the coach said. “Muzzin is a smart guy. He’ll figure it out … it’s not as if he can’t play fast enough and close gaps and deal with

speed. It’s just going to be a thinking process to getting the game moving NHL Trade Grades: Jake Muzzin trade ‘a hell of a deal’ for Maple Leafs faster.”

Los Angeles: B

By Craig Custance Jan 28, 2019 There’s nothing wrong with this return. It’s a first-round pick and two players drafted in the second round. For comparison’s sake, that’s what the Flames sent to the Islanders for Travis Hamonic. If you strip out J.T. Miller and Vladislav Namestnikov, it’s similar to the Rangers return for The trade Ryan McDonagh at the trade deadline last year. Maple Leafs receive defenseman Jake Muzzin A couple weeks ago, an NHL GM suggested that the entry point for Kings receive Toronto’s 2019 first-round pick and prospects F Carl Muzzin talks was a first-round pick and a good prospect. In theory, the Grundstrom and D Sean Durzi Kings exceeded that in getting Grundstrom and Durzi to go with the first.

Toronto: A But you would have liked to see the Kings land a prospect ranked higher than No. 5 on Corey Pronman’s list of Toronto’s top prospects in return Look, this was the year I wanted to go harder on the team adding the big- for one of their most important players. name player around the deadline. History tells us, these trades don’t typically work out. Even last year, when the Penguins added a center One Eastern Conference amateur scout liked Grundstrom but didn’t see with term on his contract (Derick Brassard), it didn’t pan out. But there’s him climbing above the third line in the NHL. so much to like here from a Toronto perspective. “He’s got a good motor. He works, competes,” said the scout. “He skates First, there’s the player. Jake Muzzin is almost exactly what this team and competes but his overall skill level isn’t top six.” needed. The scout compared Durzi to Red Wings prospect Filip Hronek, an “He’s been (the Kings) best defenseman this year,” said an NHL coach. offensively gifted, but not overly big, defenseman prospect in the Detroit “He’s been their most consistent guy. He’s continuing to work, continuing system. to compete, to do all the things that made that team good.” Durzi has had trouble staying healthy but when he does, he tends to The coach, who obviously really liked Muzzin, continued. provide plenty of offense.

“You can play him against fast people, you can play him against heavy “He plays to make a difference,” the scout said. “Good skater. people. It’ll be a matchup opportunity,” he said. “I don’t think he’ll be a Competitive. Good shot. Offensive instincts. Runs a power play in junior.” power play guy for them with the way they operate the power play. But “Strong performer analytically,” said an executive. he’s got enough skill to be a PP guy. He can, for sure, kill penalties and understands all that. He can skate.” The first-round pick, most likely, will be in the 20s so one source summed up the return for Muzzin this way: “You’re dealing with two maybes and a Said a Western Conference exec: “He does everything pretty well without maybe.” doing anything exceptionally well. Every team in the league would be happy to add him.” The biggest question for the Kings may be the timing. This looks to be a good but not overwhelming return. Would there have been a better deal He slots everybody into a better spot on that Leafs defense. He’s played later? What was the rush? a ton with Drew Doughty, so he should be perfectly comfortable with Morgan Rielly. The coach suggested that they simply might have been playing it safe in dealing Muzzin before an injury struck. A cynic suggested that dealing “Muzzin is used to having to stay home and be a steady guy,” said the him now helps the Kings cause in the Jack Hughes race. Another source coach. “It’s not that Drew (Doughty) is reckless. Drew thinks the game a said it was an indication of how much the Kings liked the prospects certain way. Rielly thinks the game a certain way. He’s going to be a coming back. But it’s a fair question. good stabilizing piece for them. It was really what they needed.” “Why not let (buyers) line up?” Asked one source. “I think (Toronto) made OK, so the player fits. He’s played for Mike Babcock and Team Canada. a hell of a deal.” He’s loaded with playoff experience. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 Now, factor in his contract situation. The trade deadline is evolving into a time where general managers would rather pay a premium for a player with term rather than a rental. Look at the Ryan McDonagh trade last year. Or even Brassard. Teams also tried really hard to get Erik Karlsson out of Ottawa at this time last year. Getting two postseason runs out of a trade deadline addition takes the pressure off the guy having to be a great fit for just a few months.

This was certainly the preferred course of action for Kyle Dubas. He said as much to colleague Pierre LeBrun recently.

“(We’re) happy to know he’s going to be here for at least the next year and a half and two runs in the spring,” Dubas said during a conference call on Monday night.

So there’s that. Even better is his cap hit. The Maple Leafs have a Stanley Cup winning defenseman who can play on their top pair and they have him at a $4 million charge per year through next season. It’s perfect for a team trying to cram a bunch of good players under the salary cap.

Dubas called the timing of the trade serendipitous but that’s also an important factor. There’s an adjustment coming for Muzzin in leaving the Kings to play in the East. For most of his career, Muzzin has played on a team where he’d go retrieve the puck in concert with five guys and they’d have their system in place while methodically working the puck up the ice. Now, it could be different.

“He may go back, make a hard play and turn up and look and he’s looking at the back ends of forwards — all he’s going to see is 1128088 Toronto Maple Leafs “We built a pretty good friendship. It’s a real tough time for me, for the whole team, for everybody. He’s a huge piece of the puzzle for us but he

got us in a good spot, we know what we need to do, we know how we John Snowden takes over behind Growlers bench for friend Ryane need to play, and we have a standard that we set here and the Clowe under difficult circumstances expectations and that are not going to change.”

Snowden, 37, was the natural replacement for more than just the fact that he was the team’s assistant coach — or that he’d guided them to By Scott Wheeler Jan 28, 2019 the top of the North Division during Clowe’s leave of absence.

His connection to the Leafs is the longest-standing in the Growlers organization. The Leafs gave Snowden his first assistant coaching job John Snowden didn’t imagine this would be the way he became a head with their then-ECHL affiliate Orlando Solar Bears in 2015. In 2017, he coach. He didn’t want it to be the way he got the job either. was promoted to associate head coach alongside head coach Drake When Newfoundland Growlers head coach Ryane Clowe, a former Berehowsky. And when hockey returned to Newfoundland and the NHLer, officially stepped down on Jan. 24 to deal with the lingering Lightning took over the Solar Bears, Snowden stuck with the Leafs and physical and mental after effects of post-concussion syndrome, Snowden moved to St. John’s while Berehowsky stayed in Orlando. took it hard. Moving his family to a new country — and a place as unique as “I can’t relate. I can’t at all. I never really had one in my career so I don’t Newfoundland — wasn’t an easy adjustment for the Snohomish, Wash., know how to respond to it,” Snowden said of his reaction to his native. But the Leafs have invested in Snowden for four seasons now colleague’s news. and it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

He wasn’t alone, either. A couple of days after the announcement, when “It’s such a tight-knit community and everyone is so helpful and the the Growlers arrived in Brampton to face the rival Beast, Clowe’s players transition was essentially just from a bigger city to a smaller city… and were still trying to wrap their head around their coach’s absence. the weather was different… and you’re on an island so it’s a bit isolated,” Snowden said, laughing. And it wasn’t the first time. In November, Clowe took a 15-game, month- long leave of absence from the Growlers before briefly returning on “But it has been outstanding. My kids are in a great school, they’re in December 28. great hockey programs, we’ve met a lot of great people and the ownership group and organization with the Growlers is just first class. Assistant captain Alex Gudbranson suffered a concussion in his first year They do everything the right way and make sure the players are taken of pro hockey in Iowa. And while he said it wasn’t to the extent of care of and feel welcome and at home in Newfoundland because it is a Clowe’s, he hurts for him nonetheless. long way away for everybody. We’re finding our way in 20 feet of snow “Let me tell you, it wasn’t fun. I know how he feels in a sense just but we’re getting through it. because I’ve been there and so have the majority of the guys on this Becoming a head coach is something Snowden has wanted for a long team. These are things that happen in this game and for his sake I hope time now. he gets a lot better and really finds a way to find his mental health at 100 percent because it’s not fun,” Gudbranson said. After playing for USA Hockey’s national development program in 1999- 2000, Snowden went on to a 14-year playing career across seven “You look at his game when he played in the NHL, I mean the guy was a leagues and 18 different organizations, primarily at the pro level in the warrior and he played the right way and you knew that he was going to ECHL and the Central Hockey League. expect that out of every single one of us game-in and game-out and he did, from the culture he set early at the onset of the season to the Midway through his career, knowing his brief opportunities in the AHL standards he brought in, there were no non-100 percent games with were fleeting, Snowden decided he wanted to be a head coach and Ryane Clowe and guys really bought into that culture quick because it’s began to prep for that end goal. so addictive. You could see the payment you got from playing that way “I started to really take notes on things that coaches do, what I like, what and we absolutely have Ryane to thank for that.” I don’t like, took notes on practices, I kept a book with me all the time, Forward Scott Pooley has dealt with a couple of minor concussions over and I knew at the end of the day I was getting a little bit older and I the course of his career. He also saw the toll they took on his sister, wanted to learn the game more and I knew I wanted to coach because I Taylor, a collegiate soccer player who suffered a series of serious love the game and it has given me everything. I thought that would be the concussions. next avenue for me to be able to stick in it,” Snowden said.

“It’s always hard but it was a personal decision for him and everyone in Late in his career, while playing for the Bloomington PrairieThunder, he this locker room supports him fully. We loved having him as a coach but was even named a player-assistant coach. Nearly a decade later, the we have just as much trust in coach Snowden that we had in coach opportunity with the Growlers is the realization of a pursuit that began Clowe and as hard as it is to see him go we know what we have in this back then. room and we know the ability we have and that if we continue to play our Over the weekend, in his first two official games as head coach without game we have something special here,” Pooley said. the interim tag, the Growlers split the back-to-back with the Beast. In their “He’s still going to be involved with the Leafs and still going to be around inaugural season, the Growlers now sit third in the 27-team ECHL with a the rink as much as he can. It’s definitely hard. It’s not fun for the person record of 28-12-2, a goal differential of plus-43, and an 8-1-1 record in who’s dealing with it and the people around it can see the struggles too. their last 10 games. Everyone here has dealt with concussions or seen it and we all know Snowden chalks up the success to Clowe’s foundation — a foundation what he’s going through and we hope he can get healthy soon.” he intends to build on. In October, Clowe detailed to The Athletic just how challenging his “Clowe established a team-first mentality, we all typically do things struggles have been. together, put your work first and skill will come out after and with the “I’d like to thank the Toronto Maple Leafs for the opportunity to become group that we have, we have a lot of guys, a lot of contracts, and we’re the first head coach in Newfoundland Growlers history. As a St. John’s able to get everyone on the same page and pulling at the same rope,” native, I was extremely honoured and proud to have held this position but Snowden said. my health is first priority for both my family and I,” he added in a After handling the defence and the power play in Orlando under statement last week. Berehowsky, Snowden’s old coach believes he’s well-equipped to take While they spent just a few months together, Snowden and Clowe on the new position. Berehowsky saw the way he was able to collaborate developed a strong relationship. with Snowden. The pair discussed every decision, from player acquisitions to lineup pairs that worked. While Berehowsky expects there “I have so much admiration for him. I admired him as a player, I admired to be a small adjustment period for Snowden because you can be him even more as a coach, he was great to me, he was inviting, he friendly with players and build closer relationships as an assistant, he brought me in, he let me do my thing, he trusted what I did, and we expects him to handle it in stride. worked real well together,” Snowden said. “It was a partnership. I looked for input and he offered it. He’s a pretty knowledgeable guy, he has worked hard, and he’s a very trustworthy guy so the team is going to be the same. He puts in the work to help players improve and that’s what they have to look forward to, Berehowsky said on a phone call from Orlando.

“He’ll keep the same way that Toronto plays, that’s the way from the top down that they want it. He’s very adaptable to different systems and he’ll be able to pick up what they’re doing — he’s already been doing it for over half the year now and they’ve had success. He’ll put his little ways on it but he’s a very personable guy and I think the team will enjoy having him as a coach. He has had a lot of good coaches over his career so he’ll find his way through everything he has learned from playing and coaching.”

Gudbranson, one of just two carry-over players from last year’s Solar Bears roster who has played for Snowden in both cities, points to Snowden’s approachability as a major asset.

“I’ve now had the pleasure of knowing him for about a year and a half and he’s really down to earth, he’s a guy that you’re able to talk to and just be able to talk hockey with and not feel any pressure — not that we were getting any from Ryane, he was the same way, but I’d say that (Snowden) is a bit more reserved in terms of his energy on the bench. (He) is a bit quieter but you can still feel that same presence there and that same need for effort that he wants. They’re both phenomenal guys,” Gudbranson said.

More than that, he knows Snowden is detail-oriented in a way that not all coaches are. In his role as an assistant with both teams, Snowden became a tactician. And Clowe is expected to remain with the team in a to-be-determined new role.

Getting to learn from within the Leafs organization is exactly what Snowden always wanted. Other organizations, Snowden said, don’t have someone like his current assistant, Leafs director of player development Stephane Robidas, who is filling in.

He said Robidas is “someone who sees things I don’t see” and is able to step up as a second voice on the bench for a rookie head coach on his first weekend on the job.

“I mean, it’s a first-class, elite organization. I don’t really need to explain that. They’ve been real good with me, they brought me in, they’ve taught me, and I’ve made sure I’m a sponge with it all because there are some brilliant hockey minds there and whatever I can do to be around it and learn and continue to grow as a coach and as a hockey mind, I want to make sure I do. I have nothing but utmost respect and there’s not enough good words for me to say about the Leafs,” Snowden said.

“There’s a dialogue and there has to be because there’s a lot of players here who are under contract under the Maple Leafs umbrella. We have a huge development plan that we have in place that we want to make sure that the guys adhere to and keep growing as players so that we can develop them here and move them to the AHL and hopefully one day turn them into a Leaf.”

In the weeks ahead, Snowden plans on filling the assistant coaching vacancy. A dialogue has already begun with a couple of candidates.

One of his criteria will be to find someone like Clowe.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128089 Toronto Maple Leafs spending three days with Timothy in Ängelholm and then going back home to work in Kristianstad.

“People thought I was so stupid for moving, (they didn’t understand) how ‘Without her sacrifices, I wouldn’t be here’: Timothy Liljegren owes his I could just move so Timothy could play hockey…I had a lot of pain,” she hockey success to his mom said.

A young Timothy Liljegren. By Hailey Salvian Jan 28, 2019 While dealing with the cruelty of her neighbours, Lena was also working full-time, raising three boys alone – Timothy’s dad left when he was young – and trying to pay for an expensive sport. Lena Liljegren has been counting down the days until the AHL All-Star break when she gets to visit Toronto to see her son. “I remember the first time he shot so hard that his stick broke, and Timothy was so happy he came home and told me ‘Oh mommy look I “I miss him,” Lena said. can shoot so hard’ and I was crying because sticks cost so much,” she said. Her son, Timothy Liljegren, is one of the Maple Leafs’ top defensive prospects. The 19-year-old has had a unique 11-year journey from his “It was a tough time, but it was also fun because I could see Timothy was hometown of Kristianstad, Sweden to the cusp of the NHL. And he owes so good and I was so proud of him.” his success to his mom. Her sacrifices have paid off. In his first year with the Rogle U16 team, he “Without her, I obviously wouldn’t be here,” Liljegren said. “Without her scored 41 points in 27 games. That year he made his first Swedish sacrifices, I wouldn’t be here. I’m not even sure I would be playing national team and he has been a staple on the Swedish blueline ever hockey.” since. Two years later he climbed the ranks of Rogle and made his SHL debut when he was 16. The Liljegrens were doubted at every turn. Timothy was told there was no chance he could become a professional, Lena was called “stupid” for Timothy has turned heads for most of his career. He is an offensive, moving Timothy away from his home to play and for investing so much puck-moving, right-handed defenseman with great vision, and for that, he time and money into hockey. Now, she gets to watch her son live out his was ranked as high as second early in his draft year. But a bad case of dream. mononucleosis slowed him and his draft stock lowered as the year went on. Ultimately, he was chosen 17th overall by the Maple Leafs at the Lena doesn’t remember the exact moment her son fell in love with 2017 draft with his mom and brothers by his side. hockey, but she knows it all started on the streets of Kristianstad, their hometown in Eastern Sweden. The draft was a bit of a rollercoaster for Lena.

The family – Timothy, Lena and his older brothers William and Anthony – “I remember sitting there and they were calling all the names before were living in a neighbourhood with a lot of kids. Lena said the brothers Timothy and I was thinking ‘how can I explain to him if they never call were always outside playing road hockey. Timothy Liljegren?’” she said.

“They just said they wanted to play and I just always said no matter what “I was so sad for him if nobody wanted to have him on their team. And they want to do I’ll support them. They want to dance? I’ll go with them to then when Toronto said ‘Timothy Liljegren’ it was just so unbelievable…it that too,” Lena said. was just a dream.

Timothy started playing organized hockey when he was four-years-old. “I was so happy for him I can cry just talking about because I have been Kristianstad wasn’t exactly a big hockey town, so he was always playing by myself with the kids for a long time and it was a such a big thing for on multiple teams or with kids older than him because he was so good. me when I was sitting there I can’t even explain it.”

By the time Timothy was seven, he started telling everyone around town Timothy Liljegren with his brothers and mom at the draft. that he was going to be a professional hockey player one day. After the draft, the Leafs made an unprecedented decision to keep “Everyone would just look at him and say ‘no, you can’t, there is no Liljegren in Toronto, rather than send him back to Sweden, as they did chance you can be a professional,’” Lena said. with William Nylander back in 2014-15. While Lena was proud of her son, she said it was hard to see him move so far away. “They didn’t believe in him, but I always believed in him. I always told him you should live your dreams, and if you work hard enough and you really “If he asked me I would have gone with him,” she laughed. “It was hard, want to do this … just do it.” but when I see him now I can see that he likes it and he has so many friends there and he is so comfortable living there.” When Timothy was 13 he found himself splitting time between under-18 and under-20 teams. That’s when Lena got a call from the coaches from In his first season with the Marlies – his first season playing in North Rogle BK, a renowned hockey organization that had a team in the America – Timothy had 17 points in 44 games. He didn’t crack the list of professional Swedish Hockey League. top rookies in the AHL, but he was the only 18-year-old in the league and the highest-scoring under-20 defenseman that year. Not to mention he “They had seen Timothy play and they told me they thought he was so played a big role in the Marlies Calder Cup victory, which Lena was in good and they asked me if there was any possibility for him to move and attendance to watch. play with them,” she said. Now in his sophomore year with the Marlies, Timothy has moved into a At first, they decided Timothy would try to take the train from Kristianstad more prominent role on the first defensive pairing, often alongside to Ängelholm to play. But, the two-and-a-half-hour ride there and back countryman Calle Rosen. He was being eyed as a potential NHL call-up proved to be too long for Timothy to handle while balancing high-level until he suffered a high ankle sprain on December 1. He hasn’t played hockey. since. “I did that for a whole summer during the offseason and felt I’m not going If he doesn’t make his NHL debut this season, it is possible he could to make it if I take the train. So, my mom made the decision to move me crack the roster next season out of training camp with multiple spots on to Ängelholm,” Timothy said. “It was a huge thing she did for me to move the Leafs’ blueline expected to open. The cap crunch has been highly there.” documented and realistically Toronto could lose Jake Gardiner and Ron “I just wanted Timothy to live his dream and he said he wanted to be a Hainsey to free agency, or trade Nikita Zaitsev to create more space professional hockey player so that’s why I decided to move,” Lena said. under the cap. The cheapest way to replace the above players is to promote from within – if they are ready to make the jump. The timing wasn’t ideal though, as Lena had just bought a house in Kristianstad next to the hockey rink where Timothy was playing. She The business aspects aside, Lena hopes she can see her son in a Leafs’ rented an apartment for Timothy in Ängelholm and rented out the extra jersey soon. rooms her older sons used to occupy in her home to help cope with the “If he played with the Maple Leafs…I’m going to cry thinking about it,” cost. For the next few years, Lena split her time between the two cities, she said. “All of his journey is like a dream for me. I can’t really believe that he is in Toronto playing hockey because he is my little boy so it’s kind of difficult for me to put into words because it’s such a dream for me that he is doing it.”

But even in her proudest moments, it is hard for Lena to bask in her son’s accomplishments because of the alienation she is used to facing from “jealous parents” in her hometown.

“Somebody once told me ‘you shouldn’t talk to people about Timothy when he succeeds because people are not happy for you, they are just jealous,’” she said. “And that’s too bad.”

When asked about the cruelty his mom faced, Timothy agreed it was just jealousy. But now that he has proven his doubters wrong and is playing professional hockey, he said, “it’s something mom can brag about now.”

Because without his mom, Timothy knows he might not be where he is today.

“She was a single mom with three boys and it’s not easy raising three boys by yourself, and she obviously made a lot of sacrifices for us growing up,” he said.

“She worked a lot and made sure I got my hockey gear and she made sure someone drove me to practice.”

To sum it up Timothy said with a smile, “She’s a good mom.”

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128090 Toronto Maple Leafs He went on to play parts of two seasons in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets before an early retirement to pursue coaching.

Now 58, he has 30 years of collegiate coaching under his belt. ‘Nobody wanted me’: Scott Pooley’s inexplicable journey from failure and rejection to Leafs prospect It’s a family affair, too. Pooley couldn’t follow in his dad’s footsteps but his cousin Austin currently plays for Ohio State. Austin and Pooley talk

constantly throughout the year. They see each other over Christmas. By Scott Wheeler Jan 28, 2019 Their families, due to their fathers being twins, are close. Every summer, Pooley will join Austin to train for a couple of weeks. Austin keeps tabs on Pooley. He admires him. When Pooley was called up to the Marlies, Austin watched. Scott Pooley’s hockey career could have — and should have — ended before it began. “He just has to keep pushing. We have a pretty special relationship. It’s exciting to see how hard he has worked to put himself in the position that He was playing high school hockey in South Bend, Ind., and he couldn’t he’s in,” Austin said after a recent Buckeyes game. convince a junior hockey program to pick him up. “The biggest piece of advice he gave me is to just work every day. It’s not At Christmas of his junior year, he left his school team to join the Chicago an overnight success. It takes years and years of hard work. He’s a Mission U18 program (where he was eventually named captain but was a prime example of that. He was playing high school hockey and then he “fourth-line guy”) and posted just three points in 37 games across parts of went up to Fort McMurray, which is way up there, and took a shot. He’s a two seasons. By the time he was 18 years old, he was the lowest-scoring loose guy, he’s very driven, he’s pretty outgoing, he’s got a great player on a Major Midget Triple-A team. One USHL team invited him to a personality, guys like being around him. He just kept going at every level camp. He was quickly cut. and kept working.” Seven years later, standing inside Brampton’s CAA Center after the And after joining his alma mater as an assistant coach in 1988, Paul Newfoundland Growlers’ 3-1 loss to the Brampton Beast, he’s in the spent 11 years as a head coach at Providence and 13 years at Notre midst of his first year of pro hockey. And he’s a standout rookie for one of Dame, where he currently serves as the team’s associate head coach. the ECHL’s best teams. On Boxing Day, when the Marlies needed help, He is the 2001 Bob Kullen Coach of the Year as the top coach in Hockey he was the player they called. East. His No. 22 hangs retired in the rafters at Ohio State’s Schottenstein “It’s definitely not the textbook American hockey journey. Nobody in the Center. USHL wanted me, nobody in the NAHL wanted me, I went to an EJHL Pooley wanted that too. He was born while Paul was coaching at Lake Boston showcase at the time and they offered me a spot on their Junior Superior State University, shortly after his dad returned from winning the B team,” Pooley said, shaking his head. regional in overtime at Michigan State — and the Monday before he left The following summer, with his career nearing an early end, he attended for St. Paul on a Tuesday charter to win the national championship. Paul the USHL combine. That fall, a man named Gord Thibodeau called with laughs about how he has a story for every moment in Pooley’s life that is an offer to try out for his AJHL team, the Fort McMurray Oil Barrons. catalogued side by side his coaching career. Pooley’s earliest memories Without any other options, he took the leap of faith. are at Providence when he started skating and spending time around the room and on the ice with the players he looked up to. The rink was his “My first time away from home I was 30-plus hours away and I’d never home. heard of Fort McMurray, Alberta, but I was just looking for a chance and I got one there and I really developed,” Pooley said. In the early days, Pooley was a pretty good hockey player, according to his dad. He played on one of the top peewee teams in the Northeast. But The following summer, on the back of 22 points in 53 games (10th on the then they moved to Indiana for Paul’s job at Notre Dame and his game Oil Barrons in scoring), Pooley gave two more USHL camps a go, leveled out in a place where the minor hockey programs weren’t strong. thought he played well at both and was cut twice more. And he was small. After he hit a growth spurt in Grade 9 and quickly And then suddenly he was back in Fort McMurray for training camp and a became 6-foot-2, Pooley became a “kid in a candy store” and “would go sophomore season. Then, one Thursday, after playing four more regular- out there and just skate through everybody” in Indiana, according to Paul. season games, he got another call, this time from Muskegon. The Oil But without that call from Thibodeau, Pooley’s career never would have Barrons had games on that Friday and Saturday but the Lumberjacks progressed beyond the Mission. were offering him a chance in the USHL, so he flew out Friday, met them in Green Bay on Saturday and played that night. “He was a young kid who had his size but he had great skill level, too. He still needed to improve his skating and we were a little unsure where he With Muskegon, as a 19- and 20-year-old, Pooley’s numbers remained would slot in in junior hockey because he just wasn’t a very confident kid unspectacular. His 27 points in 57 games were seventh on the team in at that time, I think largely because he hadn’t had a lot of interest but he scoring. came up, he was a great kid, he was very coachable, and he was very Only one college offered him a scholarship: Holy Cross, in the weakest intelligent about the game,” said Thibodeau, now the head coach and division in NCAA hockey. general manager of the AJHL’s Whitecourt Wolverines.

He wanted a bigger school — a Big Ten or WCHA program, not an “The biggest thing was you could tell that there was a confidence issue. Atlantic Hockey school. But nobody came calling. Once he started to score a little and got some confidence, you could see some signs that he had big-league skill. There wasn’t a lot of 6-foot-2 His story stands in contrast to his dad’s in that way. wingers that could handle the puck like him but more importantly release it. You kind of knew that OK, there’s a ceiling that’s a little higher for this Three and a half decades ago, his dad, Paul, solidified a legendary kid than just junior hockey.” collegiate hockey career as a finalist for the 1984 Hobey Baker award. He was an NCAA rookie of the year, a first-team All-American and a The transition to Fort McMurray wasn’t an easy one, though. Bauer National Player of the Year. In his first season of pro hockey, he won a Calder Cup championship with the Sherbrooke Canadiens. “There’s no question he was homesick. There were a lot of conversations between him and myself 30 minutes after practice because he was a Paul’s is the greatest career in Ohio State University history — the record long ways from home and it was difficult for him to kind of fight through holder in points, goals and assists. In four seasons, two of which were that. There were times in the first month where I wasn’t sure if he would spent as captain, he posted 270 points in 149 games. In the worst stay,” Thibodeau said. season of his OSU career, he registered 45 points in 34 games. The others? Sixty in 38 as a freshman, 69 in 36 as a junior and an Thibodeau had five American kids that year, which helped. So too did the astonishing, OSU record-setting 96 points in 41 games as a senior tightknit community of Fort McMurray, which he refers to as the “Montreal (enough for the NCAA scoring title and 13 more than future Hall of Famer Canadiens of the West for junior hockey but a very different town than Adam Oates that season). That year, his twin brother, Perry, posted 79 anything he was used to.” Thibodeau had to do his best to make sure points in 41 games too. Pooley felt like he was wanted, like he was contributing, because he recognized early on that he “was a very sensitive kid.” But Pooley stuck with it. And come playoffs, when the Oil Barrons built an impressive training regimen, which helped him change his body needed a forward to play defence, he volunteered — and followed it up from a skinny, gangly freshman to a solid, strong senior. His skating is no with a night Thibodeau won’t ever forget. longer a concern. Instead of getting knocked off of the puck, he became a “possession monster.” “He ended up getting a natural hat trick that won us the game. I was just thrilled that he was willing to sacrifice for his team to go play D and then “The difference between guys that have success and don’t that have the he had an absolutely brilliant game,” Thibodeau said. same opportunities, usually the factor is in the player’s desire to take advantage of what’s in front of them,” Berard said. “It tells you the type of kid he is. Anytime I would try to give him heck or correct him I’d say, ‘Hey, you know the game better than anybody, you’re “He had a chip on his shoulder to show people that maybe at 18 or 19 he a coach’s son, I know you know.’ And he was good that way. You can tell wasn’t heavily recruited or a big prospect but by the time he graduated at that his dad had a big impact on him in terms of learning the game.” Holy Cross he could have played at any program in the country. I give all the credit to him for doing that. It takes a lot of time and a lot of work.” That season in Fort McMurray was just the beginning, too. A depth role at Muskegon and a lone offer from a middling NCAA program are also a This summer, Pooley returned to Indiana to continue that work before long way from pro hockey. living out of an Airbnb in Toronto so that he could use and get to know the Leafs and Marlies staff, as well as their systems. “Nobody has really given Scott an awful lot of credit for being a real good player. Everybody thought he was like a fourth-line grinder. They didn’t “He set himself up to have a good start in the Coast and then from there see that he had vision, the upside. His skating needed to improve but I you put up numbers and there’s injuries up with the Marlies and they give give him credit for sticking in there because he had a lot of hardships him an opportunity to come in and play some games and then it’s all trying to find places,” Paul said. about creating opportunities and then taking advantage. He’s in a good spot to do that,” Berard said. “And thank God that Fort McMurray and Gord Thibodeau saw him at the USHL combine and said they liked him and he went up for a tryout and Back in that hallway at the CAA Centre, none of this is lost on him. made it. How about your first time away from home going from South Pooley knows players like him, who played where he did and scored like Bend, Ind., to Fort McMurray, Alberta?” he scored, aren’t supposed to be where he is.

That phone call from Thibodeau was the turning point for Pooley. His That’s something to be proud of. choice to pursue it showed his dad that he was truly committed to making hockey work one way or the other. Ever since, they’ve spent their “Holy Cross is a smaller program but I was able to excel there and got summers working closely together. Paul works with Pooley on his skating lots of opportunity and then my aspirations were to play pro and I knew and strength and believes that his son, now 24, is still developing the only way I could do that was playing. It took me a while to accept but because he didn’t grow up in a strong minor hockey system. Holy Cross was where I was meant to be,” Pooley said. “I’m truly just thankful for the opportunity that I’ve gotten. It was my goal in my senior That Holy Cross was the only school that came calling probably proved year to sign a tryout contract in the AHL and I did everything I could and to be a good thing, too. Pooley wouldn’t have got the same opportunity Toronto took a chance on me.” elsewhere. He’s not alone, either. Alongside teammates Brady Ferguson and Derian “He loves the game, which is I think why he kept working and working. Plouffe, Pooley wants to show the world that the Leafs have found an It’s important to him. It has been a nice ride for him but not conventional. inefficiency. He knows that Atlantic Hockey has a bad reputation and that It kind of makes it a nice story though,” Paul said. the other divisions look down on them and he wants to prove the naysayers wrong. Still, Thibodeau’s kindness wasn’t enough to turn Pooley into a pro prospect. It took the help of another coach, too. Last year, in a brief stint with the Marlies after graduating, he posted an impressive 20 shots in five games (four per game, more than Andreas Shortly after Pooley committed to Holy Cross, a familiar face took over: Johnsson and Kasperi Kapanen’s team-leading 2.4). This season, head coach David Berard. Berard worked for Paul for nine years. When despite playing a defensive role on the Growlers’ third line and penalty he interviewed for the job back then, Pooley was still in a baby carriage. kill, Pooley has emerged as arguably the team’s most consistent player. “I have kind of a special relationship with him. I’ve really known him And that shot generation has continued. His 34 points (32nd in the throughout his whole life and then when I got to coach him for four years ECHL) and 18 goals (12th) are matched by a team-leading 139 shots. and it’s funny how that happened,” Berard said. That success is part of a larger trend in his unlikely journey. At Holy “Paul’s a tremendous hockey coach and Scott starts with his dad. Cross, Berard actually had to teach him to be more selective with his Knowing the way Paul thinks about the game and then having Scott shots. exposed to a locker room since he was a little kid, I think he developed “He led our team in shots on goal last year, the year before, and he was an affinity for the game. When you’re able to come home after you play always one of our top two. He has a really good shot and he’s a guy who and you have a dad who not only coaches the game at a high level but can come down the wing and take a snapshot from the top of the circle to played it and is giving you pointers and working with you on your game beat a goalie. He scored some goals where he just had the presence of during the summers, that’s a benefit that he has that other kids don’t. mind to throw it on net from a bad angle when he’s climbing the wall and Paul is the biggest influence on his life as a hockey player, without because it’s hard and accurate, it’s on the goalie quick and the goalie’s question.” not paying attention or ready,” Berard said.

After posting low-20s point totals in 30-something games in each of his “He has always had that mentality that if he gets an open shot he’s going first three college seasons, Pooley exploded for 34 points in 36 games as to take it and he was really effective with that in his NCAA career. We call a senior en route to winning the division’s most improved player award. it a three-point shooter because he’d be outside and take a shot just to Berard wishes he could take credit but he points to a player who simply get it on net when he could have delayed and hit a late guy. That’s bloomed late and took advantage of just the right kind of opportunities, something that developed over time. When he plays with other guys, the from pursuing hockey in Northern Alberta to that 20-point freshman other guys benefit because you know pucks are getting to the net and it’s season, which put him on course for a 100-point NCAA career, a matter of it going in or you getting a rebound.” something Berard insists is the barometer for a star player in college. Now, Growlers head coach John Snowden likes Pooley’s size and the In his last season, after opening the year with 18 goals in 20 games, way he has learned to go to tougher areas before using his shot. He Berard says Pooley was snakebitten down the stretch and could have credits him for relishing his new role as a penalty killer and the job he broken 40 points to hit that 100-point plateau (he finished with 98 career does offensively and defensively at five-on-five. points). “Our whole team’s coming into different roles as they get into the pro Pooley did it himself, though. He’s self-made. He was the kid who always game and I’m sure they’ve all been top guys on their teams in college or wanted to pick up on little details in practice and skills sessions. He and in junior and you move them to the pro game and you’ve got to adapt to Berard watched video together every week for four years. He was the different roles and mould yourself into a complete player for a 200-foot player who volunteered to be the shooter for goalie sessions. In the game because that’s what will get you up to the pro level. That’s what offseason, he took advantage of his dad’s resources at Notre Dame and Pooley has done,” Snowden said. At Christmas, the Marlies rewarded Pooley with a three-game stint in the AHL and his season debut on Boxing Day. Pooley intends on it not being his last. He sees the depth of the North Division-leading Growlers as an advantage, not a roadblock, too. His dad taught him that much.

“I give the Marlies credit for looking for the good in players. Because they’ve got a lot of players on the Growlers who are good hockey players. They all have a little niche and a couple of them are from the Atlantic league that’s really not highly publicized,” Paul said. “You give those guys credit in looking at people that maybe have more room for growth and that’s why we signed with them. I said ‘Listen, Scott, they’ve got a lot to offer. They can help you develop. They’re good hockey people and if you pay attention you’ll learn a lot.'”

Plus, Pooley won’t let anyone take advantage of the Leafs’ resources more than he will.

“The Leafs have done a wonderful job supporting us as a program. The way they’re treating us as an ECHL affiliate, it’s not the same as a lot of teams treat theirs. We have development days with the Leafs skills coaches and the way you see Lawrence Gilman, he has been down to Newfoundland, and Mike Dixon, and people in the front office as well as coaches on the road. They’re really in it to support us and not just have us down here and see what happens. I know there’s opportunity to move up and know they’re watching,” Pooley said.

“I’m just trying to find my game consistently and form an identity as a player that will enable me to be successful here and at the next level. I’ve really embraced my role and a PK role and I’ve really learned to enjoy it after it was something I didn’t really do in college. If I can add more, then that’s awesome, but if I can get that foundation down, that will help me in the long run.”

And Pooley’s not ever going to give up on that long run. It’s not in him.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128091 Vegas Golden Knights “I played with (Philadelphia Flyers center Claude) Giroux that I think he is the top right now and some guys, you would not believe how strong they are just by looking at the figures that they have. They just have that skill. Golden Knights centers describe keys to faceoff success It’s unbelievable.”

By Ben Gotz LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 01.29.2019

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare received some sage advice when he began taking faceoffs for the Swedish team Skelleftea AIK. “‘Just so you know, you won’t be as good as me,’” Bellemare recalled teammate Erik Forssell telling him during the 2011-12 season. “‘I have around 20,000 faceoffs in my career; you probably have so far 500. So you’re going to have to work extremely hard to learn all the trades of it.’” The Golden Knights center took that instruction to heart and spent years studying the subtleties and nuances that go into winning in the faceoff circle. It’s something all the Knights’ centers have done, because they say it takes a combination of technique, preparation and repetition to be good on the draw. “It’s the difference between starting with the puck or chasing it during your shift,” Cody Eakin said. “It’s so important because the puck is so valuable. It makes the game a lot easier when you can win them consistently.” It’s all technique For Paul Stastny, it all starts with the hips, ankles and knees. The Knights’ most reliable faceoff taker believes proper technique in the circle starts with a good bend to get his body low but balanced. “When you have low position and you have good balance, it puts you in the right position to either win it off the initial drop or off the battle,” Stastny said. “Because a lot of faceoffs are both guys hit it and the puck bounces and it’s almost that second, third chance effort. “… Instead of just being ready for the puck drop, you have to be ready for the next second and a half because more than anything that’s where the battle kind of goes on.” Las Vegas Review-Journal) If Stastny’s body is in a good position he’s better equipped to use his stick to get the puck where he wants it to go. How he does that often depends on a combination of factors like what his opponent’s dominant hand is (Stastny has trained to not have a stronger side), what part of the ice the faceoff is in (he must put his stick down first in the defensive zone, second in the offensive zone) and what his opponent’s tendencies are. Stastny watches opposing centers from the bench to see what techniques they’re using that night on faceoffs. He also scouts them before the game on video, and William Karlsson said he does the same. Bellemare also studies his opponent so he knows how to beat them, and, just as importantly, how to lose to them. If he knows what technique his opponent is using he talks to his wingers before the faceoff to tell them where the puck will go if he loses the draw. “That’s why sometimes you might lose a faceoff but you still have a good pressure on faceoffs,” Bellemare said. It’s about the refs For Eakin, scouting doesn’t stop with the opponent. “You catch on to certain tendencies from the referees throughout the game,” Eakin said. “After a few drops, you can tell if he’s dropping it a certain way or if it bounces a certain way when he drops it. Maybe he likes to stand closer or farther away from the circle and it allows you to get more leverage.” All that knowledge is useless, though, if it can’t be applied correctly, and it takes a lot of practice to become consistent on faceoffs. Bellemare won 47.7 percent of his draws in his first year with the Philadelphia Flyers (2014-15) but after 3,355 NHL faceoffs he’s up to 54.8 percent this season. It’s still nowhere near Forssell’s 20,000, or even Stastny’s 14,269 NHL faceoffs, but between the regular season and summer workouts Bellemare put a lot of time into improving his craft. And his fellow centermen agree that work is necessary to master one of the more unique skills in hockey. “I think it’s an art in (this) particular game because it’s a different kind of game,” Bellemare said. “It’s just a 1-on-1 and some guys are unbelievable. 1128092 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights to ‘get away’ and make the most out of well-earned break

By Justin

Predators Beat Golden Knights 2-1 Nashville Predators right wing Viktor Arvidsson, left, and Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb vie for the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2019, in Las Vegas. Vacations and strikeouts There's no All-Star break for Justin Emerson and Case Keefer, as they partake in their second episode and evaluate the Vegas Golden Knights at the end of the "first half." Tune in for a discussion on whether losing four of their last six should be a cause for concern, banter on which players could be traveling together over the eight-day break and some self-ridicule for a disastrous debut in the "Shining Knight" competition. Sometimes hockey is just like any other job. You come to work every day, stay late some nights, and after a while, need a vacation. The Golden Knights are on that vacation, the combination of the All-Star break and bye week giving them eight days between games, or more than a week of much-needed rest. “I think personally it’s going to be three or four days of zero hockey, zero hockey talk,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “It’ll be fun to get away. Change of scenery, get a little bit of a reset before the grind starts.” The Golden Knights have earned their respite more than any other team in the NHL. They’re tied with four other teams in having played a league- high 52 games, and that’s coming off of an abbreviated two-month offseason after reaching last year’s Stanley Cup Final. Despite the grueling schedule, Vegas stands solidly in the playoffs with a 29-19-4 record, currently a full 10 points ahead of the final Western Conference wild-card qualifier. That’s largely by virtue of an exhaustive midseason surge, during which team the team went 18-3-3 in a stretch from late November to early January. The Golden Knights tailed off in the last two weeks before the break, losing four of six, but the hope is that some time away can prove refreshing ahead of the final 30 regular-season games. Vegas returns to action on Feb. 1 at Carolina, but most of the players have big plans before then. Much like last year when a contingent of Golden Knights traveled to Cabo San Lucas together during their break, Brandon McNabb said he would be vacationing alongside a few teammates. Alex Tuch said he was going to Michigan to watch his brother Luke play for the U.S. National Under-17 Team. Ryan Carpenter was on his way to Florida, and Jonathan Marchessault and his family are headed to Hawaii. “We’re really lucky to be able to go on a family trip in the middle of the season,” Marchessault said. “Not a lot of people can do that. We’re honored to be able to have a career that you can go midseason like this.” The common theme was getting away from hockey. The team practices or plays almost every day from October to April, and that's without considering the postseason. This will be their longest stretch of the season in between games. “It’s going to be eight days off and ready to go back. I think it’s going to be awesome,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “I’m going to take the hockey hat off for about five or six days then I’ll be refreshed and ready to come back to Carolina. I’m really looking forward to the break.” Not everyone is thrilled. Defenseman Nate Schmidt said he wished there were a few more games before the break. He was suspended for the first 20 games of the season, so he's perhaps the only Golden Knight who would prefer to forgo rest. “For me personally, I almost kind of wish the break was further back. You’re just starting to hit the flow of the season,” he said. “I want there to be more, but at the same time I understand there’s a lot of guys in the room that need a break.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128093 Washington Capitals the puck, though he added it’s not to Djoos’s level. But while none of Siegenthaler’s traits blows anyone away, his consistency has won the organization over. He’s finished with a minus rating in just two games this Jonas Siegenthaler has already forced his way into the Capitals' lineup, season, and Reirden has increased his penalty-killing workload since the and he might be there to stay start of January. He’s rarely on the ice against the opposition’s top forwards, but among Washington’s regular defensemen, he’s allowed the fewest even-strength high danger chances against per 60 minutes (8.22), according to Natural Stat Trick. By Isabelle Khurshudyan “I think it can definitely work to your advantage being that relaxed," Orpik January 28 at 2:25 PM said. "Everybody’s different, and for him, I think it works. ... A lot of times with younger defensemen, when they come in, their approach is to not

make mistakes and get rid of the puck right away. He has that good While some of his teammates are spending this bye week vacationing, ability to slow things down.” Jonas Siegenthaler is settling into his first apartment in Washington. Just before the extended break, the Capitals notified him that he should go ahead and make himself at home, something he seems to have already Washington Post LOADED: 01.29.2019 done on the team’s blue line playing with a poise beyond his 21 years and 22 games of NHL experience. The Capitals have long touted the strength of their prospect pipeline for defensemen, and with Washington weathering long-term injuries to both Brooks Orpik and Christian Djoos this season, Siegenthaler has gotten regular NHL playing time sooner than expected. Though it all may have seemed temporary at first, he might be here to stay. “It’s early to say that, but I’ve been impressed with how he’s played,” General Manager Brian MacLellan said this month. “He’s handled things. He’s been protected a little bit, but more and more he’s getting exposed to better players, and he’s handling it and playing well. He’s got size, skating, defends well; puck movement’s been good. It’s pretty impressive what he’s done so far.” During the seven games that both Orpik and Djoos were out of the lineup, Washington’s third pair was Siegenthaler alongside second-year right-shot Madison Bowey. But since Orpik returned on Dec. 31, Siegenthaler has played in 10 games — most of which were on his off side because he and Orpik both shoot left — while Bowey has appeared in just five, including in Toronto on Wednesday, when Orpik was given the night off. Bowey has 61 more games of experience than Siegenthaler, but the latter appears to have leapfrogged the former on the depth chart. “He’s consistently, game after game, shown us the same style of play, same poise, dependability,” Coach Todd Reirden said. “And he’s a young player. We just want to put him in situations where he can keep getting better. He’s strung together a number of, in our rating system, average to above-average games without any real hiccups, so we continue to put him out there.” Something Siegenthaler has going for him is his cool demeanor, a personality that seems better suited for a surfboard that an ice sheet. “I don’t like to get stressed out and stuff, so, yeah, I’m a pretty laid-back guy," he said with a chuckle. Even when he might be nervous on the inside, all his teammates and coaches see is someone who’s not the least bit panicked defending a rush with superstar forwards skating at him. As Orpik put it, “I don’t know, maybe he’s fooling me, but as long as you fool everybody, then you’re good.” Though MacLellan has acquired defensive depth before every trade deadline for the past four seasons, Siegenthaler’s emergence is part of the reason MacLellan has said he might break the trend this year. Asked if he could trust Siegenthaler in a playoff situation, MacLellan said: “I’m pretty comfortable saying he can handle it, up to a certain degree. If you’re going to expose him against top-end players in Game 7, I don’t know. His personality is one that, he doesn’t get flustered. He handles things. If he makes a mistake, he comes back out like, ‘I’m not going to do that again.’ ” As at ease as Siegenthaler may look at times, he tries to keep himself on his toes. “I don’t think it’s good if you feel too comfortable, so I’ll just try to be a little in the middle," he said. Though the team has given him the go-ahead to move out of his hotel room and get a more permanent place, Siegenthaler could still be reassigned to the American Hockey League if the team runs into salary cap or roster constraints. He’s the only Washington player still waivers- exempt — meaning another team wouldn’t be able to swipe him if the Capitals sent him down — so with Djoos nearing a return after left thigh surgery for compartment syndrome last month, relegating Siegenthaler could be the easiest way to clear room for him to be activated off injured reserve, though the team could choose to trade or waive another player. Siegenthaler won’t dazzle offensively — he’s tallied four assists and has yet to score his first goal — and Reirden laughed that the one time he got the puck on a three-on-two rush, he went to his backhand, perhaps uncertain of what to do in that situation. Orpik praised his patience with 1128094 Washington Capitals

Take a look at the Capitals' All-Star weekend getaway guide

By Rachel Hopmayer January 28, 2019 7:09 PM

If you had a week off from work in the middle of winter, where would you go? Most Capitals players chose to spend their All-Star bye weeks with teammates, friends, and family in warmer places than Washington, D.C. While Braden Holtby and John Carlson spent All-Star weekend in San Jose representing the boys in red, let’s recap what the rest of the the team has been up to. Eight days off gives Caps dads a ton of family time to take advantage of. T. J. Oshie and Karl Alzner, former teammate now with the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate Laval Rocket, reunited their families together in Disney World. Lyla and Leni are close with Alzners’ children and they spent a few days exploring theme parks and costume shops around the park. Alex Ovechkin, Nastya and #babyovechkin as Nastya so aptly tagged him, picked up and spent a few days oceanside with Nastya’s family. Nicklas Backstrom and family visited former Capital teammate Mike Green for an outdoor children’s movie night and outdoor fun in the sun. Chandler Stephenson and girlfriend Tasha Maltman took a couples getaway to Turks and Caicos, while Michal Kempny and his girlfriend went to the Dominican Republic. Most of the other Caps spent time in Miami, too. Andre Burakovsky, Jakub Vrana, Devante Smith-Pelly, and Dmitrij Jaskin, posted pictures soaking up the sun by the water. Jaskin's wife Nadi debuted a "BATYA 1000" hat, a nod to Brooks Orpik’s team nickname and milestone 1,000 NHL games under his belt. Dmitry Orlov and his wife Varvara met up with Hershey Bears goaltender Ilya Samsonov and his girlfriend Maria Semyonov at Nusr-et steakhouse in Miami. They ordered gold foil-wrapped steak. Nusr-et is owned by Turkish butcher and viral sensation Nusret Gökçe, also known as Salt Bae. Let's see these vacations help the Captials kick thier seven-game losing streak.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128095 Washington Capitals

NHL Power Rankings: Time to get back on track

By J.J. Regan January 28, 2019 9:00 AM

You may have heard this already, but the Caps aren’t doing too hot right now. Losers of seventh straight, Washington has gone from having a dominant lead in the Metropolitan Division to second place to the New York Islanders with only a one and two-point lead over Columbus and Pittsburgh respectively despite playing in two more games than both teams. As I have tried to caution people throughout the losing streak, teams are never as bad as their lowest point or as good as their highest point. The truth is somewhere in between and the Caps are still in good position to make the playoffs. Having said that, when they return from the break, they will need to turn things around quickly because the schedule is about to get a little nuts. The Caps return from the bye week with a six-game home stand followed by a six-game road trip. On Jan. 11, Washington hosts Los Angeles then will play in Columbus on Jan. 12. Having the first game of a lengthy road trip be the second leg of a back-to-back is just brutal. From Columbus, Washington goes out west for the California gauntlet of San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles. They then return east for games in Toronto and Buffalo before finally returning home…for the second leg of a back- to-back against the New York Rangers the day after they play the Sabres. The schedule makers did the Caps no favors on this one. That’s a very tough road trip so the Caps are going to need to bank points when they get back to work in those six home games. If Washington wins only one or two of those games before they even head out west, then it may be time to worry about where this season is going. Here are a few recent observations and thoughts on the Caps: I’m sure Braden Holtby is happy about winning the All-Star tournament, but, given what happened last year, I have a feeling he would have been satisfied regardless of the outcome after he stopped Nikita Kucherov on a breakaway in the Metropolitan Division’s game against the Atlantic. Good for John Carlson on winning the hardest shot competition. His 102.8 mph was better than Alex Ovechkin’s 101.3 when he won it in 2018. I honestly didn’t know he had it in him. Does walking away with a win give any added confidence to Todd Reirden, Carlson and Holtby or take some of the pressure off when they return? I don’t have an answer to that question, but I doubt it. The All- Star Game has a pretty relaxed atmosphere and I think the pressure returns as soon as they all get back to Washington. If you take anything away from the All-Star festivities it’s that Reirden didn’t forget how to coach, Holtby is still one of the top netminders in the NHL and Carlson is an elite defenseman. Everyone goes through slumps and this is one of them. This snapshot of the season shouldn’t define who they are as a coach or players. Does a win for the Metro make Ovechkin’s decision to sit out look any different? Not to me. As I have said before, All-Star Games in every sport are terrible and should go away. If anything, Washington’s losing streak makes Ovechkin look smarter. Some time to rest and get away from hockey should do him good. Caps fans should hope there’s still enough time for Carlson and Holtby to kick their feet up before the team returns to practice on Thursday. The Caps continue sliding in the rankings after losing seven straight for the first time since January 2014.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128096 Winnipeg Jets Philadelphia Flyers' Phil Varone, left, chases after the puck after a collision with Winnipeg Jets' Josh Morrissey during the second period.

Philadelphia Flyers' Phil Varone, left, chases after the puck after a Flyers faster, more desperate in 3-1 win over Jets collision with Winnipeg Jets' Josh Morrissey during the second period. But Konecny regained the lead for Philadelphia with just 1:14 left in the By: Jason Bell middle frame. Posted: 01/28/2019 8:48 PM All three Flyers goals game with the clubs at even strength. Last Modified: 01/28/2019 11:47 PM "We got into that second period and we got bogged down in the neutral zone by our own decisions," said Maurice. "We had three or four pucks where it’s not even about getting it deep, it’s about keeping your speed and we ended up spending more time in our end on those plays. PHILADELPHIA — How much can you fix during a 65-minute flight? "At the end of the day, in the offensive zone we were on the outside far The Winnipeg Jets had almost no time to dissect Monday night's ugly too often and didn’t get enough of those pucks to the net." performance at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The NHL club was on a charter flight bound for Boston, likely before Flyers fans even The Jets have no time to wallow as a date with the always-edgy Bruins reached their favourite watering holes to celebrate a 3-1 victory. awaits them tonight at TD Garden. Winnipeg will try to avoid its first three-game losing streak of season. Philadelphia Flyers' Sean Couturier, left, tries to keep Winnipeg Jets' Adam Lowry away from the puck during the first period. Before the break, Winnipeg was good for about 16 of 60 minutes, all coming in a desperate third-period rally that, ultimately, fell short, in a Philadelphia Flyers' Sean Couturier, left, tries to keep Winnipeg Jets' sloppy 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. Adam Lowry away from the puck during the first period. Philadelphia Flyers' Michael Raffl battles for the puck between Philadelphia's young goaltending phenom, Carter Hart, backstopped his Winnipeg Jets' Dmitry Kulikov (left) and Joe Morrow during the second team to its fourth straight victory, posting a solid 31-save effort. period. The Flyers (20-23-6) passed their first test after an eight-day respite from Philadelphia Flyers' Michael Raffl battles for the puck between Winnipeg the rigours of the regular season. The Jets (31-16-2), also coming off the Jets' Dmitry Kulikov (left) and Joe Morrow during the second period. bye week and all-star break, looked like they were running on fumes instead of a full tank. The battle with the Bruins (27-17-5) does offer Winnipeg a shot at redemption before the squad returns home to face the Columbus Blue Poor decisions. Sluggish legs. Bungling hands. That pretty much Jackets on Thursday. summed up Game 49 for the Central Division-leading Jets, still tied with the Nashville Predators but with three games in hand. "Just come out and execute right off the bat," said defenceman Josh Morrissey. "We’re on a back-to-back, so even though we just had some "No traffic in front. The grade-A (chances) we had (Hart) made some big rest... be ready to come out with short shifts and do what we can to saves, but we didn’t really do a whole lot. We didn’t do enough to prepare over the next 21 hours or whatever it is until we play, execute to generate time and space tonight," said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. "I our strengths for a full 60 minutes. mean they were rusty, too, coming off the break. We just didn’t play a particularly good game tonight." "I probably just dropped five clichés there but that’s really what we have to do." Winnipeg's premier offensive performers had tough nights. Mark Scheifele and Wheeler were, for the most part, out of sync, while Kyle Varone, the AHL's most valuable player last season with the Lehigh Connor and Patrik Laine were only visible because of their inability to win Valley Phantoms, batted in a rebound after a point blast by Christian puck battles along the wall. Folin was redirected by Micheal Raffl. Third-line workhorses Adam Lowry, Brandon Tanev and Mathieu Folin was supposed to be a healthy scratch but suited up when Shayne Perreault created some havoc deep in enemy territory but couldn't get Gostisbehere came up lame during the pre-game warm-up. the puck to the crease.

Starting goalie Laurent Brossoit was the lone bright spot for the visitors. He made some timely saves and finished with 28 stops while getting Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 01.29.2019 tagged with just his second loss in 12 starts. Brossoit was blameless on second-period goals by Phil Varone and Travis Konecny, both generated on deflections. And he had no chance on James van Riemsdyk's third-period tally that sealed the win after a brilliant give and go with Konecny. "A couple of tips, not much you can do there. That third one, it is what it is. That happens every once in a while and they made a good play on it," said Brossoit. Neither team was crisp during a bland, scoreless opening period. The only excitement came with the Jets on a late power-play opportunity, as the Jets moved the puck effectively and set the table for their shooters. But Hart stopped Scheifele from close range and then turned aside a pair of shots from Laine just seconds later. It was a sign of things to come for the talented 21-year-old netminder, who has assumed a strong grip on the starting job in Philadelphia, a wasteland for goalies for several seasons. "He made three big saves but it was a big moment for us, too, because we haven’t looked like that on our power play a whole lot," said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. Indeed, the Jets' work with the man advantage was the only redeeming portion of their overall performance. Down 1-0 midway through the second period, the Jets' second unit notched the equalizer as Jack Roslovic, cruising through the slot, redirected a shot from pointman Jacob Trouba. Roslovic's third goal of the season snapped an 0-for-24 stretch on the road for the Jets' power- play personnel. 1128097 Winnipeg Jets developed. With Nolan Patrick, I really like what I've seen in the last month. I know he's scored some goals right before the break but, even before that, he was moving his feet and was playing very well on both Weise wears out welcome with Flyers, but club has plenty of patience for sides of the puck." Fletcher said. "He's a big man and highly skilled, so Patrick he's hard to handle. Nolan Patrick is going to be a very big part of our team moving ahead.

"It's all about consistency. Nolan played really well going into the break Jason Bell and now he needs to continue doing those things." Posted: 01/28/2019 3:10 PM Last Modified: 01/28/2019 11:20 PM Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 01.29.2019

PHILADELPHIA — One Winnipegger's turbulent tenure with the Philadelphia Flyers is over, while another who is enduring struggles of his own remains a significant part of the team's future. Veteran winger Dale Weise will no longer be a part of the Flyers team, while young forward Nolan Patrick's role with the Metropolitan Division squad will continue to expand, the club's general manager said Monday. Philadelphia general manager Chuck Fletcher made it clear he's looking to move Weise, 30, to another organization, possibly as part of a larger deal that would likely force the Flyers to swallow a chunk of his salary. The nine-year veteran is in the third year of a four-year contract that comes with an annual US$2.35-million cap hit. Weise has five goals and four assists in 42 games this year, and he's pointless in seven games this month while averaging about 11 minutes of ice time a night in a fourth-line role. He didn't suit up for the team's last three contests and, during that time frame, was waived by the club and told to stay home and wait for a trade. But with no takers to date, he was officially loaned to the team's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, on Sunday and is expected to report. "Dale’s not going to be a part of this going forward, so we’ll try to find him another team to go to. We didn’t send him down right away because we had that eight-day break coming up. He’d earned the right to have that eight-day break," said Fletcher, who was hired in December after Ron Hextall's ouster. "He's been working out on his own. I spoke to him again (Monday), and once the (AHL) all-Star break's over, he'll report to Lehigh, and he's obviously hungry to get playing, and to find a situation that's better for himself." Last year, the energy forward, who has demonstrated in the past he can be a valuable offensive contributor, had just four goals and four assists in 46 games, playing limited minutes and seeing no time on the club's second power-play unit. Three years ago, he scored 15 goals in 56 games with the Montreal Canadiens before being shipped to the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline. The Flyers, struggling near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, are shuffling the deck to get some of its youngsters into the lineup. On Monday, Mikhail Vorobyev, a fourth-round pick in 2015, was promoted from the Lehigh Valley, where he'd accumulated six goals and 22 points in 32 games. "Just looking for opportunities to, yeah, maybe to see what we have, that would be a fair statement. But we just need to get better, and it’s not all Dale Weise, or Jordan Weal (traded to Arizona earlier this month) or anything like that. We just can’t keep putting the same players out there and expect different results. At some point, you have to make some changes, and those are two of the changes we’ve made so far," said Fletcher. Patrick, just 19 months into his NHL career after being drafted second overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, scored a sensational between-the-legs goal Jan. 14 at home during a 7-4 victory over the Minnesota Wild, highlighting a four-point night, but has yet to command much attention in a Philadelphia uniform. He's fired nine goals and added eight assists in 41 games in his sophomore campaign. In his debut season, he had 13 goals and supplied 17 assists. Fletcher said the organization believes deeply in the 6-2, 200-pound former Brandon Wheat Kings star centre's upside and will be patient while he progresses. "If you look at how highly successful teams are constructed, a large portion of the core consists of talent that the organization drafted and 1128098 Winnipeg Jets Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 01.29.2019

Jets begin busy stretch with game in Philly tonight

By: Jason Bell Posted: 01/28/2019 12:04 PM

PHILADELPHIA — The band's pretty much back together as the Winnipeg Jets begin a hectic stretch of hockey when they meet the Flyers here tonight. And right-winger Blake Wheeler hit the right notes early. Wheeler and top centre Mark Scheifele, enjoying a day away from the rink Sunday after participating in the NHL all-star weekend, joined the rest of the Jets for the morning skate at Wells Fargo Center. Winnipeg (31-15-2) meets the Philadelphia Flyers (19-23-6) at 6 p.m.; the first of three games this week against Eastern Conference opponents. Coming off a week-long break, the Jets will play eight times in 14 days. Their remaining 34 games are squeezed into 69 nights. How will the captain handle the grind? "I’m going to bust my ass," said Wheeler, who has a team-high 61 points, including 52 assists. He's four points behind NHL assists leader Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning. "We’ve put ourselves in a good position. I think we were playing our best hockey going into the break… so we’re just going to try and get better every single day. I know you guys love that cliché – but try to work toward playing our best hockey toward the end of the season and see where that puts us," he added. Laurent Brossoit gets his 12th start of the year between the pipes for the visitors, while Philly counters with rookie Carter Hart. Defenceman Ben Chiarot will not play but will likely be available for Tuesday's tilt in Boston against the Bruins. Defenceman Dustin Byfuglien (lower body) and forward Nikolaj Ehlers (upper body) remain out. The Jets posted four consecutive wins, including impressive defeats of the Vegas Golden Knights and Nashville Predators, from Jan. 11 to Jan. 17 before falling 4-2 to the Dallas Stars on Jan. 19 in their last test before the bye week. Winnipeg created some separation with the Predators but the Central Division rivals are now tied with 64 points apiece, although the Jets have four games in hand. Those points still need to be earned, said third-line centre Adam Lowry. "It’s a good opportunity, but you have to make sure you take advantage of those four games. They’re useless if you lose them. We like where we’re sitting, we know we have a good opportunity with the games in hand that we have, but at the same time we have to take care of business on our end and make sure we have some success in those games," said Lowry. "We know it’s gonna be a grind in the second half here, and with our schedule it’s gonna be important that we try to maximize our rest away from the rink and take care of ourselves." The Flyers have struggled but went into their own bye week and the all- star break on a roll, securing four wins in five outings. Jets coach Paul Maurice said he expects both squads to be on the conservative side in the early stages tonight. "Expectations for the game: What we'll try to do is what Philly will do, (which) is try to play this game as simply as you possibly can till you get back into that rhythm of the game. It is unusual. I think this would be the longest break now for some of these guys that they would've seen in their professional careers in season. You just don't see a break like this," said Maurice. The mood was light Sunday when the Jets re-connected to practise at a facility on the University of Pennsylvania campus, and there was a similar vibe this morning. "They are rested. Whether their hands, feet and brain will all mesh together, we don't know, but they have more energy than they did when we left, for sure. The morning skate wasn't extreme boredom for them, so they're excited about the game tonight," said Maurice.

1128099 Winnipeg Jets Josh Morrissey-Jacob Trouba Dmitry Kulikov-Tyler Myers JETS GAME DAY: No Rask for Bruins as Winnipeg pays visit to Boston Ben Chiarot-Joe Morrow Goalies Ted Wyman Connor Hellebuyck Laurent Brossoit WINNIPEG JETS (31-16-2) at BOSTON BRUINS (27-17-5) Boston Bruins Tuesday, 6 p.m. CT, TD Garden. Forwards TV: TSN3, Radio: TSN 1290 Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Pastrnak THE BIG MATCHUP Peter Cehlarik-David Krejci-Jake DeBrusk Patrice Bergeron vs. Mark Scheifele Sean Kuraly-Noel Acciari-Chris Wagner One of the best defensive players in the history of the game, Bergeron Danton Heinen-Trent Frederic-David Backes presents a challenge to any opposing top centre. For one thing he can neutralize that player and for two, he plays on a high-scoring line with Defence Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Scheifele’s own two-way game has Zdeno Chara-Charlie McAvoy improved but it will be interesting to see how he handles the matchup against one of the best in the business. Torey Krug-Brandon Carlo FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME Matt Grzelcyk-Kevan Miller The power plays Goalies The Bruins have the second-best power play in the NHL, with a 27.2% Jaroslav Halak success rate, while the Jets had the fourth-best (26.0) heading into their game Monday at Philadelphia. However, the Jets were just 1-for-17 Zane McIntyre (5.8%) on the power play over their last five games heading into Monday Injuries and that has become a cause for concern. Jets: D Dustin Byfuglien (lower body, IR), F Nikolaj Ehlers (upper body, The backup plan IR) The Bruins placed goaltender Tuukka Rask on injured reserve Monday, Bruins: G Tuukka Rask, D Urko Vaakanainen, C Joakim Nordstrom meaning Jaroslav Halak will get the start against the Jets. Both goalies have played a lot this season and have very similar numbers — Rask Special Teams has a 2.43 GAA, while Halak’s is 2.47 and they have identical .919 save percentages. Goaltending is one of the big reasons the Bruins are in a POWER PLAY wild-card playoff spot at the moment, with Halak starting 24 of 49 games. Connor Hellebuyck is expected to return to the crease after backup Winnipeg: 26.0% (4th) Laurent Brossoit started Monday night in Philadelphia. Boston: 27.2% (2nd) Beware the big man PENALTY KILLING Zdeno Chara is 41 years old, but the 6-foot-8, 250-pound defenceman is Winnipeg 81.2% (11th) still playing at a high level and has been somewhat rejuvenated on a pairing with second-year blue-liner Charlie McAvoy. He may have lost a Boston: 80.7% (14th) step or two, but he can still make life miserable for opposing forwards with his physical play and his long reach. Back-to-back Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.29.2019 The Jets kick off a stretch of 34 games in 69 days with a back-to-back. The Jets are coming off a game in Philadelphia Monday night, while the Bruins haven’t played since Jan. 19. While that sounds somewhat daunting for the Jets, they just had an eight-day break of their own before the Philly game and should have plenty in the tank for their matchup against the Bruins. Plus they will have the added advantage of having their legs under them, whereas the Bruins could be a little more sluggish coming off the break. Slow down the sniper Winger David Pastrnak leads the Bruins in scoring (27 G, 59 P) as he puts together his finest NHL season. He looks to be on pace to better his career highs for goals (35) and points (80), set last season. He’s a player who can change a game quickly when he gets the puck on his stick, with a bit of space, so watch for Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey to try to keep him in check. GAME DAY LINEUPS Winnipeg Jets Forwards Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler Patrik Laine-Bryan Little-Jack Roslovic Mathieu Perreault-Adam Lowry-Brandon Tanev Brendan Lemieux-Andrew Copp-Mason Appleton Defence 1128100 Winnipeg Jets “I wouldn’t say it was an overly crisp game overall,” Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey said. “I don’t want to make excuses after the break.

“Obviously, both teams kind of felt it out in the first period. They kind of Jets come out flat in first game after break, lose to Flyers got going and got some momentum. But yeah, one of those games. You have to turn the page, cause we play right again (Tuesday) night, a great team in Boston.” Ted Wyman Before the game Maurice cautioned about people feeling too comfortable with the Jets situation just because they are in first place now. PHILADELPHIA — Before Monday’s game against the bottom-feeding When asked about the games in hand they have, Maurice essentially Philadelphia Flyers, Winnipeg Jets centre Adam Lowry made a point of dismissed their importance. noting that having games in hand on other teams doesn’t do you any good if you don’t win them. “We haven’t spoken of the standings once this year and we won’t do that,” he said. “We’ve got 64 points. That will keep you out of the playoffs The Jets, looking to reclaim sole possession of first place in the Central by probably 36. So you’re nowhere near what you need to get to.” Division, missed a great chance to make good on one of those games in hand when they had a sluggish performance in a 3-1 loss to the Flyers. Judging by their last two games — a 4-2 loss to Dallas and the 3-1 loss to the Flyers — he has it exactly right. The Jets were simply not sharp in their passing, their puck-handling, their shooting. Passes went into skates or over sticks, there were bobbles at FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED the blue-line and shooters were a split-second slow in getting the shot Ted Wyman’s takeaways from Monday’s game in Philadelphia away, which led to blocks, pucks over the glass and easy saves for Flyers rookie Carter Hart. The power play can score The Jets looked rusty and a step slow and the result was a second The Jets, once one of the most dangerous teams in the league with the straight loss, bookending their eight-day break due to the bye week and man advantage, finally got a power-play goal on Monday night. It came all-star break. with the second power-play unit on the ice and came on a deflection of a Jacob Trouba points shot by Jack Roslovic. That ended an 0-for-11 “We didn’t do enough to generate time and space tonight,” Jets captain stretch for the Jets and an 0-for-24 stretch on the road. The Jets Blake Wheeler said. generated eight shots on goal on their three power plays, including five “No traffic in front. The Grade A (shots) we had (Hart) made some big on one in the first period and that pleased head coach Paul Maurice. saves but we didn’t really didn’t do a whole lot. I mean they were rusty, Looking rusty too, coming off the break. We just didn’t play a particularly good game tonight.” The Jets looked like a team that had just had eight days away from the rink. Players were in Mexico and other southern climes, and the two best The Jets fell to 31-16-2 on the season and remain tied with the Nashville players — Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler — were at the all-star Predators for first place in the Central Division with 64 points. They will game. They both looked tired and ineffective and the team as a whole play again in Boston, against a Bruins team that is also coming off a bye looked sluggish. There were no excuses though, as the Flyers were also week. coming off a bye week. They now have three games in hand on the Predators and will make up Brossoit loses one two more of those with Tuesday’s game and another at home against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. Backup goalie Laurent Brossoit lost for the first time this season in a game that he started. Brossoit is now 10-2-1 on the season but his other Realizing how good of an opportunity they have to put some distance loss came in a relief effort. Brossoit wasn’t to blame for the loss. The first between themselves and the Predators, the Jets looked fast and loose in goal came on a rebound after the puck changed direction in front of him, practice Sunday and again during Monday’s gameday skate. the second on a great high tip in the slot and the third on a terrific But they didn’t in Monday’s game. passing play by the Flyers. He was outplayed by rookie Carter Hart in the Flyers net. Hart made 31 saves, to Brossoit’s 28. “We were less direct than we needed to be tonight,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “We didn’t execute very well with the puck for sure. We got Two losses in a row bogged down in the neutral zone by our own decisions.” The Jets won a huge game on Jan. 17 in Nashville, beating the The game might have been different if the Jets had been able to score on Predators 5-1 in a first-place showdown, but they haven’t won since. a power play in the final minute of the first period. They moved the puck They lost to Dallas on Jan. 19, then had eight days off before losing to well and generated five shots on the power play, including three great the Flyers, who have an unimpressive 20-23-6 record overall but have chances that were stopped by Hart. won four straight. The Jets will need to get their legs back under them first and foremost as they have looked sluggish and sloppy for the last The Jets couldn’t duplicate that offence in the rest of the game and the two games. Flyers started to take over. Lots of work ahead “Our first power play I loved,” Maurice said. “We had three A chances in a minute. I was pleased with that but we weren’t quite as strong with the Blake Wheeler had a simple answer at the ready when asked how he puck after.” plans to manage a busy game schedule over the next couple of months: “I’m going to bust my ass.” The Jets will play 33 games in the next 68 The Flyers got a goal from fourth-liner Phil Varone midway through the days and eight games in the next 14 days and, as they found out against second to open the scoring and took a 2-1 lead into the third period the Flyers, nothing is going to come easily. They’re going to have to bust thanks to a nice deflection goal by Travis Konecny. their asses a lot more than they did on Monday. The Jets got a deflection goal of their own, on a second period power ALL-STAR FAMILY TIME play, by Jack Roslovic. It was Winnipeg’s first power play goal on the road in 25 chances and ended an 0-for-11 run overall. For Wheeler, the most memorable parts of the recent all-star festivities were the memories it created for his young son Louie. James Van Riemsdyk scored late in the third period to salt the game away for the Flyers. The annual game has become a family affair for the players and coaches who are selected to play and that made the whole thing special for Hart finished with 31 saves, while Jets backup Laurent Brossoit stopped Wheeler. 28 shots in a losing cause. Brossoit lost a start for the first time this season. “Just the time with family,” Wheeler said Monday, when asked to name a highlight or two of the experience. “It seems like every year you’re away The Jets top line of Wheeler, Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor generated from them more and more. It’s probably a product of them growing up a very little offence at 5-on-5 and the second line of Bryan Little, Patrik little bit. I got to spend some really quality time with my family. Louie Laine and Jack Roslovic wasn’t much better. Wheeler and Scheifele pretty much took part in the entire experience and those are memories looked tired after playing in the All-Star Game Saturday and flying across he’s going to have for a lifetime.” the country, via Winnipeg, to play in Philly Monday. Wheeler was joined in San Jose by his linemate Mark Scheifele and head coach Paul Maurice. Scheifele said he enjoyed himself thoroughly and couldn’t pick out one or two highlights. “The whole thing, honestly,” Scheifele said. “There wasn’t one specific thing, it was the entire experience. All three days were a blast. “It was awesome. It was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it. I had a blast with my parents and it’s something I’ll always remember, for sure.” BAD VIBES FROM BUILDING Brendan Lemieux played at Wells Fargo Center for the first time Monday night but it wasn’t his first time in the building. The last time he wasn’t too happy. “I was drafted here,” Lemieux said. “I had to sit through the first round and I remember how miserable that was. I had to wait to come back Saturday morning. So I’ve got some memories here and I’m not too fond of all of them.” Lemieux was eventually taken with the first pick of the second round by the Buffalo Sabres in 2014 and was later traded to the Jets as part of the Evander Kane deal. WEISE DONE WITH FLYERS Winnipegger Dale Weise has been sent to the minors by the Flyers and is not part of their future plans. Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Monday the team is trying to find a team to take the 30-year-old Weise in a trade, but for now he has been sent to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms of the AHL after clearing NHL waivers. Weise had five goals and six assists in 42 games this season, his ninth in the NHL. “Dale’s not going to be a part of this going forward, so we’ll try to find him another team to go to,” Fletcher said. “I spoke to him again (Sunday), and once the American League all-atar break’s over, he’ll report to Lehigh, and he’s obviously hungry to get playing, and to find a situation that’s better for himself.” PATRICK ON THE RISE Fletcher also talked about another Winnipegger — Nolan Patrick, the centre who was drafted second overall by the Flyers in 2016. Patrick got off to a slow start this season but has scored four goals in the last three games, all wins for the Flyers. The 20-year-old had nine goals and eight heading into Monday’s game, while playing mostly on the third line. “With Nolan Patrick, I really like what I’ve seen in the last month,” Fletcher said. “I know he scored some goals right before the break but, even before that, he was moving his feet and was playing very well on both sides of the puck. You can see him with his head up, carrying the puck through the middle of the ice and playing with confidence. Everyone can see that. He’s a big man and highly skilled, so he’s hard to handle. Nolan Patrick is going to be a very big part of our team moving ahead.” CHIAROT READY TO RETURN Maurice said defenceman Ben Chiarot could play Tuesday in Boston. That would mean either rookie Sami Niku or veteran Joe Morrow could come out of the lineup. Chiarot skated Sunday and Monday and felt good. “If he comes back tomorrow and he feels that good, we’ll watch the game tonight and see how we feel about it,” Maurice said. “Every day that we get a bit more rest with him, it’s a positive, but he’s in the window now that we’d have no problem playing him. I just didn’t want that break off an injury and back-to-back games.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.29.2019 1128101 Winnipeg Jets For Jets coach Paul Maurice, the games in hand and the team’s first place standing mean nothing. Not when there are so many important games still to be played. ‘I’m going to bust my ass’: Wheeler ready to lead the way during tough Everything gets more intense after the all-star break. stretch for Jets “We haven’t spoken of the standings once this year and we won’t do that,” Maurice said. “We’ve got 64 points. That will keep you out of the Ted Wyman playoffs by probably 36. So you’re nowhere near what you need to get to.”

Here’s how both teams are expected to line up on Monday: PHILADELPHIA — Blake Wheeler had a simple answer at the ready when asked how he plans to manage a busy game schedule over the Winnipeg Jets next couple of months. Forwards “I’m going to bust my ass,” the Winnipeg Jets captain said ahead of his Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler team’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. Patrik Laine-Bryan Little-Jack Roslovic The game against the Flyers is the first in a stretch of 34 games in 69 days and eight games in the next 14 days. The Jets will quickly make up Mathieu Perreault-Adam Lowry-Brandon Tanev games in hand against all the teams in the Central Division with four games this week — they go to Boston Tuesday, host Columbus on Brendan Lemieux-Andrew Copp-Mason Appleton Thursday and host Anaheim on Saturday. Defence By the time Saturday comes around, they’ll only have one game in hand Josh Morrissey-Jacob Trouba on the Nashville Predators, the team they are tied with for first place in the Central Division at 64 points. Dmitry Kulikov-Tyler Myers “It’s a good opportunity but you have to make sure you take advantage of Joe Morrow-Sami Niku those four games,” Jets centre Adam Lowry said. “They’re useless if you lose them. We like where we’re sitting, we know we have a good Goalies opportunity with the games in hand that we have but at the same time we Laurent Brossoit have to take care of business on our end and make sure we have some success in those games.” Connor Hellebuyck The Jets (31-15-2) have a great opportunity to start things off right after Philadelphia Flyers their eight-day bye with a game against a Flyers team that is near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with a 19-23-6 record. They Forwards did, however, win their last three games before the bye. James Van Riemsdyk-Claude Giroux-Travis Konecny The Jets had a four-game winning streak snapped in their last game before the break — a 4-2 loss in Dallas — and they looked tired that Oskar Lindblom-Sean Couturier-Jakub Voracek night. Their hope is to come out fast and refreshed after the break. Scott Laughton-Nolan Patrick-Wayne Simmonds “We’ve put ourselves in a good position,” Wheeler said. “We were playing Phil Varone-Mikhail Vorobyev-Michael Raffl our best hockey going into the break, there’s a lot of things to be excited about with that, so we’re just going to try to get better every single day — Defence I know you guys love that cliché — but try to work toward playing our best hockey toward the end of the season and see where that puts us.” Ivan Provorov-Travis Sanheim Wheeler and his linemate Mark Scheifele both played in Saturday’s All- Shayne Gostisbehere-Andrew MacDonald Star Game in San Jose, travelled back to Winnipeg that night and then Robert Hagg-Radko Gudas flew to Philadelphia on Monday morning. Goalies They said they got a lot of sleep Monday and will be ready to come out at full speed. Carter Hart Scheifele said the Jets are well-equipped to deal with the rigorous Mike McKenna schedule that lies ahead of them.

“We have a lot of guys that are passionate about taking care of their bodies and getting their rest when they can,” Scheifele said. “That’s key Winnipeg Sun LOADED 01.29.2019 when it comes to playing a lot of games. We’ve also got a lot of guys that can fill in when needed. Obviously with (Nikolaj Ehlers) and (Dustin Byfuglien) out, we need guys to step up and we have the guys to do that.” So what does Scheifele think the Jets need to focus on for this first game back? “Just simplicity,” he said. “You don’t try to blow the game wide open by trying anything too crazy. You’ve just got to play a simple game, get pucks deep, get your feet under you early and go from there.” Laurent Brossoit will start in goal for the Jets on Monday and the rest of the lineup will look that same as it did in Dallas. Defenceman Ben Chiarot remains out of the lineup with an injury but could play Tuesday night in Boston. Rookie Carter Hart starts in goal for the Flyers Monday. Lowry said the Jets have a great opportunity to get ready for the playoffs with this heavy stretch of games. “We know it’s gonna be a grind in the second half here and with our schedule it’s gonna be important that we try to maximize our rest away from the rink and take care of ourselves so that we can make hay with those games in hand that we do have,” he said. 1128102 Winnipeg Jets Consider this, from The Athletic’s Craig Custance’s deadline primer: “Ottawa is going to sell,” said an executive. “One or both of Duchene and Stone.” Mark Stone and the Jets are a good fit — but is the price to acquire him Stone is a player of exceptional quality, he has Winnipeg roots and he’s too steep? still slated for free agency this summer. For a Jets team that has earned its place near the top of the NHL standings, a big move like this one is certainly worth discussing. By Murat Ates With that in mind, who is Stone as a player? How would he fit in Jan 28, 2019 Winnipeg? And, given his value to Ottawa and to teams around the league, should the Jets be willing to pay the price to get him?

The first thing to know about Mark Stone on the ice is that the right As the snow swirled in Winnipeg and temperatures plunged during the winger is an absolute beast at 5-on-5. Jets bye week, Kevin Cheveldayoff and his management team met in a warmer locale to prepare for the NHL trade deadline on Feb. 25. Since 2014-15, when Stone played his first full season in the NHL, he’s scored the 16th most even-strength points among all skaters. (Blake The bye-week gathering of the brain trust will likely have far-reaching Wheeler is 7th and Mark Scheifele is 10th.) This is an elite first-line consequences. We’ve discussed Winnipeg’s cap situation at length — scoring rate for a guy who plays first-line minutes and Stone is doing it the Jets exit All-Star weekend in fourth overall and carry enough cap again this season: he’s scored 50 points in 50 games, with 36 of them space to make a meaningful addition. It’s a fortunate position for any coming at even strength. team to be in and, given pay raises scheduled for Blake Wheeler, Patrik Laine, and Kyle Connor, this may be the last time Winnipeg is in that How does he do it, especially given that his most common linemates are position for many years to come. Brady Tkachuk (19 years old, 23 points in 39 games) and Colin White (21 years old, 26 points in 44 games)? It was also a meeting I suspect Jets management were extremely well- prepared for. For Stone, it’s a combination of finishing ability, extreme hockey IQ, a 6- foot-4 frame and an incredibly active stick. Winnipeg has demonstrated situational awareness as an organization throughout its two-season rise to league prominence — first, by acquiring Watch a few games worth of his shifts at 5-on-5 and you’ll pick it up very Paul Stastny from St. Louis last season and again by juggling between a quickly: Stone’s hand-eye coordination is second to none, he reads plays 22- and 23-man roster throughout the 2018-19 season to minimize the in all three zones exceptionally well, he picks off passes astonishingly cap hit. Most recently, Sami Niku and Cameron Schilling were sent to the well, he knows which lanes to attack, and his timing when it comes to AHL on Jan. 20. crashing the net can border on looking supernatural. Stone is the NHL’s takeaway leader by a country mile (if you trust NHL’s RTSS stats, the This latter move, in addition to giving both players the opportunity to play closest player at any position to Stone’s 457 takeaways since 2014-15 is in meaningful games, reduced Winnipeg’s NHL roster to the 20 player Jeff Skinner, who has 338 of them.) minimum. Demoting Niku and Schilling is a small move, saving the club roughly $50,000 in cap space per week, but it is also symptomatic of a Here’s teammate Mike Condon explaining Stone’s most unique gift to season’s worth of penny-pinching. Only seven of the league’s 31 teams The Athletic‘s Chris Stevenson last year: currently have a roster size of 20. That Winnipeg is among them and that Winnipeg has often carried 22 instead of 23 players throughout the “We call him ‘the lizard stick’ because that stick goes out and grabs season strikes me as a sign that the Jets know their time is now. pucks like flies,” Condon said. “It just goes to show you the amount of hand-eye (coordination), skill, touch and feel that a guy can have using a (Note: 11 teams have a roster of 21, 10 teams are at 22, and three teams stick like that.” are carrying 23 players through the All-Star break.) As you might expect, given Stone’s skill set and youth he typically plays For these reasons, I expect that Cheveldayoff and his management team with, he’s the first forward back more often than he isn’t — or at least this will be scouring the NHL as thoroughly as possible for meaningful was the case for the three January games I watched for this article. deadline-day additions, as we did here at The Athletic. Better yet, Stone knows what to do after he tracks back. When playing an During a segment on TSN at the All-Star game, Pierre LeBrun suggested F1/centre type role in his own zone, he’s tough to shake loose. His body, the Jets could get into a “bidding war” for top-end talent. What could that active stick and ability to read the play means he excels in man-to-man look like? defence, whether in open ice or along the wall. Perhaps Winnipeg agrees with me and sees a top-four left defenceman, If all of these traits seem to suggest a player who can drive possession, such as Jake Muzzin, as its most meaningful area of need; perhaps consider his with-or-without-you shot chart, via Hockey Viz: Cheveldayoff has another Stastny-esque card hiding up his sleeve; maybe the team decided that it needs nothing and is built exactly as it Every single Senator who has played with Stone this season has seen needs to be for this season’s stretch run. his possession metrics get better. Stone himself is above 50 percent in possession — and has been every season of his career — while his I can’t speak to his availability but, as Winnipeg evaluates the entirety of teammates only climb above that mark when Stone is out there with the NHL for meaningful opportunities, I can propose an option much them. closer to home. Jets fans and consistent readers of The Athletic will know that Mathieu If you exit Bell MTS Place on Portage Ave., drive approximately 15 Perreault’s effect on his teammates is just as clearly positive and almost minutes west (in good traffic), and hang a left at Rouge Rd., you’ll find as pronounced, with a couple of key differences: Westwood Collegiate, the alma mater of Winnipeg’s own Mark Stone. Perreault’s teammates are much better than Stone’s. They each improve Stone, who played Bantam AAA for the Winnipeg Hawks and Midget the teammates they have but Stone’s job is more difficult than AAA for the Winnipeg Thrashers before joining the WHL’s Brandon Perreault’s. Wheat Kings, could be this year’s premiere trade commodity — if the Senators make him available. Stone has scored the 16th most even-strength points in the NHL since he first played a full season in 2014-15. Essentially, he’s Perreault if he were Earlier this month on Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman 26 years old, 6-foot-4 and scored on 16.1 percent of his shots. suggested that Ottawa is optimistic about its chances to re-sign Stone: If you want to see Stone’s effect on his teammates’ goals percentages “They met with Stone on Monday a couple of days before they met with instead of just shots, consider this chart from Colleague Tyler Dellow: Matt Duchene,” Friedman said after Nick Kypreos suggested Ottawa offered Duchene $64 million over eight years. “I’m not as certain about All of this amounts to an in-depth confirmation that Stone’s impact on the numbers as Nick reports with Duchene but I would have to assume shots has clearly translated to goals, too. He’s in a rare class of player that for Stone it’s probably higher. I think that they’re really trying — who controls shot quantity and quality, too. there’s no question about it.” Consider where Ottawa’s shots for and against are created from when Friedman’s words provide a disclaimer: Ottawa clearly recognizes Stone Stone is on the ice: as an important player and it looks like they’re willing to pay him as such. Once again from Hockey Viz, this chart shows offence relative to average There is every chance Stone never makes it to market. at both ends of the rink. A positive number (or lots of red) means more But what if he does? than average, whereas a negative number (or lots of blue) means less than average. Stone’s impact on the Senators is a big red positive exactly where you’d want it to be and a big blue negative where you’d Nic Petan ($874,125) want that, too. Winnipeg’s 2019 first-round pick Put in local terms, the 2018-19 Ottawa Senators have better 5-on-5 shot shares and goal shares with Stone’s line on the ice than Winnipeg does If you expect Winnipeg to be working with approximately $5.8 million in with Scheifele’s. cap space, as I do — I don’t expect the club to go into bonus overages — then it works, cap-wise. Terrence Lee/USA TODAY Sports My gut response? It’s a lot to give up for a rental and, at the same time, if It is easy, then, to conceive of a world where the possession driving, soft- I were Ottawa, I’d still just try to get Stone signed. ice finding, net-crashing Stone is a perfect fit for Patrik Laine shooting from his off-wing on the Jets second line. If there is one place the Jets A more recent template would be to start with what Winnipeg gave up for forward group can improve, it’s the second line’s ability to control the flow Paul Stastny — Erik Foley and a lottery-protected first-round draft pick — of play. and build upwards from there. Stone is a better player today than Stastny was a year ago and six years younger, too. His value should be higher. Finally, it should be noted that Stone plays on Ottawa’s second forward pairing on the penalty kill. Stone, then, could potentially give Scheifele or To Winnipeg: Wheeler a breather and reduce their minutes. Mark Stone There is one area that Stone doesn’t dominate and it’s precisely where To Ottawa: Winnipeg already excels. Stone’s 13 points on the power play this season are two off his career high of 15. It’s easy to blame his Jack Roslovic teammates this season but Stone has also played with Erik Karlsson and Mike Hoffman at 5-on-4 and his individual results were no better than Winnipeg’s 2019 first-round pick they are now. Winnipeg’s 2020 second-round pick (conditional: becomes a first if Stone It’s also worth considering that Winnipeg’s top power-play unit isn’t re-signs in Winnipeg) changing any time soon. If Stone walks, Winnipeg has paid a terribly dear price for a playoff rental. With Wheeler on the wall, Laine in his office and Scheifele in the slot, all If he re-signs, the price is still very dear but the Jets have a prime-aged of the prime right-handed shooting opportunities are spoken for. Kyle play driving scorer and the need to perform major off-season roster Connor’s left-handed shot helps him in the interchange spot beside the surgery. net and I don’t see Winnipeg bumping Dustin Byfuglien off the blueline to Assuming an $83-million cap, Winnipeg would have just $29 million to run five forwards. Even if the Jets did do that, it would mostly be for style pay Stone, Laine, Connor, Copp, Lemieux, Trouba, two more forwards, — Stone’s shot isn’t a cannon and unless you think he can move the three more defencemen and a back-up goaltender. If you move enough puck to Laine better than Byfuglien can, his power-play efforts would be bodies out, the surgery is theoretically possible — still, it would get so reserved for unit two. cartoonish and perhaps beyond the scope of reality that I won’t begin For what it’s worth, I do think Stone would help the second unit whether making suggestions here. he set up on his strong side as he does in Ottawa or took a more central, In the end, I think Stone is a phenomenal hockey player. He’s elite at 5- net-front role. It’s just that his acquisition cost is likely to be huge; other on-5 and useful on special teams. He’s in the prime of his career, and he teams could likely make more use of Stone on the power play than has a long track record of making his teammates better. There is simply Winnipeg can. so much to like, including the fact that he’s a local product who grew up So let’s talk about that acquisition cost. 20 minutes away from Bell MTS Place. The last time a winger as good as Mark Stone was traded at the It’s just that to acquire — and to retain — his services will be deadline, Pittsburgh acquired Marian Hossa from Atlanta back on Feb. exceptionally dear. As Jets brass gathered in a warm locale to discuss 26, 2008. their options last week, I suspect they kept their minds focused on much more realistic targets. To Pittsburgh:

Marian Hossa The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 Pascal Dupuis To Atlanta: Colby Armstrong Erik Christensen Angelo Esposito Pittsburgh’s 2008 first-round pick You may recall that Hossa got hurt two games into his short-lived Penguins career before returning for a phenomenal postseason where he finished third in playoff scoring with 26 points. It wasn’t enough to carry Pittsburgh to a Cup, however. The Penguins made it to the finals where they lost to Detroit in six games. At the time, Armstrong and Christensen were both in their mid-20s and averaging close to half a point per game while Dupuis was about to turn 29 and discover brilliance in a complementary role with Sidney Crosby. Angelo Esposito had been a highly touted prospect but fell on draft day and hit just over a point per game in the QMJHL as a 19-year-old. Is there a Jets/Senators equivalent here? The Penguins/Thrashers deal is a bit complex to use for a template but here is an attempt: To Winnipeg: Mark Stone (26 years old, 50 points in 50 games, $7,350,000) Mikkel Boedker (29 years old, 27 points in 50 games, $4,000,000) To Ottawa: Jack Roslovic ($894,166) Mathieu Perreault ($4,125,000) 1128103 Vancouver Canucks joking around, we’re still serious, but we have fun with it too. We’re in the NHL, we get to live this great life, you have to enjoy it, you have to enjoy the process.” Patrick Johnston: Biega stays upbeat, despite rare Canucks’ calls to play Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.29.2019 Patrick Johnston

Alex Biega hasn't played much this year for the Canucks, but he's keeping his perspective positive on hockey and on life. Perspective is indeed everything, Alex Biega can confirm. The Canucks blue-liner, who has spent most of the season as the No. 8 man on the Canucks’ defence depth chart, has suited up just 14 times in the 2018-19 NHL season. Other than a three-game stint with New York’s Utica Comets in the AHL, he’s spent most of the season in the press box, waiting for his chance. That might frustrate another player, but Biega insists he’s not letting it grind him. He knows his role was always going to be one that spent a lot of time just staying ready. “You can only control what you do on the ice. With the stuff I do, it’s a first-man-on, first-man-off mentality. I work on my skill set. That way when I get in, I’m giving myself the best possible chance to stay in,” he said after a recent practice at Burnaby 8 Rinks. “It’s tough, guys in my situation, it’s really tough they’ll tell you. Never knowing when you’re going to play and having the same mentality day in, day out? It’s a challenge, it truly is. I challenge myself through my preparation. I prepare to succeed, not prepare to fail. Like today, I know I’m not going to play tomorrow, so what can I do today? Every pass has to be on the tape so that when I get in, I’m going to be good. I have to treat my practices like my games.” Seeing good friends, like the recently traded Michael Del Zotto, depart is hard, but he knows it’s part of the business. He and Del Zotto, along with Tim Schaller, had spent a lot of time off-ice together, going on hikes and exploring much of the natural beauty around Vancouver. Before being shipped to the Anaheim Ducks, Del Zotto was also a regular scratch this season, so the two defencemen built a bond at the rink as well. They were paired together often in practices, and of course they would be in the press box together too. Like Biega, Del Zotto never aired complaints about his situation, always taking the high road. Whatever frustrations he might have had, he kept them private, between himself and the coaches. “It’s sad to see (him leave), but you become accustomed to the business, you understand the moves,” he said. “You become used to seeing guys gone. In his case it’s really great, I’m excited for him, it’s a good opportunity (in Anaheim). But it’s also tough too because it’s a good friend gone … especially a guy like that, one I’m going to keep in touch with the rest of my life.” He also does plenty of work off ice to keep his perspective. A recent visit to the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, along with Troy Stecher and Antoine Roussel, was a reminder of that. “They’re awesome there. I’ve gotten to know some families there. I don’t know if you know Hugs for Heston. I became very friendly with his family so every time they’re in town, I go over,” he said. He tries to visit Canuck Place every few weeks. “Play hockey, read a book, just make an appearance, what they do over there is unbelievable. It’s a place that’s become very close to my heart since I’ve been here. Just to see the difference you can make in a family’s life. It’s one of those things where you want to do it, genuinely. Ultimately you learn a lot from these families: how to keep upbeat, how positive they are, and optimistic.” Given the focus of the facility is pediatric palliative care only adds to his perspective. “It’s challenging emotionally, as a father of two, with another one on the way, it really puts things in perspective, it makes you think twice. You have a hard day at work, or on the ice, it really doesn’t mean anything, it’s your health, your family, that’s the most important thing.” The good nature of his teammates helps too. “At the end of the day, living in the present moment, it’s tough to do, anyone can tell you that in any profession, but if you can do that and just enjoy every second of every day … we try to do that, you see us, just 1128104 Vancouver Canucks Rathbone appears to be another savvy draft selection by Canucks GM Jim Benning. At 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, he’s not the biggest defenceman out there, but skates very well and can throw his stocky Canucks prospects tracker: Woo a road warrior on western trip frame around when need be. He’s an excellent puck-mover, and continues to work on his positioning defensively. Mike Raptis “My game is all transition. In terms of the way the game is going with the defence being the fourth forward, that really suits my game,” he told Ben Kuzma last summer. It’s the latest edition of the weekly tracker, where we tally up the efforts of the Vancouver Canucks’ highest-profile prospects: Rathbone has 11 points in 17 games and is a plus-5 with only four penalty minutes this season. Jett Woo Quinn Hughes Five games: Five points on three goals and two assists. Maybe he’s just getting bored with college hockey. Maybe some bad One heck of a road trip for the Canucks’ 2018 second-rounder. habits are starting to creep in. The Moose Jaw Warriors wrapped up the B.C. leg of their lengthy Whatever it is, Hughes had an awful Saturday night on the big stage at western swing on Tuesday the way they started it: with a win — and a Madison Square Garden, as Michigan lost 5-2 to Penn State. Woo goal. Hughes’ dipsy-doodling in dangerous areas of the ice caught up to him In a 3-2 overtime triumph for Moose Jaw in Prince George, Woo netted on this night, as he was directly responsible for at least two of the Nittany his 10th of the season, a new career high. Lions’ goals. And it was a beauty. With the Warriors down 2-1, Woo picked up a pass On one, the flashy seventh overall pick in last summer’s entry draft tried at the Cougars’ blue line, made a move toward the top of the faceoff to make a move as the last man back, but was stripped of the puck for a circle and wired a high, heavy wrist shot over the goalie’s blocker side. breakaway goal. Woo finished the night as the game’s third star. can starman explain this love affair with quinn hughes? he directly cost michigan 3 goals vs penn state. and the announcers fawn all over Jett Woo 3rd star in Prince George last night. Sign this kid, he's him every time he touches the puck pic.twitter.com/TI8InuPrtL having a great season for Moose Jaw. #Canucks — chadochoblohole (@chadochoblohole) January 27, 2019 — Rick Dhaliwal (@DhaliwalSports) January 23, 2019 On the other, Hughes dropped the puck in the neutral zone straight to a On Friday, Woo kept it up with an assist in a 5-2 win at the Edmonton Oil penalty-killing forward, who waltzed in on another breakaway and put the Kings. He finished the game a plus-2 and was named the second star. game on ice. Then on Saturday, Woo had another assist in a 3-1 win in Medicine Hat Michigan's Quinn Hughes, the No. 7 overall pick in last summer's to extend his point streak to four games. He also had two shots on net NHL Draft, should get an assist on Alex Limoges' second goal of the and a plus-2 rating. The Warriors finished their seven-game road trip with night. pic.twitter.com/ztO2Q0Npt6 a sparkling 6-0-1 record. — Onward State (@OnwardState) January 27, 2019 What Woo’s showing this season is an offensive upside that may be higher than previously thought. After the game, head coach Mel Pearson broke it down. The 6-foot, 203-pounder was drafted for his size, strength and smart “We made some horrendous turnovers. They took advantage of it and defensive game; the heir apparent to Erik Gudbranson, if you will, on a that was the game,” he told the media. “We did not sense danger … we suspect list of incoming right-side Canucks defensive prospects. just didn’t sense that urgency or the danger and they made us pay.” But with Woo’s blossoming offensive game, anything is possible. He’s To his credit, Hughes addressed his team in the locker room after the surpassed last year’s goal total with 22 games still left in the season, and game, taking full responsibility. He later assisted on a goal, had two shots crushed last year’s points total long ago on net and was a minus-2. Woo’s 41 points in 42 games is now the sixth-best points total among Hughes had a better showing a couple nights earlier against the same WHL defencemen. He had 25 points in 44 games last season. team in a 5-1 win. He didn’t record a point, but was defensively sound and a plus-1. The 18-year-old’s progression bodes well for his expected jump from junior hockey after next season — he still has his 19-year-old season to Michigan, which started the season ranked the fourth best team in the go in the 2019-20 campaign. NCAA, has been middling away at 9-10-6, and it will take a good run them to compete in the 16-team tournament in the spring. Jett Woo is going to make it tough on Management to send him back to Junior next season. Hughes has three goals and 20 assists in 21 games this season. He’s also a minus-6. He has the build of an NHLer, already. Will Lockwood He now is showing his Ozone game is now pulling even with his Dzone game.#Canucks pic.twitter.com/1nC3TIzVU5 Despite his team’s travails, Lockwood continues to put the puck in the net for Michigan. — Ubik (@UbikWintermute) January 21, 2019 He scored in both games this past week and threw 13 shots on goal in Jack Rathbone the process. Another defensive prospect who can hammer the puck, Rathbone In Saturday’s loss, Lockwood streaked to the net to receive a pass a rifle continues to build on a solid freshman season at Harvard. it into the net, making the score 5-2. The Canucks’ fourth-rounder from 2017 scored his fourth goal of the In Thursday’s win, Lockwood showed some persistence to score the 4-0 season on Saturday, capping off another effective weekend of hockey for goal. He created a turnover in the Penn State zone and got a couple the 19-year-old. shots off before finally beating the netminder. Rathbone scored early in the first period against St. Lawrence, faking a #NTDP Alumni Update. Will Lockwood creates the TO with some shot to get around an onrushing forward before booming a slap shot over nice work along the boards and then the back check. the goalie’s glove hand. Oskar Autio stops Lockwood's 1st attempt and a few more before He finished the game a plus-3 and had a whopping five shots in the 7-3 Lockwood finally solves the Penn St. netminder for a 4-0 Wolverine lead. win. #Canucks @umichhockey pic.twitter.com/QcSuAVqKwh Rathbone also had five shots on net the night before, a 4-3 overtime win — Stars n’ Stripes Hockey (@StarsStripesHKY) January 25, 2019 over ninth-ranked Clarkson. He didn’t register any points, but did finish the game a plus-1. Lockwood has been a model of consistency this season. He battles night in, night out and doesn’t take anything for granted after being sidelined with a serious shoulder injury that threatened his career in late 2017. The Canucks’ third-rounder in 2016 has 10 goals and 10 assists in 25 games this season. He’s also a plus-3 overall. Tyler Madden The kayak was left aground this past week as Madden’s Northeastern squad scored but one goal in two losses to 14th-ranked Providence. The eighth-ranked Huskies dropped a 4-1 decision on Friday at Providence and were shut out 3-0 on Saturday at Northeastern. Madden was a minus-2 on Friday and went 9-for-18 in the faceoff circle. On Saturday, he was a minus-1 and was 5-for-15 on faceoffs. The promising Canucks’ 2018 3rd-rounder has eight goals and 12 assists in 20 games this season, his first in the NCAA. Mike DiPietro There couldn’t be a battle brewing in the 67’s crease now, could there be? DiPietro’s Ottawa squad had a three-games-in-three-nights weekend, and the Canucks’ prospect found himself on the bench by the end of it. DiPietro started Friday night in Oshawa, a 9-6 win for the 67’s with the 2017 third-rounder surrendering six goals on 38 shots. Cedrick Andree got the start on Saturday, and a shutout to boot in a 4-0 win against the same Generals. The common line of thinking was that DiPietro would get the start on Sunday and a chance to bounce back. But Andree was back in the crease, and was exceptional once again in a 5-3 win over the Saginaw Spirit. It was the second time in two nights that Andree faced over 35 shots and won. DiPietro has been up-and-down since the world juniors, but he’s a Memorial Cup champion and a battler to boot. He’ll be fine. The 67’s paid a king’s ransom to bring him onboard for a cup run of their own, and the OHL’s all-time shutout leader will be in the crease when all is said and done. Note: The Utica Comets played in one game this past week, a 3-2 shootout loss at the Rochester Americans. Forward Reid Boucher, Utica’s lone player taking part in AHL All-Star festivities on Sunday and Monday, scored both of the Comets’ goals.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128105 Websites For the NHL, getting that event on the international calendar would have required a guarantee from the NHLPA that there would be labor peace, that the players would not opt out of the current agreement in 2020. The The Athletic / What could threaten all the optimism surrounding CBA NHLPA was not prepared to give that guarantee, at least not yet. talks? Here is why: As it stands, the players are not approaching this round of negotiations as one of concessionary bargaining. By contrast, that was clearly not the case in, say, 2004, when the NHL went to great pains to By Katie Strang decry its dire financial situation. Back then, the association may not have agreed with the particulars of the NHL’s commissioned assessment (the Jan 28, 2019 contents of which were detailed in a surprise press conference by former Securities and Exchange Commission head Arthur Levitt, who had been

hired by the league; then-NHLPA boss Bob Goodenow described the SAN JOSE, Calif. — Set against the backdrop of the NHL All-Star Game event as a publicity stunt), but it knew that the health of the league did festivities in San Jose this past weekend, where players were upbeat, not portend well for its constituents. barriers were broken, and a large chunk of the hockey community This time around, however, the NHL has been emphatic about the descended upon the Northern California outpost, a sense of optimism overwhelming growth and prosperity of the league. Considering this, and reigned supreme. the significant transfer of wealth back to the owners’ pockets following And so it followed that in this very early, tiptoe-toward-the-starting-line the last lockout, when the players’ share of revenue was cut from 57 to point of CBA talks, that the general theme of cautious optimism was 50 percent, the players are seeking to make gains this time. If the league reinforced. comes to the table simply requesting a status quo, that will be a non- starter. In media briefings on Friday, both NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHLPA executive Mathieu Schneider provided signals that early The league has indicated that the owners are fairly happy with the discussions between the two sides have been positive and that there is a current state of the deal, and with good reason. They clawed back conspicuous lack of enmity this time around — quite unlike previous percentage points and real dollars, saw franchise values soar and reaped negotiations. the benefit in expansion fees. In order to extend the deal, and eventually hammer out a new one, the players have to feel that the league is willing Bettman said the NHL isn’t looking for a fight, while NHL deputy to make some concessions this time around. commissioner Bill Daly described a relationship that has “evolved” and said the two sides’ interests are “aligned.” Schneider referenced the last What type of gains are the players seeking? lockout, where tensions were high, as a marked difference from recent “There are, for a lack of a better term, smaller things but still important meetings between the NHL and NHLPA, which have instead been things with health benefits for players, things we can do to help guys marked by free-flowing discussions and a general sense of collaboration. when guys retire,” Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk said. To have this sort of synergy at this point in the game, almost a year “Obviously, escrow is a sticking point for everybody, but it’s easy to say ahead of the decision both sides will face over whether to opt out of the and not so easy to do.” agreement, seems promising — on its face. But there is also plenty of Escrow is the most common gripe among players, although it’s not an room for a healthy dose of skepticism, or at least a dose of realism when easy fix. At its core, its an accounting mechanism that helps assure cost it comes to the next nine months. certainty for the league. There are ways to artificially minimize that “I know everybody wants to say that there’s this optimism out there that’s percentage — such as artificially lowering the cap to bring contracts more never existed or there’s pessimism that everything is going to fall apart,” closely in line with face value — but not many practical options that Schneider said (NHLPA executive director Don Fehr was planning to would actually put more dollars in players’ pockets. speak at this press event but was delayed due to a death in his family). Facilitating further growth and seeking out additional revenue streams “It’s just too early to tell.’’ can help minimize the sting from escrow and the NHLPA feels it has Reading the tea leaves: there’s still plenty of time for this thing to go been cooperative in trying to aid in that effort, whether it comes to sideways — the current CBA expires in 2022 but both sides have a international event participation, player tracking and even issues relating decision to make in September that allows them to opt out two years to the recent legislation that has legalized gambling in professional early, in 2020 — and with the history between the two sides, it’s hard to sports. imagine an agreement hammered out without at least a bit of turbulence. There is also the option of, say, excluding LTIR from cap calculations, but And that was acknowledged by the players themselves who were asked that would effectively alter the 50-50 split of hockey-related revenue about the current labor landscape, especially among those still sporting (more on that later). battle scars from the last lockout, which wiped out half of the 2012-13 “It’s going to be up to both sides to see if we can work down that escrow season. number and help get it down to where both sides are comfortable with it,” Toronto Maple Leafs star John Tavares, who was among a handful of Dubnyk said. “From the players’ side, we feel there are options, there are young players very engaged in CBA talks the last time around, hopes ways to get that escrow number down and those are things we need to that these early signs of optimism portend labor peace, but he also talk about.” seemed very aware that, during Bettman’s 25-year tenure, he has There are a few other compensatory benefits that have emerged as overseen three lockouts. important to players, as well — particularly in light of the last lockout’s “I think you always have room for optimism but at the same time, just givebacks. One is improved health care for both current and retired being a realist, it’s hard not to look at history. The scenario hasn’t players, which multiple sources said has been the source of some changed a whole lot with, you know, who’s in charge and whatnot. That’s contention between the NHL and NHLPA. Players want insurance that kind of been the script for a long time and the lockouts that have reflects the nature of the job and the toll it takes. That means enhanced happened,” Tavares said at the media availability on Thursday. “But I do benefits with the understanding that playing in the NHL is not a nine-to- think there’s a lot of reason for optimism because it’s obviously a painful five desk job but rather one that is more physically demanding. Whether process and I don’t think anyone wants to go through that again.” that means expanding the type of services available to players or asking the NHL to offset some of these costs (the NBA and NFL have made Continued growth, international opportunities and the painful reminder of strides in these areas) is not yet clear without the two sides getting down the games lost in 2012, Tavares, hopes, will help prevent another to more detailed conversations. protracted labor dispute. Currently, the health care plans available are expensive, typically So, as the two sides continue to chip away at what seems to be the between $1,500-2,000 per month, but fairly comprehensive. Any player shared goal of preventing another lockout, what are the major sticking who has played 160 games or more can elect to be covered for his points? What are the potential roadblocks that could scuttle all this lifetime; the NHLPA will incur this cost for the first two months in the case optimism and render this early sense of progress for naught? of an unsigned free agent, per Article 23.6, after which a player must elect whether to continue this coverage. It should also be noted that while According to multiple sources with knowledge of the discussions thus far, the players’ current health care options have improved over time, this these talks have been preliminary and conceptual in nature. They haven’t disproportionately benefits American players, since Canadian and gotten to the meat of it yet. We won’t truly know where things stand until European players reside in countries with different healthcare systems. the two sides start trading ideas in a more concrete fashion. But the recent decision by the NHL and NHLPA to scrap the World Cup in 2020, Another area of import for players is the pension plan. This was largely chalked up to be a matter of timing, is not insignificant. something that was hammered out in the last round of negotiations, and was a source of pride for Fehr, considering most companies are doing away with defined pension plans, which guarantee a certain level of income to players in retirement. According to Investopedia, the NHL The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 pension fund allows a player to withdraw pension funds at the age of 45, but a player must reach that age until he is fully vested. NHL pensions also require a player be active for at least 160 games to receive full contributions, which is $45,000 annually. As of April 2016, the pension plan received $38 million in NHL club contributions, according to a report from the Society of Actuaries. However, contributions currently come out of the player’s share, and so there is likely an appetite for the players to see whether the NHL is willing to help subsidize these costs “off-share” or outside of hockey-related revenue. Would the owners be willing to chip in additional monies to help fund these plans and give players something for them to hang their hat on? Perhaps the NHL is amenable to these asks. If so, a deal that would ensure labor peace could be a very real possibility. But it remains to be seen if the league is willing to make any financial concessions and that remains vitally important to players. Labor peace comes at a price and the players feel they paid that price the last time around. It’s also important to remember that, though there will be non-monetary asks that will surely surface (Olympic participation being one, for example) almost all of the issues boil down to one huge issue — hockey- related revenue. That will remain paramount to any deal. The current 50-50 split is hard to argue with, for either the NHL or the NHLPA. From an optics standpoint, any side that tries to overtly claw back a percentage point or two will likely be seen as firing a shot across the bow. But make no mistake that, just as trying to claim a bigger piece of the pie would be a clear and blatant trigger, so could trying to change the pie itself. So, should the NHL submit some ideas that would represent a significant change in the way HRR is currently calculated — changing the way associated businesses, game-day revenue vs. non-game-day revenue, etc. are codified under Article 50 of the CBA — or the NHLPA tries to do the same — asking owners to solely shoulder some of the operating costs that are currently shared, or disputing how subsidies from municipalities are accounted for — thus distorting the true value of the 50-50 split, the gloves might come off. If that happens, the whole landscape can change entirely, and quickly. Players could walk away from the table, the NHL could opt to bring down the hammer — with owners going after contract lengths or contract guarantees entirely — and the whole thing could devolve into chaos. This is a worst-case scenario, but not implausible. This is a skeptic’s view of how things could implode, but it’s important to remember in the context of previous negotiations — where distrust between the two sides was virulent and emotions ran high. That doesn’t just change with the flip of a switch. For as much optimism as has been espoused (and remember, there were plenty who were optimistic in 2012 as well), these negotiations remain delicate. One misstep, or one incendiary comment (see: Red Wings executive Jim Devellano, circa 2012) is all it takes sometimes to galvanize one side or both and to snuff out any goodwill that seems to have been building as of late. This is, of course, a doomsday scenario, and it’s one that both sides are eager to avoid. But it’s one worth considering, especially given the history between the two sides. Remember that Bettman said the NHL wasn’t looking for a fight, not that the league wasn’t willing to engage in one. And each deal Bettman has overseen has amounted to a win for his owners, with negligible to no fallout from fans. Winnipeg Jets forward Blake Wheeler said he feels the players are more unified than ever before, and that they “are on the same page” (it should be noted, however, that there is at least a faction that would disagree and has raised issues within the NHLPA as recently as last year.) He gets a different vibe from the tenor of these early talks, compared with years past, but he’s waiting for things to progress to evaluate the situation with more precision. “As you get closer the little details start to come out a little more,” Wheeler said. “It’s a little bit premature to have those talks.” Every negotiation comes down to pressure points and there is little pressure, at least from the players’ side, to do a deal now. Whether you’re skeptical about the sincerity of the apparent progress thus far or buoyed by the sense of positivity from both sides, the most important thing to remember: it’s still early. 1128106 Websites Here’s a wild thought, and let me stress it’s my own thought at this point: what if Matt Duchene doesn’t sign an extension with Ottawa over the next few weeks and by Feb. 10 or so he’s put on the market by the The Athletic / LeBrun: The buyers, the sellers and who’s available ahead Senators. It just so happens that Poile spent two years chasing Duchene of the trade deadline when he was in Colorado but couldn’t find the right pieces to appease the Avalanche. As we all remember, Duchene ended up in the three-team parlay which netted Nashville Kyle Turris instead. By Pierre LeBrun Would Poile throw all of his chips in now and take a run at Duchene yet again? File that one away. Jan 28, 2019 What I’m hearing from the Jets, meanwhile, is a cautious approach, even if they are surely scouring the market. I’m told they’ve already had a conversation with Pittsburgh about Derick Brassard, a guy they tried to A year ago, the entire hockey world knew months in advance that the land a year ago before getting Stastny instead. Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets would eventually hook up in the playoffs. But the party line out of Winnipeg is that they aren’t going to force a move just to say they got in on the trade deadline fun. Like Stastny a Their eventual meeting produced the best series played in last year’s year ago, a wonderful playoff pickup, it has to feel like the right fit. NHL playoffs. Jets captain Blake Wheeler is leaned on by Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff Before they got there, each team loaded up and spent a first-round pick and head coach Paul Maurice for his thoughts ahead of the deadline. doing it, the Preds for Ryan Hartman and the Jets for Paul Stastny. He’s clearly on board with what their approach is again this year. Well, here we are again. “I think ultimately we don’t just want to make a move to say we made a The Central Division goes through Winnipeg or Nashville. One of those move,” Wheeler said Saturday after the All-Star weekend had wrapped two teams will most likely be in the Western Conference final. up. “I think it was the same mindset last year. Had the thing with Stas (Stasny) fallen through, we probably would have stood pat. So those It’s one of the reasons why the Feb. 25 trade deadline will be fascinating guys do a great job, they do their due diligence in a number of different yet again this year. Not only may both teams end up bidding on some of ways. They’re going to try to find somebody that can make us a better the same players — both clubs want to make additions up front — but team. If that guy is out there and it works out, then great. If not, you they’ll be doing so while keeping an eye on the other. know, I think we like our team.’’ Oh, they both deny it of course. They insist they’re not going to make a The hardest part for the Jets is determining how that rental player — reactionary deal just because the other team may act first. given their cap issues moving forward it’s more likely than not that they target pending UFAs — fits in. How can they make sure adding a forward Still … neither team can possibly ignore what the other is doing. to their mix makes them better while not affecting chemistry or pushing “Sometimes it’s like a domino effect where some years one or two teams down a current Jets player who might have a bigger impact? make a trade and everybody says, `Whoa, I better do something.’ You “You don’t know how a player is going to fit,” Maurice said on Saturday. got to do your own thing,’’ veteran Preds GM David Poile told The “So you do all your background but you truly don’t know how he’s going Athletic over the phone during All-Star weekend. “Just because another to fit. And then for us, we’ve got this other thing we’re dealing with. Which team does something, it doesn’t mean you have to or should. There will is in two months’ time, how much different are the players that we have? be good players available but there are probably more buyers than So Brendan Lemieux is a good example of that. In the last month he’s a sellers, so once again you have to determine what you are willing to give completely different player than he was in October. Certainly, after the up. So often times it’s not a lack of desire that you want a player but it All-Star break, you’re not developing anymore, you’re assessing whether might be a lack of desire to give up the price that the seller gets for that you’re taking a stab at it or not. But can you find a bigger, stronger young player. The trading deadline is a tricky situation for everybody.’’ man like that? You might (already) have all the pieces that you truly need He then paused before adding: now. So when you are as young as we are, that’s a real question. Can we go out and get a better player, three months from now we may be a “I’m going to be out there making calls after the break and see what’s different looking team.’’ available. But first and foremost I want to see our team play when we’re a bit healthier.’’ Where does the Jets coach sit on that question right now? This is where those rental power forwards like Wayne Simmonds and “I’m not sure, that’s the honest answer.’’ Micheal Ferland come into play. They’d look good in either of those Jets To me, Brassard, Ferland or Simmonds are excellent targets, but again or Preds lineups. Imagine Simmonds joining a Jets roster that already the price will matter. had Adam Lowry and Dustin Byfuglien. Beef city. The Pacific-Division leading Flames will look to add. They’ve afforded Which is why if you’re Poile, no matter what anybody says, you’re making themselves that opportunity with a wonderful season to date. sure you’ve got Flyers GM Chuck Fletcher on speed dial and ensuring when he’s ready to deal Simmonds that he checks back in with you. “You always as a team and a coaching staff want to put yourself in a good position come trade deadline to be guys that are looking to acquire, And no question in my mind, Hurricanes GM Don Waddell will do the add on, if you’re missing any pieces,’’ Flames head coach Bill Peters said same with Ferland. He’ll keep going to all five Western Conference on Saturday. “We really like the team that we have, so it’ll be interesting contenders, bringing in the Pacific elite of Calgary, Vegas and San Jose to see, there’s lots of hockey between now and the deadline. We’ll see and using the potential interest and competitive juices to drive up the what happens health-wise with our team. But definitely, it would be nice price. And he will do the same with Eastern contenders. to add and complete what are perceived holes if we have any holes and Waddell, as we’ve reported before, wants at least a first-round pick in a become a better team.’’ Ferland deal and preferably a first plus a prospect. I would think I love the idea here of Ferland being reacquired by the Flames. Simmonds would fetch a slightly better package based on his more Undoubtedly GM Brad Treliving will inquire at some point with Carolina polished pedigree. but I also think he’s going to set a ceiling on what he’s willing to pay. Here we go again. First-round picks. They might be low first-round picks, Vegas will be all-in on adding as well. If Mark Stone doesn’t re-sign in but they’re still choices among the first 31 players selected and they’re Ottawa, watch out, I bet the Knights go hard after the pending UFA valuable. winger. But really, my sense on the Knights is that they’re looking at all Poile has dealt a few of those over the years, and he may have to do it the notable rental pieces to see who might fit. They want to go on again, to the mighty chagrin of his amateur scouting staff. another run. “That is the million-dollar question,” Poile said of whether he’d be willing Finally, in the West, we have the All-Star game hosts, San Jose. GM to pay the price of a first-rounder again. “Our scouts at our meetings said Doug Wilson has never been shy to add ahead of the deadline. But I they were coming down to Nashville a week before the trade deadline to would also say that this season is a little different. They gave up a take over my phone. We’ve traded our first-round pick too often. I package of assets, including their 2019 first-round pick, to land Erik certainly can see their position. But you know, we’ve got to make the call Karlsson in September and in many ways I think the organization views here as to where we are, how healthy we are the deadline, look at where that blockbuster at their main centrepiece already ahead of this trade our weaknesses are and if we have an opportunity to improve on those deadline. weaknesses. There’s nothing off the table for me.’’ Which makes sense since they also gave up a first-round pick for Evander Kane last year meaning they lack the most sought-after asset most selling teams look for ahead of the deadline. Still, I would never sleep on Wilson. Could adding a Marcus Johansson or Brian Boyle from New Jersey make sense in a third-line role? We’ll spend more time on the Eastern Conference contenders later on when I put out a Buyers and Sellers piece in a few weeks but by now everyone knows the Leafs are looking to add on defence (Jake Muzzin, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Colton Parayko? Take your pick but I think the Leafs have looked at many options). Update: Toronto acquired Muzzin on Monday, sending forward Carl Grundstrom, the rights to unsigned draft choice Sean Durzi and their 2019 first-round pick to the Kings in exchange for the 29-year-old defenceman. The Bruins would like to add a top-nine forward. The Penguins could deal Brassard but are also looking to add to their forward group (Ferland?). The Capitals would presumably like to beef up their third line. The Blue Jackets, well, they could use another centre and they’ve got a few big decisions to make on Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky. The surprising Islanders? Who knows with Papa Lou! But I get the sense the offseason will be a more fertile playground for Lamoriello to get things done. And finally, well, what about those NHL-leading Lightning? You could argue they need absolutely nothing. But I feel they got pushed around a little by Washington in the Eastern Conference final last season. As I’ve said before, I love — let me repeat it — I love the idea of Simmonds in Tampa Bay. And my understanding is that GM Julien BriseBois has at least given it some thought even if I have no evidence to suggest he’s talked to Philadelphia yet. I turned to Bolts head coach Jon Cooper on Saturday after the All-Star Game and asked him what the Lightning should do before the deadline. “Well there’s a reason it says `Jon Cooper, head coach; not Jon Cooper, general manager,’’’ he laughed. “Because that’s a tough job. And our group, Steve (Yzerman) and Julien, have done an exceptional job assembling the group we have. But if you’re looking in the broader spectrum, there’s something to chemistry. Everybody thinks you have to add somebody at the deadline to put yourself over the top. I don’t necessarily think that’s true. In all these years we’ve been together, we really haven’t made big deals at the deadline except for last year which was a big one (acquiring Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller). And that was not a deadline deal to push us over the top, that was a deal that has worked into the future for us. There was a lot of thought put into that, giving up the prospects we did. But I believe that trade deadline deal last year has set this team up this year, if that makes any sense. What happens this year? Maybe in years past a team would be looking for something but if nothing at all happened, I don’t think anybody would lose an ounce of sleep because we really like our group.’’ Most contenders always say that, that if they don’t add they still like their team. In this case, it’s actually very much true with the Lightning. Still, Simmonds in that Tampa lineup …

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128107 Websites happen. He’s putting the work in trying to find ways to improve and show up every night. That’s the biggest thing.”

In picking Kane, Wheeler suggested that it was going to take team The Athletic / NHL All-Star player poll: Who is the best American in the success to go with impressive individual numbers to push Kane out of the NHL right now? top spot. “Somebody is going to have to win a couple of Cups… to change that By Craig Custance answer,” Wheeler said. Jan 28, 2019 2. Johnny Gaudreau, Calgary Flames (votes from Howard, Eichel, Kane) There’s a legit Hart Trophy case to be made for Gaudreau, whose line in Calgary has been absolutely dominant this season. Gaudreau is going to SAN JOSE, Calif. – Joe Pavelski smiled immediately when presented blow past career bests in goals and points. He earned Howard’s vote with the question. This is a player, you can tell, who enjoys a good (after much deliberation) for his ability to take over games this season. debate. “I’d put him with Sid and Connor with the way he can change the game,” “That’s a great question,” he said, before immediately coming up with an Howard said. answer. The secret? “Ummmm,” Patrick Kane said, thinking the same one over. “That’s a good question.” “He’s deceptive,” Howard answered. “For a little guy out there on the ice, he’s really slippery. He uses a smaller stick. I don’t know if that has “It’s tough,” Jack Eichel answered while giving it some thought. anything to do with it. When you think you’ve got him, he can slip through.” “That’s a tough one. I don’t know if I can answer that,” Jimmy Howard said. That ability was fresh in Eichel’s mind when he voted for Gaudreau. The All-Star Game in San Jose was just the latest showcase of the “We just played him in Calgary,” Eichel said. “It seemed like every time growing American star power in the game of hockey. Ten years from he touched it, he could have made something happen… he’s having the now, the moment people will remember is U.S. gold medalist Kendall best year.” Coyne Schofield rocketing down the ice during the fastest skater competition and capturing the imagination of how this hockey spotlight 3. Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs (votes from Keller, Gibson) could one day be reimagined. You had John Carlson winning the hardest Matthews earned numerous mentions from players on the panel while shot competition. Johnny Gaudreau winning the puck control. Eichel just they were considering an answer and might have earned a few more behind Connor McDavid’s fastest skater pace. Auston Matthews votes if he were on the ice all season. If he played in all 49 Maple Leafs entertaining the crowd with his Patrick Marleau jersey. Cam Atkinson games this season at his current scoring rate, he’d have 29 goals to go popping in goals during the actual games at an impressive pace. with 60 points. That goal total would pull him even with Kane and The big stage of an All-Star Game highlights the players but it’s been Gaudreau. going on all season. Gaudreau has as many points and goals as “He’s such a skilled player and has an unbelievable shot,” said Keller in McDavid. Kane is five points short of his point total from all of last explaining his vote for Matthews. “He makes players around him better.” season. He’s averaging 1.42 points per game at 30 years old, well past his career average (1.03). Matthews is scoring at a rate that would put Keller has played with Matthews internationally and said he was him at 50 goals over the course of a full 82-game season. John Gibson impressed, even as a teenager, with how even keeled he was. Nothing might just be the MVP. seems to rattle him. With all that in mind, it seemed the perfect time to pose the question: “He never let adversity get to him,” Keller said. “Whether he didn’t score Who is the best American in the NHL right now? on a shift or missed an open net, he was the same throughout the entire game.” With Canada, it’s a little easier. It’s probably a two-horse race. As the responses above suggest, it’s not quite as easy to narrow it down to just “I just think he’s dynamic,” Gibson said in picking Matthews. “He’s a big one when you’re talking about the best American in hockey right now. guy who has hands like that. He has a quick release. It seems like he can But we asked a panel of All-Stars to do it anyways and explain their always get that shot off with high velocity and pretty accurate. He puts all thoughts. The results are below: the tools together.” Our All-Star panel: Kyle Palmieri, Jimmy Howard, Cam Atkinson, Jack 4. John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks (vote from Gaudreau) Eichel, Auston Matthews, Johnny Gaudreau, Clayton Keller, John Gibson, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Kane, Blake Wheeler Gibson is the best American goalie in the game and we probably could take out the country modifier at this point. No goalie has faced more 1. Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (votes from Atkinson, Matthews, shots than Gibson has this season with 1,361 and he’s really the only Pavelski, Palmieri, Wheeler) rational reason why the Ducks are still in the wild card hunt right now. We’re at this point in Kane’s career: His fellow All-Stars share stories “Gibby over there in Anaheim is playing out of his mind,” Gaudreau said. about growing up and watching highlights of him as a kid. Matthews said “He’s a great goaltender and a great teammate. I played with him a he’d spend hours and hours on YouTube, watching highlights of players couple times and always enjoyed playing with him.” like Sidney Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk, Evgeni Malkin and Alex Ovechkin but it was the Kane highlights that got the most viewings. What makes him so tough? “He was probably at the top of the list of people I watched the most,” “He sees the puck so well,” Gaudreau said. “He makes the first save and Matthews said. he doesn’t give up rebounds. And he’s made some incredible saves.” That was part of Matthews’ reasoning in picking Kane as the best Honorable mention: American in the NHL right now — his longevity as one of the game’s best Phil Kessel, Pittsburgh Penguins – Kane ultimately picked Gaudreau but players: “It’s so tough to go against him. Just what he’s done throughout it sure sounded like he wanted to go with Kessel initially. Kessel has 53 his whole career, every year it seems like he’s getting better and better. points in 48 games this season, point production that is just off a career- He’s having an unbelievable year, he’s been red hot lately.” high pace. Kane was already having a nice season and skyrocketed in January. He “The first guy who comes to mind is Phil Kessel,” Kane said when put up 21 points in 10 games this month and is on pace for 116 points, considering his answer. “He’s had an unbelievable career, winning a which would be the second time he eclipsed 100 points in his career. In a couple Cups there in Pittsburgh. He’s always been a fun player for me to time it’s generally accepted that a player’s peak is much earlier than watch.” Kane’s age right now (30), it’s even more impressive that he could turn in his best statistical season. Pavelski attributed that to a player who has found a way to play at a high level with high consistency. The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 “He keeps improving,” Pavelski said. “His game is at a high level already. To bring that high level every night, with that consistency — it just doesn’t 1128108 Websites the small matter of the Jets holding four games in hand, by virtue of playing the fewest games in the league while Nashville has played the most. Putting together the schedule for a 31-team league is messy work, The Athletic / DGB weekend power rankings: The women steal the show as this recent piece reminded us. Still, these are the two teams everyone during All-Star weekend figured would be slugging it out for the top spot in the division. You’d think we could have hit the All-Star break without one team having played five percent more of their season. By Sean McIndoe 2. Calgary Flames (33-13-5, +47) – In a neat moment, Johnny Gaudreau’s father Guy was behind the bench for the Pacific All-Stars on Jan 28, 2019 Saturday. The invitation came from Bill Peters, giving Johnny one more chance to play for his first hockey coach.

1. Tampa Bay Lightning (37-10-2, +56) – The PHWA announced their There are three main things you want from the NHL All-Star weekend. midseason awards, with Nikita Kucherov taking home MVP honors. It’s You want it to be reasonably fun. You want it to be at least a little bit the second straight year that he’s won the midseason version of the memorable. And then you want it to be over. award. But his support vanished over the second half of last year, failing This year’s event definitely checked that last box. And let’s be honest, it to earn even a single first-place vote for the real thing as voters turned to probably took care of the first two as well. players on playoff bubble teams. Here’s hoping that doesn’t happen again, and the writers remember that there’s nothing in the Hart Trophy As is often the case, the skills competition seemed to offer up more big guidelines saying that players are only eligible if their team finishes in the moments than the actual games, with Friday’s event generating some 95 – 100 point range. solid buzz. That was largely due to the presence of the women, with four stars from the U.S. and Canadian national teams invited to participate. *Goals differential without counting shootout decisions like the NHL does The night was highlighted by Brianna Decker’s pinpoint performance in for some reason. the passing event and Kendall Coyne Schofield’s all-out flight around the Not ranked: Washington Capitals – As recently as three weeks ago, the rink in the fastest skater competition. Capitals were holding down a place in the top five for the fifth straight This being the NHL, the moment couldn’t pass without at least some week. They’d reached as high as the second spot over that span. And it controversy, with some question emerging over whether Decker should made sense – these were the defending champs, they were playing great have earned the prize money for her performance. The league eventually and they looked like they had a relatively easy path to a division title. stepped in with compensation and charitable donations on behalf of all But then, two important things happened. The first is that the 2018-19 four women. And rightly so, given that they stole the show on a night that Islanders turned into the 1980-81 Islanders while none of us were paying otherwise seems to insist on being a little slower and a lot more attention. And the second was that the Capitals stopped winning games. complicated than it needs to be. The Caps headed into the break having lost seven straight. And to their That was followed by Saturday’s mini-tournament, which was … well, it credit, they’ve managed to keep it fresh throughout the streak. They’ve was fine. Most fans who watched it probably don’t even remember which lost to hot teams, like the Islanders. They’ve lost to cold teams, like the team won, but that’s hardly the point. The 3-on-3 format continues to Maple Leafs. They’ve lost in overtime (to the Blue Jackets) and blowouts work well enough, generating plenty of action at both ends. There’s no (to the Predators) and something in between (to the Blues). And maybe defense to speak of, with back-checkers openly quitting on breakaways most impressively, they managed to lose two straight games despite and barely pretending to wave a stick in the vague direction of the puck, scoring 11 goals. That’s tough to do, but the Capitals found a way to pull but nobody watches these things for defence. And we still get those it off. weird moments where a team collectively decides not to put the puck on the net for some reason, resulting in an endless string of passes that Now they need to find a way to fix it. They’ve got time because they’re off makes the whole thing look like a video game where some confused until Friday and they come back with six straight at home. But that newbie forgot which one is the shoot button. homestand starts off with the Flames and Bruins, and Alexander Ovechkin has to miss the first game because of his All-Star snub, so if But there’s still the occasional cool moment – we’ll see Devan Dubnyk’s they’re going to end the streak early they’ll have to earn it. glove save on Connor McDavid for years to come and the Steven Stamkos between-the-legs move was cool. It’s always fun to see the best For now, there are questions about the goaltending, questions about the of the best out there together, even at half-speed. This year, we even got effort level, and if you listen really closely, maybe even a few questions to see them with lots of extra numbers and lines and arrows all over the about the coaching. And for the last few weeks, there haven’t been many screen, but we’ll get that part figured out too. The All-Star Game is what it answers. is. It’s fine. It’s been so bad that it’s always a mild surprise when you check the And now it’s over, and now we’re back to the action that counts. Except standings and see that even after losing seven straight, the Capitals are that we’re not, because most of the league heads out for their bye weeks. still holding down the second spot in the Metro. They’re three points back Only 10 teams see action between now and Friday and only two or three of the Islanders, only one up on the Blue Jackets and two on the games on the schedule each night until then. Still, at this point, we’ll take Penguins, with all three teams holding at least one game in hand. what we can get. On to the rankings … Needless to say, the situation isn’t good. But it’s not a disaster, at least not yet. They just have to start winning again. Road to the Cup If they do, maybe they’ll get back into the top five at some point. I’m The five teams that look like they’re headed towards a summer of keg guessing that they’re more concerned about making the playoffs. At the stands and fountain pool parties. rate they’re going, they probably should be. We only had three nights of games on the schedule since last week’s The bottom five rankings. And a third of the league wasn’t even around for that, with the bye weeks kicking in for ten teams. It’s been quiet. Too quiet. And that The five teams that look like they’re headed towards hoping the ping- means that we don’t see much movement in the top five this week. pong balls deliver Jack Hughes. 5. Nashville Predators (30-18-4, +26 true goals differential*) – The Preds Like the top five, we won’t see much movement here this week. But fair are the only new team on this week’s list, as they nudge the Golden warning – we’re getting to the point in the year where the bad teams are Knights out of the five-spot after beating them on Wednesday and also going to start selling, and a big deal or two can significantly shift the passing them in the standings. Two points here or there shouldn’t matter outlook for the rest of the year. If the Senators trade Matt Duchene or all that much at this point in the season, but I think it makes more sense Mark Stone – or both – next week, that would change the equation to have a second Central team instead of a third from the Pacific, so quickly. So would a deal for Jake Muzzin or Wayne Simmonds or Jimmy Nashville returns to the top five after a month-long absence. Let’s see if it Howard. And you might think that one of the teams that actually wants to lasts. win the first overall pick would be eager to beat the rest of them to the punch. But for now, our list looks a lot like last week’s. 4. San Jose Sharks (29-16-7, +23) – All in all, it sounds like San Jose did a nice job as the All-Star weekend hosts. And kudos to the fans for 5. Chicago Blackhawks (18-24-9, -34) – You know things are bad when showing no mercy to guys like John Tavares, Sidney Crosby and John even Gary Bettman is like “Yeah, we’ve seen enough of Chicago in Gibson. At least somebody was treating the action like it mattered. marquee events for a while.” 3. Winnipeg Jets (31-15-2, +33) – Wednesday’s win moved the Predators 4. New Jersey Devils (18-23-7, -23) – The Devils went into the bye week into a tie with the Jets for the top spot in the Central … sort of. There’s having lost three games in a row, which is a scenario they should be used to by now – it’s the seventh time this season that they’ve lost at least three straight. Fun fact: There are six teams in the league that hasn’t lost as many games during the entire season as the Devils have just in their various three-game losing streaks. The good news: They’re 5-1-0 after losing three straight, so they should be heavy favorites tonight in Pittsburgh. 3. Detroit Red Wings (19-25-7, -24) – There probably won’t be many highlights in the second half of a lost season for Detroit fans, but they’ll get one on Friday when the legendary Red Kelly’s number four will be retired. 2. Los Angeles Kings (20-26-4, -36) – While they’re dead last in the West, they’re also just eight points out of a playoff spot. In other words, they’re one two-game win streak away from saying they’re still in the race, talking themselves out of selling at the deadline and then going 2- 15-0 down the stretch and finishing last. I can’t wait. 1. Ottawa Senators (19-26-5, -31) – We’re now just four weeks out from the trade deadline and there’s still no news on the Duchene or Stone fronts, although we’re told that discussions are ongoing. The question is whether the Senators can afford to sign either or both. The easy answer is no, accompanied by some sort of snide remark about Eugene Melnyk. But that’s not really true. Whatever Melnyk’s preferred budget might look like, there’s still a cap floor to worry about, and the Senators have to pay somebody. They only have $44 million committed to next year, meaning they’ll need to spend at least another $15 or $16 million. Signing both Duchene and Stone and then filling the rest of the roster would put them over that and maybe that isn’t an option. But what about signing just one of them? You’d figure that has to be doable, assuming somebody wants to stay. The question would be what a deal would look like and whether the Senators could structure a big-dollar contract the way other teams around the league do. Not ranked: Edmonton Oilers – This is the third time this season that the Oilers have shown up in this specific spot – not quite bad enough to make the bottom five, but still close enough to the conversation to be worth a mention. That’s more than anyone else in the league. So … yay? The first time came in the season’s very first ranking, the way-too-early edition that we knew didn’t make any sense to do but went ahead and did anyway. The Oilers had only played one game, but it had not gone well; they’d been rolled over by the Devils in Sweden, leading to a chorus of “same old Oilers” takes. I wasn’t about to overreact to one game but I did offer up some in-depth analysis. OK, fine, I wrote “yikes.” In hindsight, it holds up rather well. The second time came at the end of December. The team had already parted ways with Todd McLellan by that point, but an early rebound under Ken Hitchcock had already faded. And so Peter Chiarelli had started making moves, pulling off a pair of trades to bring in Alex Petrovic and Brandon Manning while saying goodbye to Chris Wideman and Drake Caggiula. Those deals had not been especially well-received, but we were trying to stay optimistic. The Oilers were only four points out of a wildcard and the January schedule wasn’t especially challenging. They’d be fine, we figured, but added a caveat: “If they can’t start banking some points soon, Caggiula and Wideman won’t be the only ones sent packing.” That one also holds up well. One month later, Chiarelli is gone, Keith Gretzky is in charge while they weigh the pros and cons of various full-time replacements. The Oilers are in turmoil once again and the path forward isn’t clear. And yet, their miserable month has seen them plummet from four points back of the wildcard all the way to … three. They’ve actually gained ground, sort of, although there are now more teams in the mix ahead of them. Having five teams to pass is bad news, and it’s why sites like MoneyPuck give the Oilers just an 11 percent chance of making the postseason. Even a hot streak won’t be enough to do it, because at least one of the other teams ahead of them will be hot too. But a couple of hot streaks, or one especially long one, still probably gets it done. They won’t have a chance to start any time soon since they don’t play again until next weekend. They’ll return from the break with a pair of afternoon road games, which doesn’t seem ideal for shaking off the bye week rust. But with those games coming against the Flyers and Canadiens, and the Blackhawks waiting for them back in Edmonton after that, there’s at least a chance to gain some ground quickly. There’s also a chance to start slow and see their playoff hopes deteriorate even further, which would be a problem because at this point they’re pretty much out of people to fire. For now, it’s bad, but not bottom-five bad. But it’s close. And that’s where the Oilers have lived for most of the season.

The Athletic LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128109 Websites Drew Doughty, who for years benefitted from the Muzzin security blanket, playfully cracked at all-star weekend that Muzzin may have been his cheapest teammate when the dinner bill arrived, certainly his ability to fit Sportsnet.ca / Muzzin acquisition ticks all the boxes for Maple Leafs nicely into the Leafs’ impending salary-cap squeeze at a “cheap” $4- million AAV is a bonus for Dubas as he negotiates with big dogs Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. Luke Fox Muzzin will consult with Babcock, with whom he shared a drink from the 2016 World Cup in this city, about where he’ll slot when he pulls on a January 28, 2019, 10:12 PM Leafs sweater for the first time Thursday at the club’s practice in Detroit, but he does have experience patrolling the right side, and his presence

could allow Norris candidate Morgan Rielly’s aging partner, Ron Hainsey, TORONTO – Kyle Dubas laid out his plan publicly (defencemen term to provide a mentorship role with rookie Travis Dermott on the third over rentals), and then followed through, connecting with a hard first pairing. swing, with four weeks for another crack before the trading deadline. “There’s good enough D back there that we can figure something out,” We won’t know for certain if the Toronto Maple Leafs rookie general Muzzin said. manager’s first major trade since assuming the helm from Lou Lamoriello Dubas also noted that the trade had nothing to do with the health of Jake is a home run until the ball falls, but one couldn’t blame the 33-year-old if Gardiner (back spasms) and expects Gardiner to be at 100 per cent he did a bat flip after flossing in his executive suite Monday night. health for Friday’s bye-week return game. The Muzzin trade, however, By swiping Jake Muzzin — arguably 2018-19’s most consistent player does ensure Toronto two bona fide top-tier lefty D-men in their prime from its worst Western Conference team — Dubas not only obtained the should Gardiner be squeezed out into free agency. best player in the deal but the type of difference-maker that should “I was thrown into the fire early in my career,” Muzzin said as he stepped narrow the gap between the Maple Leafs and their blueprint, the Tampa into the spotlight. Bay Lightning. “The last few years it’s been a battle and a struggle, but I’m definitely Muzzin is accustomed to logging heavy shutdown minutes against the excited to have another chance to get there and have a crack at it.” top lines in hockey, he can kill penalties (an element coach Mike Babcock has been thirsting for), he’s comfortable chipping in on the power-play (and has three 40-point seasons on his resume), and he’s a zone-exit monster. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.29.2019 Sportsnet NOW gives you access to over 500 NHL games this season, blackout-free, including Hockey Night in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey, Scotiabank Wednesday Night Hockey, the entire 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs and more. Grizzled hockey men will love that the 29-year-old blocks shots (20th overall, with 92) and adds just the second Cup ring to the young Leafs room. And the number crunchers can point to the Woodstock, Ont., native’s positive score effects. “I just thought it was great fit for us,” Dubas said. “When he joined Los Angeles coming out of junior [in 2010], they were kind of at the same stage we’re in now, so he has that experience of seeing a team mature from being a team that wanted to contend to contending and ultimately winning, and he was a big part of their championship team in 2014. “He’s going to be here for at least the next year and a half and two runs at the spring.” The trade for a top-four, left-shot, stay-at-home defender still in his prime and still with one playoff run beyond this one on his deal resembles the one former Tampa GM Steve Yzerman pulled off at the 2018 deadline, when he surrendered a first to grab Ryan McDonagh and all his playoff experience from New York. Yes, the price Dubas paid isn’t bargain-bin cheap. He did give away a (presumably late) first-rounder in 2019, a decent prospect in Carl Grundstom (who ranks second to Trevor Moore on the AHL depth chart when everyone’s healthy), and the rights to unsigned 2018 second- rounder Sean Durzi. But with the Kings —the NHL’s least offensive and third-oldest club — desperate to get younger, faster and cheaper, Dubas was able to sell Rob Blake maybes and hope in exchange for a tangible asset. Muzzin left a club with a negative-36 goal differential with a team-high plus-10 rating. So even on a bad team, the puck is going in the other net when he’s on the ice. “I was a little shocked to get the phone call. You hear rumblings and rumours and stuff like that, and you just continue on your way until it actually happens,” Muzzin said. “I was just thinking about it. Just playing them, how we got beat [4-1 and 5-1 this season], I was like, ‘Damn.’ And now I’m part of that team, so I’m real excited for the opportunity.” Dubas addressed his club’s greatest need without surrendering anything from a roster that has vaulted to the league’s top five in points percentage, nor his most coveted prospects, righty D-men Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren. “We were very clearly interested in Jake, and they had a number of players in our prospect pool that they deemed to have interest in,” said Dubas of a trade that has been in the works since Christmas time. 1128110 Websites In Grundstrom’s last season with MODO in Sweden, he was the highest- scoring under-20 player in the league and his 14 goals were five better than any other junior-aged player. He is a goal scorer first and if his Sportsnet.ca / What the Maple Leafs gave up to acquire Jake Muzzin output in the AHL this season (13 goals, 16 assists) persists, it would be from Kings the first time in two years he finished with more helpers than goals. He leaves the Marlies as the third-highest goal scorer on the team this season after finishing second to Andreas Johnsson in last spring’s Calder Rory Boylen Cup run. Grundstrom doesn’t just win puck battles, he creates chances and goals afterwards, which slots in well with a Kings team that likes to January 28, 2019, 10:28 PM play heavy, but desperately needs to find players who can play with pace and find the back of the net.

Sean Durzi, Guelph Storm, OHL The Maple Leafs got their defenceman. A second-rounder, 52nd overall, in 2018, Durzi is a six-foot, 187-pound On Monday night the Toronto Maple Leafs opened the stretch drive to offensive defenceman who brings the exact kind of skill-set that generally the trade deadline by acquiring Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings plays well in today’s NHL. He’s 20 years old and travelled to the 2017 for Carl Grundstrom, Sean Durzi and a 2019 first-round pick. The Maple draft in Chicago, but never heard his name called. Leafs had a primary need for another blueliner or two and though Muzzin isn’t a right-handed shot that would more naturally complement left shots “It didn’t go my way,” Durzi said after he did get picked last summer. “I Jake Gardiner and Morgan Rielly, he is undoubtedly a top-four stalwart took it as a learning curve and I think if you take anything like that, you who has been Los Angeles’ best defender this season. can grow from it and be better. I definitely took that as a learning curve, went through that off-season, went to a few camps and I learned a lot. On top of being a solid player, the benefit of adding Muzzin is that he The Leafs taught me a lot last year.” comes with a $4-million-AAV contract that runs through next season as well, so Toronto paid the price of a first-round pick and two prospects for Despite missing a month and a half to injury, Durzi has put up strong a couple years of control. If Gardiner walks as a free agent this summer, point totals in his overage OHL season with 28 in 26 games. In fact, he the Leafs will be more prepared for it than before. was nearly a point-per-game player with Owen Sound and his place as a difference maker in the league was confirmed when the Guelph Storm Just a reminder: the value of the first round pick the Leafs dealt away traded for him in early January as they beefed up for a run at the league will be essentially no different than the value of an average second title. Since arriving with the Storm, Durzi has been even more productive. rounder. pic.twitter.com/z5jmbHlhD9 Last season Durzi was also limited to just 40 games played, but the 21 — Sean Tierney (@ChartingHockey) January 29, 2019 power-play points he put up in that time was a similar per-game rate to And they didn’t have to give up any of their top prospects, such as some of the top players at the position. This year, his five power-play Timothy Liljegren or Rasmus Sandin, or a player off the NHL roster like goals are just two off the OHL league lead among defencemen, and his Kasperi Kapanen, in order to make such a big addition. But this wasn’t a 1.08 overall points-per-game rate is fifth-best among blueliners. cheap acquisition. Nothing is guaranteed in the package the Leafs “The type of player I am is someone who runs my game off my hockey moved, but the Kings saw others behind the big names on Toronto’s IQ,” Durzi told NHL.com last summer. “It’s something I’ve had for a long depth chart that made them feel good about jumping at an early offer. time and as my skills develop, I think I’m only going to get better. I’m “I think the consternation regarding our prospect pool is just a little bit ill- more of an offensive guy, a guy who can run the power play.” informed,” Leafs GM Kyle Dubas told the media just before the all-star break. “I can tell you that based on the calls we get from other teams asking about a litany of players within that system. I feel we have the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.29.2019 prospect capital both to develop very good NHL players to help us out and to make trades if we need to. We also have all of our draft picks and then some. I think we are very well suited to do whatever we need to do when it comes to moving out various elements of our club to better our club now.” So just what did the Leafs give up for Muzzin? Here’s a look at the newest Kings, Carl Grundstrom and Sean Durzi. Carl Grundstrom, Toronto Marlies, AHL Picked in the second round, 57th overall, in 2016, the 21-year-old is playing through his first full season in North America. He has, however, experienced two playoffs with the Marlies, including 2018’s title run. In total he played 26 post-season AHL games with Toronto, scoring 11 goals and 18 points. When you look at the kind of game Grundstrom plays, you see why the Kings were interested. At six-feet, 194 pounds, his size isn’t overwhelming, but he overcomes that with a ferocity on the forecheck that plays bigger. Grundstrom will bring physical play into the corners and be a pain for the defenders in puck battles. These elements are what starts to put him on the NHL radar as a third-liner. “I was impressed, though I can’t say I was surprised,” Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe said about Grundstrom’s mean streak before this season. “He really showed that in the short time he was with us the previous year and then going to Leaf camp. “We’ve come to expect that from him, that competitive side. He’s a strong guy who plays with a chip on his shoulder, with a skill-set and finish around the net.” Carl Grundstrom, the 21-year-old forward acquired in the trade, is a former second round draft pick who came up the MODO ranks with Adrian Kempe. 42 GP; 13-16=29 in his first full AHL season. 17 G in 35 SHL GP last season as well. — Jon Rosen (@lakingsinsider) January 29, 2019 While that competitive baseline makes him a good bet to be an NHLer before long, it’s the last part of what Keefe said that makes him even more intriguing and possibly able to one day fulfill a need for the Kings. 1128111 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Three things we learned in the NHL: Brossoit's streak is no more

Sportsnet Staff January 28, 2019, 10:57 PM

Laurent Brossoit’s impressive streak came to an end, the Pittsburgh Penguins just can’t stop leaking goals and the New Jersey Devils still have the Penguins’ number. Here are three things we learned in the NHL on Monday night. Not-so-lucky No. 7 Laurent Brossoit was one of the hottest goaltenders entering the All-Star break. The 25-year-old netminder was riding a seven-game winning streak with a .937 save percentage and a 2.28 goals-against-average. Unfortunately for Brossoit and the Winnipeg Jets, that streak was halted at seven wins after the Philadelphia Flyers emerged victorious 3-1. Regardless, Brossoit is enjoying a fantastic season. At 10-1-1 with a 2.01 goals-against and a .943 save percentage, Brossoit certainly can’t complain about his impact thus far. Leaky Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins may have scored a lot of goals prior to the All- Star break, but they had one glaring issue: keeping them out of their own net. That unfortunate trend continued in a 6-3 defeat to the New Jersey Devils, who continued their strong play against the Penguins (more on that later). Glancing at the recent number of goals against makes for pretty disastrous reading for Penguins fans. Going to redo this. The original tweet is WRONG.#Pens goals allowed last six games: — 4 to the Ducks on Jan. 11 — 5 to the Kings on Jan. 12 — 5 to the Sharks on Jan. 15 — 2 to the Coyotes on Jan. 18 — 7 to the Golden Knights on Jan. 19 — 6 (so far) to the Devils tonight — Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) January 29, 2019 Here’s a stat for you. Penguins are 1-6-1 vs last-place teams this season (NJ, OTT, CHI, LA). They’ve been outscored, 36-20. The lone win came in overtime vs LA at home. — Jonathan Bombulie (@BombulieTrib) January 28, 2019 The Devil you know There are some teams that can be a pain for a particular opponent. The Devils are that team for the Penguins. New Jersey has now won six of their last seven meeting against the Penguins, and ironically, they potted six goals in the latest victory. To top it off, that also snapped a three-game losing skid for New Jersey. Note to the Devils: If you’re in a slump and facing the Penguins in the near future, you can probably rest easy. The Devils are 6-17-3 on the road this season. Two of those six wins have come in Pittsburgh, where they've outscored the #Pens 11-4. — Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) January 29, 2019

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128112 Websites Muzzin can see the potential Toronto has for a postseason push, and can appreciate what it would mean to the fanbase, too. A native of Woodstock, Ont., Muzzin grew up as a Maple Leaf fan, and in 2016 he TSN.CA / Maple Leafs acquire veteran blueliner Muzzin from Kings got a taste of the city playing for Babcock’s Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey hosted by Toronto.

“It’s kind of funny how life works,” Muzzin mused. “Here we are and I’m Kristen Shilton coming back to play for the team I rooted for growing up. Being in Toronto for (World Cup) was exciting; I definitely got a glimpse of what everything is about in Toronto in the media and the city. I’m excited to come and put on the Leafs jersey and play. That’s why we play, is to get TORONTO – The NHL’s trade season is officially open, and the Maple the playoff and have a chance to win the Stanley Cup…I’m excited to Leafs made their first blockbuster move on Monday night, acquiring have another chance and get an opportunity to get there and have defenceman Jake Muzzin from the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for another crack at it.” forward prospect Carl Grundstrom, the rights to unsigned defensive prospect Sean Durzi and Toronto’s first-round pick in 2019. Dubas has made no secret of the fact the Leafs are trying to contend now, as best they can, and for as long as they can. That’s partly why he Muzzin has played his entire eight-year career with the Kings, and won a was keen to avoid rental deals at the deadline, and did so with Muzzin. Stanley Cup there in 2014. While the 29-year-old admittedly heard The blueliner has one year still remaining on his five-year contract, at a rumblings of a potential trade, the deal coming down a full month before cap-friendly $4 million, potentially making him part of two spring-time the Feb. 25 trade cut-off still caught him off-guard. runs for Toronto. “I was a little shocked to get the phone call,” Muzzin revealed on a media What Dubas wasn’t prepared to say, though, is that Muzzin’s acquisition conference call Monday night. “I’m very excited to join Toronto, I was was tied at all to Jake Gardiner’s status as a pending unrestricted free thinking about just playing them [with L.A.], how we got beat [twice], and I agent this fall. Knowing Dubas has to fit new contracts for Auston was like ‘damn,’ so now to be a part of that team, I'm real excited for the Matthews and Mitch Marner under the cap for next season still, opportunity.” Gardiner’s asking price on an extension may be too rich for the Leafs. TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reported Monday that Muzzin, a left- Whether it is or it isn’t, Dubas insisted that wasn’t a factor in Toronto’s shot with experience and comfortability playing either side, will skate on latest deal. the Leafs’ top pairing with Morgan Rielly, while Ron Hainsey moves down to the team’s third pairing as a veteran resource for 22-year-old Travis [Muzzin’s] still in his prime and we’re happy to know he’s going to be Dermott. here for at least the next year and a half,” Dubas explained. “That was certainly appealing. As it pertains to the future for anyone on our roster, During the call on Monday, Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas wouldn’t the focus here was just to find a key player who can bolster our lineup expressly confirm where Muzzin will play, but was confident in how well now and we’ll see how it all plays out with the rest.” his skill set will fit with the rest of Toronto’s backend. With the shakeup, rookie Igor Ozhiganov projects to be the odd-man out “We have a very good group there [defensively], and to add Jake into the on the blueline, joining Martin Marincin and Justin Holl as extra group there…and bolster that group is certainly something we’re happy defenders. With winger Tyler Ennis on injured reserve nursing a broken about,” Dubas said. “Defensively, we thought it was a great fit for us, and ankle, the Leafs can carry all three of their defencemen now, but once knowing his character and what he’s about, we thought it would be a Ennis is back, they will have to either send Ozhiganov to the American great fit for our locker room as well. We’re excited.” Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies or waive one of either Marincin or Holl. Also satisfying for the Leafs was being able to shore up their weakest In return for Muzzin, the Leafs parted ways with two prospects, neither of area without disrupting the current roster. And in return, they have a whom have seen any NHL time to date. Gritty left winger Grundstrom player in Muzzin who was the Kings’ best defender all season, boasting was a second-round pick, 57th overall, by the Leafs in 2016, and is in the enough versatility to play throughout the backend while balancing good midst of his first full AHL season with the Marlies, where he’s mobility advancing the puck with a strong defensive game in his own accumulated 29 points in 42 games. end. Right-shot defenceman Durzi was a second-round selection, 52nd Despite Dubas’ staunch defence of the Leafs’ blueline going back to overall, by the Leafs in 2018. The 20-year-old has played the entirety of training camp, Toronto has struggled on its breakouts and repeated this season in the Ontario Hockey League, producing 28 points in 26 defensive errors have cost them against the league’s upper-echelon of games between the Owen Sound Attack and Guelph Storm. teams.

There are promising defensive prospects in Toronto’s farm system, but no one ready to make the jump, making a trade the team’s best way to TSN.CA LOADED: 01.29.2019 upgrade that unit. To that end, Dubas started talks with Kings’ vice-president Rob Blake about dealing for Muzzin around Christmas, and conversation picked up in earnest again before L.A. went on its bye week earlier this month. Toronto is currently on its own league-mandated break, set to return with a practice on Thursday and game Friday against the Red Wings in Detroit. Once the team has reconvened, Dubas said head coach Mike Babcock and his staff will talk with the entire group of blueliners and “find the best fit to have everyone play to their best potential.” That’s where having the deal consummated so soon will help the Leafs most, by offering plenty of time for Muzzin to get up to speed wherever he plays. “The longer you can have the player for, the better,” Dubas said. “And I think especially coming back from the break, it makes it a little bit easier than if we were just immersed into a full schedule. He’s got two-plus months here to settle in and help our team, and it was important for us to try to help Jake assimilate into our program.” It will be a night-and-day difference for Muzzin compared to what he left in L.A., at least as far as the standings go. As of Monday, the Leafs sit third in the Eastern Conference, while the Kings are second-last in the NHL. Individually speaking, Muzzin has continued to perform, though, amassing 21 points in 50 games while averaging 21:32 time on ice this year. Now he has a chance to chase down another long playoff run, to match that one he went on during his first full NHL campaign in 2013-14 that culminated with his name going on the Cup. 1128113 Websites “When you’re as young as we are, that’s a real question. Three months from now, we might be a different-looking team.”

The Jets can get wrapped up in a Central Division arms race, even TSN.CA / Deadline War Room: Jets on mission for No. 2 centre though they appear to already have the upper hand in size and strength. Or, they can decide to roll the dice with what they have. Frank Seravalli Maurice is not the GM, but he’s still trying to figure out where he lands. “I’m not sure. That’s the honest answer,” Maurice said. “Even if we think PHILADELPHIA — Aside from the Stanley Cup that Michal Kempny it makes sense, we’re not going to overreach. We may have what we’re helped hoist in Washington, there was no more impactful acquisition at looking for already here. I’m good either way.” last year’s trade deadline than Paul Stastny. It was a deal that signalled the official opening of the Winnipeg Jets’ TSN.CA LOADED: 01.29.2019 window – GM Kevin Cheveldayoff trading a first-round pick for the first time, along with prospect Erik Foley and a fourth-round pick to the St. Louis Blues. Stastny was a horse for the Jets. He posted 15 points in 17 playoff contests, including three game-winning goals. Stastny tormented the Nashville Predators with 10 points in the second round alone and came up clutch with two goals and an assist in the decisive Game 7 road win. The question now is: Where can Cheveldayoff find this year’s version of Stastny? The Jets are undoubtedly on a mission to add a bona fide second-line centre before TradeCentre on Feb. 25. That’s not to say Winnipeg isn’t happy with the job Bryan Little has done in that role, but they felt the need to upgrade last year. Bumping Little to the third line makes them that much stronger. The window to win can close quickly – even for the Jets, perhaps the youngest in the pack of Cup contenders – given the salary cap pinch they will be feeling this summer. It will all depend on the cost, of course, and the perceived impact on the lineup. The Jets clearly aren’t keen on fixing what isn’t broken. “Whether you bring in a fourth-line player or a Paul Stastny, it changes the dynamic,” coach Paul Maurice said at All-Star Weekend. “The question is: How much do you change?” In hockey, chemistry is an inexact science and the problem is you don’t really know until you experiment. “You do all of your background [checks], but you truly don’t know how a player is going to fit,” Maurice said. “Each team is a completely different environment.” The irony in Stastny’s addition is that the Jets had their sights set on Ottawa’s Derick Brassard last February. He landed with the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are now looking to flip him a year later. The Jets have already been in contact with the Penguins on Brassard, but the initial asking price was high. Besides, ‘Big Game Brass’ didn’t live up to his nickname last year with just one goal in the playoffs. Could the Jets target Matt Duchene as a rental? Cheveldayoff would prefer a player with term on his contract, but the ilk of the player the Jets are pursuing would make it even that much tougher to re-sign Patrik Laine, Kyle Connor, Jacob Trouba and Tyler Myers this summer. Brayden Schenn, Charlie Coyle and Kevin Hayes are some of the other centres on the TSN Trade Bait board. Even for as seamlessly as Stastny fit, there was a trickle-down effect for the Jets. Ehlers scored just five goals in 35 games after Stastny’s arrival, including a complete doughnut in the 15-game playoff run after a 29-goal regular season. As Maurice said: “Someone’s coming out” of the lineup. Or someone’s moving down. The other notion that Maurice is pondering of the deadline is the idea that the Jets might already have internally what they’d be looking for on the market, particularly if they are on the prowl for a fourth-line winger. Maurice mentioned the emergence of forward Brendan Lemieux as an example, who entered the All-Star break with three goals in his last two games. “In two months’ time, how different are the players going to be that we have?” Maurice asked. “Right now, Brendan Lemieux is a completely different player than he was in October. After the All-Star break, certainly, you’re not developing any more. You’re taking a stab at it or not. Can you find a bigger, stronger, brighter young man than that? 1128114 Websites

TSN.CA / It’s time to put a few more minutes on the OT clock

Travis Yost

I think it is fair to say that the National Hockey League’s introduction of 3- on-3 hockey has been a rousing success. If not for the fact that it has mitigated the importance of shootout performance on the standings, then for the fact that it’s the exact type of end-to-end, up-tempo style of play that endears itself to paying fans. When the NHL introduced 3-on-3 as a pre-shootout solution for the regular season, it did so with a rather conservative approach. The Board of Governors approved it with a five-minute cap – likely as a feeler of sorts to understand what value it would bring to the league. In the media release, the NHL offered this up as the justification for the change in the overtime format: “The 3-on-3 overtime is designed to create more space on the ice, allowing for more goals to be scored and more games ending in overtime rather than the shootout, similar to the success that the American Hockey League experienced this season.” There was little explanation given as to why the 3-on-3 format was capped to five minutes other than what had been done historically. One important note is the league recognized too many games – at least relatively speaking – finished in the shootout format. Which raises a logical question: What minute interval should the NHL use if the goal is to minimize the frequency of shootouts? The league could only make assumptions years ago. Now we have concrete data – the type of data that can help the league calibrate the length of 3-on-3 play with mathematical substantiation. For some high-level numbers, the 2018-19 season to date has seen 770 games played. Twenty-one per cent of those games have been deadlocked after regulation. Past the 60-minute mark, the five-minute 3- on-3 window has solved 74 per cent of games. That means the other 26 per cent – 42 games at the all-Star break – required the shootout to allocate the game’s third point. So how do we find out what the optimal interval is? A lot of it is based on what your appetite is for the shootout ending games. But we do know that in 3-on-3 play, teams score 6.1 goals per-60 minutes. That means we can create rather straightforward simulations to understand how much time would be required to satisfy a certain percentage of games in overtime (above and beyond the 74 per cent mark, or thereabouts, for what we are seeing this year). Here is what that simulation looks like: Ultimately it is up to the NHL and the NHLPA to decide where they want to draw the line in the sand on overtime, but I think that extending 3-on-3 overtime by about four minutes would mean the vast majority of games (close to 90 per cent) get resolved prior to the shootout. The addition of even a few minutes would likely only mean one additional shift per player into the game. Considering how much of an appetite there appears to be at every level – from players, to coaches and fans – to conclude games in the ‘spirit of hockey,’ I can’t envision that there would be sizable resistance to marginally increasing the length of overtime. At any rate, I again applaud the league for visiting the 3-on-3 idea in the first place. But with a few years of data, one can make a compelling argument that the time cap is probably on the conservative end. Putting a few more minutes on the overtime clock seems like a logical, non-invasive solution that would ultimately make the shootout a last resort. Now to convince the Board of Governors!

TSN.CA LOADED: 01.29.2019 1128115 Websites USA TODAY LOADED: 01.29.2019 USA TODAY / Kendall Coyne Schofield lands NBC hockey gig after impressing at All-Star skills event

Kevin Allen, Published 6:14 p.m. ET Jan. 28, 2019 Updated 6:45 p.m. ET Jan. 28, 2019

Kendall Coyne Schofield’s memorable performance as the first woman to compete in the NHL All-Star Skills Competition has prompted NBC to hire her as an analyst for the Wednesday Night Hockey game between Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins (8 p.m., NBCSN). Coyne, 26, a communications major who worked as a sideline reporter while at Northeastern, will appear on the pregame show and then go Inside the Glass with Pierre McGuire. She will also appear during intermissions that will be called by John Forslund. “I love to be able to talk about the game and when this opportunity presented itself, I was more than ecstatic,” Coyne told USA TODAY Sports Coyne, a member of the 2018 U.S. Women’s Olympic gold medal- winning hockey team, posted an NHL-worthy time Friday to finish seventh in the fastest-skater competition at the All-Star Skills Competition. Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid, who won the event for the third consecutive time, said Coyne's start was so strong that he thought she would win it. Sam Flood, executive producer and president, production, at NBC Sports & NBCSN, said Coyne’s “spectacular moment” at the All-Star Weekend had “had people talking about hockey.” “We saw the enormous reaction the players and fans had when she blazed that amazing speed, and want to celebrate her accomplishment,” Flood said. “We think viewers will be very interested to hear her lean in and talk about hockey during a regular-season game.” Coyne said when she received the call that she would compete in the NHL All-Star Skills Competition as a replacement for injured Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon, “it put chills down my back.” “I knew it was going to break down a lot of barriers and open a lot of eyes,” she said. “I was super excited for the opportunity. I know there was a lot of people who worked really hard to make that moment possible. I didn’t think it would (lead to) this opportunity, but I knew it would be a historic moment and it would change perceptions about women’s hockey.” She was gratified by the comments of McDavid and others who noted her skating was NHL-caliber. More: NHL grades: Teams with falling or soaring stocks More: Winners and losers at NHL All-Star weekend More: Olympian Brianna Decker 'shocked' to learn she beat NHLers in event “I did see it,” she said. “The NHL players view us as hockey players and that’s how we want to be viewed. The NHL took a huge stance that night in allowing me to compete. They knew I could skate with the guys. And it is so important for people to realize that women’s hockey has grown and the speed of the game is right up there with men’s hockey.” Coyne said she received more messages, tweets and comments from her All-Star moment than she received when the Americans won the Olympic gold medal in South Korea. “It just speaks to the platform of the NHL,” she said. “It showcased us, and it went viral.” This isn’t the first time NBC has turned to women’s hockey star for its broadcast team. Former U.S. Olympian A.J. Mleczko Griswold has served as an NHL analyst for NBC. She now works as a studio analyst for Madison Square Garden network on New York Islanders games. “I will obviously be doing some research tonight, tomorrow, leading up to Wednesday’s game,” Coyne said. “Obviously the Lightning and Penguins are premier teams with a lot of superstars, so it will be excellent game to talk about.”