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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/28/2021 1216549 For Luc Robitaille, Canadiens in Final feels 1216574 For the Revitalized Islanders, Another ‘Heartache,’ like old times Another Almost 1216575 doesn’t ‘question’ sitting Islanders’ Oliver Wahlstrom 1216550 Pandemic has curtailed Red Wings home attendance, but 1216576 Islanders’ speaks out for first time since things should start picking up devastating injury 1216577 Islanders’ roster stability will be challenged this offseason Flames 1216578 LI's Kyle Palmieri would love to stay with the Islanders 1216551 Q&A: Flames coach dishes on his Stanley 1216579 Casey Cizikas not ready to talk future, but Islanders Cup experiences teammates want him back 1216580 Anders Lee says he will be ready for start of Islanders Blackhawks training camp 1216552 Former players and staffers allege 1216581 leaves UBS Arena with a lot to live up to management likely knew about 2010 sexual assault 1216582 Jean-Gabriel Pageau ‘likely’ needs surgery, Islanders allegat veterans want to return and ‘the best fans in this leagu 1216583 For Islanders Identity Line, Life Without Casey Cizikas Now Something to Think About 1216553 Sunday Notes: NHL trades unlikely until after expansion 1216584 Pageau ‘a Little Banged Up’ During Playoff Run, Surgery draft, Wild in on Eichel, trouble in Chicago Possible 1216585 What’s Next for the New York Islanders Heading into the Offseason? 1216554 Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering: Two inspirations for and Pascal Vincent, another Jackets Cup winner Penguins 1216586 Penguins A to Z: Can Tristan Jarry rebound from a playoff Red Wings meltdown? 1216555 2018 NHL draft review: Top picks 1216587 Penguins Free Agency WATCH: Physical UFA poised to boost rebuild Defensemen 1216556 Stanley Cup preview: , veteran core help key 's surprising run 1216557 How underappreciated Oilers Jeff Petry 1216588 Sharks fans celebrate as Vegas falls short of Cup again became a Canadiens mainstay 1216589 Lightning show they’re not ‘full’ in pursuit of back-to-back 1216558 The Expansion Draft: Who could the Florida Stanley Cups Panthers lose? 1216590 Jeff Vinik sees a Lightning team that’s evolved from glamour to grit Kings 1216591 What it means to Lightning to have for 1216559 Kings Seasons In Review – Olli Maatta playoff run 1216592 Lightning’s : ‘There was no injury’ 1216593 Canadiens’ Corey Perry ready for another at 1216560 Cole Caufield ‘living out his dream’ as breakout star for the Lightning Canadiens 1216594 Stanley Cup contenders do not usually lose this many 1216561 The hockey world is in a frenzy over the Canadiens – yet games off the ice, the Habs are unmoved 1216595 Quarantining Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme 1216562 Canadiens GM Bergevin says he was unaware of sexual helping from afar assault allegations against Blackhawks assistant coach 1216596 All Julien BriseBois has done is change the course of 1216563 Canadiens’ enters COVID-19 protocol Lightning history 1216564 Stu Cowan: Canadiens' Carey Price paying back the GM 1216597 2021 Stanley Cup Final preview: Lightning vs. Canadiens who banked on him 1216565 Veterans with Stanley Cup experience gave Canadiens a Maple Leafs boost 1216598 Price and Weber are business — and boring — as usual 1216566 Cup final between Canadiens and Lightning looks like a as they prepare for their first Stanley Cup final goalie showdown 1216567 Todd: The Stanley Cup won't come easy, but these Habs are resilient 1216599 Golden Knights fans are spoiled — and that’s a good thing 1216568 Canadiens Notebook: Joel Armia back in COVID-19 1216600 Vegas Golden Knights “Not There Yet” Says Pete DeBoer protocol 1216601 Marc-Andre Fleury Wants to Stay, But Now is the Time to 1216569 says he wasn't in meeting on alleged Trade Him Blackhawks assault 1216570 Canadiens Stanley Cup notebook: The unfortunate symmetry of losing Armia, matchup problems and was Bergevin jo 1216571 Stanley Cup Final picks, odds: Expert selections for game 1 between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Light 1216572 2021 Stanley Cup Final preview: Lightning vs. Canadiens 1216573 How underappreciated Oilers defenceman Jeff Petry became a Canadiens mainstay Websites 1216602 The Athletic / Stanley Cup Final picks, odds: Expert selections for game 1 between the Montreal Canadiens and 1216603 The Athletic / Stanley Cup Final predictions, plus playoff officiating, Olympics and next season’s champion 1216604 The Athletic / NHL power rankings: Tampa Bay, Montreal and the NHL Cinematic Universe 1216605 .ca / Canadiens’ opportunity to win Stanley Cup means everything to Price, Weber 1216606 Sportsnet.ca / Lightning’s connection to Canadiens runs deep ahead of Stanley Cup Final 1216607 Sportsnet.ca / How the Stanley Cup Final-bound Montreal Canadiens were built SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1216549 Anaheim Ducks Kings left wing Luc Robitaille celebrates after scoring a against the in second period action of Game 2 of the NHL Conference finals on May 27, 1993, in Inglewood.

For Luc Robitaille, Canadiens in Stanley Cup Final feels like old times Robitaille sees some parallels between these Canadiens and the 1993 team that also was a surprise finalist and defeated the Kings in five games with the help of a power play gained via Marty McSorley’s illegally By HELENE ELLIOTTSPORTS COLUMNIST curved stick in Game 2 (sorry if it’s too soon to bring that up again, Kings fans, but you’ve since had two Cup titles to console you). The 1993 JUNE 27, 2021 10:41 AM PT Canadiens won 10 of 11 playoff games that year, which Robitaille believes involved a dose of luck; the current team benefitted from injuries and a suspension to key players in each round. When Luc Robitaille was growing up in Montreal, hockey was the Montreal Canadiens. But the Canadiens will need more than luck to beat the Lightning, who finished third in the Central division while high-scoring Nikita Before cable and satellite brought the world to everyone’s living room Kucherov recovered from hip surgery. Placing him on long-term injured and streaming offered infinite entertainment choices, Robitaille saw only reserve — where they’d stashed the contracts of Marian Gaborik and the Canadiens and then only once a week on Hockey Night in Anders Nilsson — gave Tampa Bay more than $17 million in salary cap telecasts. Like so many French-speaking kids in Montreal and the relief to make depth moves before the trade deadline. Kucherov healed province of , he pretended to be his heroes when he played in time to return in the playoffs, when the salary cap isn’t in effect. The against his brother, Pierre. slumbering Lightning woke up, taking out Florida in six games, Carolina in five, and the New York Islanders in seven games. Kucherov is the “When we were like 4 or 5 years old, he’d be the red Canadiens. I was playoff scoring leader with 27 points in 18 games. the white ones,” Robitaille, a left wing and now president of the Kings, said of Montreal’s classic home and road Center Blake Lizotte has re-signed with the L.A. Kings on a one-year, uniforms. $800,000 contract extension.

The Canadiens won the Stanley Cup in 1966, the year Robitaille was “Sometimes the stars align for you,” Lightning Julien born, and won regularly throughout his childhood and into his BriseBois said before the semifinals began. adolescence. Montreal Mayor Jean Drapeau would say each spring the team’s Cup parade would “follow the usual route,” and everyone knew The stars seem to have favored the Canadiens so far. Robitaille believes what he meant. The Canadiens monopolized the Cup from the 1975-76 that can continue. “Look at what they’ve done so far,” he said. “I was season through 1978-79, assembling some of the most powerful and laughing this week, looking at how everybody had those guys counted complete teams that ever graced a hockey rink. out in every series. Literally, no one picked them in any series.

“Obviously, we took it for granted. It was just like every year,” Robitaille “They certainly are playing very well. They found a way to just come said. “By the time I started realizing it and I was playing hockey and so together at the right time. To watch them, there’s no room on the ice. forth, they won four Stanley Cups in a row. Crazy when you think about They’re playing like they believe in what they’re doing. They’re not giving it.” up anything up the middle. The goalie is making all the big saves.”

Crazier still to think that the Canadiens, whose existence and first Cup Seems like old times — maybe even time to dig out those parade plans. title predate the formation of the NHL, haven’t won the Cup or reached LA Times: LOADED: 06.28.2021 the Final since 1993. Craziest of all to think this season’s team, which fired its coach in February and was the last to clinch a playoff berth, has ended Montreal’s Cup Final famine.

Andrei Vasilevskiy had 18 saves Friday night as the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the New York Islanders 1-0 in Game 7 of their NHL playoff semifinal series.

The Canadiens, who erased a 3-1 deficit to upset Toronto in seven games, swept and stifled Vegas’ offense in the semifinals, will face the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning for the Cup starting on Monday in Tampa. In a season made grim by COVID-19 concerns— Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme tested positive for the virus and will miss the first two games in Tampa because he’s still in quarantine— in a league that realigned to group all seven Canada-based teams in one division because of COVID-related travel restrictions, the Canadiens reaching the Final is so absurd that it’s wonderfully right. “It’s exciting. It’s surreal,” Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, a native of Montreal, said Sunday.

For fans in Montreal, it’s bliss.

“For the older folks it’s probably very meaningful and for the younger people, it’s just something that they’ve heard for years and years and years in the past and seen the history,” Robitaille said. “To be there, it must be an amazing feeling.”

Although the sports universe has expanded, the Canadiens remain king in their corner of the world. “I don’t think people realize what the Montreal Canadiens mean to the people of Montreal until you go there and live there. It’s part of their life every day, all year round. Even in the summer. When there’s absolutely nothing going on, that’s still part of their life,” Robitaille said.

“It’s unlike anything in the U.S., because you might be the biggest baseball fan and when that’s over you’re probably going to watch football, you know? And you’re going to watch the NBA, you’re going to watch the NHL. But over there, once the Canadiens are over they just stop watching sports and they just wait. A lot of times I joke with my brother, and he lives there, that there are other teams in the NHL. It’s incredible, the passion.” 1216550 Buffalo Sabres “As a manager, this is probably the most extreme that I’ve ever had,” Matt LeCroy said of the offensive firepower against Worcester. “We’ve had three games where we had 20-plus hits or something like that. That’s crazy, you don’t see that at all and for us to do it against a team of this Pandemic has curtailed Red Wings home attendance, but things should caliber just shows you what we can do when we’re locked in as a group.” start picking up ► They wasted no time taking charge in the finale as they scored six times in the first three innings and never looked back. Three of the runs came in the first inning, all unearned against Worcester starter Daniel Sal Maiorana Gossett thanks to an error by third baseman Jack Lopez on ball hit by Carter Kieboom. Jake Noll had the big hit, an RBI triple, and he later scored on a single by Tres Barrera. A season-long trend of underwhelming turnouts at Frontier Field continued Sunday afternoon when only 2,617 were on hand for the ► Kieboom, who is really starting to hit his stride and has his average up Rochester Red Wings’ 8-3 victory over Worcester. to a season-best .258, ripped a two-run double down the left-field line in the second, and then Rafael Bautista hit a solo homer in the third to Now, there was a fairly good explanation this time because sitting in a make it 6-0. ballpark on a sweltering day where the temperature soared into the low 90s isn’t exactly a comfortable experience for many people. “A lot of good things during this series,” LeCroy said. “We played the game in all aspects pretty good this series and hopefully we can do that As for the rest of the season to date, which has seen barely 70,000 fans against some of these teams that I believe we match up well against as pass through the turnstiles for the first 24 home games despite mostly well. As a whole we’re having better at bats, we’re getting into better excellent weather, Wings general manager Dan Mason shared his counts. We’re using the whole field which is always a good sign.” thoughts on why attendance has lagged, while also expressing confidence that things will start to pick up when the Wings next play at ► With Luis Garcia sidelined by an injury, Blake Swihart has batted in home July 6. the leadoff spot the last two games, and it went well. Struggling most of the year, he was 2-for-5 with a run scored on Saturday and then Sunday First and foremost, this has been a unique year to sell tickets, particularly he had two hits including a home run in the eighth, two walks, and scored season seats and those for large groups. four runs. That got his average over the Mendoza line and up to .209 for the season. Given the uncertain nature of what was going to happen in the minor leagues due to the pandemic, coming off the entire 2020 season being ► The beneficiary of all that run support was lefty Sean Nolin, and the wiped out the Wings couldn’t approach their sales campaign in the usual way he pitched, he didn’t even need it. He threw five innings and gave up way. just one run on four hits and a walk while striking out six. The only mistake he made came in the fifth when he was tagged for a home run They provided the option for fans to opt out of purchasing their season by Chad De La Guerra. It was a good sign for a rotation that has certainly tickets, while those who opted in could only buy half of the season, struggled this season. whatever that number ended up being. The reason for that was with the state-mandated capacity limits that were still in place when the season This was Nolin’s best start of the six starts he’s made for Rochester. He began, the Wings needed to keep tickets available for individual game missed about a month with an injury and in his first two starts back, he purchasers. pitched only a combined total of six innings before Sunday. He lowered his ERA to 4.64. “I think one of the reasons why it's down is about half of our season seat holders opted in for this season, so we're starting every game with “Nolin’s working his way back after being off, but his velocity was where it roughly half of what we typically would have sold for every game,” Mason normally is at 90 to 91,” said LeCroy. “He had a really good mix with the said. breaking ball, it was down, the changeup worked, and I thought he did a good job attacking with the fastball. He recognized that they weren’t on it “And then because of all the regulations related to COVID, it was really and he stayed with it.” hard for us to sell group tickets in advance. Now those have gone away and we’ll have the opportunity to sell more groups. Typically, a group just ► One Wing who didn’t get into the action was Daniel Palka who saw his doesn't happen overnight. Groups like to plan it out about a month or so 12-game hitting streak come to an end, though he did have a sacrifice fly. in advance, so now we'll be able to start getting those folks.” Nonetheless, Palka leads the team with a .307 average.

For the game by game ticket buyers, Mason said things will now be ► The Wings hit the road to Syracuse for six games this week, then easier because the ballpark is fully open and fans can buy tickets and sit return to Rochester July 6 to host Buffalo for six. anywhere whether they have been vaccinated or not, and they no longer have to show proof of that status. Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 06.28.2021

“The confusion is now gone with what kind of sections we have and what you had to show to get into the ballpark,” said Mason. “We're just a regular, normal Frontier Field again. That'll definitely help as well, so we think as we get into July, August, September, things will start to pick up again.”

The fans who did show up for this now completed 12-game homestand saw a Wings team really struggle in the first week as it lost five of six to Buffalo. But after losing the first game this past week to Worcester, the Wings closed it out with five straight victories over the Red Sox.

Sunday game highlights

Here’s how the Wings closed out the Worcester series, which gave them nine victories in 12 games against the Red Sox thus far in 2021:

► No doubt the Wings are going to be sad to see the Red Sox go. Earlier this season they won four of six in Worcester and scored 56 runs on 71 hits in the process. This time, it was five wins in the six games and they scored 45 runs on 76 hits.

All told this year in the 12 games, Rochester has 147 hits including 19 doubles, a triple and 28 home runs, has scored 101 runs, and batted .335. Those 101 runs represent 44.5% of all the runs the Wings have scored this season. 1216551 “And then in Calgary, our fan-base then was traditionally an older fan- base. But I think that team sort of galvanized the city. We got a lot of young fans, a lot of kids. Those kids would be adults now, but they became Flames fans because of that.” Q&A: Flames coach Darryl Sutter dishes on his Stanley Cup experiences , and coach, Darryl Sutter, chat during practice in 2004. SunMedia

Wes Gilbertson Q: It’s true, there are still a lot of Iginla and Kiprusoff jerseys in wardrobes around Calgary that were probably purchased in April or May of that year Publishing date:Jun 27, 2021 • 8 hours ago …

Sutter: “And I remember all the flags that people would hang from their Darryl Sutter has been there, done that and won that. cars. It didn’t matter where you went. I lived in Springbank and you would drive and come over the hill, down into the city, and there’d be flags Now back for a second stint at the Saddledome, Sutter is a two-time waving everywhere. It was crazy.” Stanley Cup champion, having hoisted the historic hardware in 2012 and 2014 as of the . Q: Let me ask you one more about 2004. To get that close, when does it hit you? Is it at the final buzzer in Game 7 in Tampa? Is it when you walk Before getting his name engraved, he also endured the agony of a pair of out of the rink that night? Is it on the plane? A week or two later? When near-misses. That includes a heartbreaking finish in 2004, when Sutter did it really sink in? skipped the Flames — led by sharpshooting forward Jarome Iginla and stalwart puck-stopper Miikka Kiprusoff — to within inches of a parade. Sutter: “It’s tremendously draining. You try to stay way up from They ultimately lost in Game 7 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. everybody else, sort of a quiet place that you get to and you just get ready for games, play the games and try to get players ready and make As the Montreal Canadiens and Lightning get set for a best-of-seven sure you’re doing the best you can. And then it doesn’t take long after, slugfest, Postmedia’s Wes Gilbertson caught up with the 62-year-old we had to fly right home from Tampa. Even Game 7 itself, (Ruslan) Sutter — one of six farmboy brothers from Viking, Alta., to skate in the Fedotenko scored both goals for Tampa and then we scored to make it NHL — to relive the memories of his four trips to the Stanley Cup final … 2-1 — Connie (Craig Conroy) scored it — and I can remember that game vividly. I could give you play-by-play of that game. From the bench, Q: Let’s start with your first Stanley Cup experience as an associate Jordan Leopold should have tied it up late in the game. He didn’t get all coach with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1992. When you reach that final of it, low on the blocker-side there. I still remember that. series for the first time, are you ever prepared for that? Was it what you expected? “I just don’t think you get over it, to be quite honest with you. If you talk to some of the players, they’ll tell you that. And again, it’s the older players Sutter: “It probably was what I expected, just because my brothers (Brent it mattered the most to. If you ask young players, they’ll say, ‘Yeah, I and Duane) had been in with the Islanders all those times and I had been played in the seventh game of the ,’ but it wouldn’t to the conference finals myself. Really, back then, that was back before resonate with them as much as the veteran guys. It was one of the the media was as involved as it is now. It wasn’t as much of an reasons that I really fought to get Robyn (Regehr) into L.A. at the end of exposition or whatever you want to call it. Playing in those old buildings, his career, when we needed a defenceman like that, because I know to be in in the Stanley Cup final, that was pretty unique. what it meant to him to lose that Game 7 and I wanted him to win it. Even But probably the thing I remember the most is I was a young coach and when Jarome came to L.A. when we were fighting to make the playoffs you’re out in four games. So it’s probably no different than a young player (in 2017), in the back of my mind, I still wanted Jarome to get another who goes to the finals — he doesn’t remember much about it except that shot at it. It’s one thing to get to the finals, it’s another thing to win it. But I he was there. It’s a great thing to get there but when you lose in four think the biggest thing I’ve learned out of all the Cups is the respect I had straight, you don’t really take a whole lot in. But that one, that was sort of for the other team after. No question. Even now, when I’m watching what kick-started my career in terms of taking the next step and teams that I was on a team that beat in the Stanley Cup final, I pull for understanding a bit more about what you can do more or different or any that team now and I pull for that coach and pull for that and those of that.” guys that you can tell were warriors and you know how much it hurt them Q; Fast-forward to 2004 … You talked about ‘unfinished business’ on to lose. As great as it feels to win, I can put the losing part right there with your first Zoom call after being hired to return as head coach of the it. Because it is so hard to get there.” Flames. When you reminisce about that playoff run, what really sticks out Q: With that in mind, what does it mean now to hear people say, ‘Darryl in your mind? Sutter, two-time Stanley Cup champion’? Sutter: “The unfinished business I was referring to was the ownership Sutter: “Well, that’s why you coach. The coach doesn’t get much credit group, no question — Doc (Seaman) and Harley (Hotchkiss) and Bud for anything, day-to-day. At the end of the day, a coach is just strictly (McCaig) and Mr. (Alvin) Libin, the old owners, and Murray (Edwards) measured by how many games he coaches in the regular season, how had come in then and Mr. (Allan) Markin. It was for them, because the many games he coaches in the playoffs, how many games he wins in the guys who’d brought the team to Calgary had gone through some tough playoffs and how many Stanley Cups he wins. And if you can get in the times here. When I came here in 2003, there was 10,000 people in the top handful of that in the history of the game, that’s what you want.” building. And then after Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final, there was 20,000. That was a big thing for me. Still, it hurts me that we were one Q: In 2012 and 2014 with the Kings, what made those championship- goal away from playing in an overtime game to give those guys the calibre, championship-winning teams? Stanley Cup. That was what meant more to me than anything.” Sutter: “We nearly did it three in a row. We won the Cup as an underdog Q: That was such a special spring in Calgary. Were you able to get a and then after you win it, you either become the favourite or it’s a one-or- sense of the way the entire city, not just the fans in the Saddledome, was done thing. The next year, we got beat in the conference finals by wrapped up in that run? Could you feel that? Chicago and then we come back (in 2014) and beat them in the conference final and win it. So we could have done it three in a row and Sutter: “Oh yeah, it was a big deal. If you could have painted your car red that just tells you how good those two clubs were. It wasn’t just ours. It and got away with it, you would have. But you also have to look at in the was Chicago, too. In this conference, there were two dominant teams. sense, like where Montreal is at and what they’re doing right now … It’s And it wasn’t because of star players. You get credit with winning, and sort of the same concept because we became Canada’s team then. So they get ‘star’ put beside them, but that Kings team was the consummate as an underdog, you became Canada’s team and Canada loved that, team. Guys accepted roles. Guys played hard, played hurt, played for too. It wasn’t just Calgary. That’s sort of how Montreal is. If you’d asked each other. They trained hard. It was a July-to-June thing for them. They somebody in January or February if they cheered for Montreal, they took care of it, and they nearly did it three times in a row.” probably would say, ‘No.’ But I’ll guarantee now they are. That was probably the same thing in 2004. You’re not often going to get people Q: To hoist the Stanley Cup, every kid on every pond or every slough in from cheering for Calgary, or Toronto cheering for Calgary or Canada dreams of that moment. Can you describe what it’s like to put cheering for Calgary. But as it went along, it was rolling and your hands on that trophy and lift it up above your head? everybody jumped on. That was the coolest thing. Sutter: “It’s pretty cool. It’s hard to talk about it. I think the big thing is once you’ve won it, then you think it’s yours. You never want to give it up. It’s like holding one of your children. It’s a big thing. I know guys raise it over your head, but it was way better just sort of cradling it and cuddling it and sleeping with it and eating with it and putting it in your truck, all those things.

“And doing it twice, it was way different the second time just because you wanted to watch people around you more. You just sort of admired it more. The first time was more like a party. The second time, it’s more like, ‘This is something I want to hold onto for a long time and really embrace.’ ”

Q: Alright, last one … We’ve seen the graphic a few times this spring — you have won more Game 7s than any coach in NHL history. What goes into success behind the bench in those crucial moments?

Sutter: “You stay really calm in it, and I enjoyed that part of it as a player too and even more so as a coach. You can get into kind of a quiet area, and there’s nothing else going on except the shift that is happening. In my mind, I always think, ‘Well why wouldn’t you play a Game 7? As hard as it is to get in the playoffs, if you’re going to go that distance with that team and you’re all engaged in it and the team is a legitimate playoff team, then why wouldn’t it go seven games and why shouldn’t it? And then why shouldn’t you win that game?’ You’re always just trying to come up with two or three ways that can give your players an edge and then let’s go play. Let’s not overthink it or overanalyze it or let our emotions get out of control. Game 7s, I couldn’t tell you all of them, but they’re usually close games. And I’m used to coaching close games, so I don’t mind that.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216552 Chicago Blackhawks influence of somebody in a control position, namely the video coach, and subjecting the players to a hostile and dangerous environment.

“And they became aware of it and hushed it up so that it wouldn’t Former Chicago Blackhawks players and staffers allege management interfere their playoff chances and the Stanley Cup.” likely knew about 2010 sexual assault allegations against video coach John Doe 1 brought his complaints in May 2010, and the Hawks won the Stanley Cup the next month.

By PHIL THOMPSON Loggans also said her client brought the matter to the attention of the NHL Players’ Association, hoping the union would get involved, but “they JUN 27, 2021 AT 3:18 PM rebuked him. They did nothing about it.”

An NHLPA representative told the Tribune the union would not comment on a matter that’s under “pending litigation.” Several former players and staff members connected to the 2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks have addressed in recent days whether the team The Hawks filed a motion to dismiss John Doe 1′s lawsuit and have said knew at the time about sexual assault allegations by two former players his allegations “lacked merit.” against former video coach Bradley Aldrich. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 06.28.2021 Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin, the Hawks’ director of player personnel in 2010, was asked Sunday whether Hawks management met about the allegations.

“It came out recently, there was a meeting that I heard that was done in Chicago. I was not part of any meeting, and I was not part of any decision based on that,” Bergevin said Sunday, according to ESPN.com. “And I was not aware of anything going on at the time. So you can go on the record with that.”

Others have said most team executives likely knew about Aldrich, who was convicted in 2013 of sexually assaulting a high school hockey player in and was required to register as a sex offender.

“Brad would routinely befriend young interns and invite them to his apartment in Chicago to watch March Madness basketball and other sports,” a Hawks marketing official, who requested anonymity, told TSN. “I was told to steer clear of him because he had tried something at his apartment on a few players. This was not something that only a few people knew about. The entire training staff, a lot of people knew. ... This was an open secret.”

The Athletic quoted an anonymous player from the 2010 team as saying: “Every guy on the team knew about it. Every single guy on the team knew.”

Nick Boynton, another 2010 player, said skills coach Paul Vincent told players he would alert Hawks management and advise the team to call Chicago police.

“I trust (Vincent) over the front office,” Boynton said, according to The Athletic. “He’s a stand-up guy.”

Brent Sopel, another member of the 2010 team, tweeted: “The front office staff should be in jail. The NHL is showing (their) true colours. Gary doesn’t care about anyone but himself. This is absolutely disgusting that the NHL is doing nothing.”

Daniel Carcillo, who played for the Hawks in the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2014-15 seasons, tweeted similar assertions.

“I was on the @NHLFlyers playing the @NHLBlackhawks in the @StanleyCup finals in 2010,” Carcillo wrote. “We heard the whispers of what Aldrich did. Hard to believe that most ppl working in the organization didn’t know.”

Carcillo has been leading a class-action lawsuit against the and its three member junior leagues alleging sexual and other forms of abuse as well as hazing.

A former Hawks player from the 2009-10 team, identified as “John Doe 1,” sued the Hawks in May, accusing management of negligence in its failure to investigate his and a teammate’s complaints about Aldrich.

The former high school hockey player in Aldrich’s 2013 case, identified as “John Doe 2,” also has sued the Hawks.

Earlier this month, citing an unnamed source, TSN reported that Hawks senior management allegedly decided against calling police after being informed of the allegations against Aldrich.

Attorney Susan E. Loggans, who represents both plaintiffs in the lawsuits against the Hawks, said the meeting “wasn’t news to me.”

“It’s not about Aldrich’s conduct,” Loggans told the Tribune earlier this month. “It’s about the Blackhawks subjecting a young person to the 1216553 Colorado Avalanche

Sunday Notes: NHL trades unlikely until after expansion draft, Wild in on Eichel, trouble in Chicago

Published 13 hours ago on June 27, 2021By Adrian Dater

Good Sunday to you all. Hope everyone is able to get out and get some sunshine. Let’s do some hockey notes, starting with a Jack Eichel-to- Minnesota piece of possibility:

My good friend Mike Russo (yes, we are good friends) reports that the have had talks with Buffalo about Eichel (Athletic)

Eichel’s neck injury would worry me too much to make some massive outlay of treasure to get him.

As Wild GM pointed out in the piece, which jibes with what I’ve heard from industry people, it’s unlikely any big trades will happen until after the expansion draft, July 21. Teams don’t know which player they are going to lose to Seattle, so it’s harder for them to budget in trade scenarios until that’s all settled.

Former Blackhawks associate coach John Torchetti confirmed to TSN’s Rick Westhead that a meeting took place during the 2010 postseason where management discussed alleged sexual abuse of two players. (TSN)

Throughout the playoffs, there’s been a lot of chatter surrounding the quality of the referees. Matt Porter examines the officiating throughout the postseason (The Boston Globe)

Brooks Laich has decided to retire (Washington Hockey Now)

The Detroit Red Wings could have a LOT of money to spend on free agents – even after they sign their own existing restricted free agents (Detroit Hockey Now)

Interesting story by Hockey Now colleague Bob Duff about how and ’s career paths are almost exactly alike (Detroit Hockey Now)

The NHL Awards Show is Tuesday night, and three Avs are finalists for trophies (Coloradoavalanche.com)

I actually think the player with the best chance of winning a trophy is Philipp Grubauer (Vezina).

Former Avs defenseman Ian Cole has sold his Denver house (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Now is the time to trade Marc-Andre Fleury, at least according to one Vegas writer (Vegas Hockey Now)

Could the Golden Knights get Jack Eichel? That same writer thinks it’s possible and lays out how it could happen (Vegas Hockey Now)

My pick to win the Stanley Cup (Bookies.com)

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216554 Dallas Stars “I didn’t play in the NHL. I’m French, and I have an accent. I know who I am and who I am not. But Claude saw something in me and hired me and it was a pretty big risk for him at the time. But he believed in me, and that’s what any young coach needs.” Blue Jackets Sunday Gathering: Two inspirations for Brad Larsen and Pascal Vincent, another Jackets Cup winner Vincent was an NHL assistant for five seasons, serving under Noel and later under . In 2016-17, he took over the AHL job to get the head coaching experience he’ll likely need to be an NHL bench boss someday. By Aaron Portzline Jun 27, 2021 There was an instant connection between Larsen and Vincent, both said,

when they first started discussing a job for Vincent on Larsen’s staff COLUMBUS, Ohio — A collection of notes, insights, ruminations, and earlier this month. Larsen said he knew in 15 minutes that he wanted did-you-knows gathered throughout the week that was for the Blue Vincent on his staff. Vincent said it took him “five or 10 minutes” before Jackets: he was gripped.

Item #1: From Hitchcock and Noel to Larsen and Vincent “The connection I felt with Brad, I felt that with Claude 10 years ago, too,” Vincent said. “He believed in me and I knew I had to prove him right. In 2009-10, coach was fired with 24 games left in the That’s all I tried to do. When Claude got fired (during the 2013-14 season, only one year after he led a Blue Jackets club with a top season) that was a really sad day, because as one of his coaches, you defensive pair of Mike Commodore and Jan Hejda to the playoffs for the feel responsible, too.” first time in franchise history. Item #2: Vincent’s philosophies Replacing him for the rest of the season on an interim basis was Claude Noel, who brought “joy” and levity to the remainder of the season but was Vincent was consistently praised in Winnipeg for his ability to work with not among the Blue Jackets’ top three choices when it came to hiring a young players and prepare them for call-ups by the Jets. It’s easy to coach after the season. understand why Larsen and the Blue Jackets were drawn to the “teaching side” of his coaching ability during the interview process. We conjure the names of Hitchcock and Noel not to relive the beginning of the downfall of general manager Scott Howson’s time with the Blue We asked him to describe his approach to players and the game, Jackets, but to credit Hitchcock and Noel for the roles they played in the specifically to teaching young players and to running a power play. careers of the two coaches who are now in charge in Columbus, head Larsen confirmed that Vincent will be running the power play as part of coach Brad Larsen and associate coach Pascal Vincent. his duties.

Hitchcock was still under contract the season after he was fired (2010- First, to the players … 11), but with no NHL offers forthcoming, Howson found work for him “I’m a student, so I love studying. I love reading. I love watching games within the organization. Hitchcock wanted to stay out of the way of the and trying to understand how teams move, the X’s and O’s part of the new coaches in Columbus — was ultimately hired to replace game,” Vincent said. “But the first thing in teaching is to understand him after turned them down — so he worked with the AHL where they’re coming from, to listen to where they’re at, how they think, club, then located in Springfield, Mass. what their goals are, and from there, help them. Larsen had just retired as a player months earlier when he was named “I’ve studied leadership for quite some time now, and the No. 1 quality of an assistant coach in Springfield, serving on coach Rob Riley’s staff. any leader is you need to be able to listen. Truly listen, not just hearing “I talked to Hitch a lot that year; he came to Springfield a few times, too,” words, but understanding what that person is saying. And then you work Larsen said. “We’d sit down and I’d pick his brain about practice drills, it quiet and you work it together. game strategy, certain philosophies, just stuff like that. He was an “The only way to make it productive and to push people on the ice is to incredible resource for me. And if you know Hitch, I probably don’t have understand who they are as people. That’s what I do well. Sometimes it’s to say this part, but he was all in.” hard. Sometimes we have hard conversations. It’s not always fun and At that , Hitchcock had been a head coach at three different levels sunny outside. But it starts with listening and communicating.” (WHL, IHL and NHL), and had been head coach of three different NHL As for the power play … franchises. It’s still hard to comprehend how, after guiding the 2008-09 club to the playoffs — they were swept in the first round by Detroit — he “The biggest issue to me is understanding what we’re trying to do as a was fired the following February. full unit, not just about one or two guys,” Vincent said. “It’s about pace. It’s about playing fast. It’s about attacking the net as much as possible. “There was just zero ego,” Larsen said. “I mean, he was tremendous for You can look at shot volume or shot selection, but I really think it’s a me. I’d call him: ‘Hitch, we’re having trouble scoring.’ And he’d have a combination of both.” few things to say, ‘Look at this,’ or ‘Try this, Lars.’ He was so good and so helpful, and that was really important for a young coach trying to learn It was at this point that Vincent’s words started to amplify with passion. his way in his next career.” And when he was asked if skill or will were the most important component, he really elevated. Noel wasn’t out of work long after being passed over by the Blue Jackets in 2010. Ironically, the hiring of Arniel in Columbus — he had been coach “Yes! The difference-maker in all of this is retrieving (the puck) after an of AHL Manitoba, then a Vancouver affiliate — created the vacancy that attack at the net,” Vincent said. “We call it the first touch after an attack, became Noel’s next job. so you can keep the puck in the zone and continue your attack.

The timing couldn’t have been more perfect for Campin’ Claude. The “There’s a point where it’s not about the system, it’s about your will to go Moose are based in Winnipeg and played their games at what was then get that puck back if you don’t score on the initial attack. It’s pace, for called the MTS , which one year later would welcome the return of sure, and it’s intensity, yes, but it’s intensity with a purpose, knowing the , who had relocated from Atlanta. what we’re doing. Those are some of the key components we’ll talk about quite a bit.” Noel had that full season to impress the fine folks of Winnipeg, and that he did. One year later, he was hired to be the Jets’ first coach upon their Item #3: Lift that Cup return to Winnipeg. Many former Blue Jackets players have their names engraved on the One of Noel’s first hires was a young, energetic assistant who’d spent the Stanley Cup, from Darryl Sydor to Jeff Carter to and previous 11 seasons coaching in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey others. League. His name? Pascal Vincent. It’ll happen again this year, no matter if Tampa Bay (David Savard and “I will always be thankful to Claude Noel,” Vincent said earlier this week Curtis McElhinney) or Montreal (Josh Anderson) wins the Cup. The after he was introduced as Larsen’s associate coach. “When he got the series begins Monday in Florida. job here in Winnipeg, he and the (Jets’) management saw something in me, even though I was pretty green, coming right out of the junior ranks. Either Savard or Anderson, however, will become only the second Blue Amazon shopping experience: ‘I ordered it, and it should be here!’ But Jackets draft pick to hoist the Cup. (Thanks to Twitter follower Jason we’re all different and Patty’s still a young man. He’s a big man who’s Liebert for first posing the question.) getting used to his body. You’re seeing a tremendous effort and desire in him to play a 200-foot game. He loves the challenge of being ‘the guy’ on The first was defenseman Adam McQuaid, who was drafted by the Blue the ice. That’s a skill. Some people are afraid of failure and some are Jackets in 2005 (second round, No. 55) but wouldn’t sign with the afraid of success. He’s not afraid of success. He wants to be the guy. I’m organization. very excited to know I’m going to be working with him again.”

Two years later, while Jim Clark was acting GM in Columbus after the Word around the league is that Gord Murphy will be likely joining Gerard firing of Doug MacLean, the Jackets traded him to Boston to avoid losing Gallant’s staff with the . It makes sense on multiple his rights for nothing. The return was a fifth-round pick (ouch) in the 2007 levels. Murphy was associate coach with the Rangers’ AHL affiliate in draft. Hartford, Conn., last season, and he and Gallant go way back to the McQuaid spent nine seasons as a rugged and reliable blueliner with the early days of the Blue Jackets franchise when they were assistant Bruins, winning the Cup in 2011. coaches. Murphy still makes his home in Dublin, Ohio, just outside Columbus. McQuaid eventually returned to play for the Blue Jackets. He was acquired in a 2019 trade deadline deal with the New York Rangers but Before he was hired by Winnipeg, Maurice lived in suburban Columbus played only 14 regular-season games in a Columbus sweater. — in Andrew Cassels’ old home — while he waited for his next coaching gig. So in recent weeks, when Vincent was interviewing with the Blue His season, and ultimately his career, ended on March 28, 2019, when Jackets and contemplating a move to Ohio, Maurice gave him a quick he endured a blow to the head from a blindside hit by Montreal’s Andrew scouting report. “He has always said it was a great city, even before this Shaw. (job opportunity),” Vincent said. “I’ve heard from a lot of people now about Columbus, but Moe really loved it there.” Truth be told, McQuaid’s absence probably should’ve been a bigger storyline in that postseason for Columbus. The Blue Jackets swept We were reminded this week of a great story from when Hitchcock Tampa Bay in the first round, but they sure could’ve used McQuaid’s settled in Palm Springs, Calif., after he was fired by the Blue Jackets. physical presence in the second-round series against the Bruins. During an evening walk with his beloved pug Billy, Hitchcock passed another dog-walker who startled him a bit by recognizing him: “Hey, The Blue Jackets have taken plenty of (deserved) heat for the drafting Hitch, I was sorry to see how it ended in Columbus.” Hitchcock thanked mishaps through the years, but tip a cap — or sip a brew, if you prefer — the man for his sentiments and, after a brief chat, went on his way. The to former amateur scouting director Don Boyd, who landed both Savard image of the man stuck with Hitchcock, though. He seemed somehow and Anderson with fourth-round picks. familiar. Two days later, they crossed paths again, dogs on the leash, Savard went No. 94 overall in 2009 and Anderson was plucked with the and this time Hitchcock figured it out. It was Jimmy Buffett, the legendary No. 95 selection three years later. One of them is going to spend the day singer, songwriter and purveyor of margaritas. Buffett, it seems, became with Lord Stanley later this summer. a hockey fan — the Florida Panthers, in particular — in the late 1990s.

Snacks The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021

Vincent was seen by many as the heir apparent to coach Paul Maurice in Winnipeg, so news of his hiring in Columbus hit hard for many in Manitoba last week. Maurice is the second-longest tenured coach in the NHL right now — only Tampa Bay’s has been in place longer — and the Jets show no signs of moving on, even though Winnipeg has won one playoff round in the last three seasons after reaching the Western Conference finals in 2018. Vincent’s title “associate coach” is a clear step ahead of a typical assistant, and it comes with a beefier payday, too. Asked if the Blue Jackets needed to give Vincent that title to coerce him into leaving Winnipeg, Larsen said: “I don’t know, quite honestly, but I think he deserves that title. I told him ‘You can have any title you want except head coach.’ He’s worked really hard for this.”

Larsen still has another assistant coach to hire, one to work with defensemen and run the kill. “We’re getting closer,” Larsen said. “It’s been a busy couple of weeks. Hopefully, we’ll have (a coach hired) sooner rather than later.” It’ll be interesting to see if the Blue Jackets want the next assistant to have previous head coaching experience in the NHL.

Here’s Vincent on Blue Jackets forward , who he coached in parts of two seasons (2016-17, 2017-18) in Manitoba: “Jack was a really good player for us. It got to a point where he was an obvious NHL player and really becoming too dominant for the AHL, with his ability to change direction on the ice and his ability to recover after a hard shift. When I looked at his numbers from training camp, he was always one of the best with his cardio. He’s got a lot of potential. He can shoot the puck, pass the puck, play with pace … I’m excited to work with him again.”

Vincent knows Patrik Laine pretty well, too, though not as well as Roslovic. He never directly coached Laine, but worked with him during training camps and Winnipeg playoff runs. “I’ve had a few conversations with Patty,” Vincent said. “I remember the first time he came to Winnipeg and got on the ice and started shooting pucks. I just stood behind him and watched. I was absolutely amazed. I’d been studying the mechanics of shooting, puckhandling, and receiving, all those details. But I could not understand how he could release that puck so fast and it was so hard. Short side, far side, high, low … his release was just outstanding. I’d never seen that before, and he was 18 years old. I was amazed by him.”

Here’s more from Vincent on Laine: “Because these guys are drafted so young, and they’re stars before they step on the ice, we all expect this 1216555 Detroit Red Wings Scouting report: Terrific playmaker who can operate in tight areas. Buzz: Veleno (6-1, 194) was earmarked for a second season with Grand

Rapids, but when it became evident the pandemic would delay hockey Detroit Red Wings 2018 NHL draft review: Top picks poised to boost leagues in , he was loaned to Malmo in the Swedish rebuild Hockey League. Veleno used last year’s long offseason to gain strength, and translated that into a more physical, dominant performance. He recorded 11 goals and nine assists in 46 games, and returned to Michigan once his season in was over. Veleno made a favorable HELENE ST. JAMES impression in five games with the Wings, scoring a goal and looking like he belonged in the lineup.

This is the third of a five-part series examining recent Detroit Red Wings RED WINGS MOCK DRAFT: Two options for Steve Yzerman to fill drafts, leading up to the 2021 virtual event, scheduled for July 23-24. goaltending hole

The Red Wings look like they’re going to get a boost from their 2018 NHL Round 2: F Jonatan Berggren draft class over the coming seasons. Drafted: No. 33 overall. There was a great deal of excitement for the Wings at that draft, with Draft year: 18 goals, 39 assists in 38 games with Skelleftea’s junior their highest pick in three decades and four selections among the first 36 league club. spots. Scouting report: Nice blend of speed and skill and playmaking ability. They had no luck in the draft lottery for a second straight year, bumped back from fifth to sixth because the moved up nine Buzz: Berggren (5-11, 183) was beset by injuries (back, shoulder) the spots to win the second overall selection. It was the highest the Wings first couple years after being drafted, but that down time allowed him to had picked since drafting Keith Primeau at No. 3 in 1990. spend time in the weight room, and the results showed this season. He recorded 12 goals and 33 assists in 49 games for Skellefteå in the SHL. CHAMPS: New Free Press book commemorates Red Wings' 1997 He’s coming to North America to earn a spot this fall. Stanley Cup title Round 2: D Jared McIsaac The Wings had two first-round picks, after trading Tomas Tatar at the deadline for the Vegas Golden Knights’ first-round pick, No. 30. The Drafted: No. 36 overall. Wings picked again at No. 33 thanks to the Brendan Smith trade from the 2017 deadline, and had their own pick again three spots later. Draft year: 9 goals, 38 assists in 65 games with Halifax (QMJHL).

Their first pick, Filip Zadina, already has established himself in the Wings' Scouting report: Smart, mobile puck mover. lineup. Joe Veleno returned from a stint in Sweden and showed he’s Buzz: His development has been stalled by multiple shoulder injuries. ready to be a full-timer next season. Jonatan Berggren turned heads in McIsaac (6-1, 196) was loaned to HPK in ’s top league last fall but Sweden and is poised to come to the U.S. — either by starting the didn’t last a game. He underwent surgery, which wiped out most of his season in Detroit or by adjusting to North American hockey in Grand season, but he did squeeze into 10 games for Grand Rapids. There’s Rapids. Jared McIsaac looks ready to make up for all the time spent much to like about McIsaac because of how well he skates and how hard recovering from injuries since being drafted. he is to play against; maybe he’ll finally get a chance to show it. Here is a closer look at each selection. Round 3: D Alec Regula BLASTS FROM THE PAST Drafted: No. 67 overall. 2016: Still waiting for class to greatly impact rebuild Draft year: 7 goals, 18 assists in 67 games with London (OHL). 2017: A new chapter for the franchise begins Scouting report: Defensive type who can play against opposing top line. Round 1: F Filip Zadina Buzz: Regula was included in a rare trade that hasn't worked in Drafted: No. 6 overall. Yzerman's favor. In October 2019, Yzerman sent Regula (6-4, 207, shoots right) to the Chicago Blackhawks for former first-round pick Draft year: 44 goals, 38 assists in 57 games with Halifax (QMJHL). Brendan Perlini. Regula, 20, recorded four points in 16 games for Chicago’s AHL team this season, and appeared in three games for the Scouting report: High-end forward with elite playmaking skills. Blackhawks. Perlini recorded four points in 39 games in 2019-20 with the Buzz: Zadina (6 feet, 190 pounds) was loaned to HC Ocelari Trinec in the Wings and spent last season playing in Switzerland. last fall. He did well, recording 14 points in 17 games Round 3: D Seth Barton and earning confidence from having spent the long offseason in the gym. The 21-year-old looked noticeably more physical when he returned for Drafted: No. 81 overall. the NHL season, chasing down pucks rather than waiting for a teammate to feed him. He looked good coming out of training camp, but came down Draft year: 6 goals, 27 assists in 49 games with Trail (BCHL). with COVID-19 in the opening week and spent two weeks in quarantine. Scouting report: Very good skater, good size, good puck mover. Zadina's numbers weren’t great — six goals, 13 assists in 49 games — but he looked like a more complete player, and that’s what Red Wings Buzz: Barton (6-2, 185) improved in his third year at - general manager Steve Yzerman wanted to see at this stage of Lowell, recording 11 points in 20 games. The right-shot defender joined development. Grand Rapids in May and earned one assist in four games.

In hindsight: Zadina had been projected to go as high as third, behind Round 3: G Jesper Eliasson Rasmus Dahlin (No. 1, Buffalo Sabres) and Andrei Svechnikov (No. 2, Carolina Hurricanes), so when he dangled there at No. 6, the Wings Drafted: No. 84 overall. pounced. But defenseman Quinn Hughes (No. 7, ) Draft year: 1.93 goals-against average, .930 save percentage in 19 was the 2020 Calder Trophy runner-up and leads his draft class with a games with Troja-Ljunby in Sweden’s junior-2 level. .75 points-per-game average. He ranks fourth with 97 points in 129 games; Zadina has 37 points in 86 games. Scouting report: Underrated talent, hard worker.

Round 1: F Joe Veleno Buzz: Eliason (6-3, 209) was expected to play in the SHL with Farjestad in 2020-21 but was loaned to EC Salzburg, a top-tier league in central Drafted: No. 30 overall. Europe. Posted a 2.65 GAA and .916 save percentage in 13 games and Draft year:: 22 goals, 57 assists in 64 games with Saint John and a 2.30 GAA and .916 save percentage in four playoff games. Slated to Drummondville (QMJHL). play for Farjestad next season. Round 4: F Ryan O’Reilly

Drafted: No. 98 overall.

Draft year: 21 goals, 13 assists in 45 games with Madison (USHL).

Scouting report: Good around the net.

Buzz: Recorded three goals and 10 assists in 23 games for Arizona State University this season.

If the name sounds familiar: In 2009 the Colorado Avalanche drafted a forward named Ryan O’Reilly at No. 33. He has multiple 20-goal seasons, and in 2019 won a Stanley Cup championship with the St. Louis Blues, plus the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) and Selke Trophy (best defensive forward). The Wings could have had him, too — they held the 32nd pick in that draft, but chose Landon Ferraro, who appeared in 17 games before being placed on waivers in 2016.

Round 6: G Victor Brattstrom

Drafted: No. 160 overall.

Draft year: 1.93 GAA, .918 save percentage in 15 games with Timra (Sweden-2).

Scouting report: Technically sound.

Buzz: Brattstrom (6-5, 198) posted a .903 save percentage and 2.20 GAA in 38 games with KooKoo in Finland’s top league in 2020-21 and a .790 save percentage and 4.00 GAA in one playoff game. Loaned to the Finnish team after playing for Timra in Sweden. (That club was demoted after failing SHL qualifiers in 2019.)

Round 7: F Otto Kivenmaki

Drafted: No. 191 overall.

Draft year: 11 goals, 20 assists in 37 games with Assat jr. (Finland).

Scouting report: Small at 5-8 but skilled and smart.

Buzz: He has been doing well in Finland’s the past two seasons. Posted six goals and 12 assists in 29 games in 2020-21, improving his points-per-game average to .62. Slated to play for the Pelicans in Finland next season.

Need something to read?

What: “The Big 50: The Detroit Red Wings.”

Author: Helene St. James, who has covered the Red Wings at the Detroit Free Press since 1996. Foreword by Chris Osgood, winner of three Stanley Cups as a Wings .

Publisher: Triumph Books.

Pages: 336 pages (paperback).

Price: $16.95.

Availability: Available in leading bookstores and online from booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About the book: “The Big 50” brings to life the men and moments that made the Red Wings such a dynamic and iconic franchise for nearly a century. The book features never-before-told stories about the greats such as Howe, Yzerman, Lidstrom and Lindsay, the near-greats beloved by fans and the great memories of Fight Night, the Fabulous Fifties, the Team for the Ages, the Grind Line, The Joe and much more.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216556 Detroit Red Wings top-four defensemen that have helped Montreal completely shut down Toronto, Winnipeg and Vegas — three of the better forward groups in the league — during the playoffs.

Stanley Cup preview: Jeff Petry, veteran core help key Montreal's Now, they have one more stiff test in Tampa, which will be looking to win surprising run a second consecutive Stanley Cup.

The Lightning, with forwards Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos leading the way, have a lethal power play that is clipping at TED KULFAN 37.7% during the playoffs.

But Montreal has the playoffs' best penalty kill, at 93.5%, including stopping 30 consecutive opposing power play attempts. Detroit — When the Montreal Canadiens were last in Tampa, before COVID shut down the 2019-20 season, there was one complete day off Petry feels the Canadiens are ready to face whatever Tampa Bay's high- on the schedule. scoring forwards throws at them, having faced those other dangerous teams in the preceding rounds. So defenseman Jeff Petry, with connections to the Tigers’ organization given his father Dan pitched for the team and is now a television analyst, "Every team we've faced has a player that is very similar to that (Point, was able to hook up a batting practice session in Lakeland, as the Tigers Kucherov, etc.), so we don't have to change our game," Petry said. were beginning spring training. "We've faced players with that ability before, so I don't think it changes anything on our mental approach. It was a small foursome of Canadiens who went to take some batting practice. Petry, the former Orchard Lake St. Mary/Michigan State star, Stanley Cup finals forward Brendan Gallagher, defenseman and goaltender Carey Price — the Canadiens’ core leadership group. (3) Tampa Bay vs. (4) Montreal

“As a group we went down there, we had the day off and it was great to ► Records: Tampa Bay 36-17-3 (75 points, third in Central Division); just kind of step away from hockey for a day and to experience that,” Montreal 24-21-11 (59 points, fourth in North Division) Petry said during a Zoom session Sunday with Stanley Cup media. ► Regular-season series: Did not play each other. Petry and the Canadiens, the surprise of this Stanley Cup playoff season, ► Story lines: So many good ones. The goaltending matchup is open The Finals on Monday with Game 1 of the best-of-seven series in extraordinary, with Montreal's Carey Price and Tampa Bay's Andrei Tampa Bay. Vasilevskiy generally considered the two best in the world. ... And one of the prime reasons is that veteran leadership group, which has Then, you have Montreal's playoff-best penalty kill (93.5%) and Tampa been so good on and off the ice during this unexpected run toward the Bay's second-ranked power play (37.7%). Whoever has the edge there in Stanley Cup. this series, could go a long way toward winning this series. ... No Canada-based team has won the Stanley Cup since Montreal in 1993. ... One thing Dan Petry noticed, and he told his son and reporters afterward Tampa Bay would be the first team to be repeat as champion since during that 2020 batting practice fun day, was the bond between the Pittsburgh in 2016-17. ... Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme is Canadiens’ veterans, and the chemistry of the group. expected to return for Game 3 after ending a 14-day quarantine after testing positive for COVID. Assistant Luke Richardson coached the Jeff Petry agreed as he remembered that outing Sunday, and the impact, Canadiens to the series win over Vegas. ... Tampa Bay RW Pat Maroon he believes, Gallagher, Price and Weber have on this roster. is going after a third consecutive Stanley Cup, having been part of “(They) are obviously huge parts of this team and it’s not only what they Stanley Cup winners in St. Louis (2019) and Tampa last season. do on the ice; you look at those guys and their leadership in the room is ► Key player: Montreal center Phillip Danault. The Canadiens' shutdown special,” Petry said. “You can say it’s about the way they perform on the center already has neutralized some of the best offensive players in the ice, but it’s also everybody sees how hard they work, and it’s easy to get NHL the first three rounds. If Danault stops Tampa Bay's top line, behind those guys and feed off their energy, their work ethic. Montreal could win the series. “Those three guys really bring this group together.” ► Prediction: Tampa Bay in 6. Petry spoke Sunday about Weber, a likely future Hall of Famer, and Detroit News LOADED: 06.28.2021 Price, another longtime star, who will be making their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Weber's influence since on the Canadiens since arriving in 2016 in a trade for P.K. Subban has been immeasurable, and he remains one of the elite defensemen in the NHL.

“From Day One, he (Weber) has stepped in and been a leader for this team,” Petry said. “He’s been around the league for a long time. We want to win for everybody in the room and organization, and guys, especially like him (Weber), Pricey (Price), those guys have been here for a long time and first time in this situation, we want to do it for those guys.”

And that includes Price, whose personal matchup in net against Tampa Bay’s will be one of the best goalie battles in recent memory.

Price has been exceptional in the playoffs with a .934 save percentage, and 2.02 goals-against average.

“That goes a long way,” Petry said of Price’s dominance in net. “Whether you're up in the game or down in the game, he's always calm and collected. His movements seem effortless. He doesn't get rattled in the net. His calming presence sends a calming message to our whole team.

“If it's a tough stretch in the game, he's back there making saves and making them look effortless. It goes a long way. Knowing you have a guy like that behind you, it's something special.

Petry, 33 and in his 12th NHL season, along with Weber, Ben Chiarot and have formed a tough, defensive-minded core of 1216557 Detroit Red Wings 1.29 Neither

63 How underappreciated Oilers defenceman Jeff Petry became a Canadiens mainstay -19.0

-2.85

By Jonathan Willis Jun 27, 2021 -1.66

FD/60 = unblocked shot differential per hour

The Canadiens have dressed eight defencemen in their unexpected run GD/60 = goal differential per hour to the Stanley Cup Final. Of these, six are minus players in five-on-five situations. The two exceptions are at opposite ends of the depth chart: xGD/60 = expected goal differential per hour carefully sheltered offensive specialist Erik Gustafsson and regular- Weber has been Montreal’s top shutdown defender, and he’s done an season No. 1 rearguard Jeff Petry. admirable job. In 151 minutes matched against top lines, he’s slightly Both are former members of the Oilers organization. below even by shots and slightly above even by goals and expected goals. For a team like the Habs that revel in their depth and lack the Gustafsson was a nice bargain-bin deadline pickup by the Habs, a offensive star power of their rivals, breaking even at the top is a very useful-if-flawed player now playing for his fourth team since the start of good result indeed. the pandemic. He has a decent case as the best player from Edmonton’s horrific 2012 draft class — he’s just five points shy of Nail Yakupov for In 84 minutes against top opponents, Petry has done a lot more than the scoring lead in that group — and the Oilers’ decision not to sign him break even. Montreal is outscoring top lines at an absurd 4-1 clip when to an entry-level deal was one more mistake from an era marked by he’s on the ice, and while some of that can be dismissed as luck, the managerial incompetence. team is also dominating the shot clock and expected goals when he’s on the ice. The pain of that error has faded, however, even as Gustafsson’s leaguewide value has fallen. Montreal paid merely a seventh-round pick The Canadiens have earned a lot of praise for their ability to shut down to get him at the deadline. star opponents, and it truly is a team-wide endeavour. Phillip Danault’s line has been extremely effective up front, and Carey Price is showing The same can’t be said for another error of the same vintage: the loss of why, despite some difficult regular seasons, he’s still regarded by his Petry. Petry’s in his sixth full season of providing good value to Montreal. peers as one of the most formidable goalies. Yet much of the credit must The Oilers, meanwhile, needed a player of Petry’s quality when they also go to the team’s imposing top-four, with each pairing anchored by an traded him, they have needed him all the years since, and if he stepped outstanding right-shot defender. back onto the team’s blue line today, he’d instantly become its best right- shot blueliner. Overall, the top lines of Montreal’s opponents have been outscored 8-7 at five-on-five through three series. They’ve outscored the Canadiens’ Montreal’s blue line has an interesting structure in that it revolves around depth defenders 3-0, and been outscored 8-4 with Weber and/or Petry on a pair of high-end right-shot defencemen: the 33-year-old Petry and 35- the ice. It’s been a key component of the Habs’ success. year-old Shea Weber. During the regular season, Petry was the team’s top defender and will likely get at least a smattering of Norris votes as a The Oilers could use either player, but Petry’s the easy one to look at result. During the playoffs, the top job has gone to Weber. because his departure can be so easily laid at the feet of the team’s managers. Steve Tambellini chose to give him a two-year bridge deal in It’s an understandable switch on a number of levels. Petry has battled a 2012, moving him to within a season of free agency; that decision put hand injury which cost him a game in both the second and third round. Edmonton in a somewhat unfavourable position. Even then the But even before that, it was the 6-foot-4, 229-pound Weber rather than relationship could have been salvaged, had then-general manager Craig the 6-3, 197-pound Petry who emerged as the team’s top defensive MacTavish believed in the player. choice in its first-round series against Toronto. MacTavish didn’t. Instead, he signed Petry to a one-year contract that Focusing on size and injury undersells Weber’s quality. He’s a future Hall walked him to the open market. of Famer who in the heart of his career was named to either the first or second All-Star team four times in five years. That he’s big, that Petry “At the end of (2014) I felt strongly that we had to challenge Jeff on a has been hurt, and that Weber is stylistically suited to an NHL one-year deal,” MacTavish said after the trade. “I didn’t like where his postseason environment rife with laissez-faire officiating simply makes game was going. I didn’t like the urgency in his game and the the call easier. decisiveness in his game and I thought it was important that we challenge him on a one-year deal. His game, clearly after a couple of It’s worth emphasizing the role and qualifications of Weber because that months this year, hit another level. He was decisive, he was physical, he makes the results Petry has put up against top forwards even more was playing at a different level and kudos to him.” impressive. If we look specifically at minutes played against the most- used forward by each of Montreal’s playoff opponents — respectively Petry wanted a longer-term deal. The Oilers wouldn’t budge. , Kyle Connor and — we can see how the Unsurprisingly, once the Oilers realized their mistake and tried to lock Habs have handled opposing top lines: Petry down, it was too late. The relationship couldn’t be salvaged.

On-ice at 5v5 against top forwards The ills caused by that error continue to resonate. It led to MacTavish’s PLAYER TOI▼ FD/60 GD/60 XGD/60 successor, Peter Chiarelli, signing Andrej Sekera to a long-term contract. It was hoped Sekera could play on the right side, but he proved far more Shea Weber comfortable on the left, so Chiarelli tried again, trading Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson. 151 An Oilers team with Petry as a long-term piece on the right side wouldn’t -3.2 have had reason to do either of those things. It wouldn’t be saddled with 0.40 the cap hit from Sekera’s buyout through 2023, and there’s a decent chance that the one-two Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl punch at center 0.14 that Chiarelli used to dream about would have happened if Hall were still in Edmonton and playing left wing. Jeff Petry Most importantly, the Oilers would still have Petry today. Maybe he’d play 84 on a legitimate top pair with Darnell Nurse. Alternately, he could have 12.2 given Edmonton an anchor for its second pair, allowing Nurse and to play together on one unit. 2.15 He isn’t doing that because Edmonton’s management didn’t think he could at the time. In fairness to them, it was an easy enough mistake to make; a good defenceman on a bad team often wears the sins of the players around him. It’s the case that outgoing defensive coach Steve Smith made in an interview with 630 CHED’s Bob Stauffer, back in 2014 when the Oilers were making their call on Petry.

“He did everything that was asked of him,” Smith said. “He was a guy that on a daily basis played against the other team’s top players.

“Let’s compare him — and I’m not making the comparison — but let’s compare him to, say, Drew Doughty in L.A. Drew Doughty in L.A. is a wonderful player; tough, strong, fast, all the rest of it. He played on a team that had the puck 60 percent of the night. Edmonton had the puck 40 percent of the night. … I’m not comparing him to Doughty, but if Doughty was in a position that he had to chase the puck 60 percent of the night, would he be as good a player as he is?”

With hindsight, we know the answer to that question. The Kings were a strong possession team even in their poorer years up until 2018-19, when their shot metrics dipped into the 40s. Doughty, who had just signed an $88 million contract extension, famously went minus-34. It was a good reminder of how even a great player can look bad in the wrong situation.

Smith was already out the door when he made those comments and, fortunately for Montreal, they didn’t reflect the view of Edmonton’s management. The Oilers’ loss has been the Habs’ gain, and as Montreal enters the final for the first time since 1993, he’s one of the important threads in that success.

The incredible thing is that the Canadiens got him fully formed. Underappreciated by most eyes in Edmonton, he’s been a mainstay since arriving in Montreal.

“You look at Jeff and the things that he has done with a program that is on the build, I think he’s done pretty darn well,” Smith said then. “He’s had to play against all the top centremen in the league for two or three years now. He’s had to play against all the top power plays in the league for two or three years now.

“He’s really an underrated penalty killer, he’s really a wonderful skater, he’s a good person, he’s a good teammate, and he attempts to do all the things that are asked of him on a daily basis. What else can you ask of a player?”

Oilers management could think of a few things they wanted to see in 2014. As Petry hits, blocks shots, plays through injury and helps the Canadiens shut down some of the most formidable forwards in the NHL, it’s unlikely that Montreal’s management can think of anything.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216558 Florida Panthers In 2017, did waive his no-movement clause joking that there was no way the Knights would be crazy enough to take on his contract.

The Seattle Expansion Draft: Who could the Florida Panthers lose? That allowed the Panthers to protect James Reimer instead.

Florida would love to see Yandle waive allowing the team to protect an additional defenseman (Gus Forsling or ). Published 18 hours ago on June 27, 2021By George Richards We’ll see.

So, with the thinking Yandle and Bobrovsky have to be protected — as Some of the biggest decisions NHL general managers will make this does Jonathan Huberdeau, although the team would have done that offseason are which players to protect from the and the anyway — that leaves eight players remaining. expansion draft. That includes Florida Panthers GM . There are a good number of players the Panthers do not have to protect In 2017, the Vegas Golden Knights joined the NHL and the Panthers as they are exempt from the draft due to their time of service. were one of the teams which got taken in the draft. That group includes goalie Spencer Knight, forwards Owen Tippett, Eetu The reasoning for what GM did in 2017 doesn’t really matter Luostarinen, Grigori Denisenko, Aleksi Saarela and Aleksi Heponiemi as much in hindsight. well as defensemen Chase Priskie and Matt Kiersted.

Vegas got two really good players from the Panthers in Reilly Smith and Unrestricted free agents do not have to be protected unless they have Jonathan Marchessault as the Panthers decided to protect two signed with their team prior to the draft. defensemen (Alex Petrovic and ) who ended up falling out of favor with the team and are no longer in Florida. Because of that, we don’t expect the Panthers — or any other team — to be signing pending free agents before the draft. We’ll get into the Smith/Marchessault deal as we get closer to the Seattle draft — which is now less than a month away. In Florida’s case, that includes Chris Driedger, Alex Wennberg and Brandon Montour. The Panthers were not the only team to make side deals with Vegas (don’t pick ‘Player A’ and we’ll give you ‘Player B’ plus something extra) Restricted free agents would have to be protected if a team wants to and the Knights took advantage of many of them. keep them. For Florida, that list includes Sam Bennett and Anthony Duclair. Although some called Vegas’ post-draft roster the worst in the NHL, the Knights (as we know now) did just fine with the players they got. Now, if a team wants to keep a free agent they can talk to said player before the draft and potentially work out a deal. When the protected list is In the franchise’s four seasons, they have yet to miss the playoffs and released, the Kraken can also start talking to pending free agents. made the NHL semifinals again this year. Any free agents Seattle signs before the draft counts as that selection Due to the success of the Knights, some wonder if GMs will be reticent to from said team. make side deals with Kraken GM this time around. So, in Florida’s case, if Seattle were to sign Driedger (for instance) before But with a flat salary cap for a second consecutive season — and likely the expansion draft, the Panthers would not lose anyone else. to stay the same next year as well — Seattle will be making deals. For sure. Why would Seattle do this?

Will the Panthers, again, be one of them? For one, it would lock down a player before they can officially hit the open market. Perhaps. Secondly, a side deal could theoretically be worked out. Say, for Zito has said he has already come to terms with knowing the Panthers instance, the Kraken do want to sign Driedger who will be a highly- will lose a good player to Seattle. coveted free agent when the market opens.

But, in looking to move some contracts he may not want, he may be Perhaps they make a deal with Florida that they would sign Driedger tempted to swing a trade with the Kraken. before the draft in exchange for something in return from the Panthers. A draft pick (or two) perhaps, maybe a prospect. The big dates we are looking forward to are: July 17 when every team releases its protected list before the actual expansion draft four days later This would obviously work out well for the Panthers since, if Bobrovsky is on July 21. coming back as expected, they have no room for Driedger as much as both sides would like to keep their relationship going. The Panthers are going to lose a player (perhaps two) they would rather keep. THE PROTECTED PLAYERS

Who could it be? Again, going with the assumption that Florida will protect the three players (Yandle, Bobrovsky and Huberdeau), let’s look at who else needs First, the quick and basic rules: Each team is allowed to protect either 11 to be protected. players (seven forwards, three defensemen and a goalie) or nine (four forwards, four defenseman, goalie). These are simply projections.

Zito sounds like he’s going the 7-3-1 route — which is not what Tallon did Forwards (7): Huberdeau, Sasha Barkov, Carter Verhaeghe, Sam four years ago as the Panthers wanted to protect four d-men (Pysyk and Bennett (pending RFA), Patric Hornqvist, Mason Marchment, Anthony Petrovic along with Aaron Ekblad and Keith Yandle). Duclair (RFA).

Two of the biggest contracts on the Panthers are players who would Defensemen (3): Yandle, Ekblad, MacKenzie Weegar. have to be protected due to the no-movement clause in their contract. Goalie (1): Bobrovsky. We are talking, of course, about Sergei Bobrovsky (five years remaining, $10 million cap hit, $58 million in actual money owed) and Yandle (two Now, let’s look at who would be left unprotected under these projections years, $6.35 million cap hit, $10.5 million owed). and why we went with who we did.

Unless the player agrees to waive their no-movement clause, they have THE UNPROTECTED PANTHERS to be protected. Forwards: Frank Vatrano, Noel Acciari, Ryan Lomberg, Juho Lammikko. So, until we hear otherwise, we have to assume Yandle and Bobrovsky Defensemen: Anton Stralman, , Radko Gudas, Gus will not waive their no-movement clauses and would be protected. Forsling.

Goalie: Sam Montembeault. First, the forwards.

In looking at who the Panthers would protect, some of the names are no- brainers.

Others, well, you have to look beyond this coming season.

We decided to protect Marchment based on how the Panthers used him in the second half of last season — and since he got another year added to his contract, they seem to want him to be part of their future.

You could probably flip Marchment with Lomberg or Lammikko, but the Panthers may feel the latter two would be unlikely to be claimed. Marchment, perhaps due to his upside, may be claimed if left out there.

As far as Vatrano and Acciari go, it comes down to contracts.

Both have one year remaining, can become free agents after the coming season. Does Seattle want a utility knife forward like Acciari? Perhaps.

Florida could also decide Duclair would cost more than it wants to pay. If the team doesn’t get the vibe it could re-sign The Duke to a contract it likes, he could be left off and perhaps be claimed.

Vatrano is a different case and, we could see Seattle making him part of its new team.

We all know Vatrano can score (58 goals in the past three seasons) but he is streaky.

The Panthers would pay him $2.6 million next season — and Zito showed last season he can find production at a cheaper price than that.

With money at a premium under the flat cap, every penny counts. Even if Vatrano stays, his stats say he is due for a raise in 2022. The Panthers may end up losing him anyway.

On the defensive side, Stralman is in the last year of his contract and could, possibly, be bought out before the draft even starts. Don’t think so, but perhaps.

The biggest name here is Gudas, a free agent who was one of Zito’s first acquisitions. He has two years left on his contract. He would be a big hit — pun intended — in Seattle.

Forsling had a big impact on the Panthers in his first season here after being pulled off the waiver wire during training camp. The Panthers would love to keep him. If Yandle waives, the bet here is Florida protects Forsling and leaves Gudas out for Seattle to take.

Vegas loaded up on defensemen in its draft and had no problem wheeling them off for more assets.

Seattle could play it a similar way. Florida has a couple defensemen here who could be taken by the Kraken only to be sent elsewhere.

If Gudas is taken, he probably sticks in Seattle and becomes a veteran building block; if Forsling goes, he could be a trade candidate.

As far as goalies go, Montembeault — based on his limited NHL workload over the past two years — is probably sticking around.

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216559 Los Angeles Kings Doughty with a steady defensive partner, solidifying the first pairing for the Kings.

While implemented to start the season, the results did not materialize, Kings Seasons In Review – Olli Maatta something that Todd McLellan took responsibility for.

“We have to accept a lot of responsibility for that, we put him in that situation, we built him up. It was the wrong thing in retrospect.” By Zach Dooley9 hours ago Without regards to expectations, with Maatta on the ice, the Kings gave up goals at an alarmingly high rate, but a rate that the underlying numbers did not support. Maatta’s goals conceded column is lopsided, With the young bucks out of the way, we now move onto the veterans of when compared to what was expected. The Finnish defenseman had a the left side of the Kings backend, starting with defenseman Olli Maatta. PDO of just .967, and with possession metrics much closer to the 50% In many ways, Maatta was the biggest offseason acquisition the Kings mark, no Kings defenseman saw a bigger disparity between expected made, as he joined the team via trade in exchange for forward prospect goals against and actual goals against. Brad Morrison. Maatta became a cap casualty in Chicago, and the Kings TLDR – The underlying number suggest a better player on the left side of acquired the two-time Stanley Cup champion at a cut-rate price. the third pairing than some of the raw numbers indicate. As accomplished as Maatta’s career has already been, it’s hard at times 2021-22 Status – Maatta enters the final year of his contract, before he to remember he’s only 26 years old, far from the twilight of his career. would qualify for unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2022. Maatta While he was penciled into the wrong role to start his first season as a counts at just over $3 million against the cap next season, and has member of the Kings organization, he became a quiet yet effective proven to be, at the least, a solid contributor for the Kings. defenseman for the Kings as the months ticked away, typically as a part of the third defensive pairing. Where he finds himself in perhaps a difficult position is the emergence of Mikey Anderson and Tobias Bjornfot, with a desire to keep both young Olli Maatta defensemen developing. Maatta has shown though that he can be NHL Statline – 41 games played, 0 goals, 4 assists, -3 rating, 6 penalty effective in the correct role and entering the season with a Maatta / minutes Walker pairing should instill some semblance of confidence throughout the eventual group of six defensemen. Possession Metrics (Relative To Without) – CF% – 47.0% (-0.2%), SCF – 47.5% (+0.7%), HDCF – 44.8% (-1.5%) LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.28.2021

Expectations were extremely high for Maatta entering the season, with a lot of buzz around a potential pairing with Drew Doughty. Both players were excited about it, coaches were excited about it, but over the first four games of the season, for whatever reason, it wasn’t successful. After a few games as a healthy scratch, Maatta returned to the lineup to much more success, playing in a new role.

Maatta partnered predominantly with Sean Walker on an effective third pairing, and once he found the role with the Kings that was the proper fit, Maatta got back to playing effective hockey.

Trending Up – This is a re-hash from Sean Walker’s season in review, but it should be repeated – Maatta/Walker were an effective third pairing.

“In a lot of ways, Walker and left-shot blueliner Olli Maatta, his most common partner this season, formed an effective pairing, especially as a third pair. The Walker/Maatta duo placed above the 50 percent line in Corsi and high-danger chances, and were above the team average in both categories, plus scoring chances. In terms of strictly creating, no regular pairing created more attempts on a per-60 minute basis than the Walker/Maatta pairing did.”

What is interesting is that while the Maatta / Walker pairing ranked highly in chances created, Maatta was a safe, low-event player on his own. Maatta ranked in the Top 3 amongst Kings defensemen in shot attempts, scoring chances and high-danger chances against per 60 minutes, ranking behind only Doughty and Mikey Anderson in any one particular category. He did all of this while starting more frequently in the defensive zone than any of his fellow blueliners.

In that regard, he proved to be an effective partner for the riskier Walker, providing defensive stability alongside the offensive acumen of his partner, something that was echoed by Assistant Coach Trent Yawney, in a recent interview with Lisa Dillman of The Athletic.

“Over the course of the year, I thought he fit in and when he was comfortable, he’s a very good player and was good with (Walker). As time went on, I started to figure out that he’s hard on himself, sometimes to his detriment. But when he’s playing the way he likes to play, he’s very effective.”

Maatta’s character was also praised by coaches throughout the season. Yawney called Maatta an “unbelievable human being”, while McLellan referred to him as an “outstanding human being”. McLellan pointed to the type of person that Maatta is, his track record in the league, as big reasons for his bounce-back effort after a rocky start.

Trending Down – The biggest knock on Maatta is that he didn’t live up to external expectations this season. Whether his fault or not, there was a trendy narrative that Maatta’s addition to the roster would provide Drew 1216560 Montreal Canadiens Caufield is only 5 foot 7 and 165 pounds and has always had to disprove critics that think he is too small. He was expected to be among the first players chosen in the NHL entry draft but dropped to No. 15 and the Canadiens because of his stature. Cole Caufield ‘living out his dream’ as breakout star for the Canadiens “Teams picked bigger guys before him because that’s just the way it is,” Granato says. He played for 13 seasons in the NHL and has served as the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche and Team USA at the 2018 Marty Klinkenberg 6/28/2021 Olympics. “That was a disappointment to Cole and motivation.

“I know lots of undersized players that have gone to have fabulous As a toddler, Cole Caufield would shuffle around the carpet on skates in careers. Size and weight only matter in certain situations. He looks at his the living room of his family’s home in Stevens Point, Wis. size as an asset. He is fast, able to manoeuvre and get open. It has never been a factor, no matter what level he has played at.” “He and his brother did it to build strength in their legs,” their mother, Kelly Caufield, says. “I thought it was ridiculous.” Caufield’s agent, Pat Brisson, has known him since he was 10 years old. Brisson’s son Brendan, now a prospect in the Golden Knights Brock, nearly two years older than Cole, began to play organized hockey organization, played against Caufield in his youth and was a teammate of when he was 4. Cole tagged along to the first practice and burst into his on the U.S. world junior team. tears when he wasn’t allowed to play. “Cole has always been a special player and he has been an elite scorer “He cried watching Brock,” his mother says. “He wanted to skate. He at every level,” Brisson says. “We knew he was going to be a great NHL knew he could do it and didn’t understand.” player, but nobody in their right mind would have expected it so soon.

Brock was quickly moved up one level, and two-year-old Cole was “He has always been a confident young man and thrives in big moments. offered his place on the team. Thus began a journey that has taken him When a game is on the line, he wants the puck on his stick.” to the Stanley Cup final at the very beginning of his career. Says Nate Leaman, the head coach of the U.S. world junior team and also of the men’s team at Providence College. “He is happy to score A 20-year-old right wing, Caufield scored a team-leading four goals for whether it is a warm-up drill or during a game. The happiest time of his the Canadiens in six games during their semi-final-round victory over the life is when he is at the rink.” Vegas Golden Knights. Montreal, which last won a Stanley Cup in 1993, plays its first game of the final in Tampa on Monday night against the Caufield joined players competing in the Stanley Cup final for rounds of defending champion Lightning. interviews with journalists on Sunday morning. Still in his early days with the Canadiens, he has taken an approach to defer to the team’s older “When I look at him, I can see how he is soaking things in,” Kelly Caufield players and speak only when spoken to. says. “I think everybody [on the team] has taken him under their wing. He is learning from phenomenal players and we are so proud and thrilled for He has been placed on Montreal’s most productive line with Suzuki and him. Tyler Toffoli.

“He is living out his dream.” “Everything has gone by so fast that I haven’t really had a chance to enjoy it yet,” Caufield said. “In some ways that’s actually good. It has The Canadiens’ first-round draft pick in 2019, Caufield joined the club at allowed me to just focus on things on a daily basis. the end of the regular season and showed an immediate flare for the dramatic. The first two goals of the four he scored in 10 regular-season “It’s been a crazy ride. I just want to cap it off by winning a games were overtime winners. championship.”

He has four goals and nine points in 15 postseason contests since then Kelly Caufield and her husband Paul, a former college player, will be at and continues to turn heads. He set up Nick Suzuki for the overtime in Tampa on Monday night. So will Brock, who is about to winner that started Montreal’s comeback against the Toronto Maple start his fourth year at Wisconsin and will be one of its captains. Leafs in the first round, and scored a breathtaking goal to give the “I’ve watched Cole do this since he was two,” his mother says. “He has Canadiens the lead in the sixth game against Vegas. been blessed all of his life. He is just a genuinely happy kid living out his After accepting a long pass from Suzuki, Caufield chipped the puck over dream. He realizes it is abnormal for this to happen to someone so the stick of the Golden Knights’ Brayden McNabb, blew past him and quickly. wired a wicked shot over goalie Robin Lehner. “He is enjoying every moment of this like everyone else.” It was one of those ‘wow’ moments one would expect out of Connor Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.28.2021 McDavid or , not someone in their second month in the NHL.

“He made a play only superstars make,” says Tony Granato, Caufield’s coach for two years at the University of Wisconsin. “It’s not the pass or the shot or the move he makes, it is the combination of five different things he does to make the play.

“I’ve got news for you. He is just getting warmed up. This is just a little hot streak that he is on.”

Caufield scored 30 goals in 31 games at Wisconsin this season and was selected the winner of the Hobey Baker Award given to the best men’s hockey player in the NCAA.

A few months before that, he was a member of the United States team that beat Canada for the gold medal at the world junior championship.

Nothing he has done so far with the Canadiens has surprised anyone that knows him.

“The brighter the lights, the more Cole Caufield shines,” Robbie Beydoun, his roommate at Wisconsin, says. He is currently a goalie with the of the ECHL. “He thrives on it. He is a creative player and a dynamic player, and he is always hungry and striving for more. He was always preparing for pro hockey. That’s why he is where he is now. He is where he is meant to be.” 1216561 Montreal Canadiens But there is none of the off-field stuff most great teams like to provide as an added service during historic playoff runs.

We’re not asking much here. Maybe a little bad blood. Somebody say The hockey world is in a frenzy over the Canadiens – yet off the ice, the something wild about any topic you’d like. Hot-button political issues Habs are unmoved would be great.

The Canadiens are falling down on the job in this regard. You’re beginning to suspect that they think the only work of a hockey player is Cathal Kelly6-8 minutes 6/27/2021 playing hockey.

This is where the obligation to sell the Stanley Cup final runs up against the effort to win the Stanley Cup final. Traditionally, Canadian hockey executives can expect one of four reactions from their customers – they are either ignored by them, For Montreal, a team that plays in a town where the only way to survive underrated, lampooned or despised. is to spend your off hours in a news blackout, excitement is the enemy. They haven’t even gotten past the playoff heats and their fans are At times during his nine years in charge of the Montreal Canadiens, Marc already rioting. Bergevin has managed the rare feat of provoking all of them at once. On the other side, the Tampa Bay Lightning play in a market where the Until about six weeks ago, according to most true-blue Canadiens fans, only way people are going to find out the hockey team is any good is if every single decision Mr. Bergevin had ever made was, very obviously, someone on the football team tells them. They have the luxury of stupid. speaking freely. He hadn’t just brought low his own hometown team. He’d fixed it so that The Lightning are loose and fun because Florida tolerates that sort of they could never be good again. Not until the 35-year-or-whatever-it-is behaviour. extension he gave Carey Price expires. Montreal does not. Montreal expects its players to sleep in sackcloth. Apparently, Mr. Bergevin has survived this endless wave of derision by Montreal is Toronto with expectations. restricting himself in public to the emotional range of a trout. It helps when you look more like a pro now than you did when you actually A lot of things make this final fascinating, 98 per cent of which are only of played. At 55, in a short-sleeved button-down and arm tattoos, Mr. interest to Canadians. Bergevin gives off an accountant-for-the-Hells-Angels vibe. There’s the 28-year drought. There’s all the other Canadian clubs who But, given the background, you’d expect a little sneer. Just a smidge of are just figuring out that they built their teams wrong and Mr. Bergevin did self-congratulation. Some eagerness, at the least. it right (at least for now). There’s the evergreen argument about whether or not to root for your country once your city is out. But no. Not Mr. Bergevin. Plus, it’s summer. Nothing else is going on. But people still need On Sunday, when someone asked him what it’s like for a man born in something to mindlessly scroll through while they should be vacationing. Montreal, raised in Montreal, and now runs the hockey team in Montreal to be in this position? What emotions is he feeling? Therefore, through the immutable laws of the news business, the Stanley Cup must now be used as a prism to discuss every national issue of the Mr. Bergevin pretended he’d been asked a different, far more boring day. By Day 5, they’ll be changing dates so that they can republish 20- question and answered that one instead. Before he’d finished his answer, year-old think pieces about the two solitudes. Politicians will self- you’d already forgotten what he was talking about. servingly rush to either embrace or eschew the sport, which means more Okay, let’s try this another way. How’s the team feeling? think pieces. Eventually, there’ll be think pieces about think pieces and their place in a changed Canada. “They’re very humble. They’re very calm. They respect the process, but they’re enjoying it at the same time.” There has been a lot of talk in recent years about hockey’s declining importance in the national conversation. But this series will reinforce its The process? Mr. Bergevin makes it sound as if they’re all about to power – because even the people who hate the game and/or what it spend two weeks applying for a building permit. represents love using it as a metaphor. As long as that is true, hockey is king. That is especially the case in Quebec. Listening to the Montreal Canadiens on the eve of what might be the biggest Canadian NHL series in the 21st century, you’d describe the This is the one way in which hockey stands above other team sports – for mood as fine. Adequate. Maybe even perfectly adequate. good or ill, it defines a country.

Take Mr. Price. He’s fine. Every time a Canadien talks from here on out, he risks slipping into this amorphous and potentially limitless debate. At the best of times, the blankness of Mr. Price’s on-camera presentation makes Mr. Bergevin’s seem like Tammy Faye Bakker. So if you gave me a choice between being interesting and being all “give it my 110 per cent,” I’d go the Marc Bergevin route, too. But on Sunday, Mr. Price was in rare form. Someone gave him the old Barbara Walters, like-sands-through-the-hourglass question – drafted by Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.28.2021 this team, been here 16 years, some ups and, recently, a lot of downs … what are you feeling?

“Just excitement,” Mr. Price said.

He said it in a tone that suggested that feeling is something humans do. At least, that’s what he’s heard.

Up and down the team, the media-day marching order was ‘No headlines.’ Not even a lousy pull quote. Don’t say anything interesting. Don’t even seem interested.

Hockey players aren’t very good at enacting media strategies because so few of them are convincing liars. But they can do one thing well – be boring.

Given the town they play in, the recent history and the occasion, has any team ever been more boring than the Canadiens right now? We’re not speaking about the on-ice product. That is a reliable blood-pressure accelerant. 1216562 Montreal Canadiens Gary, who has since retired, told WBEZ he didn’t know “anything about this.” Vincent told TSN he had asked Gary to follow up, a request that preceded his meeting with team executives.

Canadiens GM Bergevin says he was unaware of sexual assault The online Michigan Public Sex Offender Registry as of Thursday said allegations against Blackhawks assistant coach Aldrich was 38 and gave an address for him in Hancock, Mich., some 644 kilometres north of Chicago.

The former student whom Aldrich was convicted of assaulting filed a 6/27/2021 STAFF separate lawsuit against the Blackhawks on May 26, saying the team provided positive references to future employers of Aldrich despite

allegations from at least one player and took no action to report the Montreal Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin says he was matter. unaware of sexual assault allegations against a Chicago Blackhawks Loggans also represents the former student, referred to as “John Doe 2” assistant coach during his time with the club. in the lawsuit. She confirmed to WBEZ that her client was the student An unidentified former Blackhawks player has alleged in a lawsuit against Aldrich was convicted of assaulting. the team that then-assistant coach Bradley Aldrich sexually assaulted “Had the Blackhawks accurately reported what had occurred with John him in 2010 during a playoff run to a Stanley Cup title and that the team Doe 1, then Aldrich would never have been allowed to be in a position did nothing after he informed a now-retired employee. where he could molest other people,” Loggans said. Bergevin was the Blackhawks’ director of pro personnel at the time. Houghton police records obtained by WBEZ said Aldrich resigned as “It came out recently. There was a meeting that I heard that was done in director of hockey operations at Miami University of Ohio in 2012 “under Chicago. I was not part of any meeting, and I was not part of any suspicion of unwanted touching of a male adult.” The school said it has decision based on that,” Bergevin said Sunday before the Canadiens launched an internal investigation. travelled to Tampa, Fla., for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. The records cited repeated allegations from Aldrich’s time as an assistant “And I was not aware of anything going on at the time. So you can go on high school hockey coach in Houghton. The precise timing of his the record with that.” departure from the Blackhawks is unclear.

After leaving the Blackhawks, former assistant coach Aldrich was The police records say investigators reached out to the Blackhawks convicted in 2013 in Michigan of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct about Aldrich but its front office would confirm only that he was once an involving a student and is now on that state’s registry of sex offenders, employee. Chicago public radio station WBEZ reported in a series of stories based A lawyer for Aldrich responded to the WBEZ report by noting that his on legal filings, police records and interviews. conviction was a matter of public record and added that “any publication Inaction by the Blackhawks helped enable Aldrich to go on and assault of untrue material by WBEZ will be treated as libellous.” the Michigan student, and possibly others, said Susan Loggans, the “Everything that I have read in the WBEZ report is 100 per cent former player’s attorney. accurate,” Loggans told The Associated Press Thursday. “This entire man’s life has been destroyed,” Loggans told WBEZ. “These Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.28.2021 professional athletes have to function at the top of their game at all times in order to be competitive, and these things are really debilitating.”

The lawsuit, filed on May 7 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleges Aldrich also assaulted another unidentified Blackhawks player. The former player who sued and is seeking more than $150,000 in damages is referred to in the document as “John Doe.”

According to TSN, two Blackhawks players told then-skills coach Paul Vincent in May, 2010, of inappropriate behavior by Aldrich.

Vincent told the news outlet he urged team executives, including team president John McDonough and general manager , to report the allegations to Chicago police but that his request was rejected.

“I feel a weight has been lifted off of me,” Vincent told TSN. “I will stand up in court and say what happened. I know what the team did to cover this up and coming forward was the right thing to do.”

An attorney for Aldrich told WBEZ that his client denies the allegations in the lawsuit. In a May statement to the radio station, the Blackhawks said the allegations directed at the organization were groundless.

The eight-page suit alleges Aldrich, then a video coach for the Blackhawks, “turned on porn and began to masturbate in front of” the player without his consent. It alleges Aldrich also threatened to “physically, financially and emotionally” hurt the player if he “did not engage in sexual activity” with him. The allegations have not yet been tested in court.

WBEZ obtained police records for its latest report this week that indicated Aldrich faced other allegations of unwanted sexual contact, including when he worked at Miami University after leaving the Blackhawks.

The Associated Press left messages with the Blackhawks and the NHL seeking comment. In the May statement to WBEZ, team spokesman Adam Rogowin said the team was confident it would “be absolved of any wrongdoing.” Vincent did not return e-mails seeking comment.

According to the lawsuit, the former player reported the allegation at the time to the team’s then-mental skills coach, James F. Gary. It says Gary “convinced plaintiff that the sexual assault was his fault.” 1216563 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens’ forward Joel Armia enters COVID-19 protocol

6/27/2021 STAFF

It was not clear whether Montreal Canadiens forward Joel Armia had tested positive for COVID-19 or been deemed a close contact.

The Montreal Canadiens will be without forward Joel Armia for the start of the Stanley Cup finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning after he was placed in the league’s COVID-19 protocol on Sunday.

General manager Marc Bergevin announced Sunday that Armia was being held from practice and would not travel with the team to Tampa afterward.

It was not clear whether he had tested positive or been deemed a close contact.

Armia, 28, was also in the protocol in March. He had seven goals and seven assists in 41 regular-season games and has five goals and three assists in 17 playoff appearances this season.

Interim head coach Dominique Ducharme, who has been sidelined since a positive COVID-19 test on June 18, is also out, though he expects to return to the bench for Game 3 in Montreal on Friday.

The best-of-seven finals begin Monday in Tampa, with Game 2 to be played there Wednesday.

The Canadiens defeated the favoured Vegas Golden Knights in six games to advance to their first Cup final since 1993. The Lightning are the defending champions.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216564 Montreal Canadiens champions and have basically the same team as last year. The top four in NHL scoring during the playoffs are all Lightning players: Nikita Kucherov (5-22-27 totals in 18 games), Brayden Point (14-6-20), (8-9-17) and Steven Stamkos (7-10-17). The Lightning’s Victor Stu Cowan: Canadiens' Carey Price paying back the GM who banked on Hedman leads all NHL defencemen in playoff scoring with 1-15-16 totals, him and goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy has been even better than Price with a 12- 6 record, a 1.99 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.

But the New York Islanders, who play a similar style to the Canadiens, Stu Cowan • Publishing date:Jun 27, 2021 • 4 hours ago were able to force the Lightning to Game 7 in their semifinal series. I think the Canadiens can do the same, and I’m not ready to go against the $84-Million Man, the GM with the lucky red suit or a little Montreal magic. It was a picture worth 84 million words. Canadiens in seven. After the Canadiens eliminated the Vegas Golden Knights with a 3-2 OT victory last Thursday in Game 6 of their Stanley Cup semifinal series at Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2021 the , GM Marc Bergevin — wearing his lucky red suit — gave Carey Price a long hug, whispered something in his ear and then kissed the top of his head.

The goalie Bergevin banked on big time four years ago with an eight- year, US$84-million contract extension had led the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1993 when they won their last championship. Price has a 12-5 record during these playoffs, with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.

He has been the $84-Million Man.

Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final against the Lightning is Monday in Tampa (8 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

“I get a little emotional,” Bergevin, who became GM in 2012, said Sunday. “I guess I wear it on my sleeve and I care for these guys, I really do. I feel like they’re, not my kids, but we put this team together. I think there’s only two guys left — Pricer and Gally (Brendan Gallagher) — since I took over. So it’s a team that we have put together, and it’s rewarding to be where we are today. By the way, I like every one of them. I try not to forget anyone because I know how much they’re important. Either you play seven minutes or you play 27 minutes, you’re part of this team. So I made sure I hugged every one of them.

“I’ll leave it between Pricer and I what was said,” Bergevin added. “But I’m very happy for him that we are where we are today.”

You also have to be happy for Bergevin, who has been through an emotional roller coaster this season but stuck with the belief he had built a team that could win in the playoffs.

“It’s exciting,” he said about being in the Stanley Cup final. “It’s surreal. Everything that happened throughout the season, from first day of camp to getting hit by COVID to being down 3-1 against the Leafs and to move on and where we are today, it’s very special. But we’ve got to stay focused, and I know the leadership group that we have, we don’t want to get caught in the moment. We want to enjoy the moment, but also there’s a lot of work ahead to be done against the Tampa Bay Lightning.”

The Canadiens will be underdogs against the Lightning — just like they were against Toronto, the Winnipeg Jets and the Golden Knights.

“I think we believe that we aren’t the underdog,” said assistant coach Luke Richardson, who took over head-coaching duties when Dominique Ducharme tested positive for COVID-19 before Game 3 against Vegas. “We’re very confident in ourselves and what we’ve accomplished. But in the same respect, it’s fine. We’ve kind of tuned out the outside of the dressing room and let people say what they want to say. I’ve heard the players say it … we don’t even have to say it to the players. We hear them talk about it. … That’s a great attitude to have. We don’t really use it as a motivation to prove people wrong, but you can kind of have a little bit of, I guess, an ignorance in you that you want to show people that we belong more than that they’re wrong.”

The Canadiens have proven many people — including me — wrong during this magical playoff run. I picked the Leafs to win the first-round series in five games, but the Canadiens won in seven. Their performance against the Leafs convinced me to pick the Canadiens in six games against the Jets, but they only needed four. That still didn’t convince me they could beat Vegas, and I picked the Golden Knights in six games — although I added that I hoped the Canadiens would prove me wrong and give Montrealers something to celebrate after this long COVID-19 nightmare.

There are many reasons why the Lightning should be the favourites in this Stanley Cup final, starting with the fact they’re the defending 1216565 Montreal Canadiens

Veterans with Stanley Cup experience gave Canadiens a boost

Stu Cowan Publishing date:Jun 27, 2021 • 4 hours ago

Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said it wasn’t an accident that he added six players with Stanley Cup rings to the roster this season.

Goalie Jake Allen (St. Louis, 2019), defenceman Joel Edmundson (St. Louis, 2019), and forwards Tyler Toffoli (Los Angeles, 2014), Corey Perry (Anaheim, 2007), Eric Staal (Carolina, 2006) and Michael Frolik (Chicago, 2013) all know what it’s like to not only play in the Stanley Cup final, but also hoist the trophy.

“I think Marc Bergevin has done a great job of bringing in Stanley Cup experience to this team,” assistant coach Luke Richardson said Sunday. “You look at all the players that have come in just even this year with Tyler Toffoli, Stanley Cup experience, Joel Edmundson and Jake Allen, Corey Perry, it goes on and on. Even Michael Frolik’s been here all year working his butt off and been a great support cast for us and has Stanley Cup experience. You go down the line, that’s really been helpful to our team this year and we want to use that and I think we have. Maybe all those players didn’t win the Cup last year, but maybe there’s even more drive to get back there to win that Cup and then know this could be one of their last chances. So that’s a good message to pass around the dressing room.”

The Lightning did win the Stanley Cup last year and that’s who the Canadiens will be facing in the final with Game 1 Monday in Tampa (8 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

“(The Lightning) have that experience, but I think Marc Bergevin has done a great job of bringing in Stanley Cup experience to this team,” Richardson said.

Bergevin said his team believes it belongs in the Stanley Cup final and that has a lot to do with the veteran leadership.

“The biggest for me message comes from within the dressing room and the likes of Weby (captain Shea Weber) and Eric Staal and Corey Perry and recently Joel Edmundson and Jake Allen raised the Stanley Cup,” Bergevin said. “Gally (Brendan Gallagher) has been here since I was here from Day 1. They’ve done a really good job. Because to where we are today we beat some very good hockey teams. Toronto won our division, a very good hockey club. The Winnipeg Jets, same thing, they beat the Oilers in four, which is also a good hockey team. And then Vegas, which pretty much was right tied with Colorado for the best record in the NHL. So we’re not here by accident, but we realize that we do have a lot of work ahead of us and the guys downstairs (in the locker room), they’re very humble, they’re very calm and they respect the process, but they’re enjoying it at the same time.”

Defenceman Ben Chiarot recalled a conversation he had with Bergevin last summer.

“I think the thing with Berg is he’s passionate about the team,” Chiarot said. “In this past summer Berg had talked to me and said this is going to be a team that we mean business. You can see with all the additions that he made in Tyler and Josh and Eddie and Jake Allen he was true to his word and doing everything he could to make this team contend and that’s exactly what we’re doing. He’s a great guy to play for because of that. He’s true to his word and he gives us a chance to win.”

Chiarot was asked what makes this Canadiens team — the first to advance to the Stanley Cup final since the franchise’s last championship in 1993 — special.

“I think we all just really enjoy being around each other,” he said. “We enjoy being on the ice together. There’s not one guy in the room that doesn’t really have a great relationship with all his teammates. Whether it’s the older guys with a guy who’s been around for a couple of months in Cole (Caufield) or guys who have played together for years here, everybody has a great relationship and I think that’s why we’ve had success and we enjoy going to battle together.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216566 Montreal Canadiens Vasilevskiy is also something special and the Canadiens know they’re in for a tough battle.

“He’s a great goaltender,” forward Tyler Toffoli said. “He’s been playing Cup final between Canadiens and Lightning looks like a goalie great for them as well, so we’re just going to have to keep finding a way. I showdown don’t think we necessarily have to change too much of our game. I think the way we play is being consistent with ourselves. I think we score nice goals, we score goals in the dirty area, all those little things. So I don’t think we’re going to necessarily change anything. We’re just going to Stu Cowan • Publishing date:Jun 27, 2021 • 4 hours ago • keep doing what we’re doing.”

What’s Price’s advice to his teammates about facing Vasilevskiy? Carey Price vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy. “He’s a big body, battles hard,” Price said. “It’s kind of the same story That’s what this Stanley Cup final between the Canadiens and Lightning with every goalie. We’re just going to have to get some traffic and bang in could turn into as two of the best goalies in the NHL go head-to-head, some rebounds.” starting with Game 1 Monday in Tampa (8 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2021 TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

The Canadiens’ Price has a 12-5 record during the playoffs with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage. The Lightning’s Vasilevskiy has a 12-6 record with a 1.99 GAA and a .936 save percentage.

“I think probably similar to the Winnipeg series when Carey was up against (Connor) Hellebyuck,” Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson said Sunday about the goalie matchup. “They’re big goalies, they’re all Vézina-style candidate goaltenders. Carey’s just playing very confident, very big. He’s just playing the way he can play. He’s really given our team the confidence to play how we can play in front of him. Any time that we do have any kind of breakdowns he’s been there to make everybody feel confident and know that he’s going to clean it up for us.

“Tampa’s a very offensive team and to play offensive sometimes you do give up the odd big scoring chance and then Vasilevskiy’s obviously the same,” Richardson added. “He’s been there to make big saves for them at the right times and that’s why they’re here. So it will be a fun matchup and it will be very entertaining.”

Price, 33, and Vasilevskiy, 26, have both won the Vézina Trophy as the top goaltender in the NHL. Price won the trophy in 2015 and Vasilevskiy won in 2019.

Vasilevskiy is a finalist for the Vézina Trophy for the fourth straight year this season after posting a 31-10-1 record with a 2.21 GAA and a .925 save percentage. The other finalists are the Vegas Golden Knights’ Marc-André Fleury and the Colorado Avalanche’s Phillip Grubauer. Price had an inconsistent regular season, posting a 12-7-5 record with a 2.64 GAA and a .901 save percentage.

“I guess the expression we could use, he’s a big-game player,” Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said when asked about the difference between Price in the regular season and the playoffs. “He rises to the occasion. He does extremely well under pressure. The big moments, the Olympics, he was outstanding. I was part of the management team at the World Cup, he was outstanding. When the game’s on the line … I think they had a (players’) poll at some point in the past that if you need a big game to win who do you want to be your goaltender? It’s Carey Price. So I think what you see now it’s how he’s been.”

This is the 10th time Price has played in the playoffs during his 14 seasons with the Canadiens and this is the third straight time he has been outstanding. In 2017, when the Canadiens lost to the New York Rangers in six games in the first round, Price had a 1.86 GAA and a .933 save percentage. Last year, when the Canadiens eliminated the in the qualifying round before losing to the in the first round, Price had a 1.78 GAA and a .936 save percentage.

This season, with some more help from his teammates, Price is in the Stanley Cup final for the first time in his career.

Defenceman Jeff Petry said Price’s calm demeanour really helps his teammates.

“I think that goes a long way, whether you’re up in the game, down in the game, he’s always calm and collected and his movements seem effortless,” Petry said. “He doesn’t get rattled in the net. His calming presence sends a message to our whole team, whether it’s a tough stretch in the game and he’s back there making the saves, making them look effortless, it goes a long way knowing you have a guy like that behind … it’s something special.” 1216567 Montreal Canadiens turn a series around. While trying to complete a pass to Vegas defenceman from the side of his own net, Fleury managed instead to kick it in front with his left skate.

Todd: The Stanley Cup won't come easy, but these Habs are resilient Josh Anderson pounced, the game was tied and the Canadiens went on (as I predicted they would) to win the game and the series in six games.

That play was more than a mistake leading to the goal. It was perhaps Jack Todd • Publishing date:Jun 27, 2021 • 4 hours ago the first time since the Canadiens moved to the Bell Centre when it seemed as though something bigger was going on, something that had

to do with the Forum ghosts and those 24 Stanley Cup banners hanging Barely more than a month after they were down and almost out, the from the ceiling. Montreal Canadiens were preparing on Sunday for a most unlikely How else to explain such a blunder from Fleury, a goalie with as much Stanley Cup final against the defending champions, the Tampa Bay playoff experience as anyone? It was Bell Centre tour guide Kevin Kelly Lightning. who suggested that the role of Lead Ghost should go to Bad , Like everything else this season, it clearly isn’t going to come easy. whose death in the pandemic of 1919 put an end to the Canadiens series against the . Even before Luke Richardson’s early morning Zoom presser, the latest round of bad news hit: Joel Armia, whose positive test was responsible “This is the missing title the Canadiens must win in this pandemic to for that COVID week during the season, had joined Dominique complete the series of 1919,” Kelly said. “They must win the Cup before Ducharme on the COVID-19 protocol sidelines and would not be making Seattle joins the NHL next season.” the trip to Tampa. Works for me. At this point, my great and good friend Red Fisher would Was it a false positive? How could a player who has had a previous like to intervene to point out, “but Jack, they haven’t won anything yet.” positive and (presumably) been vaccinated test positive again? No They haven’t. But they will. The ghosts know: Canadiens in seven. details were forthcoming. Armia is out and the club will apparently replace him with the capable Jake Evans on the line with Eric Staal and Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2021 Corey Perry.

Somehow, you feel the Canadiens will overcome all this and more. From Bergy’s garish red suit to Jeff Petry’s juju eyeballs, it has been a postseason of memes, memories and mountains climbed. As this remarkable team hauled us from the gloom of a pandemic winter to the delirium of an unprecedented playoff summer, they have become legends playing in the shadow of legends.

On May 25, the club lost 4-0 to Toronto, falling behind the high-flying Leafs three games to one and apparently headed for a first-round exit from the playoffs.

But on June 24, the day of the fateful Fête nationale, they ousted the powerful Las Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 on an improbable overtime goal from checking forward Artturi Lehkonen, returning to what was once theirs almost by divine right: the Cup finals. Since that dismal loss to the Leafs, they have won 11 games and lost only twice and along the way they have killed 30 straight penalties over a span of 13 games.

By now it’s clear that, no matter where they finished in the short-lived North Division, this run is no fluke. If anything, the regular season was the fluke, the result of an uncanny confluence of disasters — especially the one-week break mandated by the league’s COVID-19 protocols followed by a stretch of 25 games in 43 days, many without four key players: Jonathan Drouin, Brendan Gallagher, Shea Weber and Carey Price.

Adversity? It’s their middle name. Right now, this team is operating with a temporary interim head coach, Luke Richardson, who replaced interim head coach Dominique Ducharme, who replaced head coach Claude Julien, who was temporarily replaced by during the playoffs last summer because Julien needed a heart procedure.

The first sign this might be something special came in Game 1 against Toronto when Paul Byron (who was afraid to go near a beach for fear he’d catch a waive) scored the goal of the playoffs.

Byron was out on the penalty kill when Armia chipped the puck ahead. He put on the jets, was hauled down as he blew past the defender, stayed with it and scored the shorthanded winner from his knees with 7:16 to play.

There have been many such moments since. Not yet a rookie Cole Caufield, who has brought a whole new dimension to this team, assisting on Nick Suzuki’s OT winner in Game 5 against Toronto as the Canadiens stayed alive. getting the OT winner in Game 6.

Then there was Evans scoring a wraparound empty-net goal to wrap up a wild Game 1 against Winnipeg — an instant before Mark Scheifele tried to take his head off. Evans was concussed, Scheifele was suspended and the sweep over the Jets was well underway.

But if there was a moment when it all came together, it was during Game 3 against Las Vegas when, with the Canadiens needing a goal to tie it, veteran Marc-André Fleury made one of those impossible gaffes that can 1216568 Montreal Canadiens Richardson played 1,417 regular-season games during his 21 years as a defenceman in the NHL but never made it to the Stanley Cup final.

This is his first trip to the final as a coach. Canadiens Notebook: Joel Armia back in COVID-19 protocol “I think anybody that loves the game of hockey, grew up playing the game of hockey, you play road hockey and dream about this stage your whole life,” the 52-year-old said. “So it’s obviously an honour to be a part Stu Cowan • Publishing date:Jun 27, 2021 • 4 hours ago of this organization at this point and I’m sure the players are all just feeling the same and we’re really proud of them and really excited for the

players to see how much work you’ve put in all year and what they’ve put Joel Armia was not on the ice when the Canadiens practised Sunday in in the playoffs here and the sacrifice, especially this year, in bubble morning at the in Brossard. quarantining and certain people separated from families and what have you. There’s a lot of sacrifice this year and it’s great to see. I know what General manager Marc Bergevin announced during a Zoom conference I’m feeling, so it’s just multiplied for the players that are in that position.” that Armia was absent because of the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol and that he wouldn’t be flying with the team to Tampa later in the day. Bergevin The Lightning are one of six teams Richardson played for in the NHL, added that the team would have more details about Armia’s situation on along with the Maple Leafs, , Philadelphia Flyers, Monday. and Senators. Richardson played 27 games with the Lightning during the 2006-07 season. The Canadiens will play the Lightning Monday night in Tampa in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final (8 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, “They’ve been consistent, solid,” Richardson said about the Lightning 98.5 FM). organization. “They have a real high-end talent pool that started way back when Steve Yzerman was there (as GM) and built up that team and The Canadiens are already without head coach Dominique Ducharme, they’ve done a great job of continuing to do that. They’re a talented, high- who tested positive for COVID-19 before Game 3 of their semifinal series potent offensive team, but they’re aggressive at the same time. They’re against the Vegas Golden Knights. Armia already tested positive for not a shy team. They play physical, they have a great goaltender. Very COVID-19 in March and the Canadiens were shut down by the NHL for well-rounded organization so they’ve done a great job of somehow trying more than a week as a result and then forced to play their final 25 games to keep that … it’s tough to do nowadays with keeping everybody once over 44 days in a condensed schedule. you win and contracts go up and you’re in a salary-cap era. But they somehow did it and they are a solid team and it’s not just a one-year-off “It’s not ideal,” defenceman Ben Chiarot said about Armia’s current team. situation after the morning skate. “It’s something we’ve kind of been dealing with all year is guys kind of going out to the COVID protocol. “They’re a solid team built to win for a while,” Richardson added. “We got Army’s obviously an important player for us. It’s just another little piece of to make sure that we’re ready for that and I believe we are. We’re very adversity we’ll have to deal with.” confident right now and we’re a little different style of team than them so it will be a good contrast.” Jake Evans, who has been sidelined since suffering a concussion in Game 1 of the second-round playoff series against the Winnipeg Jets, Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2021 took Armia’s spot at right wing on the fourth line with Eric Staal and Corey Perry at practice. Evans has recovered from his concussion and is no longer wearing a non-contact jersey.

Armia has been playing some of the best hockey of his career in the playoffs with 5-3-8 totals in 17 games.

Cinq buts en prolongation, cinq moments magiques.

Headed to Tampa

Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson described the feeling at the Bell Sports Complex on Sunday as “upbeat” despite Armia’s situation.

“Can’t wait to get going,” Richardson said. “I think you get on that roll in the playoffs and the feeling that you have you want to play … you just want to play. So we’re excited. We’ll have a quick practice today, a short meeting after and get on a flight down to Tampa and we’ll start the process down there for the first two games. It’s excitement. We’re feeling healthy and ready to go. It’s a great time of year to be in hockey.

“It’s a privilege to be here and we’re really enjoying the run and I think that contagious feeling is just multiplying every day and we just want to get back at the games and get into that next round in the finals and it’s really fun to see the players enjoy it.”

The Canadiens will be underdogs against the Lightning, just like they were against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round, the Winnipeg Jets in the second round and the Golden Knights in the third round. The Lightning are the defending Stanley Cup champs and finished the regular season with a 36-17-3 record, 16 points ahead of the Canadiens, who were 24-21-11.

“I think we’ve played some offensive-minded teams and we’ve handled it well,” Richardson said. “So, obviously, this is maybe even another step higher in that offensive potency that they have. But it’s another team in the NHL so we’re just going to take the next step just like any other team would be at this stage and concentrate on what we do well and, obviously, being very aware of what they do well and alert on the ice at certain times with certain players. Focus right in on that. But, really, I think playing our game to the best of our ability will counter any team that we play right now.”

First time for Richardson 1216569 Montreal Canadiens

Marc Bergevin says he wasn't in meeting on alleged Blackhawks assault

Stu Cowan • Publishing date:Jun 27, 2021 • 15 hours ago •

TSN’s Rick Westhead reported on Saturday that a former Chicago Blackhawks associate coach confirmed that a meeting took place during the 2010 NHL playoffs in which the team’s management discussed the alleged sexual assault of two players.

Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin, who was the Blackhawks’ director of player personnel at that time, said Sunday he was not part of that meeting.

“There was a meeting that I heard that was done in Chicago,” Bergevin said. “I was not part of any meeting and I was not part of any decision based on that and I was not aware of what was going on at the time. So you could go on the record with that.”

Westhead reported that last month a former Blackhawks player, who is not identified in court records, filed a lawsuit against the Blackhawks alleging that he and a teammate had been sexually assaulted by Bradley Aldrich, a former team video coach who is no longer with the team. Westhead reported that the player alleged that after he shared news of the assaults with a team sports psychologist he was told the incident was his fault.

“A second lawsuit filed against the Blackhawks by a former high school hockey player in Michigan alleges that after learning of the allegations against Aldrich, the NHL team allowed him to remain on staff through the summer of 2010 and then gave him a positive job reference, which allowed him to coach with a high school team in Houghton, Mich., where Aldrich sexually assaulted the then-17-year-old player,” Westhead wrote.

Aldrich was sentenced to nine months in prison and probation for 60 months. Westhead reported that court records show he was tested for HIV and completed probation on Feb. 13, 2019.

John Torchetti, who was an associate coach with the Blackhawks from 2007 to 2010, told Westhead that he remembers then-Blackhawks skills coach Paul Vincent telling him about what the players had confided in him, and what had happened after Vincent brought those allegations to management. Westhead reported that Torchetti said Vincent told him after that “all the brass” were in the meeting.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216570 Montreal Canadiens well. The loss in the final in 2015 and the four-game sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2019 were steps in the Lightning’s journey to becoming a champion.

Canadiens Stanley Cup notebook: The unfortunate symmetry of losing “It’s a lot of the same guys in the group, but it’s just at different times, Armia, matchup problems and was Bergevin joking? different periods in our careers,” said Lightning forward Alex Killorn. “I think the first time there was definitely a lot of excitement, never being in that situation before. Last year, it seemed like kind of a relief, because we had been there a couple of times, a couple Eastern Conference By Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin Jun 28, 2021 Game 7s that we weren’t able to get the job done.

“And this year, it seems like guys are just as hungry, if not more hungry, There is an odd and unfortunate symmetry to the big news out of the than we were last year. And I know it’s a cliche to say that when you win Canadiens camp on Stanley Cup Final media day. one, you want to win another one, but it’s really true. And we’ve put so much into this team and into this season. There’s still an excitement for It could be argued the Canadiens’ regular season, the one that put them sure in this group.” in the position of story in the playoffs, the one that lowered expectations on this team throughout the hockey world with the exception The demographics are interesting when looking at both teams. The of the Canadiens dressing room, was torpedoed when Joel Armia was Lightning are in their prime with a group almost entirely composed of infected with COVID-19 back in March. That forced a weeklong shutdown players between the ages of 23 and 32. That is not at all the case with of team activities and a compressed schedule coming out of that week, the Canadiens. is the Lightning’s youngest forward at age creating a domino effect that made it very difficult for the Canadiens to 23, but he’s already playing in his fourth playoffs. The Canadiens have win games. two 20-year-olds and a 21-year-old in their top nine up front.

Armia then became an important component of the Canadiens finding “I think us young guys just want to bring a lot of energy to the group,” their game at the right time, playing on a fourth line with Eric Staal and said Nick Suzuki, 21. “I think we’ve been playing some pretty good Corey Perry that had momentum-changing shifts in the offensive zone hockey, just helping the team out as much as we can. And there’s that and also on a penalty-killing unit that is on a historic run of playoff youthful energy that we bring in. Maybe we don’t really know what to dominance, clicking at an obscene 93.5 percent rate and on a 13-game expect, but that might be a good thing too. So we’re just going to play our streak of perfection. game and help the team out as much as we can.”

Now, Armia is back on the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol list, still in Montreal Several of Marc Bergevin’s additions in the last year (Josh Anderson, while his teammates arrived in Florida on Sunday to prepare for Game 1 Tyler Toffoli, Joel Edmundson, among others) boosted the “middle age” of the Stanley Cup Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday. demographic on the Canadiens, but the roster is definitely polarized by the three young forwards and a half dozen veterans in their mid-30s. It is not known if Armia tested positive again, just that he is in the NHL protocol, which could be triggered for any number of reasons including Among that group of veterans are players who have been here for years close contact with someone who tested positive. and have never had an opportunity like this, like Carey Price, Shea Weber and Jeff Petry, but also new veterans like Staal and Perry who But what we do know is that Armia did not travel to Tampa on Sunday, see the finish line of their career ahead and want one last shot at it. and it seems highly unlikely he would be available to play in Game 1 at the very least. This is a relatively severe blow to the Canadiens “I think Mark Bergevin has done a great job of bringing in Stanley Cup considering Armia has strung together perhaps his longest string of experience to this team,” Luke Richardson said. “You go down the line, consistently strong games since joining the team in 2018. that’s really been helpful to our team this year. We want to use that, and I think we have. Maybe all those players didn’t win the Cup last year, but We like to refer to Joel Armia Things as certain plays he makes in a maybe there’s even more drive to get back there to win that Cup, and game that only he can really make, and there have been several Joel they know this could be one of their last chances. So that’s a good Armia Things in almost every game he has played in the playoffs. message to pass around the dressing room.”

The Staal line has outscored opponents 4-2 at five-on-five in the playoffs, So on the one hand you have a group that is tighter who wants to repeat which is an excellent result for a so-called fourth line. Armia is not the what it did a year ago, a group Lightning coach Jon Cooper asked prior only reason for that, but he’s a big one. to their series finale against the New York Islanders if they were still hungry before they went out and showed that they were. On the penalty kill, Armia is able to be a disruptive force for the Canadiens up ice, and this might be where he will be most missed. His On the other hand, you have a group that is a bit more scattered with ability to steal pucks, maintain possession and kill time in the offensive players who are finally getting their first chance mixed in with those who zone is a weapon for the penalty kill unit, though his likely replacement, won elsewhere, some of whom might see this series as their last chance Jake Evans, is also adept at doing the same thing, though he achieves it to do it again. All those veterans can be stimulated by the freshness and in a somewhat different way. innocence of the young players who want to win for themselves, sure, but also for their older teammates. “Yeah, he’s been great, as all of our forwards have been on our penalty kill getting up ice for us or disrupting the breakouts,” Shea Weber said. Can the grind of repeating benefit the Canadiens? “Army’s a big body with a long reach and he’s able to kill time off the clock, as well, when he holds onto possession of the puck and makes the The Lightning can easily act like they’ve been here before because they other team get it off him. So, we’ll see what’s going on moving forward, were here less than a year ago. There’s a certain familiarity with the but he’s definitely a big part of our PK.” stage that comes with that recency, but it also makes for a ton of hockey in 11 months. The Canadiens will be getting head coach Dominique Ducharme back for Game 3 after it was revealed he tested positive for COVID-19 upon his The Lightning’s first game of the 2020 was on Aug. return from Las Vegas after Game 2 in the third round. They have to 3, 2020, the start of the round-robin to determine seeding for the actual hope Armia’s absence won’t be nearly as long. tournament. They needed 25 games to win the Stanley Cup on Sept. 28, 2020. Their 2020-21 regular season began a little more than three The Hunger Games months later, on Jan. 13, 2021, and they played 56 games in 117 days, finishing up on May 10. And now it has taken the Lightning 18 games to There was a lot of talk about hunger Sunday, of the appetite driving the reach the final, including seven games against the Islanders in the Lightning and Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup. The two organizations semifinal. have not built that appetite the same way, and it will be interesting to see how that hunger manifests itself. All told, that makes 99 games in 11 months. Over that same period, the Canadiens have played 83 games. The Lightning are defending champions and have a chance, considering the parity created by the financial restrictions in place in a salary cap “You know this is the most fun part of the year and if you go deep into a world, to be considered somewhat of a dynasty with another victory. playoff run, obviously it’s a good thing,” said Lightning defenceman Victor There has been so much stability in this group that it is not only defined Hedman, who clearly played through some physical ailments this season. by the Cup win last year, but all the disappointment that preceded it as “So for us to be back here, this is everything. Even if you feel a little bit Then there is the Lightning’s energy line of Barclay Goodrow, Yanni tired, that gets pushed aside. It’s inside your head, so mentally you’ve got Gourde and Blake Coleman, who are very difficult to play against. The to be tough, but at the end of the day, we’ve got at most seven games Canadiens saw lines with similar roles against Winnipeg and Vegas, but left. You’ve just got to put everything on the table, there’s nothing to save nothing that compared to the quality of these three players. Since the it for.” start of the second round against the Carolina Hurricanes, this line has started every game for the Lightning at home and on the road. The There are obviously benefits to that experience the Lightning had in the matchup did not matter. bubble, especially for a team that returns essentially intact, in fact, more than intact since Steven Stamkos is available this year. Roles are already Considering how potent the Lightning’s top six can be, it says a lot that established. The trust that goes into building team cohesion is well the Gourde line is the one assigned with setting the tone for the game. ingrained. Is there actually a grain of truth behind every joke? The Canadiens clearly don’t have that to anywhere near the same degree. But they do have a bit of the opposite effect happening for some Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin was asked Sunday about the of their key players. Price played in two of the Canadiens’ final 21 regular two legacies he wanted to leave from his tenure in the job, which hit nine season games, missing the final 13 games recovering from a years in May. The first was to be known as the GM who brought Weber concussion, which is no picnic. But still, his legs got some rest heading to Montreal in a trade for P.K. Subban in 2016, and the second was to be into the playoff grind. Same goes for Weber, who missed the final eight remembered as the GM who finally brought the Stanley Cup back to the games of the regular season with a hand injury, and Brendan Gallagher, city. who missed the final 21 games with a thumb injury. “I have different emotions, a bit nervous, a bit excited, but most of all On top of that, all the Canadiens players benefited from an eight-day proud to have the opportunity to bring the Stanley Cup back to Montreal,” break between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs, Bergevin said. “It would be the ultimate dream for me, and, uhhh, then I and then had another seven days off between their sweep of the could retire afterwards.” Winnipeg Jets and the start of the third round against Vegas. The That last line was said somewhat tongue in cheek. We think. Or it could Lightning had six days between the end of the regular season and the have been the equivalent of someone saying “and then I could die in start of the playoffs, four days between the first and second rounds, five peace” which almost never means the person actually wants to die days between the second and third rounds and they’ll begin the Stanley immediately afterwards. Cup Final three days after winning Game 7 against the Islanders. But it is worth wondering if there was some degree of truth behind it. At this point of the playoffs, clearly no one is fresh, no matter how much rest you may have had beforehand. But the cumulative effect of what the After nine years doing a very taxing job, and with one year remaining on Lightning are going through is what makes repeating as champions so his contract, it is worth wondering if Bergevin has already begun thinking difficult. And when older legs are given a chance to recharge just before about a succession plan of some sort. He’s never indicated anything of entering that grind, perhaps the Canadiens can hope to draw some the sort, but he has often talked about how difficult his job can be and, benefit from that. considering how passionate he is about the job, how emotionally draining it can be. The Lightning’s depth and the matchup problems it creates That passion has shown in Bergevin’s reactions during the playoffs, the Defenceman David Savard arrived in Tampa Bay at the trade deadline unbridled exuberance with every Canadiens series win, culminating with and found in the Lightning a team that resembles a chameleon because him racing down from his Bell Centre suite after Game 6 against the of the diversity of its assets. Golden Knights to hug all his players and join in the celebration. If “We have an exceptional goalie, we have players who can grind and play Bergevin was exhibiting how he experiences the highs associated with 2-1 games, but we also have the weapons up front to score goals and his job, one can only imagine how he has experienced some of the lows play 6-5 games,” Savard said. “So no matter what, we’re able to adjust to the Canadiens have gone through over his tenure. whatever type of game the other team plays, and that’s why this team “I think the thing with Berg is that he’s passionate about the team,” has had so much success since the start of the playoffs. Each of our defenceman Ben Chiarot said. “This past summer, Berg had talked to me series were different and we were able to adjust.” and said, ‘This is going to be a team, we mean business.’ And you can Before the beginning of the season, Bergevin suggested the Canadiens see with all the additions that he made, with Tyler (Toffoli) and Josh were also a team that play several different styles because of the variety (Anderson) and (Joel Edmundson) and Jake Allen, he was true to his of elements on the roster. But the truth is the Canadiens have no interest word in doing everything he could to make this team contend, and that’s in playing a wide open game and trying to keep up in a track meet. It is exactly what we’re doing. their defensive play that explains why they are in the final. “He’s a great guy to play for because of that. He’s true to his word, and The Canadiens face their most difficult task yet because matching up he gives us a chance to win.” with the Lightning will be unlike anything they have faced so far. The way Maybe Bergevin was just joking. His sense of humour, after all, is a big the Lightning are built creates a unique set of challenges. part of his personality. But he is also an emotional guy, and after nine On top of the obvious problems created by the star power of Nikita years of all those highs and lows and carrying the burden his position Kucherov, Brayden Point and Stamkos, the presence of a player like requires, would it be all that surprising if he decided winning the Cup Cirelli — who slid into the Selke Trophy conversation at around the same would be the right time for him to say goodbye or at least move on to a time as Phillip Danault — complicates the Canadiens’ ability to produce different role? offence. Even if Danault manages to neutralize the Lightning’s first line, Only he knows. Cirelli’s presence risks having the same effect on the Suzuki line. The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 The Toronto Maple Leafs did not have this type of centre at their disposal and neither did the Vegas Golden Knights (even though Nicolas Roy had a good series against Montreal). Adam Lowry of the Winnipeg Jets probably comes closest to someone who can fill that type of role, but the suspension of Mark Scheifele forced the Jets to juggle their lines and assignments.

The Lightning’s depth on defence also creates a different challenge for the Canadiens, who will no longer be able to take advantage of third pairings like Logan Stanley and or Nick Holden and . The three best defencemen on the Lightning — Hedman, Ryan McDonagh and Mikhail Sergachev — are all lefties and therefore anchor three different pairings. Erik Cernak is a solid No. 4 defenceman, but it’s a luxury for the Lightning to be able to use a veteran like Savard with Sergachev on a third pair. 1216571 Montreal Canadiens Scott Burnside 43-35

Dom Luszczyszyn Stanley Cup Final picks, odds: Expert selections for game 1 between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning 41-37

Eric Duhatschek

By The Athletic NHL Staff Jun 27, 2021 41-37

Sean Gentille

Every day during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, The Athletic NHL writers will 40-38 make their picks straight up. We put our picks, the latest odds and series news for fans to easily digest and follow. Our in-depth coverage The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 from every team is linked below the picks. All lines via BetMGM. If you’d like a free year of The Athletic (or an extension!), BetMGM is running a special offer, which also includes $100 in bonus bets.

Game 1 – Montreal Canadiens (+165) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-200)

Total: 5

PICK

Eric Duhatschek

Tampa Bay Lightning

Sean Gentille

Tampa Bay Lightning

Dom Luszczyszyn

Tampa Bay Lightning

Scott Burnside

Montreal Canadiens

Sean McIndoe

Montreal Canadiens

Before the playoffs started, it wouldn’t have been too much of a surprise to see the Stanley Cup being fought over by two teams from the Atlantic Division. There was one strong bet to make it out of the North and East and two out of the Central, including the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Well, the defending Stanley Cup champions made it back to the ball, but their dance partners aren’t who many suspected.

Frankly, I don’t know anyone who suspected the Canadiens would make it this far after finishing the season at an 86-point pace in what many deemed “the worst division.” Even fewer could’ve imagined it when the team fell to a 3-1 series deficit in the opening round, looking overwhelmed and overmatched in the process. From that point, the Canadiens have been an entirely different club, channeling their early- season juggernaut energy into a run for the ages.

They stifled Toronto in three straight games to mount an epic comeback. They swept the Jets out of existence with as dominant a series as you may ever see. And then to prove they truly belonged, they went toe-to- toe with Vegas and looked like the better team in the process. Two Cup contenders downed, one pretender thoroughly dismantled and Montreal is on a playoff run for the ages.

The Canadiens absolutely belong here and have their toughest assignment yet against the Lightning. Once again, Montreal is a heavy underdog in this series — just as the Canadiens seem to like it.

2021 Stanley Cup Final preview

Stanley Cup Final predictions, plus officiating, Olympics and next season’s champion

NHL Playoff predictions: unplugged anonymous scout, coach and executive pick Cup winner

Stanley Cup playoffs picks records

RECORD

Sean McIndoe

46-32 1216572 Montreal Canadiens low of .510 and a high of .588 early on in the season — which is damn close to Tampa Bay’s season average.

In a normal year, the end-of-season snapshot probably still makes the 2021 Stanley Cup Final preview: Lightning vs. Canadiens most sense as the data set is complete. Midseason updates are more prone to hot/cold streaks that eventually balance out over time. In a pandemic-ravaged season where a team is forced to play a compressed schedule after an outbreak without its best forward and starting goalie? By Dom Luszczyszyn Jun 27, 2021 Probably not so much and the cliff where all that happened (mostly from taking Gallagher out of the lineup) is very telling. The team’s average expected win percentage was substantially higher than what it is now Before the playoffs started, it wouldn’t have been too much of a surprise (which is lower than the season low due to a lack of Tomas Tatar and the to see the Stanley Cup being fought over by two teams from the Atlantic model unfortunately still hating on Carey Price). Division. There was one strong bet to make it out of the North and East and two out of the Central, including the defending Stanley Cup Using an expected win percentage of .550 brings Montreal’s chances up champions. to 35 percent. The Lightning are still rightfully favoured but not to a perhaps ridiculous degree. That’s not meant to be a hedge against a Well, the defending Stanley Cup champions made it back to the ball, but model which has struggled in the Year of the Underdog (10 of 14 lower- their dance partners aren’t who many suspected. seeded teams have won), it’s merely to bring up important context for a special case like Montreal. Frankly, I don’t know anyone who suspected the Canadiens would make it this far after finishing the season at an 86-point pace in what many The probabilities also don’t reflect Tampa Bay’s best player, Nikita deemed “the worst division.” Even fewer could’ve imagined it when the Kucherov, being nowhere near 100 percent healthy. It seems like he’ll team fell to a 3-1 series deficit in the opening round, looking tough it out because it’s the Cup, but it’s worth noting that he’s worth overwhelmed and overmatched in the process. From that point, the roughly 8.5 percentage points in series win probability. His health brings Canadiens have been an entirely different club, channeling their early- this series even closer. season juggernaut energy into a run for the ages. Season stats They stifled Toronto in three straight games to mount an epic comeback. They swept the Jets out of existence with as dominant a series as you The big story between these two teams is which league-leading strength may ever see. And then to prove they truly belonged, they went toe-to- will be most imposing in this series: Tampa Bay’s power play or toe with Vegas and looked like the better team in the process. Two Cup Montreal’s penalty kill. Tampa Bay’s goal rate with the man advantage is contenders downed, one pretender thoroughly dismantled and Montreal tied for third best since 2007-08 and the best of any team that’s made it is on a playoff run for the ages. past the first round. Montreal’s goal against rate is the seventh best and second of any team to make it past the first round (with the added bonus The Canadiens absolutely belong here and have their toughest of having just as many short-handed goals). Unstoppable force meets assignment yet against the Lightning. Once again, Montreal is a heavy immovable object. underdog in this series — just as the Canadiens seem to like it. Each masterful unit is the primary reason both teams have come this far Series odds and are perfect examples of the type of good fortune needed to make it to the final. Both teams have played very well, but scoring nearly 15 Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score goals-per-60 on the power play is simply preposterous. Allowing just over against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six three on the penalty kill is almost equally so. Based on expectations, both weeks. teams are overperforming in that facet and look prone for regression. The Chaotic Canadiens do not care about the odds not being in their Whichever team can keep executing at an unprecedented rate should favour. After winning yet another series where their odds were under 25 have the upper hand. percent, Montreal is 4-0 since 2010 according to this model. Every other Given the regular-season numbers, it feels a bit safer to lean toward team is 2-18. Whatever dark magic the Canadiens seem to brew up in Tampa Bay’s power play holding strong. The Lightning had the seventh- extreme underdog situations, they’ll need it again against Tampa Bay. best power play during the regular season and that was without their ace With this being the third time Montreal has had odds this low in these on the right side unlocking new passing lanes and shooting threats. playoffs it’s, of course, more than fair to wonder if the model is simply Tampa Bay will no doubt be the most dangerous power play Montreal severely underestimating the Canadiens. It’s a valid point, especially has faced as the Leafs had the yips, Winnipeg was a shell of itself and when looking at the team strength being below .500 in the chart above. Vegas has a weak power play in general. That Tampa Bay eviscerated That may make sense for a team that played at an 86-point pace this Carolina’s penalty kill should show how dangerous it is. Montreal’s season, but it’s probably not right for the way Montreal is playing now. In penalty kill has been very strong, buoyed primarily by excellent all honesty, it’s probably too low, given the way Montreal played for most goaltending, but it’s hard to ignore how porous it was during the regular of the season — despite the shoddy record. season. The Canadiens’ suddenly elite penalty kill is the biggest shock of their playoff run by far. Tampa Bay’s power play isn’t, and that’s the main One of my biggest regrets in reporting these series previews came in the difference in why it’s easier to believe in one run continuing over the opening round with Montreal going up against Toronto. I completely other (though Kucherov’s health obviously plays a role in that). failed to mention the team’s COVID-19 outbreak and the compressed schedule that followed. It’s something that was eventually pointed out in At five-on-five, the two teams are likely to be a lot more evenly matched the comments and by my esteemed colleague Pierre LeBrun, who may than given credit for, it’s simply a matter of Tampa Bay’s elite skill will have been onto something with this Habs team. That tidbit may be the shine through. Both clubs had a 53 percent expected goals rate during most relevant data point regarding Montreal in these playoffs, especially the regular season, but Tampa Bay was able to convert that into an when it comes to this model. actual goals rate that was 2.7 percentage points higher — without its best player. Converting elite scoring chance numbers into results has long For those who have followed along with the odds all year, you may been a problem for Montreal and the same has been true during the remember the model was extremely bullish on Montreal for most of the postseason. The Canadiens are controlling the overall run of play with a season. Even when the team went into a midseason slump, even when 52.7 percent expected goals rate — their 51.6 percent against Vegas the Canadiens were getting repeatedly clowned by the Senators, the being their most impressive run yet — but they’re still getting outscored. model was always weirdly high on the team. It felt like a flaw that put too Their actual goals rate is four percentage points lower than expected, much credence on the team’s terrific underlying numbers and I lost a fair thanks to an inability to finish. At five-on-five, Montreal was outscored by bit of money betting on this very team. both Toronto and Vegas for the series, and it’s likely the same will But then the outbreak happened, the team lost Brendan Gallagher to happen here. That doesn’t mean the team can’t win, they already have injury and also lost their starter. Montreal’s numbers went into free fall twice, it just means it’ll depend on elite penalty killing and score and the model followed suit. That’s where the expected win percentage sequencing to once again get it done. It’s a bit difficult to have that work ended up, an end-of-season snapshot, but it ignores the in-season out three times in one playoff run, albeit not impossible. variability of that number. For Montreal, it was especially volatile with a With Montreal, it’s once again worth noting that a lot changed once Gallagher went down to injury and the team suffered a COVID-19 outbreak. Up until that point, Montreal was second in the league with a In that case, Montreal went into extreme “bend but don’t break” mode, sterling 56 percent expected goals rate and second with a 59.7 percent attempting to stifle the top attack at all costs. Toronto’s top line did earn actual goals rate. That team might be closer to the version we’re seeing 65 percent of the expected goals and 75 percent of the actual goals, but in these playoffs, especially considering Montreal’s performance against the goal rate was at a significantly lower volume on offence. Though Vegas. Montreal’s top line generated next to zero offence, it was worth it to see Toronto’s top line score half as many goals as expected. It was ground The Lightning are a new beast though, the most complete team Montreal that the team could make up elsewhere in other matchups. It’s better to will face in these playoffs. Montreal had the most trouble against Toronto be outscored 3-1 over seven games rather than 6-2, right? in these playoffs and Tampa Bay is an amplified version of that: an uber- skilled team led by stars, but one that’s battle-tested, gritty, experienced The question is whether that’s something the team can continue to do in and doesn’t lack a killer instinct. It’s David’s third Goliath to conquer, one this series or whether the Lightning will break through and score as many that combines the strengths of the past two to create Montreal’s toughest goals as expected. If they can, Montreal’s top line will need to deliver challenge yet. some offence of its own, something they are indeed capable of doing even if they haven’t shown it yet in these playoffs. Roster breakdown Kucherov’s health is the big wild card here, and health is part of the Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score reason Montreal had the ability to make up ground elsewhere with the against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six other matchups. The lack of on the second line made weeks. The numbers may be slightly skewed as a result of ice-time Toronto’s depth look much less imposing and the same may happen to allocation. Tampa Bay if Kucherov misses any games. Even at less than 100 Against both Toronto and Vegas, the difference was the star power and percent, he found a way to contribute in Game 7, but it was clear he that remains true here. Tampa Bay is buoyed by its best, featuring a trio wasn’t the same and that does put a damper on the top line’s of forwards who are projected to deliver more value than any forward on effectiveness. Montreal. Brayden Point is a playoff beast, a speedy demon who carries Still, the major difference between Tampa Bay and Toronto is the the puck better than almost any player in the game and always elevates Lightning’s depth, which is among the league’s best. Tampa Bay is not his game come playoff time. In 18 games, he has 20 points with 14 of just a one-line team and that makes it very difficult for Montreal to make those being goals, thanks to a ridiculous nine-game goal streak. up ground elsewhere. Even with a less than 100 percent or even absent Kucherov and his premier playmaking ability helped unleash Point’s full Kucherov. potential and he’s sitting on 27 points in 18 games, with 22 of those being assists. That’s more than any other player has points. Then there’s The Lightning’s second line has been their best at five-on-five during the captain Steven Stamkos with seven goals and 17 points on a high- playoffs with Anthony Cirelli looking much closer to the Selke-calibre powered second line that’s thriving in these playoffs. It’s a trio very few player he was during the 2019-20 season. If Danault does prove too teams can match. troubling for Point’s line, Tampa Bay has the option of putting the next line up against them to free up the top line to do damage. Stamkos leads Montreal’s leading scorer, in comparison, has five goals and 14 points. the Lightning with a 57 percent expected goals rate with his two The Canadiens have just two skaters with more than 10 points in these linemates being next in line. playoffs. The Lightning have six, with five of those at 15 or higher. The difference is unexpected, given how both teams have played over the Montreal’s second line has been the team’s top offensive force and if the past few regular seasons and it’s manifested in this playoff run as Tampa team scores, it’s usually coming from one of these three. Nick Suzuki had Bay’s top offensive drivers have delivered. Montreal’s best just aren’t at a breakout season and these playoffs have been his elevation into that level. stardom. He’s a shifty player with a lot of tricks up his sleeve and the team’s best player at bringing the puck up ice. He’s the team’s best The Canadiens are well aware of that and their answer so far has not threat off the rush and a gifted playmaker, making his two wingers perfect been finding a way to rise to that level but simply slowing down the stars fits around him. Tyler Toffoli and Cole Caufield are two trigger-happy on the other side. Make them look ordinary. They kept Auston Matthews shooters who have a strong ability to put the puck in the net. Though the and Mitch Marner in check. They held Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers line isn’t as dynamic or skilled as Tampa Bay’s top offensive units, they down. And they reduced Mark Stone to rubble with a pointless series, not have the potential to hold their own. to mention dampening Vegas’ vaunted second line that ran roughshod over the Avalanche. Offensively, Montreal has done very little, but the The third line is where some problems arise. Paul Byron and Jesperi Canadiens have delivered defensively. Price is largely the reason for Kotkaniemi have scored big-time goals but, on the whole, the entire line that, but the team in front of him has helped immensely, especially in has been Montreal’s worst in terms of driving play. Their expected and limiting chances off the rush. actual goals rate are both hovering around 45 percent, which could pose matchups problems for a deep Lightning team. We all saw what Yanni A lot of credit should also go to Montreal’s top line, led by Phillip Danault Gourde, Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow were able to accomplish and Gallagher, who have understood the assignment and executed it to last season en route to a championship. They have the ability to make perfection. The top line has dominated the run of play throughout the life hell for opposing teams and, like Cirelli’s line, have the capability to playoffs and done everything in its power to limit the other team’s top turn into a shutdown line at a moment’s notice. line. There’s a bit of luck in the defensive results in comparison to the expected results, but it does feel like the top line is limiting space and That frees up some of Tampa Bay’s stars to take advantage in a way lanes enough to make life easier for Price in ways public models may not both Toronto and Vegas weren’t able to. Both teams needed their top account for. lines to dominate. Tampa Bay has much more matchup flexibility that makes the Lightning much more difficult to game plan for. Montreal does The top line’s defensive performance shouldn’t have been a surprise as have a very strong fourth line, though, that’s playing extremely well in this Danault has been a Selke-calibre player for a few seasons. He’s one of postseason but expecting them to continue thriving at their current level the game’s best shutdown players, forming a strong duo with Gallagher, is likely asking a lot. Again, the fourth line on the other side will also likely who has long been one of the best play-driving wingers in hockey. But a be the best they’ve gone up against, too. large part of their usual success is their two-way dominance, not just defence. Montreal’s top line is usually also strong offensively, but that Whether Tampa Bay’s skill shines through will also depend on whether hasn’t been the case in these playoffs and it’s what makes the team’s run Price can continue his exceptional playoff form. Going into the playoffs, even more surprising. Danault has just three points in 17 games, while the abstract idea of Price felt much scarier than the actual goaltender, Gallagher has five. The lack of Tatar, the line’s primary set-up man and given his struggles over the past few seasons. Those struggles, likely a driver of rush offence, may explain part of that, but it’s also the line’s result of injuries and workload, are the reason for his lower value here instructed role of shutting down the other team above all else. and are but a distant memory at this point of the playoffs. After three consistently strong rounds, Price has proven he’s back on top of his That’s worked so far, but the Lightning’s top line poses a massive threat game. where Point and Kucherov have the ability to break through Montreal’s defences and wreak havoc. Their ability to cycle and make seam passes His .934 save percentage is well above his expected .917 and it’s led to in the offensive zone will be very tough to handle. It’s a similar Price saving nine goals above expected in these playoffs or 0.53 per construction to Toronto’s top line, so the recipe for success is there and game. For context, he was at 0.58 per game during the year he won the it’s a matter of whether that formula is sustainable. Hart Trophy, making it more than fair to say he’s been back at his peak level during this postseason. The issue is that the guy on the other side is still the best goalie in the difference being how much stronger the team in front is. Price can world and any argument for Playoff Price must also acknowledge Andrei outduel any goalie, but doing so against Vasilevskiy will be tough, and Vasilevskiy’s own ability to rise to the occasion. Vasilevskiy’s .936 save doing so to make up the difference between the two rosters will be even percentage is a shade higher than Price’s, but it’s made more impressive tougher. by the fact he doesn’t play in front of a defensive shell. Vasilevskiy’s expected save percentage is .908, making the gap between actual and The Lightning are the defending champions for a reason and while this expected much higher, culminating in 15.4 goals saved above expected. Cinderella run has been pretty well deserved for Montreal, it’s difficult to That’s 0.85 per game to go with the 0.56 he was at in last season’s not feel like the clock will strike midnight here. We’ll see if Montreal is playoff run. able to break curfew to keep the celebration going, or if the Lightning are once again the belle of the ball. The difference between the two is substantial per my model and while Price’s value is obviously wrong at this point, the degree relative to The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 Vasilevskiy wouldn’t change if both goalie’s last two playoff numbers were added to the equation. Price’s value would rise by two wins, but so would Vasilevskiy’s (which is why I left it unchanged for both netminders). Price has already outdueled Connor Hellebuyck and Marc-Andre Fleury on the way here, what’s another elite netminder to prove he’s the best?

The defence in front of him should help with that as they’re all doing their absolute best to stifle chances. Montreal’s best bet in that regard has been the Jeff Petry and Joel Edmundson pair and the duo has been Montreal’s strongest puck possession unit, buoyed by team-best defensive impacts. Edmundson has been a very impressive addition to the group and he has a 58 percent expected goals rate during the playoffs. He works well as a stay-at-home type next to the more mobile Petry.

It’s still the top pair with Shea Weber and Ben Chiarot that are getting the most minutes, and it’s the former who has been a rock on the backend. That’s to be expected of the rugged captain and he’s doing his part with a 54 percent expected goals rate. What’s most impressive, though, is Weber’s ability to defend the line on top of his ability to defend in zone. According to data tracked by Corey Sznajder, Weber has allowed an opponent to enter the zone with control just 42.5 percent of the time. With Petry at 46.8 percent, Montreal’s two foundational blueliners have been the key to the team’s rush defence. Handling Point will be a very difficult challenge in that regard, though.

As strong as both have been at defending the line, Ryan McDonagh has been even better for Tampa Bay at 39 percent. That helps explain why the team’s shutdown pair with Erik Cernak has such a strong goal rate relative to expectations. The ability to shut down the rush is crucial there. All of Tampa Bay’s defenders are right around 50 percent expected goals, but it’s the shutdown pair that’s delivering the best results.

Still, this is Victor Hedman’s blue line and after an iffy couple of rounds, he seems like he’s back at his best. His Game 7 performance was a defensive clinic and he looked much closer to his usual self against the Islanders. His 52.5 percent expected goals rate was second among the team’s defenders and his 64 percent actual goals rate was second, too. It’s a nice reversal from his final month of the season and first month of the postseason. If Hedman is back to his elite self, that’s a huge problem for Montreal to solve.

David Savard hasn’t been the strong top four addition many expected him to be, the missing piece next to Hedman, but his play in the third round was a lot more encouraging. It feels like he finally fits the lineup and has been able to play his game a bit more in the process. He was the only defender with an expected goals rate higher than Hedman’s. His elevated play also got a bit more out of Mikhail Sergachev, who probably had his strongest series of the playoffs. That third pair is a luxury for the Lightning that gives them the edge over Montreal in terms of defensive depth. From top to bottom, there’s a lot more to like here. That’s especially true if it’s safe to assume that Erik Gustafsson won’t keep putting up an expected goals rate above 70 percent (though that’s largely from being sheltered heavily during these playoffs).

Montreal has defeated two very strong teams already so it’s not difficult to see the Canadiens doing it again. Tampa Bay is the strongest of the three, though, with not just star power to be afraid of but excellent depth at every position to go with world-class goaltending.

The bottom line

Montreal isn’t here just because of Price. From Game 5 of Round 1 onward, the Canadiens have played well in front of their star netminder and the entire team deserves major credit for making it this far.

With that being said, it’s still obvious to anyone watching how much influence Price has had on this run and while he’s not the only reason, he is by far the biggest reason. In this series, they’re playing a team where the same is true of the star goaltender on the other side, the major 1216573 Montreal Canadiens 1.29 Neither

63 How underappreciated Oilers defenceman Jeff Petry became a Canadiens mainstay -19.0

-2.85

By Jonathan Willis Jun 27, 2021 -1.66

FD/60 = unblocked shot differential per hour

The Canadiens have dressed eight defencemen in their unexpected run GD/60 = goal differential per hour to the Stanley Cup Final. Of these, six are minus players in five-on-five situations. The two exceptions are at opposite ends of the depth chart: xGD/60 = expected goal differential per hour carefully sheltered offensive specialist Erik Gustafsson and regular- Weber has been Montreal’s top shutdown defender, and he’s done an season No. 1 rearguard Jeff Petry. admirable job. In 151 minutes matched against top lines, he’s slightly Both are former members of the Oilers organization. below even by shots and slightly above even by goals and expected goals. For a team like the Habs that revel in their depth and lack the Gustafsson was a nice bargain-bin deadline pickup by the Habs, a offensive star power of their rivals, breaking even at the top is a very useful-if-flawed player now playing for his fourth team since the start of good result indeed. the pandemic. He has a decent case as the best player from Edmonton’s horrific 2012 draft class — he’s just five points shy of Nail Yakupov for In 84 minutes against top opponents, Petry has done a lot more than the scoring lead in that group — and the Oilers’ decision not to sign him break even. Montreal is outscoring top lines at an absurd 4-1 clip when to an entry-level deal was one more mistake from an era marked by he’s on the ice, and while some of that can be dismissed as luck, the managerial incompetence. team is also dominating the shot clock and expected goals when he’s on the ice. The pain of that error has faded, however, even as Gustafsson’s leaguewide value has fallen. Montreal paid merely a seventh-round pick The Canadiens have earned a lot of praise for their ability to shut down to get him at the deadline. star opponents, and it truly is a team-wide endeavour. Phillip Danault’s line has been extremely effective up front, and Carey Price is showing The same can’t be said for another error of the same vintage: the loss of why, despite some difficult regular seasons, he’s still regarded by his Petry. Petry’s in his sixth full season of providing good value to Montreal. peers as one of the most formidable goalies. Yet much of the credit must The Oilers, meanwhile, needed a player of Petry’s quality when they also go to the team’s imposing top-four, with each pairing anchored by an traded him, they have needed him all the years since, and if he stepped outstanding right-shot defender. back onto the team’s blue line today, he’d instantly become its best right- shot blueliner. Overall, the top lines of Montreal’s opponents have been outscored 8-7 at five-on-five through three series. They’ve outscored the Canadiens’ Montreal’s blue line has an interesting structure in that it revolves around depth defenders 3-0, and been outscored 8-4 with Weber and/or Petry on a pair of high-end right-shot defencemen: the 33-year-old Petry and 35- the ice. It’s been a key component of the Habs’ success. year-old Shea Weber. During the regular season, Petry was the team’s top defender and will likely get at least a smattering of Norris votes as a The Oilers could use either player, but Petry’s the easy one to look at result. During the playoffs, the top job has gone to Weber. because his departure can be so easily laid at the feet of the team’s managers. Steve Tambellini chose to give him a two-year bridge deal in It’s an understandable switch on a number of levels. Petry has battled a 2012, moving him to within a season of free agency; that decision put hand injury which cost him a game in both the second and third round. Edmonton in a somewhat unfavourable position. Even then the But even before that, it was the 6-foot-4, 229-pound Weber rather than relationship could have been salvaged, had then-general manager Craig the 6-3, 197-pound Petry who emerged as the team’s top defensive MacTavish believed in the player. choice in its first-round series against Toronto. MacTavish didn’t. Instead, he signed Petry to a one-year contract that Focusing on size and injury undersells Weber’s quality. He’s a future Hall walked him to the open market. of Famer who in the heart of his career was named to either the first or second All-Star team four times in five years. That he’s big, that Petry “At the end of (2014) I felt strongly that we had to challenge Jeff on a has been hurt, and that Weber is stylistically suited to an NHL one-year deal,” MacTavish said after the trade. “I didn’t like where his postseason environment rife with laissez-faire officiating simply makes game was going. I didn’t like the urgency in his game and the the call easier. decisiveness in his game and I thought it was important that we challenge him on a one-year deal. His game, clearly after a couple of It’s worth emphasizing the role and qualifications of Weber because that months this year, hit another level. He was decisive, he was physical, he makes the results Petry has put up against top forwards even more was playing at a different level and kudos to him.” impressive. If we look specifically at minutes played against the most- used forward by each of Montreal’s playoff opponents — respectively Petry wanted a longer-term deal. The Oilers wouldn’t budge. Auston Matthews, Kyle Connor and Mark Stone — we can see how the Unsurprisingly, once the Oilers realized their mistake and tried to lock Habs have handled opposing top lines: Petry down, it was too late. The relationship couldn’t be salvaged.

On-ice at 5v5 against top forwards The ills caused by that error continue to resonate. It led to MacTavish’s PLAYER TOI▼ FD/60 GD/60 XGD/60 successor, Peter Chiarelli, signing Andrej Sekera to a long-term contract. It was hoped Sekera could play on the right side, but he proved far more Shea Weber comfortable on the left, so Chiarelli tried again, trading Taylor Hall to New Jersey for Adam Larsson. 151 An Oilers team with Petry as a long-term piece on the right side wouldn’t -3.2 have had reason to do either of those things. It wouldn’t be saddled with 0.40 the cap hit from Sekera’s buyout through 2023, and there’s a decent chance that the one-two Connor McDavid-Leon Draisaitl punch at center 0.14 that Chiarelli used to dream about would have happened if Hall were still in Edmonton and playing left wing. Jeff Petry Most importantly, the Oilers would still have Petry today. Maybe he’d play 84 on a legitimate top pair with Darnell Nurse. Alternately, he could have 12.2 given Edmonton an anchor for its second pair, allowing Nurse and Ethan Bear to play together on one unit. 2.15 He isn’t doing that because Edmonton’s management didn’t think he could at the time. In fairness to them, it was an easy enough mistake to make; a good defenceman on a bad team often wears the sins of the players around him. It’s the case that outgoing defensive coach Steve Smith made in an interview with 630 CHED’s Bob Stauffer, back in 2014 when the Oilers were making their call on Petry.

“He did everything that was asked of him,” Smith said. “He was a guy that on a daily basis played against the other team’s top players.

“Let’s compare him — and I’m not making the comparison — but let’s compare him to, say, Drew Doughty in L.A. Drew Doughty in L.A. is a wonderful player; tough, strong, fast, all the rest of it. He played on a team that had the puck 60 percent of the night. Edmonton had the puck 40 percent of the night. … I’m not comparing him to Doughty, but if Doughty was in a position that he had to chase the puck 60 percent of the night, would he be as good a player as he is?”

With hindsight, we know the answer to that question. The Kings were a strong possession team even in their poorer years up until 2018-19, when their shot metrics dipped into the 40s. Doughty, who had just signed an $88 million contract extension, famously went minus-34. It was a good reminder of how even a great player can look bad in the wrong situation.

Smith was already out the door when he made those comments and, fortunately for Montreal, they didn’t reflect the view of Edmonton’s management. The Oilers’ loss has been the Habs’ gain, and as Montreal enters the final for the first time since 1993, he’s one of the important threads in that success.

The incredible thing is that the Canadiens got him fully formed. Underappreciated by most eyes in Edmonton, he’s been a mainstay since arriving in Montreal.

“You look at Jeff and the things that he has done with a program that is on the build, I think he’s done pretty darn well,” Smith said then. “He’s had to play against all the top centremen in the league for two or three years now. He’s had to play against all the top power plays in the league for two or three years now.

“He’s really an underrated penalty killer, he’s really a wonderful skater, he’s a good person, he’s a good teammate, and he attempts to do all the things that are asked of him on a daily basis. What else can you ask of a player?”

Oilers management could think of a few things they wanted to see in 2014. As Petry hits, blocks shots, plays through injury and helps the Canadiens shut down some of the most formidable forwards in the NHL, it’s unlikely that Montreal’s management can think of anything.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216574 New York Islanders For left wing Matt Martin, 32, who has played 10 of his 12 seasons with the Islanders, there is a larger mosaic created by his coach that reaches way beyond the daily grind of a hockey season.

For the Revitalized Islanders, Another ‘Heartache,’ Another Almost “A lot of the challenges that you face as a professional athlete are the same type of challenges you face in your daily life,’’ said Martin, who has played in all 73 of the Islanders’ playoff games since 2013. “He takes everything in stride and he really believes in the process and the way you By Allan Kreda do things. That’s kind of the mentality he has embedded in us now, and June 27, 2021 we’re going to continue to push forward.”

New York Times LOADED: 06.28.2021

Barry Trotz has had an impact on the Islanders like no coach since the inscrutable guided the franchise to four straight Stanley Cup titles in the 1980s.

Trotz arrived three years ago with a mandate to instill a winning culture and force his players to be accountable at both ends of the ice for 60 minutes — or more if required. In the process, Trotz has molded the Islanders roster into a true team, a squad that has reached the playoffs each of his three seasons and won five playoff series plus a qualifying round last August.

The turnaround came after the Islanders captured just one playoff series between 1994 and 2018.

“I started thinking about all the good things that we’ve done and all the good moments we’ve had as a group in the last three years,” Trotz said on Sunday, less than 48 hours after the Islanders were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in a Game 7 road loss. “And it’s really been phenomenal.”

For the second straight postseason, the Lightning have squelched the Islanders’ chance to reach the finals in what would be the first time since 1984. After the crushing defeat, the team faces the daunting task of improving incrementally to take perhaps the most difficult step.

Islanders squads of yesteryear endured similar angst. Before winning four consecutive Cups, the team had a seven-game quarterfinal loss to Toronto in 1978 and fell to the Rangers in the 1979 semifinals despite being favored.

“We’re on the right path,” Trotz said just after Friday’s defeat. “You’ve got to keep going back. It’s no different than Tampa Bay. They had some heartache before they were able to win a Cup. Now they have a chance to win two.”

The Islanders had missed the playoffs for two straight years heading into the 2018 off-season and made significant leadership changes, hiring as president of hockey operations and adding Trotz just weeks after he won the Stanley Cup with the .

Winger Josh Bailey, the longest-tenured Islander, said Trotz and his focused approach promoted confidence throughout the roster.

“It’s a real pleasure to play for Barry,” Bailey said. “He’s one of those guys you want to go out there and work hard for. And you just believe him. When he talks, we buy in and believe what he’s saying.”

Now, with the chance to play a full 82-game campaign for the first time since the 2018-19 season, there is a palpable sense that the Islanders are on the cusp of greater achievement. The team will be buoyed by the return of Anders Lee, the captain, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on March 11.

The ever-meticulous Trotz has relentlessly preached hard work and perseverance in a way that helps his players raise their collective effort beyond the sum of their parts. They were underdogs against Pittsburgh and Boston and defeated both in six games. And the plucky Islanders forced Game 7 against Tampa Bay with a dramatic overtime goal by that will be remembered forever by the Islander faithful as the last one at Nassau Coliseum, as the team heads to a new arena at .

Trotz has insisted his players savor the moments and appreciate the caldron of high-pressure playoff games — all without ever losing sight of how much sacrifice was needed throughout two playoffs runs during a pandemic.

“When the tanks were empty, they were still going,’’ he said. “There’s a tremendous amount of commitment there.” 1216575 New York Islanders

Barry Trotz doesn’t ‘question’ sitting Islanders’ Oliver Wahlstrom

By Mollie WalkerJune 27, 2021 | 11:37pm | Updated

Facing an offensively explosive team like the Lightning in the Stanley Cup semifinal, the Islanders knew they were going to need contributions from all four lines in order to keep up.

But after getting shut out 1-0 in Game 7 on Friday to bring their postseason run to a screeching halt, it begged the question whether the Islanders’ lineup was equipped with all it needed to compete with Tampa Bay offensively. Especially since winger Oliver Wahlstrom seemed to be available.

Wahlstrom, the rookie with a lethal shot who scored 12 goals in the regular season, suffered a lower-body injury in Game 6 of the first-round series against the Penguins. He had recorded a goal and two assists in five playoff games before his injury, but was said to be working his way back through the second round against the Bruins.

By Game 1 of the Lightning series, Wahlstrom was taking pregame warm-ups and was seemingly ready to go. But head coach Barry Trotz opted to stay with veteran Travis Zajac, who had done well replacing Wahlstrom on the third line.

Oliver Wahlstrom

Asked if he questioned his decision not to put Walstrom back in the lineup, Trotz said he didn’t and alluded to other injuries playing a factor.

“I don’t question any decisions,” Trotz said Sunday during the Islanders’ exit interviews. “If you could sit in the coaches room and know the injuries and all the possibilities, it’s easy to play fantasy hockey when you don’t have all the information sometimes. That’s part of the business.

“We lost 1-0 on a shorthanded goal. To beat the Tampa Bay Lightning, we weren’t really going to be able to turn it into a track meet and go end to end and try to score. … We have to defend and we had some people as you’ll find out eventually, guys were banged up and hurt so you had to cover all your bases.

“At the end of the day, we make the decisions that we do and you can’t look back. That’s the weak way to do it.”

Wahlstrom said he felt his game evolved throughout his first NHL season and that he’s excited to get back to training camp. Though it was tough to watch from the sidelines for a majority of the postseason, the 21-year-old said it was a learning experience.

“Obviously, it’s really tough to get injured,” Wahlstrom said. “You want to play with all your brothers and it was tough but at the same time it was a good learning experience to go through that. And mentally, to work on my mind a little bit, so it was really tough.”

Jean-Gabriel Pageau admitted that he was “a little banged up” during the semifinal series, but declined to elaborate.

After scoring three goals and dishing 10 assists through the first two rounds, Pageau went pointless against the Lightning and it was clear he wasn’t 100 percent.

“I would rather keep it personal, but there’s obviously little stuff but nothing different than some other guys,” he said. “Everyone is banged up at this point of the year.”

Trotz revealed that he expects the Islanders to open up next season on the road to allow for UBS Arena construction to be completed.

New York Post LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216576 New York Islanders

Islanders’ Anders Lee speaks out for first time since devastating injury

By Mollie WalkerJune 27, 2021 | 9:36pm | Updated

Footage posted to the Islanders’ official Twitter account showed captain Anders Lee, who has been recovering from ACL surgery since March, reading the starting lineup to the locker room before games this postseason.

Often using language we can’t publish here, Lee hyped up his teammates before they took the ice. He banged on the doorframe of the room, gave his teammates high fives and offered up encouraging words whenever he could.

Though, that didn’t make it any easier for Lee.

“It’s a really tough thing to have to kind of deal with in a year where we’ve been building for this thing for a long time,” Lee said Sunday in his first interview since his season-ending injury. “I think we had a group that we know what we were capable of. So getting hurt was pretty tough. But I think from the onset, I had a really good mindset of what I wanted to do, not only in terms of my rehab but just within the room.

“Being as involved as I could because you missed on being on the ice and the bench and in the room between periods. That’s where the battles are won and lost. You just want to be out there with the guys. Definitely had to take a different approach in the sense of accepting what had gone on and embracing this new challenge if trying to still be who I wanted to be throughout all of this.”

Lee, who began skating with the team’s extras during the postseason, said he is on track to rejoin the Islanders at the start of training camp for next season. Noting that he was able to “do a lot of really good things” during his rehab, Lee alluded to being ahead of his initial recovery timeline.

The Isles’ captain since 2018, Lee scored eight goals and had eight assists in 35 regular-season games this season. Without Lee’s net-front presence, the Islanders’ power play and overall offensive game suffered throughout the postseason.

But more than anything, the Islanders missed Lee’s leadership and presence on the ice.

“He’s the leader of this group,” said Kyle Palmieri, who was brought in at this season’s trade deadline partially to fill the void left by Lee. “Each day he came in with a smile on his face and was emotionally part of this group even though physically he couldn’t be out there with us.

“As passionate as the Islanders fans have been throughout this time, he was up there with the number ones.”

New York Post LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216577 New York Islanders “Obviously, I want to stay here and have the group stay together,” he said. “We have this special bond here.”

New York Post LOADED: 06.28.2021 Islanders’ roster stability will be challenged this offseason

By Mollie WalkerJune 27, 2021 | 8:37pm | Updated

The lay of the land in the NHL, as Islanders head coach Barry Trotz likes to put it, is that teams go through personnel changes during every offseason.

But the Islanders are a rare case. A majority of the team has been playing together for years. There are 17 players on the current roster — 11 of whom actually played this postseason — who were on the team in 2017-18, before Trotz became head coach. Even going back to 2013-14, eight players from that season’s roster are still with the team and six played major roles in their postseason run to the Stanley Cup semifinal in Josh Bailey, Matt Martin, , Scott Mayfield, and Casey Cizikas.

It’s what made the Islanders’ Game 7 loss to the Lightning on Friday night all the more difficult to accept: The Islanders know they are potentially facing some significant changes in the locker room.

Cizikas is the headlining player among the Islanders’ six pending unrestricted free agents this summer, a group which also includes Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac, Andy Greene, Cory Schneider and Brayden Coburn.

Casey Cizikas and Andy Greene

“I haven’t thought about it too much personally, but that’s a conversation for another day,” Cizikas said during the Isles’ exit interviews on Sunday. “I think, right now, I’m just focused on being with the guys, spending these last few days before everyone heads their own way, spend them together, do things together. I think that’s what I’m looking forward to right now.”

Having spent his entire 10-year NHL career on , Cizikas acknowledged that he expects the friendships he’s made to last a lifetime. Cizikas has posted 81 goals and 104 assists in 590 games with the Isles, but the 30-year-old has been at the center — literally — of the team’s most valued line, the Identity line, with Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck.

The trio has forged one of the most effective fourth lines in the NHL, but is also one of the most expensive. Clutterbuck is set to become a UFA after next season when his five-year, $17.5 million deal expires, while Martin just signed a four-year, $6 million contract in January. Cizikas is the first to face a potential departure.

“I almost feel like he’s just a part of me as a hockey player at this point,” Clutterbuck said.

Added Martin: “I think I know where his heart is and I think the team would love to have him back as well.”

While it’s unlikely that both Palmieri and Zajac can re-sign with the Islanders because of the cap situation, the two trade-deadline acquisitions from the Devils made it clear how much they enjoyed their time with the organization. After racking up seven goals and two assists in 19 playoff games, Palmieri has probably earned himself a significant payday that the Islanders won’t be able to afford.

“Even if it was for that short bit, I’ll remember it forever,” Palmieri said.

Greene, who will turn 39 shortly after next season begins in October, said he wants to continue playing and alluded to his hopes of remaining with the Isles.

There are also three Islanders who are pending restricted free agents with arbitration rights in Adam Pelech, Anthony Beauvillier and rookie goalie Ilya Sorokin. With Pelech, the team’s top-pair defenseman with , one season away from reaching UFA status, the Islanders will have to weigh their options and decide how long they want to lock him down.

Beauvillier, 24, is coming off a two-year deal with an annual cap hit of $2.1 million. 1216578 New York Islanders

LI's Kyle Palmieri would love to stay with the Islanders

By Andrew Gross

Updated June 27, 2021 8:27 PM

Impending unrestricted free-agent Kyle Palmieri knows his tenure with the Islanders might be brief.

But Palmieri, originally from Smithtown and acquired from the Devils on April 7, hopes he can stay on Long Island longer.

"I enjoyed every second of going to battle with this group," Palmieri said on Sunday as the Islanders conducted their end-of-season exit interviews. "To be a part of a team like this, it was an incredible opportunity for me and I would love to keep that going."

Palmieri, coming off a five-year, $23.5 million deal, will be a prime target on the open market after seven goals in 19 playoff games.

"If it was just for that short bit," Palmieri said of being an Islander, "I’ll remember it forever."

Ready for more

Defenseman Andy Greene, who turns 39 in October, wants to play again next season, preferably for the Islanders. He will be a UFA after completing a one-year, $700,000 deal.

"Absolutely," Greene said. "This is a special group. There will be changes but it’s a great group of guys. We still feel we’re able to take that next step.

"I feel great physically and mentally. We’ll have some talks and then see where it goes."

Isles files

Jean-Gabriel Pageau declined to discuss whether he played through an injury in the playoffs but added he’ll see what happens in the next couple of days, likely indicating he will be meeting with doctors . . . Goalie Ilya Sorokin will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights coming off a one-year, $2 million deal. "My job is to stop pucks," Sorokin said. "I don’t think about a new contract." He will spend time in Russia this summer . . . Barry Trotz said he does not anticipate making changes to his coaching staff but added associate coach is ready to be an NHL head coach.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216579 New York Islanders

Casey Cizikas not ready to talk future, but Islanders teammates want him back

By Andrew Gross

Updated June 27, 2021 8:25 PM

Casey Cizikas is not yet ready to think about his hockey future, or continuing it with another team other than the Islanders as an impending unrestricted free agent.

"I haven’t thought about too much, personally," the identity-setting fourth- line center said on Sunday, which was breakup day for the Islanders after their season ended with Friday night’s 1-0 loss to the Lightning in Game 7 of the NHL semifinals. "That’s a conversation for another day. Right now, I’m just focused on being with the guys, spending these last few days before everyone heads on their own way."

Cizikas, 30, has played 590 regular-season games for the Islanders since being a fourth-round pick in 2009. He is completing a five-year, $16.75 million deal with no guarantees president and general manager Lou Lamoriello will be able to fit him under the flat $81.5 million salary cap.

Cizikas is sure to draw interest from other teams seeking grit and energy for their bottom six.

The question is, can he ever be as valuable to another team as he has been centering Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck?

"I almost feel like he’s just a part of me as a hockey player," said Clutterbuck, acquired from the Wild in 2013. "Not only that, he’s one of my best friends. He’s Casey. He can light up a room. Especially when I can be grumpy sometimes, he’s always there to be a puppy dog.

"Those things will work itself out," Clutterbuck added. "I’m not going to give it too much thought."

The two seasons the trio weren’t together came after Martin signed with the Maple Leafs – whose GM was Lamoriello – as a free agent in 2016. Lamoriello’s first trade as the Islanders’ boss was to re-acquire Martin in 2018 and reunite the identity line.

Martin said he would not pry into Cizikas’ off-ice business but his friend knows his phone number in case he needs advice.

"I think I know where his heart is," Martin said. "I think the team would love to have him back as well. These things get tricky. At the end of the day, we hope we have another opportunity with this group of guys. We wish we could have finished the job this year."

"He brings a great element to our team," coach Barry Trotz said. "He’s an Islander. You know it. I know it. He feels it. No matter what happens, he’s had a big piece in what we’ve done the last three years. And hopefully going forward."

Cizikas said he has appreciated growing up as an Islander.

"These are friendships that are going to last a lifetime," Cizikas said. "We’ve had some really good highs and some lows. But this team is special."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216580 New York Islanders

Anders Lee says he will be ready for start of Islanders training camp

By Andrew Gross

Updated June 27, 2021 8:16 PM

The Islanders’ team bus was just departing the hotel for Game 7 against the Lightning on Friday when it came across four, non-playing team members standing on a nearby roof, shirtless, waving flags and cheering them on.

Injured captain Anders Lee was a ringleader of the bare-chested cheerleaders.

"Leadership, there’s no analytic for it," coach Barry Trotz said. "You have it or you don’t. And he has it."

There’s no doubt the Islanders missed Lee’s on-ice contributions after he suffered a season-ending, torn right anterior cruciate ligament on March 11. But Lee maintained his inspirational off-ice presence throughout the playoff run as he made pre-game speeches, read the starting lineups and was as generally fired-up as if he were dressing for the games.

And, in his first public comments since the season-ending injury, Lee said on Sunday as the Islanders conducted exit interviews that he will be ready for the start of training camp in September.

"I’m on track," said Lee, regularly seen on ice working on his own and with the extras. "I was able to do a lot of really good things the last 13, 14 weeks since surgery. We pushed it pretty good and got as far as we could. I’m looking forward to continuing on that path and being ready for camp."

It will be a welcome change after he had to mentally accept that he would not be part of the Islanders’ playoff push.

The Islanders lost Game 7, 1-0, in Tampa, Florida, as the Lightning eliminated them one round short of the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight season.

"It was a really tough thing to have to deal with in a year where we’ve been building for this kind of thing for a long time and I think we had a group that we knew what we were capable of," Lee said. "Getting hurt is pretty tough. From the onset, I think I had a really good mindset of what I wanted to do, not only in terms of my rehab but just within the room and being involved as I could.

"I definitely had to take a different approach in the sense of accepting what had gone on and embracing this new challenge of trying to still be who I wanted to be throughout all of this and not have the injury take over."

Lee, who had 12 goals and seven assists in 27 games, was injured when the Devils’ Pavel Zacha fell over his extended right leg. Lee remained on the ice in obvious pain but was hopeful the injury wasn’t as serious as he first feared by the time he got to the Islanders’ dressing room.

Instead, the Islanders were deprived of their top-line left wing – , who shares Lee’s grit but without the offensive skills, eventually assumed the role – and a net-front presence on the power play.

"I felt it happen and I didn’t really understand," Lee said. "It’s painful at first and then it kind of goes away. By the time I got back to the room, I had a little bit of hope that it wasn’t as serious as it was. But you get checked out, the doctor doesn’t like the way your knee feels and you go for an MRI. You try to just hope that it’s not what it really is. You try not to believe it until you’re forced to deal with it.

"I knew it was going to be hard," Lee added. "You just want to be out there with the guys. I’m looking forward to the fall and getting back out there."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216581 New York Islanders "It was unbelievable. Hands down, we have the best fans in this league, especially in the playoffs . . . Our fans, they bring so much excitement during the games, it’s unbelievable. It’s so much fun to play.

Nassau Coliseum leaves UBS Arena with a lot to live up to "It’s a little bit stressful before games, because they can be very loud. But it’s just an amazing and unbelievable atmosphere. We all as a team are going to miss that, for sure."

Updated June 27, 2021 8:31 PM Casey Cizikas, a fan favorite who is an unrestricted free agent:

By Neil Best "I think Game 6 [against Tampa] is going to stand out for me. That was incredible . . . They kept getting bigger and bigger and louder and louder

and we fed off that and then ‘Beau’ ending it, that’s going to be the game Change is inevitable from season to season in modern pro sports. This is that sticks with me for a long time." not news. Captain Anders Lee, who was injured on March 11, the first night fans The fact 16 Islanders played for all four Stanley Cup winners in the early returned to the arena: 1980s is so unfathomable by 21st century standards it might as well be a "I’m glad the Coli was able to be closed down in that manner, because it tale from the early 1880s, when Andy Greene was a young player. deserved that and our fans deserved that. I think us as players deserved But for the 2021 Islanders, who gathered one last time on Sunday, there that as well. was added poignancy in flipping their psychological calendars to a new "It feels right in some ways. It feels wrong in other ways, too. We know season and the inevitability of parting ways with old friends. how close we are. It’s a little bittersweet in that regard. But to have our They were bidding farewell to an aging teammate who can’t even skate. fans back was incredible."

Islanders fans cheer during the third period of play against the Tampa Anthony Beauvillier, whose overtime goal in Game 6 closed the arena for Bay Lightning in the NHL semifinals Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum on playoff business: Wednesday June 23, 2021. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr. "Scoring a goal in the NHL is probably one of the best feelings in the The good news is the Islanders have a sleek, expensive new free agent world, and when you get a chance to play the hero and put your team on due to arrive this autumn: UBS Arena at Belmont Park. The emotionally top it’s always a great feeling, especially in the semifinals of the Stanley complicated part is leaving Nassau Coliseum behind. Cup."

Sure, many of the same fans who helped make the Islanders’ latest run Cal Clutterbuck: even more memorable than last year’s still will be in the stands. But no "I think there’s a genuine feeling of just, honesty, in the building. I think it one is yet certain whether the vibe will move west with them. reflects the fan base and the population really well, and as a player, you By now, it would be natural for players to be tired of questions about the can feel it. There are a lot of buildings in the league that are loud, but this final playoff run at the Coliseum; they have faced them almost daily for one just has a different sort of tone to it, and we really love it. many weeks. "We’re really looking forward to that sound being transported a couple of That was what made Sunday so remarkable. miles down the road next year."

The Islanders made 21 players and coach Barry Trotz available to Trotz: reporters, and the way they collectively waxed poetic about the grand "Game 6, it doesn’t get better than that. I talked to my sister, who was finale at the Coliseum – especially Games 4 and 6 against the Lightning consoling me yesterday and seeing how I was feeling. She says, ‘I’m – was no act. watching Game 6 and our fan base is singing the national anthem.’ She’s Perhaps the purest response of all came from rookie goaltender Ilya Canadian! She said, ‘I had tears in my eyes because it was phenomenal.’ Sorokin, who signed with the Islanders less than a year ago and has "Those are experiences that you live. That’s what I’m saying when I say, worked hard to communicate in English. ‘Live in the moment.’ We were living in the moment. There were some He began his NHL career playing in an empty arena, then played most of good moments, and that should get you excited about the future and the the first round against the Penguins, when capacity was growing but still moments that you can create moving forward." limited. The next two words out of Trotz’s mouth were these: "New arena." It will "But next round with Boston, I’m not playing," Sorokin said, "but I sit on have a lot to live up to. bench and when fans start singing, ‘Hey, ho, Josh Bailey,’ it was Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.28.2021 amazing. It was really, really, really cool."

There you have it, folks: A newcomer to America wowed as much as anything else by the Josh Bailey song.

I could write more words here and provide perfunctory transition sentences, but what’s the point? Rather, here is a sampling from Sunday of the many heartfelt odes to those final, crazy nights at the Coli:

Ryan Pulock, whose last-second save of a shot by Tampa’s Ryan McDonagh clinched Game 4:

"It kind of gives you chills, actually, when you ask that question. Those are some memories that I think we’ll all remember probably for the rest of our lives . . . I think the fans will, too. Obviously, they’re the reason that it was so special."

Josh Bailey, of Josh Bailey song fame:

"It was a good run. It’s a special building. For our fans, for this organization, it’s meant so much to us playing there and in that atmosphere."

Semyon Varlamov, who was serenaded with multiple "Var-ly, Var-ly" chants: 1216582 New York Islanders The likely only way Cizikas stays is if he’s willing to take a salary discount for more term — we’re talking 5-6 years, possibly even seven, to keep the AAV manageable. It would be similar to the deal Martin agreed to early in free agency last fall, a four-year deal worth $1.5 million per. As it Jean-Gabriel Pageau ‘likely’ needs surgery, Islanders veterans want to happens, Martin and Cizikas have the same agent, Newport’s Pat Morris. return and ‘the best fans in this league’ But there will be a slew of teams lined up to talk to Cizikas once free agency opens a month from now. Any number of teams who either missed the playoffs or bowed out early have declared their intention to By Arthur Staple Jun 28, 2021 get deeper and heavier; the Rangers are among them, though Cizikas’ decade on the Island would seemingly knock them out of the running unless their offer was too big to ignore. The final Zoom calls of the season were Sunday for the Islanders players and their coach. We learned precious little about what some of the Isles Cizikas’ hometown Leafs need more depth. The Oilers, Wild, Bruins, players went through physically during their deep playoff run and Avalanche and Jets are playoff teams who need to get more playoff- precious little about the team’s offseason plans, though as you might ready. Of the attractive, grinding-type forwards who could hit the UFA expect every pending restricted and unrestricted free agent wants to market, Cizikas is the only true center, which boosts his attractiveness return. even more.

That, of course, isn’t happening. So we’ll read between the lines a bit to Reality crept in for a few veteran Islanders players on Sunday when decipher what was said and what it means as the Islanders head into asked about Cizikas. another busy offseason after falling just short of the Stanley Cup Final for “We want to see our guys back, but this is the part of the year where a second season in a row. things have to happen that sometimes you don’t like,” Anders Lee said. “I Pageau surgery ‘likely’ can’t say enough about the guy.”

Jean-Gabriel Pageau was clearly hampered during the semifinal series Greene wants to play — and return against the Lightning. All you need to do is look at his numbers: three Andy Greene turns 39 in October, but he missed just one game this goals and 10 assists through the first 12 games of the playoffs while season and that was for rest after the Islanders had clinched a playoff averaging 18:02 of ice time, then zeroes across the board and 15:41 of spot. So perhaps it wasn’t a surprise to hear he intends to play a 16th ice time in the seven-game loss to Tampa. NHL season next year and wants to stick around with the Isles. Pageau demurred when asked about his injury. “I was a little banged up,” “This is a special group,” he said. “There’ll be changes, but it’s a great he said. “I think everyone goes through it in the playoffs. … We’ll see team. We still feel like we’re able to take that next step. Hopefully going what happens the next few days.” forward there’s more to do there.” A league source said Pageau was dealing with multiple injuries by the Even if Greene had decided to retire or look elsewhere, he’d still have an semifinals and that at least one of them is “likely” to require surgery. impact on the 2021-22 Islanders’ cap. His 2021 contract contained $2 There’s no indication that Pageau’s rest and rehabilitation after that million in games-played bonuses, all of which Greene reached easily; surgery could hamper his offseason training or cause him to not be ready because the Islanders used long-term injured reserve to stay under the for September training camp, but there’s also no indication this is 2021 cap, that $2 million goes onto next season’s cap regardless of anything minor either. whether Greene is here or not. Seemingly the rest of the Islanders players made it through the playoffs If he does want to stay it would seem to be an easy call for Lamoriello. without needing surgery, though few were very forthcoming on Sunday. There could be a number of veteran left-handed defensemen on the UFA Pageau’s compromised health clearly played a role in the Isles’ inability market who could fill that third-pair role for a relatively small amount of to generate much offense as well as how Barry Trotz deployed Pageau’s cap space — wouldn’t it be something if the Islanders could convince linemates; there’s more on Trotz’s decision to keep a healthy Oliver Zdeno Chara to finish his career where it started? — but Lamoriello and Wahlstrom in street clothes for the entirety of the semifinals below. Trotz have trusted Greene through two long playoff runs now and that ’s knee injury that kept him out of Game 1 of the first doesn’t seem likely to change even as Father Time marches on. round against the Penguins is fine, according to the goalie. He said he Palmieri, Zajac open to returns consulted with team doctors for his exit physical on Sunday. “Today I feel pretty good,” he said. “It didn’t really bother me much in the playoffs. I Kyle Palmieri is another UFA who wouldn’t mind sticking around as don’t think there’s going to be any issues going forward.” Greene and Pageau did after they were acquired before the 2019-20 deadline. It will be nearly impossible for Lamoriello to pull off given the ‘He’s an Islander’ cap situation, the above-mentioned RFAs and the Cizikas factor, but That was how Trotz put it when asked about Casey Cizikas, the longest- Palmieri did tie for the team lead with seven playoff goals, though he had tenured Islander whose contract is now up. none in the semis.

“Casey has been a big part of this organization for a long time,” Trotz The Smithtown native got to play some meaningful games at Nassau said. “We don’t know where that’s going to end up and I’m not in a Coliseum in front of his Long Island family, though, and that means position to answer that, but he brings a great element to our team. He’s something. an Islander. You know it, I know it and he feels it … Things will work out “To have that opportunity to be a part of a team like this, it was an and you go forward no matter what happens. He’s had a big piece in incredible opportunity for me and I’d love to keep that going,” he said. what we’ve done the last three years and hopefully going forward.” “There’s the business side of it, and hopefully something can work its Matt Martin, Cizikas’ closest friend on the team and linemate, added to way out. But I just feel incredibly grateful to be a part of this team, and that: “I think I know where his heart is, and I think the team would love to even if it was for that short bit, I’ll remember it forever.” have him back as well.” Travis Zajac sounded less determined to pursue a return with the That second part isn’t in doubt. Cizikas has been the heartbeat of the Islanders for what would be his 16th NHL season and first starting Isles pretty much since he established himself as a regular and he’s now anywhere besides New Jersey, but ironically he could fit a bit easier than 20th all time with 590 games in an Isles uniform. He’s 30 and there’s a lot Palmieri. If Cizikas doesn’t return you can bet the Islanders will see if of wear and tear — Cizikas has played more than 70 games once in the Zajac wants to sign as the new No. 4 center since he does much of what last five seasons, though he didn’t miss a game in 2021. Cizikas does (faceoffs, penalty killing, checking) only in an older, leaner body. The Islanders’ salary-cap crunch is an immediate concern and that’s before Lou Lamoriello has even budgeted for RFAs Anthony Beauvillier, The Wahlstrom thing Adam Pelech and Ilya Sorokin, who could combine for $15 million in cap Trotz had no regrets when asked about why he chose to keep Wahlstrom space easily. It doesn’t leave much room for Cizikas even if he’s willing to in street clothes after the 21-year-old was as close to 100 percent healthy stay at or go below the $3.35 million AAV he’s earned the last five years. as he could be, following what’s believed to be a sprained knee he suffered on an awkward hit from Mike Matheson in Game 5 against the Penguins. The Islanders scored three goals over the final three games against Tampa and the Isles power play went 1-for-17 against the Lightning.

“No, I have not (regretted it),” Trotz said. “If you could sit in the coaches’ room and know the injuries and all the possibilities … It’s easy to play fantasy hockey when you don’t have all the information sometimes. We lost 1-0 on a short-handed goal. To beat the Lightning we really weren’t going to be able to turn it into a track meet and go end-to-end and try to score. We have to defend and we had some people banged up and hurt so you had to cover all your bases. At the end of the day we make the decision that we do and you can’t look back. That’s the weak way to do it.”

Wahlstrom was ready to play two weeks after his injury, which was Game 5 of the Bruins series. So Trotz is more likely speaking about Pageau’s injuries, which seemingly made him opt for Zajac over Wahlstrom against the Lightning to have a more defensive-minded winger who could cover for an ailing Pageau if needed.

Wahlstrom betrayed no disappointment on Sunday at not getting back in the lineup. “It was a good learning experience for me,” he said.

There’s no doubt Wahlstrom will play a bigger role next season. Depending on how Lamoriello’s cap juggling works out, Wahlstrom could end up in a top-six role alongside Mathew Barzal or he could remain with Pageau and be a scoring threat on the power play.

A salute to the fans and the Coliseum

The lasting memories of Nassau Coliseum for the Islanders will be the last two games, which were two of the most memorable ones played there in almost four decades. There was Ryan Pulock’s game-saving stop in the crease to preserve the Game 4 win over Tampa and Beauvillier’s overtime winner in Game 6 that sent the crowd into a beer- tossing frenzy.

“Hands down, we have the best fans in this league,” Varlamov said. “Our fans, they bring so much excitement during the game, it’s so much fun to play. It’s just amazing, unbelievable atmosphere.”

“People talk about the building, it’s really more the people who fill the place up and the energy they can muster up,” Cal Clutterbuck said. “Just a genuine feeling of honesty in the building, it reflects the fan base and the population really well. As a player, you can feel it. There’s a lot of buildings in this league that are loud but this one has a different tone to it. We really love it and we’re looking forward to that sound being transported a couple miles down the road next year.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216583 New York Islanders to try to involve myself in that for no reason. I think I know where his heart is and I think, obviously, the team would love to have him back.”

The process will play out the way it will for Cizikas and the Islanders. For Islanders Identity Line, Life Without Casey Cizikas Now Something to With limited cap space and other players to worry about re-signing, Think About finding space for Cizikas will be a challenge for Lamoriello.

Time will tell with how this plays out, but now the real possibility of Cizikas leaving is setting in. Published 10 hours ago on June 27, 2021By Christian Arnold NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.28.2021

It was a thought the New York Islanders didn’t have pay too much mind to as they looked to win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 1983. Now that it is all over, the Islanders have to contend with the possibility that Casey Cizikas, one of the team’s most impactful players, might not be here when the puck drops for the 2021-22 season.

Cizikas just finished the final year of his five-year, $16.75 million contract and will become an unrestricted free agent if the Islanders and his camp can’t come to an agreement on a new deal. Cizikas is expected to receive a pay increase after playing a significant role on the Islanders’ identity line, along with Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin.

“I haven’t thought about it too much personally,” Cizikas said during his exit interview with reporters. “That’s a conversation for another day. I think right now I’m just focused on being with the guys. Spend these last few days before everyone heads their own way, spend them together. Do things together and I think that’s what I’m looking forward to right now.”

“These are friendships that are going to last a lifetime. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs together. This team is special. We’ve been together for a long time. Friendships are what this is all about..”

The thought of an Islanders team without Casey Cizikas is hard to fathom right now. He has become a mainstay in the lineup and became part of a line that embodies what head coach Barry Trotz wants out of his team on a nightly basis.

Cizikas broke made his NHL debut during the 2011-12 season, but he made his impact felt during the 2013 season and creating one of the most physical lines in the league. Since then, Cizikas along with Martin and Clutterbuck have helped dictate the course of games with their hard- nose, physical brand of hockey.

And they’ve created a bond that runs equally as deep.

“Casey and I have been playing together for nine years, eight years now,” Clutterbuck said. “I almost feel like he’s just a part of me as a hockey player at this point. Play with the same centerman for the bulk of your career and not only that, he’s one of my best friends. He’s just Casey. He can light up a room, especially when I can be grumpy sometimes he’s always there to be a puppy dog.”

Clutterbuck did also tell reporters that he wasn’t expecting to give it much thought and that it would work itself out.

While Clutterbuck is taking that approach, another member of the “best fourth line in hockey,” as it was once dubbed, is looking at things a little differently. Matt Martin did have the thought cross his mind at one point or another during the year and how different it could be without him.

“That’s one of my closest friends right there,” Martin said. “From a life standpoint too it could be a lot different, but obviously I think Casey would want to be back. I think that the team would want him back and hopefully it works itself out. These things seem to happen every year. It is a business and we just have to see how it plays out.

“Hopefull we’ll see him back here.”

"I think one of the greatest things about this team and the people that join this team is the complete buy-in to the way the organization sees it. It’s a special group of guys who have bought in for one another.”

Martin is in a unique position with all of this surrounding his fellow fourth- liner. Martin had himself been in a similar spot after the 2015-16 season and signed in free agency with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Martin would eventually work his way back to Long Island, but he said he would be happy to share any advice with Casey Cizikas should he ask.

“He’s got my number, he knows he can call me if he wants to talk about this stuff,” Martin said. “He’s got his own decisions to make. I’m not going 1216584 New York Islanders

Pageau ‘a Little Banged Up’ During Playoff Run, Surgery Possible

Published 13 hours ago on June 27, 2021By Christian Arnold

You could call it the worst kept secret during the New York Islanders playoff run. Jean-Gabriel Pageau confirmed on Sunday that he had been playing hurt during the end of the Islanders series with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

What exactly ailed him? Well that he wouldn’t say.

Pageau declined to tell reporters what the injury had been. It is believed he got hurt during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Semifinals where he had missed the last 13 minutes of the contest. The versatile forward left the door open that whatever had happened to him might require surgery.

“Obviously I was a little banged up,” Pageau said during his exit interview with the media. “Everyone is at this point. It’s not easy playing games every two days and you don’t have a lot of time to recover between the games. I think obviously everyone was banged up, including myself and we’ll see what’s going to be next in the next few days.”

“It’s hard. The long runs drain a lot out of you, physically and mentally. Knowing that group of guys, the character there is, the competitiveness, I know everyone is going to show up and just want more again. It’s something that drives us.”

Jean-Gabriel Pageau had played an important role in the last two playoff runs the Islanders have had to the semifinals. Centering Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri for most of the playoffs, the trio had been one of the team’s most impactful lines on a nightly basis.

The Islanders centerman did look a step off as the series continued and the injury appeared to hamper some of his ability on the ice. Pageau did not record a single point during the seven-game series with Tampa Bay.

Even two days after the Islanders’ season had come to a heartbreaking end in Game 7, Pageau preferred to keep the injury to himself.

“I would rather keep it personal, but there’s obviously little stuff,” Pageau responded when asked about it by a reporter. “It’s no different than some other guys. Like I said earlier, everyone is banged up at this point of the year. We play every two days, no room for recovery. We’ll see in the next couple of days what’s going to happen.”

Jean-Gabriel Pageau finished the playoffs with three goals and 13 points in 19 games.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216585 New York Islanders

What’s Next for the New York Islanders Heading into the Offseason?

Published 13 hours ago on June 27, 2021By Christian Arnold

The New York Islanders season came to a close with a heartbreaking loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night in Game 7 and the team is back in New York, so the offseason is now upon them.

After a fairy tale run to the semifinals for the second year in a row, the Islanders face plenty of questions this offseason that will impact the future of the franchise going forward. NHL GM of the Year Lou Lamoriello will have a busy offseason ahead of him trying to navigate the Islanders through another expansion draft and key free agents to re-sign amid very tight salary cap space for the Islanders.

So what’s next for the Islanders? Let’s take a look at some of the key issues facing them:

EXPANSION DRAFT

The first item on the agenda will be planning for the expansion draft, which is less than a month away now. Lamoriello, head coach Barry Trotz and the rest of the front office have some tough decisions to make about who the team protects from the draft and who they expose. Some of the names will be easy enough to figure out when it comes to protecting players, but that still would leave other impactful players unprotected. Nick Leddy has been one name that’s been thrown around as someone who the Islanders could leave unprotected as well as forward Jordan Eberle. We’ll find out soon enough with the expansion draft set for July 21.

CAP ISSUE/RE-SIGNING FREE AGENTS

As Barry Trotz said after the loss in Game 7, the Islanders that were on the ice this season, will not be on the ice next season. The New York Islanders found themselves in a cap crunch last year and things will be tight money-wise once again this offseason. Right now Casey Cizikas, Andy Greene, Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri are all scheduled to become unrestricted free agents this offseason. Add on top of that Anthony Beauvillier, Ilya Sorokin, Adam Pelech and Michael Dal Colle will be restricted free agents. Pelech will definitely be requiring a raise after the way he played during the regular season and the playoffs for New York. He, along with defensive partner Ryan Pulock, gained plenty of praise for their play as the Isles’ top defensive pairing.

Then there comes the price tag that Cizikas could run the Islanders. The Islanders would like to keep the center of their identity line on the roster, but finding the money Cizikas could be asking for might be difficult. And there will be other teams very interested in his services if Cizikas reaches the open market.

Islanders Fans Welcome Team Back From Tampa after Heartbreaking Game 7 Loss

FIXING THE POWER PLAY

It was a moment that seemed to be tragically poetic. The New York Islanders fighting to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since the dynasty days undone by their power play. Now it will be up to Lamoriello to give Trotz the pieces to improve it. The Islanders struggled on the power play during the regular season and only slightly improved during the postseason. It finished at a paltry 18.8 percent success rate during the abbreviated 56 game schedule. Getting Anders Lee will help and the use of Oliver Wahlstrom could impact that unit positively, but the Islanders could also use some help from the outside. The Islanders have always been a pass-happy team during the man-advantage and the team needs to find that scoring touch, or someone who will take a shot every now and then. That could be difficult with the cap situation, but the Islanders need to find a way to address their power play in the offseason.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.28.2021

1216586 Pittsburgh Penguins As far as next month’s expansion draft is concerned, Jarry should be the goaltender the Penguins protect.

The notion of Jarry rebounding from his postseason meltdown isn’t Penguins A to Z: Can Tristan Jarry rebound from a playoff meltdown? ridiculous. Former Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury fixed his game after what was arguably an even lower nadir during the 2013 postseason. Ditto Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy who bounced back from a first-round sweep in 2019 to win the Stanley SETH RORABAUGH | Sunday, June 27, 2021 8:01 a.m. Cup in 2020.

Is Jarry as talented as Fleury or Vasilevskiy? No. But Jarry has the talent In 39 games last season, Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry had a 25-9-3 to be a No. 1 goaltender. record. A few days after his team was eliminated from the playoffs last month, With the Penguins in the midst of their offseason, the Tribune-Review is Jarry vowed to “be better next year.” looking at all 48 players currently under NHL contracts to the He needs to if the Penguins are to be Stanley Cup contenders. organization in alphabetical order, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger Jason Zucker. Tribune Review LOADED: 06.28.2021 Tristan Jarry

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Left

Age: 26

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 194 pounds

2020-21 NHL statistics: 39 games, 25-9-3 record, 2.75 goals-against average, .909 save percentage, two

Contract: First year of a three-year contract with a salary cap hit of $3.5 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2023.

Acquired: Second-round draft pick (No. 44 overall), June 30, 2013

2020-21 season: Tristan Jarry’s 2020-21 campaign began much like it ended.

That’s to say there were a lot of questions, externally at least, if he was up to the task of being the Penguins’ top goaltender.

After he allowed nine goals on 33 shots in the Penguins’ first two games — each defeats — and was temporarily replaced by backup Casey DeSmith as the team’s starter for a handful of games, there was plenty of doubt if Jarry was ready for his moment.

Taking advantage of the downtime to focus on some weak points to his game, Jarry — who missed two games in early April due to an undisclosed injury — slowly but surely showed he was capable of being the Penguins’ top netminder during a regular season full of challenges.

Whatever momentum Jarry established in the regular season fizzled out during the postseason, however.

In six games during a first-round loss to the New York Islanders, Jarry had a 2-4 record along with an unimpressive 3.18 goals against average and an unacceptable .888 save percentage.

His lowest moment — not just of the season but perhaps his career — came during the second overtime of Game 5 on May 24. Jarry, an otherwise reliably dynamic puckhandler, forced a poor pass up the middle of the ice right to Islanders forward Josh Bailey who walked in for a goal ensuring a 3-2 victory at PPG Paints Arena.

Things didn’t get any better two nights later when Jarry surrendered three separate leads as the Penguins fell 5-3 in a series-determining road loss.

The future: Given the nature of his position and how he stumbled so badly when it mattered most in the playoffs, no other player on the roster is under more scrutiny this offseason than Jarry.

Penguins management has given Jarry a pretty rousing endorsement after his playoff flameout and indicated there is comfort moving forward with him as the top goaltender.

That said, current general manager tends to keep things closer to the vest than his predecessor, , who wasn’t afraid to outright announce his intentions before carrying them out.

In other words, if Hextall is going to make any kind of change with the goaltending — whether that be outright replacing Jarry or adding another goaltender who can pose a greater challenge to the top job than DeSmith — he will likely not broadcast it beforehand. 1216587 Pittsburgh Penguins Colorado curiously traded Cole to Minnesota early in the season for lesser d-man Greg Pateryn.

The flip side is former Penguins assistant general manager Bill Guerin Penguins Free Agency WATCH: Physical UFA Defensemen took on more salary to acquire Cole for his blue line.

Cole set a dubious career mark for the fewest hits per game. He delivered just 34 hits in 52 games. Cole’s $3.3 million Denver condo is for Published 15 hours ago on June 27, 2021By Dan Kingerski sale, so that reunion seems unlikely. A Pittsburgh reunion also seems unlikely, but strange times make for strange bedfellows. However, this is

a long-shot squared. NHL free agency is 30 days away from Monday, but between now and Adam Larsson, RHD then is the Seattle Kraken expansion draft, the NHL draft, and any number of trades that will go down. Some of the NHL trade market Famously, or infamously, Edmonton Oilers GM Pete Chiarelli traded movement is expected, like Jack Eichel, but history tells us a few will be Taylor Hall to the for Larsson. It wasn’t a great trade unexpected, too. Just what the Pittsburgh Penguins will do in the next for Edmonton, but that’s not on Larsson. few weeks is also more conjecture than knowledge. The stable, steady, and snarling righty hit 166 opponents in just 56 The Penguins’ defense tied for the fifth-highest scoring blue line with 28 games this season. He also blocked 128 shots. goals and was increasingly good throughout the season. Larsson, 28, will get a solid payday in the range of his expiring deal with Increasingly good is probably an understatement, as Mike Matheson and a $4.166 million AAV. Any team will have to offer the cash to get his Cody Ceci solidified their spot as the Penguins second pairing. However, signature on a July 28 deal, so the Pittsburgh Penguins would have to Ceci’s one-year bargain deal is expiring, and he figures to get a healthy clear salary to make room. raise in 2021-22. But a stay-home RHD who can be physical and balance an offensive And the Penguins defense did have their Achilles heel exposed in the defenseman may be worth a real look. There’s no worry about age or Round One loss to the New York Islanders. worn tires here.

“When we play hard and defend hard, we are a tough team to defeat,” It’s probably out of the Penguins range, but we don’t have answers to Marcus Pettersson said in May. “…The Islanders did that more to us than many questions, and if GM Ron Hextall wants to retool the Penguins, this we did to them. They won the most net-front battles.” would be a huge get.

So, the Pittsburgh Penguins will have a few decisions to make regarding Erik Gudbranson, RHD their blue line. Can they find the money for Ceci? Can they find space for top prospect and LHD P.O. Joseph? Where can they find a little more He played well in his brief stint with the Penguins after they acquired him muscle for those net-front battles? from Vancouver. He moved the puck surprisingly well, was physical, and Washington Capitals hammer Tom Wilson was on his best behavior. We project Ceci to get a payday well north of $3 million. His stat sheet performance was small, with just one assist in The last question is what we can address with a preliminary watch list. It’s not a deep pool of physical free agent defensemen, at least ones who However, no one saw John Marino coming, and early in the 2019-20 are competent NHL defenders and more than depth options. season, Gudbranson was squeezed out of the lineup, and the Penguins salary cap couldn’t afford to carry the $4 million d-man. Away to Anaheim In no particular order: for spare parts he went…

Unrestricted Free Agent Defensemen Gudbranson, 29, was a leader with his hometown this season and part of their scrappy, relentless culture. He only had four Alex Edler, 35, LHD assists this season, but the offense isn’t why you sign Gudbranson. Edler is a left-defenseman with aggression, jam, and size. He’s also a He suffered an injury after Nashville acquired him at the NHL trade defenseman who can lead a power play but ate up minutes on the deadline, and played only nine games after the deadline and two playoff Vancouver PK this season. games, so he could be both make this list and the coming bargain- At 35-years old, he is probably on his last contract, and this is not the basement reclamation UFA list. Edler of three years ago. However, the 6-foot-3, 212-pound defender is a Gudbranson has plenty of miles and hits to deliver. As a RHD, he checks player who could directly address the Penguins’ needs and still fit into a few of the Pittsburgh Penguins boxes, including affordability. their up-tempo system. Post Gazette LOADED: 06.28.2021 After three straight seasons with more than 30 points, Edler sank to just eight points (0-8-8), including no goals in 52 games this season. He did block 118 shots and dish 80 hits.

Edler has been a Canuck for his entire 15-year-career, and his stated desire is to stay put, but life isn’t always fair. Ben Kuzma of the Vancouver Province estimates his next contract to be between $1.5 million and $3.25 million annually.

The grizzled veteran, whose contract with a $6 million AAV expired, will have to accept a significant pay cut.

It’s a bit of a long shot that he winds up in Pittsburgh, but it’s not impossible, either.

Ian Cole, 32, LHD

You remember Cole, 32, and Cole’s issues with Mike Sullivan well, don’t you? Could old friends reunite because each needs something the other brings to the table?

The Penguins need a net-front clearing, gritty defenseman. Ian Cole needs a job. Cole’s three-year deal with a $4.25 million AAV from the Colorado Avalanche is expiring, and he probably won’t get a similar contract. 1216588 San Jose Sharks

Sharks fans celebrate as Vegas falls short of Cup again

BY BRIAN WITT

Which NHL team is the second-favorite of Sharks fans? Whoever is facing the Vegas Golden Knights, of course.

And for that reason, Sharks fans had reason to celebrate Thursday night, as the Montreal Canadiens defeated Vegas 3-2 in overtime of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup semifinals and thereby eliminated the Golden Knights from the playoffs.

So, just like San Jose, Vegas also has yet to win a Stanley Cup. Sure, the Golden Knights are still pretty new to the league, but it's not like they haven't had plenty of chances thus far. They were the most talented team left in the postseason and would have been favored in the Finals, but alas, they fell short once again.

Considering the season the Sharks just had, that's worth celebrating.

And many Sharks fans did, including the hardest working fish in the NHL:

This is what rivalries are all about, folks. Even when you're not directly involved, that doesn't mean there isn't plenty at stake.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216589 Tampa Bay Lightning the team hotel, arena and practice facility on the road. Regionalized division realignment limited them to playing the same seven teams throughout an abbreviated 56-game schedule. And as reigning champs, they got every opponent’s best game. Lightning show they’re not ‘full’ in pursuit of back-to-back Stanley Cups The Lightning opened the season inside an empty Amalie Arena, coming out to the lyrics of Jay-Z for every pregame warmup — Can I get an encore? Do you want more? — and will play in front of 14,800 fans for By Eduardo A. Encina Game 1 for Monday’s Game 1. Published Yesterday “What we experienced last year is something that you want to experience Updated Earlier today again,” defenseman Victor Hedman said. “This group is super special. The regular season was kind of up and down. It was a tough season playing against the same teams over and over again, but the closer we got to the playoffs, it felt like our game really came together and then the TAMPA — Exactly nine months ago, the Lightning got their first taste. playoffs started and it was just like we picked up where we left off last Inside an empty arena in Edmonton, another country and more than postseason.” 4,500 miles from Tampa, they ended their 65 days in the NHL’s playoff The Lightning have one more round to make history, and it will be against bubble drinking bubbly from the Stanley Cup. a Canadiens team that’s looking to blaze its own path with its first trip to For many in a core group that had been together for years, it was the the final in 28 years, in a similar spot to Tampa Bay six seasons ago. The culmination of a journey with numerous ups and downs while wearing a Lightning will have to continue to stay hungry. bolt on their chest, ending with a championship under the most unusual “You can’t predict that it’s going to happen,” Cooper said. “But that’s what of circumstances during a pandemic. the vision of everybody in this organization was, knowing that we could The feeling was euphoric, the realization of boyhood dreams, and one do this. And look, we haven’t won the Stanley Cup this year. We’re this group had worked so hard to finally attain. chasing it just like Montreal is. But to be down to the final two in back-to- back years, it’s a pretty remarkable accomplishment.” But it wasn’t a once-in-a-lifetime event. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.28.2021 Lightning coach Jon Cooper has talked about it a lot over the course of his team’s run to its second Stanley Cup final, which begins Monday at Amalie Arena: “If you win one Cup, are you full? Or are you still hungry?”

Hunger can’t be quantified. There’s no statistic that shows how far a team’s drive can take it. But after experiencing the thrill of victory — a postgame celebration followed by a boat parade down the Hillsborough River and an offseason with the Cup in Tampa — the Lightning was motivated to get that feeling back.

“It’s all well and good to one day put on your gravestone that you won a Stanley Cup,” Cooper said following the Lightning’s Game 7 semifinal win over the Islanders. “But to be able to do it two years in a row, multiple times, you’re talking about, now your team is special and years down the road they say, ‘Well, that Tampa team during some time was a hell of a team.’ I think you can really put a stamp on that if you win another one.”

It’s not easy to get back to the top, especially in today’s salary-cap era that forces rosters to change every season. Since the cap was first put into effect for the 2005-06 season, only one team has won back-to-back Cups: the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and ’17.

The Lightning’s championship season didn’t come until it had first experienced heartbreak: a Cup final loss to Chicago in 2015, Game 7 Eastern Conference final losses to Pittsburgh in 2016 and Washington in 2018, and a Presidents’ Trophy-winning regular season that ended with an abrupt first-round sweep by Columbus.

“There’s no doubt that today, those experiences are part of our baggage,” Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said. “We can draw on those experiences to prepare for our games, we can adjust along the way. They made us better. But to be honest, I would have preferred winning the Cup (in 2015) and not losing in four in 2019. But those challenges made us better.”

They also made finally winning the Cup more satisfying. It is the most special trophy in sports, and during their days with it, Lightning players and coaches were in awe of the Cup, its history and their place in it.

“I think we just used that experience that we had last year in terms of fulfilling your ultimate dream of winning the Stanley Cup and realizing how amazing that feeling is and knowing how hard it was to accomplish that,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “That was one of the first thoughts for a lot of the guys when we had the Cup ... It was like, ‘I can’t wait to do this again,’”

Yes, the Lightning have a loaded roster — critics point to the fact they took advantage of Nikita Kucherov’s hip surgery to place him on long- term injured reserve to help meet the $81.5 million flat cap and avoid roster restructuring — but they also overcame their share of obstacles.

They played the entire regular season without their top player in Kucherov and lost Stamkos for the final five weeks of the regular season. They had to adhere to strict coronavirus protocols that restricted them to 1216590 Tampa Bay Lightning that are going to be amazing. It’s a source of great pride. I can’t wait as we keep getting bigger and better.”

You have always been more comfortable as a behind-the-scenes guy. Jeff Vinik sees a Lightning team that’s evolved from glamour to grit Are you still shy after 11 years in the spotlight?

“I’m still a shy guy, that hasn’t changed. But I think I’ve just had practice. Whether it’s being behind a microphone or talking with fans, I’ve gotten By John Romano more comfortable in the role. But honestly, it’s just 11 years of practice for this introvert who is trying to be an extrovert.” Published Yesterday So what do you like best about this group of players?

“It’s how we raise our game and our grittiness at the most difficult times. TAMPA — Come playoff time, everyone sacrifices. It’s just part of the We play like a championship team … We were (known as) the Greatest NHL culture. Show on Ice, etcetera, for a time, (but) our guys have learned how to win So defensemen turn their heads and put their bodies in front of wicked and how to play big in big games. It’s really impressive from where we shots on goal. Forwards stand their ground in front of the net while were and how many years it took us to learn that. Hockey is a tough opponents attempt to shove, elbow and whack them out of the way. sport, but it’s every bit as much about their hearts and heads as it is about their hockey ability.” And owners? So, if it comes down to it, will you really miss Game 6 to be at the Well, if necessary, they miss a potential Stanley Cup-clinching game rehearsal dinner? because it’s more important to be a dad. At least that’s the plan for Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, whose son Danny is getting married the day “You know what? Family comes first. Hockey is a very close second, but after Game 6 is scheduled to be played in Montreal. family comes first.”

Normally, the NHL playoffs would be completed by July 10, but the 2021 Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.28.2021 season was extended an extra month due to pandemic scheduling. And that means the wedding in Rhode Island ended up falling between what could be the two most important games of the year.

“Two years ago, when they picked the date, we all assumed hockey would be over in the middle of June if we were fortunate to get that far,” Vinik said. “I’m thankful there’s no game on July 10, but Game 6, if it goes that far, is on that Friday night, the 9th, in Montreal.

“So I will not be going to that game, none of my family will either. We will be at the rehearsal and welcome dinner in Newport. I guess it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if, two years in a row, I wouldn’t be there when we lifted the Cup.”

Vinik missed the Stanley Cup celebration in 2020 because he chose to stay home with his family rather than remain quarantined in Canada for Tampa Bay’s two-month playoff run. He doesn’t regret missing out on the fun with the players, but acknowledged it was a far different experience to watch the Lightning clinch Game 7 of the Islanders series at Amalie Arena on Friday night.

“It was incredible to be in the building. It was incredible to be able to share that with 15,000 screaming fans,” Vinik said. “That’s what it’s all about, in my opinion, in terms of owning a hockey team: winning meaningful games in front of our community. It was fantastic.”

Vinik, 62, talked about what he liked best about this Lightning team and a handful of other topics in a 20-minute interview with the Tampa Bay Times on the eve of the Stanley Cup final beginning Monday night in Tampa. Some answers were edited for brevity.

Since buying this team in 2010, the Lightning have reached the Stanley Cup final three times and the conference final three other times. What is the secret to this success?

“I always go back to hiring the right people. In anything you do, it’s all about the people. It’s not just Julien (BriseBois) and Steve (Yzerman) and (Jon Cooper). It’s Tod Leiweke. It’s Steve Griggs and dozens and dozens of more. Everyone in the organization, having the common goal of being world class-plus.”

You were a financial guy in your previous life. How much more fun is it being a hockey owner?

“I still have my previous life, even though it’s more of a hobby than anything else now. But it’s extremely fulfilling to have developed with all these great people a really strong hockey franchise and also to be developing all this real estate.”

Speaking of which, downtown Tampa has become a different place since you bought the franchise. What goes through your mind when you drive to work and see some of these plans come to fruition?

“Eight years after starting to design Water Street Tampa, which wasn’t called anything back then, I almost get tingles seeing all of these buildings that are starting to be occupied, and all of the public spaces 1216591 Tampa Bay Lightning

What it means to Lightning to have Steven Stamkos for playoff run

By Mari Faiello

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Steven Stamkos played a magical 2:47 last postseason, scoring a goal on his only shot during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup final against the Dallas Stars before leaving with an injury.

While last season’s Stanley Cup run would be hard to top for the captain — who in his 12th season won his first championship — this postseason might be even more special.

Stamkos has played in all 18 games this postseason, accumulating seven goals and 10 assists. He’s tied for third in the league in scoring with Alex Killorn (17), trailing only Nikita Kucherov (27) and Brayden Point (20).

“As a player you want to be on the ice helping your teammates win, and that’s the best feeling,” Stamkos said. “... For me as a player, you want to help out any way you can. Last year was a small part, this year a little bit of a bigger part, but as long as you are a part of that group, that’s all you can ask for as an athlete.”

Stamkos’ teammates have enjoyed having him back on the ice, too.

Killorn said having Stamkos around all of the time this postseason — on the ice and in the locker room — “has been really helpful.”

Stamkos’ presence on the power play has given the Lightning yet another dangerous scoring option. He has four goals and seven assists on the top unit, where he joins Killorn, Kucherov, Point and Norris Trophy finalist Victor Hedman.

Point said the importance of Stamkos’ leadership can’t be overstated. He served a different role last season, bringing an off-ice perspective in the Canadian bubbles. But having him on the ice this time around has given the team a huge lift.

“Just to have him out there, obviously a great player, one of our best guys, and he’s done so well this playoffs,” Point said. “And he competes hard, and it’s great to have him back.”

Yanni Gourde echoed those sentiments, saying Stamkos’ one period of play last year was “a huge boost” for the team, but his presence this year has helped make this Cup run even more special.

“His leadership is just great,” Gourde said. “And the way he plays the game, he brings the team together, and the way he does everything every single night, doing the right thing, shooting the puck, just gives us a lift and it’s phenomenal to have him with us during this playoff.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216592 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov: ‘There was no injury’

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Lightning star forward Nikita Kucherov clearly has put the injury that knocked him out of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup semifinals behind him.

So much so that he’s not acknowledging it.

After Kucherov returned to the ice for Game 7 on Friday, he said there was no question in his mind he would play. By the eve of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final, he had all but forgotten about the injury, at least during Sunday’s media session.

Asked how he felt after the Lightning’s Game 7 win and how he’s managing the injury now, Kucherov said, “There was no injury. I don’t know what you’re talking about.

“I felt good, and there was no question if I’m gonna play or not. So, all good.”

Kucherov left Game 6 after just one shift after being cross-checked from behind by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield. Kucherov was slow to get up after the hit and was in obvious pain following an awkward check on Mathew Barzal later in the shift. He left for the locker room and did not return.

Kucherov’s status for Game 7 was up in the air until he took the ice for pregame warmups to the cheers of “Kuuuuch” from the Amalie Arena crowd watching the tunnel closely in anticipation.

“It was pretty huge, and it was nice that when he stepped on the ice fans started cheering,” Lightning forward Ondrej Palat said. “So that was pretty cool, and it was just a huge boost for us that we know he’s gonna play, so it was a great feeling and he played really well.”

Though clearly in discomfort, Kucherov had six shot attempts while playing 16 minutes, 29 seconds in the Lightning’s 1-0 win.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216593 Tampa Bay Lightning

Canadiens’ Corey Perry ready for another shot at Lightning

By Mari Faiello

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — As a member of the Dallas Stars, Corey Perry remembers all too well how it felt watching the Lightning celebrate their Stanley Cup championship on the ice in September in the Edmonton bubble.

But now Perry has another shot at the Lightning with the Canadiens.

Perry, who signed with Montreal as a free agent in the offseason, said he won’t be out for revenge when the Cup final gets underway Monday in Tampa as much as he’ll be looking forward to the test of playing against “a heck of a hockey team.”

“It’s a little different this year, obviously being here in Montreal,” Perry said. “It’s going to be a good test for us, but we’re up for the challenge. Personally, I don’t think there’s revenge or anything. It’s a different year. It’s a different team. It’s a new test. (We’ll) see what happens.”

After last season’s championship series, Perry is all too familiar with the Lightning’s skilled lineup.

“You can start with their goalie (Andrei Vasilevskiy), he’s a world-class goalie,” Perry said. “And then (they) probably have one of the top defensemen in the league in (Victor) Hedman and the list goes on, (Nikita) Kucherov, (Steven) Stamkos, you know, you can talk about them all day long.”

The Lightning added “grit” at last season’s trade deadline in third-line forwards Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow. The duo, along with center , has “kind of taken off,” Perry said.

With all that talent, Perry understands the importance for the Canadiens of staying out of the penalty box.

The Lightning have the second-best power play in the league, scoring on 37.7 percent (20 of 53) of their opportunities with the man-advantage. The Canadiens are seventh at 20.9 percent (9 of 43).

“Everyone knows what their power play’s like and how they can move the puck and the different options they have,” Perry said. “That’s one way of limiting their chances, but you have to play well defensively.”

Perry, who has nine points (three goals and six assists) in 17 postseason games, said it’s “no different than (playing) 95 percent of the other teams in the league.”

“Each night, you just have to be on your toes and ready to play,” he said. “You take a shift off, that could be the difference in that game. We have to be ready for Game 1 when the puck drops and go from there.”

Perry said the Canadiens are conceding nothing to the Lightning. After all, they are in pursuit of a championship, too.

“We’re here for a reason, they’re there for a reason,” the Montreal forward said. “And it’s going to be a good series.”

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Stanley Cup contenders do not usually lose this many games

By John Romano

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Just because the Canadiens lost more games than they won this year doesn’t mean they had a crappy season.

But it was crappy by Stanley Cup final standards.

With 24 wins (and 11 overtime/shootout losses) in 56 games in the regular season, the Canadiens had a points percentage of .527, which placed them 18th among the NHL’s 31 teams.

It’s the lowest points percentage by a Stanley Cup finalist since the Canucks in 1994, and should they beat the Lightning, their 24-21-11 record would be the worst by an NHL champion since the Maple Leafs in 1949.

So should Lightning fans be frisky going into Game 1 tonight?

Not if they’ve been paying attention to the past month.

Montreal may have stumbled to the finish line with 15 losses in its final 23 games, but it found the right formula once the postseason began. Carey Price is one of the best goaltenders in the world, and the Canadiens have wisely chosen to play a tight-checking, low-scoring style.

Montreal is 8-1 in games decided by one goal this postseason.

“We believe that we aren’t the underdogs. We’re very confident in ourselves and what we’ve accomplished,” said assistant coach Luke Richardson, who took over the team the past week when interim coach Dominique Ducharme tested positive for the coronavirus. “But in the same respect, it’s fine. We’ve kind of tuned out the outside (world) and let people say what they want to say.”

What people were saying in the first two rounds was that Montreal benefited from playing in a weaker division. The Canadiens fell behind the Maple Leafs 3-1 in the opening series but came back to win three consecutive games, including a pair of overtime victories. Then Montreal swept a rather pedestrian Winnipeg team to become the sole survivor of the all-Canada division in the NHL’s temporary reconfiguration.

The league semifinal win against Vegas was something different. The Golden Knights had tied the Avalanche for the Presidents’ Trophy with 82 points and was playing in its third conference final in the past four seasons.

The Canadiens may be the weakest offensive team the Lightning have faced this postseason, but there is no doubt about their defensive abilities. With a goals-against average of 2.18 in the playoffs, the Canadiens are right behind the Lightning (2.06) in terms of shutting down opponents.

“We don’t even have to say it to the players; we hear them talking about it,” Richardson said. “We don’t use it as a motivation to prove people wrong. … You want to show people that you belong, more than that they’re wrong.”

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Quarantining Canadiens coach Dominique Ducharme helping from afar

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

TAMPA — Montreal Canadiens interim head coach Dominique Ducharme had to watch his team clinch a trip to the Stanley Cup final while in isolation, quarantining for 14 days following a positive COVID-19 test.

As the Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights in six games in the Cup semifinals — earning a date with the Lightning in the final — Ducharme did what he could: watched games on TV, talked to his coaches during intermissions and kept in contact with players through text messages.

But there was only so much he could do without being there.

“That’s the toughest part right there, is not being close to the guys, being able to just have a little chat like that,” Ducharme said Saturday on a Zoom call. “Sometimes a few guys text me, call me to see how I’m doing in between games and things like that.

“To watch the games on TV, obviously it’s a different point of view. It’s like I’m doing video (review) live. So I get to see the replay, I get to see different angles. So I’m doing the best I can right now with what I can do and trying to help the guys.”

Assistant coach Luke Richardson, who spent one season with the Lightning as a player in 2006-07, has taken over bench duties in Ducharme’s absence.

The Canadiens were the last team to qualify for the postseason in the all- Canadian North Division and had the fewest points of any playoff team. But they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Maple Leafs in the first round, swept Winnipeg and derailed a Vegas team that tied for the league’s best record during the regular season.

“I think right now I feel that our guys, they’re not thinking, they’re just executing,” Ducharme said. “They’re just playing, and that’s what we wanted to create. When things start to become just automatic and just become second nature, I really enjoy watching it and seeing the group playing that way together.”

Ducharme’s isolation will end later this week. He’s expected to be back on the bench for Game 3 of the final, the Canadiens’ first home game of the series.

“A lot (of anticipation),” he said. “I’m not putting Xs (on the calendar), I’m not trying to look at the calendar too often. It’s like looking at your watch too often, it looks like time doesn’t go by. I’m trying to be as busy as I can and watch a lot of video and help the guys get ready.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216596 Tampa Bay Lightning which gave him $1.65 million in relief. He watched as Bogosian, Shattenkirk and Carter Verhaeghe signed more lucrative deals elsewhere, then pulled the trigger on a trade for David Savard to bolster the defense late in the season. All Julien BriseBois has done is change the course of Lightning history “He deserves a ton of credit for, in my opinion two years in a row at the trading deadline, making really ballsy moves to bring in at great expense what he thought was the missing pieces between us and the By John Romano championship,” Lightning owner Jeff Vinik said. “So kudos to him for Published Yesterday recognizing those needs and fulfilling those needs.

Updated Yesterday “He wasn’t afraid to make those moves, and he wasn’t afraid to not blow up the team when we had such a devastating loss in 2019. That’s Julien’s makeup. Calm, thoughtful, smart, well-researched. He’s got the whole package in terms of decision-making.” TAMPA — You love the Lightning’s grit. Their spirit and spunk. Lightning right wing Nikita Kucherov celebrates as he scores in Game 4 But what about the man who brought it here? of the second round, beating Carolina goaltender Petr Mrazek for his You finally have faith in Tampa Bay’s defense. A dependable top-six second goal of the game. [ DIRK SHADD | Times ] group after too many years of disappointment. He also infuriated fans in other cities with a move he had little choice on. But what about the GM who added the finishing touches? Kucherov had surgery for a hip labrum tear in December, which made him eligible for longterm injured reserve, and allowed the Lightning to You’re thrilled the Lightning have beaten the New York Islanders in carry an extra $9.5 million in salary cap space. The NHL investigated the consecutive seasons to earn a spot in the Stanley Cup final. surgery, the rehab process and Kucherov’s return to play, and So why has the Islanders boss won the General Manager of the Year determined everything was within league guidelines. award the last two years? “I didn’t know how things would unfold. Luckily for me and our Strange, isn’t it? We applaud the stars on ice for their performance. We organization, I don’t think it could have unfolded any better,” BriseBois appreciate Jon Cooper for pushing all the right buttons. We even said. “At the time when I was looking at all the possible scenarios and acknowledge a debt of gratitude to Steve Yzerman for putting the core of outcomes, none were as good as this one and there were a lot that this Lightning team together. weren’t very good.”

But what about Julien BriseBois? For good measure, BriseBois was also the general manager of the Norfolk Admirals in 2010 when they hired a junior hockey whiz named The Lightning general manager has been unfairly overlooked for the work Jon Cooper to coach a professional team for the first time in his career. he has done since taking over hockey operations. Yes, he inherited a roster of stars. Victor Hedman, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Andrei So who deserves credit for the Lightning’s success? Everyone. That Vasilevskiy, Steven Stamkos and a half-dozen others were already in includes owner Jeff Vinik, Cooper, the players and, yes, Yzerman. But place when BriseBois replaced Yzerman almost three years ago. the role BriseBois has played deserves a lot more credit than he has received up to this point. His first year on the job, the Lightning stormed through the regular season as if they were playing a game the rest of the league was still Here’s the bottom line: learning. Then came the collapse in the 2019 playoffs, and a reckoning Since he took over as GM in 2018, the Lightning have won more regular- that changed a franchise’s direction. season and more postseason games than any team in the league. Yet in While Cooper was trying to instill a defense-first philosophy, BriseBois all of that time, he’s never won the GM of the Year award, and has only was working the edges of a roster that was already, in some ways, the been a finalist once. envy of the league. But the Lightning were pushing the limits of the salary On other hand, BriseBois can still toast the other winners while drinking cap, which meant BriseBois couldn’t spend a lot of money and was from the Stanley Cup. limited in the trades he could make. Building blocks It was as if he was trying to retouch a Rembrandt while using crayons. Who deserves the credit for the Lightning’s foundation? Well, obviously, Yet in a span of six months, BriseBois made a series of mostly under- Steve Yzerman played a huge part. The former general manager and the-radar moves that made the Lightning a bigger, tougher, more hockey Hall of Famer was in charge when the core of this team was menacing opponent come playoff time. He signed Pat Maroon and Kevin assembled. But Julien BriseBois was hired as assistant general manager Shattenkirk to dirt-cheap deals. He jumped to sign when just weeks after Yzerman came aboard in 2010 and has refined the the defenseman became available at midseason after a messy split with roster to make it more postseason-ready since replacing Yzerman in Buffalo. 2018.

Then he acquired Barclay Goodrow and Blake Coleman in separate Here is a breakdown of players from the past two postseasons and when deals at the trade deadline. they were acquired:

“Julien has been the difference-maker,” said Jay Feaster, who Pre-Yzerman era assembled the Lightning’s first Stanley Cup championship team in 2004 as general manager. “The Lightning are not the 2020 Stanley Cup ⋅ Alex Killorn: Draft 2007 champions without the grit of Maroon, Goodrow and Coleman, and without the blue line upgrades of Shattenkirk and Bogosian. ⋅ Steven Stamkos: Draft 2008

“If Julien doesn’t make the team tougher to play against the way he did ⋅ Victor Hedman: Draft 2009 — both physically and mentally tougher — it would still be what it was: Yzerman era Incredibly skilled and talented and beatable in the playoffs.” ⋅ Ondrej Palat: Draft 2011 That’s not an exaggeration. Point, Hedman, Kucherov and Vasilevskiy were the stars of the 2020 postseason, but Coleman, Goodrow, Maroon ⋅ Nikita Kucherov: Draft 2011 and Shattenkirk changed the way the Lightning played and, more importantly, the way opponents tried to attack. ⋅ Tyler Johnson: FA 2011

And if those moves led to the 2020 Cup, BriseBois has been equally ⋅ Andrei Vasilevskiy: Draft 2012 important during the 2021 run. ⋅ Cedric Paquette:* Draft 2012

Needing to squeeze under the salary cap, he traded Cedric Paquette for ⋅ Brayden Point: Draft 2014 two players he knew where destined for the Long Term Injury (LTI) list, ⋅ Yanni Gourde: FA 2014

⋅ Anthony Cirelli: Draft 2015

⋅ Ross Colton: Draft 2016

⋅ Carter Verhaeghe:* Trade 2017

⋅ Erik Cernak: Trade 2017

⋅ Mikhail Sergachev: Trade 2017

⋅ Ryan McDonagh: Trade 2018

BriseBois era

⋅ Jan Rutta: Trade 2019

⋅ : Trade 2019

⋅ Curtis McElhinney: Free agent 2019

⋅ Pat Maroon: Free agent 2019

⋅ Kevin Shattenkirk:* Free agent 2019

⋅ Zach Bogosian:* Free agent 2020

⋅ Barclay Goodrow: Trade 2020

⋅ Blake Coleman: Trade 2020

⋅ David Savard: Trade 2021

* No longer with the team.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216597 Tampa Bay Lightning low of .510 and a high of .588 early on in the season — which is damn close to Tampa Bay’s season average.

In a normal year, the end-of-season snapshot probably still makes the 2021 Stanley Cup Final preview: Lightning vs. Canadiens most sense as the data set is complete. Midseason updates are more prone to hot/cold streaks that eventually balance out over time. In a pandemic-ravaged season where a team is forced to play a compressed schedule after an outbreak without its best forward and starting goalie? By Dom Luszczyszyn Jun 27, 2021 Probably not so much and the cliff where all that happened (mostly from taking Gallagher out of the lineup) is very telling. The team’s average expected win percentage was substantially higher than what it is now Before the playoffs started, it wouldn’t have been too much of a surprise (which is lower than the season low due to a lack of Tomas Tatar and the to see the Stanley Cup being fought over by two teams from the Atlantic model unfortunately still hating on Carey Price). Division. There was one strong bet to make it out of the North and East and two out of the Central, including the defending Stanley Cup Using an expected win percentage of .550 brings Montreal’s chances up champions. to 35 percent. The Lightning are still rightfully favoured but not to a perhaps ridiculous degree. That’s not meant to be a hedge against a Well, the defending Stanley Cup champions made it back to the ball, but model which has struggled in the Year of the Underdog (10 of 14 lower- their dance partners aren’t who many suspected. seeded teams have won), it’s merely to bring up important context for a special case like Montreal. Frankly, I don’t know anyone who suspected the Canadiens would make it this far after finishing the season at an 86-point pace in what many The probabilities also don’t reflect Tampa Bay’s best player, Nikita deemed “the worst division.” Even fewer could’ve imagined it when the Kucherov, being nowhere near 100 percent healthy. It seems like he’ll team fell to a 3-1 series deficit in the opening round, looking tough it out because it’s the Cup, but it’s worth noting that he’s worth overwhelmed and overmatched in the process. From that point, the roughly 8.5 percentage points in series win probability. His health brings Canadiens have been an entirely different club, channeling their early- this series even closer. season juggernaut energy into a run for the ages. Season stats They stifled Toronto in three straight games to mount an epic comeback. They swept the Jets out of existence with as dominant a series as you The big story between these two teams is which league-leading strength may ever see. And then to prove they truly belonged, they went toe-to- will be most imposing in this series: Tampa Bay’s power play or toe with Vegas and looked like the better team in the process. Two Cup Montreal’s penalty kill. Tampa Bay’s goal rate with the man advantage is contenders downed, one pretender thoroughly dismantled and Montreal tied for third best since 2007-08 and the best of any team that’s made it is on a playoff run for the ages. past the first round. Montreal’s goal against rate is the seventh best and second of any team to make it past the first round (with the added bonus The Canadiens absolutely belong here and have their toughest of having just as many short-handed goals). Unstoppable force meets assignment yet against the Lightning. Once again, Montreal is a heavy immovable object. underdog in this series — just as the Canadiens seem to like it. Each masterful unit is the primary reason both teams have come this far Series odds and are perfect examples of the type of good fortune needed to make it to the final. Both teams have played very well, but scoring nearly 15 Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score goals-per-60 on the power play is simply preposterous. Allowing just over against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six three on the penalty kill is almost equally so. Based on expectations, both weeks. teams are overperforming in that facet and look prone for regression. The Chaotic Canadiens do not care about the odds not being in their Whichever team can keep executing at an unprecedented rate should favour. After winning yet another series where their odds were under 25 have the upper hand. percent, Montreal is 4-0 since 2010 according to this model. Every other Given the regular-season numbers, it feels a bit safer to lean toward team is 2-18. Whatever dark magic the Canadiens seem to brew up in Tampa Bay’s power play holding strong. The Lightning had the seventh- extreme underdog situations, they’ll need it again against Tampa Bay. best power play during the regular season and that was without their ace With this being the third time Montreal has had odds this low in these on the right side unlocking new passing lanes and shooting threats. playoffs it’s, of course, more than fair to wonder if the model is simply Tampa Bay will no doubt be the most dangerous power play Montreal severely underestimating the Canadiens. It’s a valid point, especially has faced as the Leafs had the yips, Winnipeg was a shell of itself and when looking at the team strength being below .500 in the chart above. Vegas has a weak power play in general. That Tampa Bay eviscerated That may make sense for a team that played at an 86-point pace this Carolina’s penalty kill should show how dangerous it is. Montreal’s season, but it’s probably not right for the way Montreal is playing now. In penalty kill has been very strong, buoyed primarily by excellent all honesty, it’s probably too low, given the way Montreal played for most goaltending, but it’s hard to ignore how porous it was during the regular of the season — despite the shoddy record. season. The Canadiens’ suddenly elite penalty kill is the biggest shock of their playoff run by far. Tampa Bay’s power play isn’t, and that’s the main One of my biggest regrets in reporting these series previews came in the difference in why it’s easier to believe in one run continuing over the opening round with Montreal going up against Toronto. I completely other (though Kucherov’s health obviously plays a role in that). failed to mention the team’s COVID-19 outbreak and the compressed schedule that followed. It’s something that was eventually pointed out in At five-on-five, the two teams are likely to be a lot more evenly matched the comments and by my esteemed colleague Pierre LeBrun, who may than given credit for, it’s simply a matter of Tampa Bay’s elite skill will have been onto something with this Habs team. That tidbit may be the shine through. Both clubs had a 53 percent expected goals rate during most relevant data point regarding Montreal in these playoffs, especially the regular season, but Tampa Bay was able to convert that into an when it comes to this model. actual goals rate that was 2.7 percentage points higher — without its best player. Converting elite scoring chance numbers into results has long For those who have followed along with the odds all year, you may been a problem for Montreal and the same has been true during the remember the model was extremely bullish on Montreal for most of the postseason. The Canadiens are controlling the overall run of play with a season. Even when the team went into a midseason slump, even when 52.7 percent expected goals rate — their 51.6 percent against Vegas the Canadiens were getting repeatedly clowned by the Senators, the being their most impressive run yet — but they’re still getting outscored. model was always weirdly high on the team. It felt like a flaw that put too Their actual goals rate is four percentage points lower than expected, much credence on the team’s terrific underlying numbers and I lost a fair thanks to an inability to finish. At five-on-five, Montreal was outscored by bit of money betting on this very team. both Toronto and Vegas for the series, and it’s likely the same will But then the outbreak happened, the team lost Brendan Gallagher to happen here. That doesn’t mean the team can’t win, they already have injury and also lost their starter. Montreal’s numbers went into free fall twice, it just means it’ll depend on elite penalty killing and score and the model followed suit. That’s where the expected win percentage sequencing to once again get it done. It’s a bit difficult to have that work ended up, an end-of-season snapshot, but it ignores the in-season out three times in one playoff run, albeit not impossible. variability of that number. For Montreal, it was especially volatile with a With Montreal, it’s once again worth noting that a lot changed once Gallagher went down to injury and the team suffered a COVID-19 outbreak. Up until that point, Montreal was second in the league with a In that case, Montreal went into extreme “bend but don’t break” mode, sterling 56 percent expected goals rate and second with a 59.7 percent attempting to stifle the top attack at all costs. Toronto’s top line did earn actual goals rate. That team might be closer to the version we’re seeing 65 percent of the expected goals and 75 percent of the actual goals, but in these playoffs, especially considering Montreal’s performance against the goal rate was at a significantly lower volume on offence. Though Vegas. Montreal’s top line generated next to zero offence, it was worth it to see Toronto’s top line score half as many goals as expected. It was ground The Lightning are a new beast though, the most complete team Montreal that the team could make up elsewhere in other matchups. It’s better to will face in these playoffs. Montreal had the most trouble against Toronto be outscored 3-1 over seven games rather than 6-2, right? in these playoffs and Tampa Bay is an amplified version of that: an uber- skilled team led by stars, but one that’s battle-tested, gritty, experienced The question is whether that’s something the team can continue to do in and doesn’t lack a killer instinct. It’s David’s third Goliath to conquer, one this series or whether the Lightning will break through and score as many that combines the strengths of the past two to create Montreal’s toughest goals as expected. If they can, Montreal’s top line will need to deliver challenge yet. some offence of its own, something they are indeed capable of doing even if they haven’t shown it yet in these playoffs. Roster breakdown Kucherov’s health is the big wild card here, and health is part of the Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score reason Montreal had the ability to make up ground elsewhere with the against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six other matchups. The lack of John Tavares on the second line made weeks. The numbers may be slightly skewed as a result of ice-time Toronto’s depth look much less imposing and the same may happen to allocation. Tampa Bay if Kucherov misses any games. Even at less than 100 Against both Toronto and Vegas, the difference was the star power and percent, he found a way to contribute in Game 7, but it was clear he that remains true here. Tampa Bay is buoyed by its best, featuring a trio wasn’t the same and that does put a damper on the top line’s of forwards who are projected to deliver more value than any forward on effectiveness. Montreal. Brayden Point is a playoff beast, a speedy demon who carries Still, the major difference between Tampa Bay and Toronto is the the puck better than almost any player in the game and always elevates Lightning’s depth, which is among the league’s best. Tampa Bay is not his game come playoff time. In 18 games, he has 20 points with 14 of just a one-line team and that makes it very difficult for Montreal to make those being goals, thanks to a ridiculous nine-game goal streak. up ground elsewhere. Even with a less than 100 percent or even absent Kucherov and his premier playmaking ability helped unleash Point’s full Kucherov. potential and he’s sitting on 27 points in 18 games, with 22 of those being assists. That’s more than any other player has points. Then there’s The Lightning’s second line has been their best at five-on-five during the captain Steven Stamkos with seven goals and 17 points on a high- playoffs with Anthony Cirelli looking much closer to the Selke-calibre powered second line that’s thriving in these playoffs. It’s a trio very few player he was during the 2019-20 season. If Danault does prove too teams can match. troubling for Point’s line, Tampa Bay has the option of putting the next line up against them to free up the top line to do damage. Stamkos leads Montreal’s leading scorer, in comparison, has five goals and 14 points. the Lightning with a 57 percent expected goals rate with his two The Canadiens have just two skaters with more than 10 points in these linemates being next in line. playoffs. The Lightning have six, with five of those at 15 or higher. The difference is unexpected, given how both teams have played over the Montreal’s second line has been the team’s top offensive force and if the past few regular seasons and it’s manifested in this playoff run as Tampa team scores, it’s usually coming from one of these three. Nick Suzuki had Bay’s top offensive drivers have delivered. Montreal’s best just aren’t at a breakout season and these playoffs have been his elevation into that level. stardom. He’s a shifty player with a lot of tricks up his sleeve and the team’s best player at bringing the puck up ice. He’s the team’s best The Canadiens are well aware of that and their answer so far has not threat off the rush and a gifted playmaker, making his two wingers perfect been finding a way to rise to that level but simply slowing down the stars fits around him. Tyler Toffoli and Cole Caufield are two trigger-happy on the other side. Make them look ordinary. They kept Auston Matthews shooters who have a strong ability to put the puck in the net. Though the and Mitch Marner in check. They held Kyle Connor and Nikolaj Ehlers line isn’t as dynamic or skilled as Tampa Bay’s top offensive units, they down. And they reduced Mark Stone to rubble with a pointless series, not have the potential to hold their own. to mention dampening Vegas’ vaunted second line that ran roughshod over the Avalanche. Offensively, Montreal has done very little, but the The third line is where some problems arise. Paul Byron and Jesperi Canadiens have delivered defensively. Price is largely the reason for Kotkaniemi have scored big-time goals but, on the whole, the entire line that, but the team in front of him has helped immensely, especially in has been Montreal’s worst in terms of driving play. Their expected and limiting chances off the rush. actual goals rate are both hovering around 45 percent, which could pose matchups problems for a deep Lightning team. We all saw what Yanni A lot of credit should also go to Montreal’s top line, led by Phillip Danault Gourde, Blake Coleman and Barclay Goodrow were able to accomplish and Gallagher, who have understood the assignment and executed it to last season en route to a championship. They have the ability to make perfection. The top line has dominated the run of play throughout the life hell for opposing teams and, like Cirelli’s line, have the capability to playoffs and done everything in its power to limit the other team’s top turn into a shutdown line at a moment’s notice. line. There’s a bit of luck in the defensive results in comparison to the expected results, but it does feel like the top line is limiting space and That frees up some of Tampa Bay’s stars to take advantage in a way lanes enough to make life easier for Price in ways public models may not both Toronto and Vegas weren’t able to. Both teams needed their top account for. lines to dominate. Tampa Bay has much more matchup flexibility that makes the Lightning much more difficult to game plan for. Montreal does The top line’s defensive performance shouldn’t have been a surprise as have a very strong fourth line, though, that’s playing extremely well in this Danault has been a Selke-calibre player for a few seasons. He’s one of postseason but expecting them to continue thriving at their current level the game’s best shutdown players, forming a strong duo with Gallagher, is likely asking a lot. Again, the fourth line on the other side will also likely who has long been one of the best play-driving wingers in hockey. But a be the best they’ve gone up against, too. large part of their usual success is their two-way dominance, not just defence. Montreal’s top line is usually also strong offensively, but that Whether Tampa Bay’s skill shines through will also depend on whether hasn’t been the case in these playoffs and it’s what makes the team’s run Price can continue his exceptional playoff form. Going into the playoffs, even more surprising. Danault has just three points in 17 games, while the abstract idea of Price felt much scarier than the actual goaltender, Gallagher has five. The lack of Tatar, the line’s primary set-up man and given his struggles over the past few seasons. Those struggles, likely a driver of rush offence, may explain part of that, but it’s also the line’s result of injuries and workload, are the reason for his lower value here instructed role of shutting down the other team above all else. and are but a distant memory at this point of the playoffs. After three consistently strong rounds, Price has proven he’s back on top of his That’s worked so far, but the Lightning’s top line poses a massive threat game. where Point and Kucherov have the ability to break through Montreal’s defences and wreak havoc. Their ability to cycle and make seam passes His .934 save percentage is well above his expected .917 and it’s led to in the offensive zone will be very tough to handle. It’s a similar Price saving nine goals above expected in these playoffs or 0.53 per construction to Toronto’s top line, so the recipe for success is there and game. For context, he was at 0.58 per game during the year he won the it’s a matter of whether that formula is sustainable. Hart Trophy, making it more than fair to say he’s been back at his peak level during this postseason. The issue is that the guy on the other side is still the best goalie in the difference being how much stronger the team in front is. Price can world and any argument for Playoff Price must also acknowledge Andrei outduel any goalie, but doing so against Vasilevskiy will be tough, and Vasilevskiy’s own ability to rise to the occasion. Vasilevskiy’s .936 save doing so to make up the difference between the two rosters will be even percentage is a shade higher than Price’s, but it’s made more impressive tougher. by the fact he doesn’t play in front of a defensive shell. Vasilevskiy’s expected save percentage is .908, making the gap between actual and The Lightning are the defending champions for a reason and while this expected much higher, culminating in 15.4 goals saved above expected. Cinderella run has been pretty well deserved for Montreal, it’s difficult to That’s 0.85 per game to go with the 0.56 he was at in last season’s not feel like the clock will strike midnight here. We’ll see if Montreal is playoff run. able to break curfew to keep the celebration going, or if the Lightning are once again the belle of the ball. The difference between the two is substantial per my model and while Price’s value is obviously wrong at this point, the degree relative to The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 Vasilevskiy wouldn’t change if both goalie’s last two playoff numbers were added to the equation. Price’s value would rise by two wins, but so would Vasilevskiy’s (which is why I left it unchanged for both netminders). Price has already outdueled Connor Hellebuyck and Marc-Andre Fleury on the way here, what’s another elite netminder to prove he’s the best?

The defence in front of him should help with that as they’re all doing their absolute best to stifle chances. Montreal’s best bet in that regard has been the Jeff Petry and Joel Edmundson pair and the duo has been Montreal’s strongest puck possession unit, buoyed by team-best defensive impacts. Edmundson has been a very impressive addition to the group and he has a 58 percent expected goals rate during the playoffs. He works well as a stay-at-home type next to the more mobile Petry.

It’s still the top pair with Shea Weber and Ben Chiarot that are getting the most minutes, and it’s the former who has been a rock on the backend. That’s to be expected of the rugged captain and he’s doing his part with a 54 percent expected goals rate. What’s most impressive, though, is Weber’s ability to defend the line on top of his ability to defend in zone. According to data tracked by Corey Sznajder, Weber has allowed an opponent to enter the zone with control just 42.5 percent of the time. With Petry at 46.8 percent, Montreal’s two foundational blueliners have been the key to the team’s rush defence. Handling Point will be a very difficult challenge in that regard, though.

As strong as both have been at defending the line, Ryan McDonagh has been even better for Tampa Bay at 39 percent. That helps explain why the team’s shutdown pair with Erik Cernak has such a strong goal rate relative to expectations. The ability to shut down the rush is crucial there. All of Tampa Bay’s defenders are right around 50 percent expected goals, but it’s the shutdown pair that’s delivering the best results.

Still, this is Victor Hedman’s blue line and after an iffy couple of rounds, he seems like he’s back at his best. His Game 7 performance was a defensive clinic and he looked much closer to his usual self against the Islanders. His 52.5 percent expected goals rate was second among the team’s defenders and his 64 percent actual goals rate was second, too. It’s a nice reversal from his final month of the season and first month of the postseason. If Hedman is back to his elite self, that’s a huge problem for Montreal to solve.

David Savard hasn’t been the strong top four addition many expected him to be, the missing piece next to Hedman, but his play in the third round was a lot more encouraging. It feels like he finally fits the lineup and has been able to play his game a bit more in the process. He was the only defender with an expected goals rate higher than Hedman’s. His elevated play also got a bit more out of Mikhail Sergachev, who probably had his strongest series of the playoffs. That third pair is a luxury for the Lightning that gives them the edge over Montreal in terms of defensive depth. From top to bottom, there’s a lot more to like here. That’s especially true if it’s safe to assume that Erik Gustafsson won’t keep putting up an expected goals rate above 70 percent (though that’s largely from being sheltered heavily during these playoffs).

Montreal has defeated two very strong teams already so it’s not difficult to see the Canadiens doing it again. Tampa Bay is the strongest of the three, though, with not just star power to be afraid of but excellent depth at every position to go with world-class goaltending.

The bottom line

Montreal isn’t here just because of Price. From Game 5 of Round 1 onward, the Canadiens have played well in front of their star netminder and the entire team deserves major credit for making it this far.

With that being said, it’s still obvious to anyone watching how much influence Price has had on this run and while he’s not the only reason, he is by far the biggest reason. In this series, they’re playing a team where the same is true of the star goaltender on the other side, the major 1216598 Toronto Maple Leafs lot of people that were second-guessing this transaction. And again, to get something that special you have to give up a good player.

“So I’m not taking anything away from PK, but to get Shea Weber here in Price and Weber are business — and boring — as usual as they prepare Montreal, and what he brings on and off the ice for me, it’s special and for their first Stanley Cup final we’re four wins away from winning a championship that will be ultra- special. That’s where this relationship is.”

The Canadiens are here because the youngsters have taken a step Michael Traikos earlier than anticipated. And because the veterans, such as Corey Perry and Eric Staal, have reached deep into the tank for what might be their Publishing date:Jun 27, 2021 • 5 hours ago final kick at the can, Phillip Danault’s two-way game, timely scoring and an unwavering team-first defensive concept.

For the first time in their Hall of Fame-worthy careers, Carey Price and But really, they are here because of Price and Weber. They are the Shea Weber are in the Stanely Cup final. foundation upon which the rest has been built. They are leaders. And if they are not satisfied after winning three improbable rounds, then no one And based on their robotic reactions, they could not be more … blasé on the team is. about it? “You see how serious this is for them at this point,” said rookie Cole Seriously, someone check for a pulse. Caufield. “I saw that right away when I first stepped in the room.”

Talking with reporters on the eve of Game 1, Price and Weber both Maybe when this is all over and Price and Weber have captured the one displayed the emotional range of a Speak & Spell toy as they refused to trophy that has eluded them over their career, they will let down their drop their guards and get happy about a moment they have waited all guard. Maybe they’ll smile and laugh and even let out an “I told you so.” their lives for. Until then, it’s business as usual. There were no smiles. No laughs. Not even a single “I told you so” for bucking the odds and getting further than no one thought possible. “I don’t think you look at anything being where you want to be,” Weber said. “I think we’ve got to live in that moment and stay focused and just Instead, it was business as usual. It was also boring as usual. When keep on the grind.” asked what this means to him after 14 long years of waiting for an opportunity that many didn’t think would ever come, Price practically let Said Price: “I don’t have much to add.” out a yawn. Toronto Star LOADED: 06.28.2021 “There’s been some hard times, there’s been some good times, but it’s a part of the journey and a part of the story,” he said, speaking in his familiar monotone. “It’s been a good ride so far and hope to keep it going here.”

Did you ever doubt it would happen?

“No, I never said that,” Price added.

Well, others did. There were doubts from all over. Some said Montreal would never win with $10-million invested in an overrated goalie who had been coasting on his international reputation and who’s best years were well behind him.

As for Weber, he was the over-the-hill defenceman acquired in the controversial trade for the popular P.K. Subban, who’s advanced age and declining production and remaining term threatened to anchor the Habs in an endless purgatory of mediocrity.

Even the province’s premier weighed in, with Francois Legault tweeting a year ago: “Big challenge in 2020: Should we trade Price and Weber?”

Luckily, Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin didn’t listen to any of that. He didn’t break up his high-priced core when the team was spinning its tires. Instead, he built around them, believing that as long as the team had Price and Weber, it had a window of opportunity that was worth pursuing. And now, after a huge off-season and an even bigger post-season, it’s finally paying off.

“There’s not much we can do about that,” Weber said of the criticism both have faced, and Bergevin’s confidence in them. “We don’t listen to that stuff. If it happens it happens. We’re here to see things through and thankfully we’re in the position we’re in and, like Carey said, we’re excited to get things going.”

Price, who Bergevin called the “backbone of the team,” is showing why he is worth so much money, lifting his game to an unheard level in these playoffs. In the first round, he limited Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner to just one combined goal. In the second, he held Winnipeg’s Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers, Blake Wheeler and Pierre-Luc Dubois to just one goal. And against Vegas, he shut out Mark Stone.

As for Weber, he has only one goal and four points in 17 playoff games. But he’s been the centrepiece of a defence that has not allowed a power- play goal since Game 4 of the first round, logging the most minutes on the team and ranking second among D-men in blocked shots and hits.

“They’ve been through a lot, these two,” said Bergevin. “Pricer, as a goaltender in Montreal, as we know it’s demanding. There’s a lot of expectation … Webby, he came here as part of a trade. I know there’s a 1216599 Vegas Golden Knights if I were them. It’s a disappointing finish. I’m never going to be negative to our fan base that has given us so much support and love.”

It was minutes following that elimination game against Montreal, as a Golden Knights fans are spoiled — and that’s a good thing handshake line flashed across the TV screen, when my wife offered a few season-ending thoughts:

“They should rethink that Nick Suzuki trade and get him back …” By Ed Graney Short pause. June 27, 2021 - 2:49 PM “And also get Cole Caufield.”

How she hasn’t made a push for Nathan MacKinnon is beyond me. Four years later, things are the same around our homestead. My wife is still perplexed how the Golden Knights haven’t acquired Connor Fans. As delusional as they are passionate. McDavid. Sure beats the alternative. So, you know, welcome to my world. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.28.2021 Which is fine. It’s the result of a fervent response to a team by its town. Of a fan base overflowing with expectations. Of a segment of society indulged by the success of a brand that didn’t exist until 2017.

Apathy is the enemy by which no franchise wants to experience. The Knights have no such issue.

Their season concluded with a Stanley Cup semifinal loss to the Montreal Canadiens in six games, a series that displayed all the conflicting emotions fans embody while watching their heavily favored side fall short of championship projections.

These included the Knights being booed off the ice between periods of Game 5 at T-Mobile Arena.

It’s just entertainment

“Our fan base is one of our biggest advantages,” Knights coach Pete DeBoer said. “We take the good with the bad. There are big expectations, and there should be. Our owner (Bill Foley) has big expectations. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to win. Those expectations come with it.”

Hockey fans can be some of the more condescending sorts. So can hockey media. So can, unquestionably, a team’s upper management. They really want you to know how much knowledge they possess and others don’t. In no sport does such pointless arrogance exist more.

Stop. Nobody cares. This is just basically one of several overpriced forms of entertainment as a professional sport. A mere gnat on the windshield of significant real-life issues. Get over yourselves.

But it also points to how such excitement was created locally. You don’t have to witness firsthand the hysteria of a sold-out T-Mobile Arena — although it helps — to grasp the frenzy that has been developed over such a short time. How much insight and command of the game has been digested by what, in large part, was a first-time hockey fan base.

Of course it’s spoiled. The Knights have never missed the playoffs and just once were bounced before the semifinals. They’re doing things it takes other franchises decades to accomplish. Some never do.

A common theory — which history more than supports — is that Knights fans better enjoy all the winning now. That it can’t and won’t last. I’m not so sure.

The true measure of any fan base is how it supports a team in the worst of times. Cheering for the Knights these past four years hardly has been a taxing exercise for even the most casual of follower. We’ll see how things are once qualifying for the playoffs isn’t a certainty. Might be a long while.

Remember: It always has been the Knights driving this bus of expectations with Foley being the wheel. His original prediction — playoffs in three years, Cup in six — was thought an illogical and humorous goal for any expansion franchise.

Look who’s laughing now.

Credit the Knights. Foley especially. He has put his money where his heart is. And, for it, a fan base that expects nothing but the best was born.

Why not MacKinnon?

“They’re emotional, just like we’re an emotional team,” Knights forward Alex Tuch said. “Obviously, they were upset that we lost. I’d be mad, too, 1216600 Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas Golden Knights “Not There Yet” Says Pete DeBoer

Published 8 hours ago on June 27, 2021By Tom Callahan

As the Vegas Golden Knights fell one step short of the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight season, there are mixed emotions. Being one of the last four teams left playing at this time of year means you’re ostensibly better than 27 other teams. But the ache of falling short for the second straight season and the questions that dog the VGK remain. As the team faced the media for the final time in the 2020-2021 season, there were more questions than answers.

The facts are easy to see. The power play wasn’t good enough, failing to score in six games against the Montreal Canadiens and only totaling four goals in the entire playoff run. Speaking of offense, even five-on-five was inconsistent at best, and in the series against the Canadiens, it was absent among the top-six forwards entirely.

There are also good things that we saw: scoring from the depth and the defense carried the day more than might have been expected. The goaltenders played at an incredibly high level with very few exceptions. Alex Pietrangelo is worth every penny they paid for him on both ends of the ice.

Head coach Pete DeBoer has been prone to understatement when talking about the problems the Vegas Golden Knights endured throughout the season and playoffs. At his end-of-year press conference, not much changed. But one does get the sense that as far as the organization goes, changes are definitely coming.

“We haven’t done a deep dive into what areas need to get better,” said DeBoer. “Although there are some that jump out.”

DeBoer made an interesting comparison to the Tampa Bay Lightning, and how that team has gone from success to missing the playoffs, a first- round sweep after winning the Presidents Trophy, and then to winning it all last year in the bubble and going back to the Stanley Cup Final again this year. His point in making the comparison was that Vegas could be walking much the same path.

“Unfortunately when you don’t win you’ve gotta tweak and you’ve gotta add and you’ve gotta move pieces around. From a coaching perspective, we’ve gotta overturn some stones and get things better.”

Deboer did say the team took a step forward.

“I felt we were closer (to winning the Stanley Cup) this year than we were in the bubble.”

But at the end of the day, Vegas once again will spend a tortured summer wondering what could have been.

“We’re not quite there yet.”

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216601 Vegas Golden Knights Outside the organization, this year has been talked about as a bumper crop for teams looking to change things up in net. Several goaltenders are slated to hit the open market, and one of the most interesting names floating out there is goalie . While it Marc-Andre Fleury Wants to Stay, But Now is the Time to Trade Him sounded like farewell at the end of the season, Rinne recently said he’s not made up his mind yet, and didn’t rule out signing elsewhere. He is

roughly the same age as Fleury and might be tempted to chase that Published 14 hours ago on June 27, 2021By Tom Callahan elusive Stanley Cup at a bargain price for one year. There’s also some other big names on expiring contracts like Freddy Andersen (TOR), Tuuka Rask (BOS), Jordan Binnington (STL), and Philipp Grubauer (COL), Antii Raanta (ARI), James Reimer (CAR) and more. A There are some cold, hard aspects of hockey as a business. Moving on lot more. It’s going to be a crowded market. from draft picks or prospects when you think they’re not going to develop. Telling a player he no longer fits in your plans. And sometimes, having to It can be done, keeping both goaltenders. There is a strong case to be trade or buy out a player whose contract has become untenable because made as to why you would keep him. The Vegas Golden Knights did it we live in a salary cap world. Marc-Andre Fleury – more accurately the this season but had to make compromises or suffer some roster issues to contract belonging to Marc-Andre Fleury – has become an albatross on make it happen. But if there is any appetite whatsoever to move Marc- the salary cap of the Vegas Golden Knights. Andre Fleury, now is the time.

We’ve been through this before. Prior to last season the Vegas Golden Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.28.2021 Knights and Marc-Andre Fleury were engaged in a dance, one in which they might not have ended up partners by the end. The way things played out, several potential trades never materialized and Fleury was a major part of this year’s regular-season and playoff success.

After a long and by almost every measure successful season, Fleury’s agent Allan Walsh tweeted this:

Right now, Fleury has one year left on his contract with a cap hit of $7M and a cash outlay of $6M (for teams where that makes a difference). Robin Lehner just signed a five-year, $5M AAV deal before last season so he’s locked up for the long haul. If you believe that Lehner is your goaltender for the next several seasons – and based on the contract he was handed, that’s the VGK viewpoint – now is the best possible time to trade Marc-Andre Fleury. Here’s why.

Note: We are all well aware of Bill Foley’s position on Fleury and how much he loves him.

First, Fleury is hot. This year he earned his first nomination, which is a bit of a surprise but a fact. His regular season was tremendous, posting a 26-10-0 mark with a 1.98 goals-against average and .928 save percentage. Those numbers were good for third place in all three of those categories league-wide. Plus it could easily be argued that Fleury was the team’s MVP during the season.

Then there’s the contract. It expires this season which means any team that acquires Fleury has him for just one year. Important because you have the flexibility to extend the deal or not if you wish. Equally as important, teams looking to acquire expiring assets at the trade deadline would see a pro-rated portion of that $7M cap hit ideal as insurance in a shaky goaltending situation. At that point, depending on the terms of the deal, it might be an extremely appetizing trade piece for a team looking to return other assets.

Finally, there are those famous Fleury intangibles. The smiles, the leadership, the game-saving stops. Constant good moods when dealing with teammates and the media. The guys is well-loved for a reason. He’s just one of those rare ebullient personalities that people are drawn to. Having that guy in your locker room makes a difference and might just be what puts a team over the top. You know he could easily give you 30-40 starts or more in a regular-season of 82 games, and perform well with that kind of rest.

Another factor not related to Fleury at all is the contract given to Robin Lehner. It’s a starter’s contract. At some point the decision was made that he was worthy of a five-year deal to make him the guy. Vegas needs to find out if he is that goalie for them, and they can’t do it with him sitting behind Fleury.

If you’re concerned about replacing Fleury, here are a few options that might make you feel better.

Inside the organization, Logan Thompson right on NHL-ready. At 24, he’s done pretty much everything a young goaltending prospect can do in the . This season alone he won the league’s Goaltender of the Year award, been named to the league’s All-Rookie Team and Pacific Division All-Star Team, won back-to-back AHL Goaltender of the Month awards, and finished first in save percentage (.943), second in GAA (1.96) and second in wins (16) despite playing eight fewer games than the league leader. At some point, he needs to get a shot to see if he can handle the NHL on a much more regular basis. 1216602 Websites 41-37 Eric Duhatschek

41-37 The Athletic / Stanley Cup Final picks, odds: Expert selections for game 1 between the Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning Sean Gentille

40-38

By The Athletic NHL Staff Jun 27, 2021 The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021

Every day during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, The Athletic NHL writers will make their picks straight up. We put our picks, the latest odds and series news for fans to easily digest and follow. Our in-depth coverage from every team is linked below the picks. All lines via BetMGM. If you’d like a free year of The Athletic (or an extension!), BetMGM is running a special offer, which also includes $100 in bonus bets.

Game 1 – Montreal Canadiens (+165) at Tampa Bay Lightning (-200)

Total: 5

PICK

Eric Duhatschek

Tampa Bay Lightning

Sean Gentille

Tampa Bay Lightning

Dom Luszczyszyn

Tampa Bay Lightning

Scott Burnside

Montreal Canadiens

Sean McIndoe

Montreal Canadiens

Before the playoffs started, it wouldn’t have been too much of a surprise to see the Stanley Cup being fought over by two teams from the Atlantic Division. There was one strong bet to make it out of the North and East and two out of the Central, including the defending Stanley Cup champions.

Well, the defending Stanley Cup champions made it back to the ball, but their dance partners aren’t who many suspected.

Frankly, I don’t know anyone who suspected the Canadiens would make it this far after finishing the season at an 86-point pace in what many deemed “the worst division.” Even fewer could’ve imagined it when the team fell to a 3-1 series deficit in the opening round, looking overwhelmed and overmatched in the process. From that point, the Canadiens have been an entirely different club, channeling their early- season juggernaut energy into a run for the ages.

They stifled Toronto in three straight games to mount an epic comeback. They swept the Jets out of existence with as dominant a series as you may ever see. And then to prove they truly belonged, they went toe-to- toe with Vegas and looked like the better team in the process. Two Cup contenders downed, one pretender thoroughly dismantled and Montreal is on a playoff run for the ages.

The Canadiens absolutely belong here and have their toughest assignment yet against the Lightning. Once again, Montreal is a heavy underdog in this series — just as the Canadiens seem to like it.

2021 Stanley Cup Final preview

Stanley Cup playoffs picks records

RECORD

Sean McIndoe

46-32

Scott Burnside

43-35

Dom Luszczyszyn 1216603 Websites Andrei Vasilevskiy 24.39%

Nikita Kucherov The Athletic / Stanley Cup Final predictions, plus playoff officiating, Olympics and next season’s champion 4.88%

Grading the playoff officiating

By The Athletic NHL Staff Jun 27, 2021 A bad call in the playoffs always gets big attention, and this year the hockey world is buzzing every time the rule book seems to be ignored in

a game. Our panel did not go easy on their grading. The Stanley Cup Final starts on Monday night with the Tampa Bay GRADE PERCENT OF VOTE Lightning and Montreal Canadiens. All information you likely already knew before you clicked on this article. You also likely assume that A most of the experts weighing in on this series are picking the defending champions to beat the underdog. 0%

This is why we knew we had to go deeper, make this more interesting, B more fun than just picking the winner and who will get the Conn Smythe 2.40% Trophy — don’t worry, we do that, too, and we had our Anonymous Unplugged Panel do the same. C

Beyond that, we had The Athletic’s NHL team give their opinions on 19.50% playoff officiating, the idea of expanding the playoff field, the changes from this season that they want to stay, the 2022 Beijing Olympics and D the Stanley Cup champion in 2022. 53.70%

Let’s get into it. F

Stanley Cup winner? 24.40%

Our panel of 41 voters picked the Lightning to repeat, but it wasn’t as Starting with the worst of their opinions, some felt the league and NHL one-sided as some of our predictions have been. It seems like the GMs endorse the lack of calls in the playoffs by not holding the officials underdog Habs and Marc Bergevin’s lucky red suit are gaining more accountable. believers. It was also pointed out that this could be hurting the appeal of the game, Lightning vs. Canadiens especially as the star players appear to be silenced by the “let ’em play” TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING mentality.

MONTREAL CANADIENS “What happens in the playoffs diminishes skill and rewards mediocrity,” said one writer. “The league should be doing everything it can to 4.90% enhance its star players and create a platform where they can excel, not constantly be hooked and held and cross-checked into lesser 4 Games performances by lesser players.”

9.80% And a few were just surprised that anyone is surprised: “Every year, it’s 5 Games the same. Every year, we act like it’s not.”

46.30% Another portion of the panel did not see this as severe a problem as some may view it as, saying that allowing the game to flow instead of 6 Games making every ticky-tack call makes the game more enjoyable.

17.10% “The cross-checks are especially glaring and need to be called. … That penalty, in particular, needs to be enforced much more,” said another 7.30% writer. “But with that said, I do prefer keeping the thresholds for hooks, 7 Games holds and slashes fairly high, in the interest of flow and pace — even if it stifles a bit of offense and incites some controversy along the way.” 14.60% Added another: “They’re an easy target. I think it’s easy to say call the 68.30% rule book but there is a slippery slope if you really read the rule book and compare it to game play. You saw it in 2006 when it was a strict 31.70% application and power-play opportunities were double current climate and One of the biggest storylines of this series is the star goaltending people didn’t like that either. I’m open to ideas of reforms to standards matchup between Carey Price and Andrei Vasilevskiy. So much for the and rules, but I don’t think it’s a clear-cut solution.” tandem being the best path to success. To get at the heart of this battle, Expanding the playoff field we asked our panel a simple question: You have to win one game, who do you want in net? Their answer was Vasilevskiy, with 68.3 percent of Pierre LeBrun recently revisited his idea of expanding the playoffs the vote. beyond 16 teams. He polled the league’s GMs and found strong support for the idea. So we polled our writers. But Price was the second favorite to win the playoff MVP award and the only Canadiens player to receive a vote. Should the playoffs be expanded?

Conn Smythe winner? ANSWER PERCENT OF VOTE

PLAYER PERCENT OF VOTE Yes, absolutely

Brayden Point 22.95%

39.02% Yes, but ...

Carey Price 29.27%

31.71% No, that is a terrible idea 48.78% 2022 Stanley Cup winner

A big portion of the panel was against the idea: “Half the league is To close things out, we will go back to where we started — Lord Stanley already in the playoffs. That’s more than enough in my opinion.” — and asked who will win the Stanley Cup next season?

“The playoff race should be exciting and it should feel like it produces TEAM PERCENT OF VOTE teams with realistic aspirations for contention,” said a different writer. Colorado Avalanche “You want best teams competing in playoffs and not increasing odds of fluke series losses,” said a third. 70%

The idea of a longer postseason was not tolerable to one voter because Carolina Hurricanes it would create scenarios where more players can get injured: “You want 7.50% the best team of the playoffs winning it all. Not who the healthiest is at the end.” Tampa Bay Lightning

Some thought that the wild-card system in place was not that far off from 7.50% a play-in round. Vegas Golden Knights “Why wouldn’t four teams in each conference play each other in a couple 7.50% of best-of-three series, with the winner advancing to the Stanley Cup playoffs proper as a wild card? The solution is right there, and it would Toronto Maple Leafs give the division winners an additional advantage. Win-win.” 5% The argument was repeatedly made that expanding the playoff field would further devalue the regular season, but those in favor of the idea Florida Panthers thought the opposite and supported the NBA format as one to emulate. 2.50% As one writer explained: “People object to the idea by saying ‘the regular The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 season won’t matter,’ but the beauty of an expanded playoff is that the season would matter more. Right now, the only race that really matters is the one to finish eighth. Seeding and home ice really don’t matter, so if there isn’t a race for eighth in a conference, the last month is a slog. But if we expand the playoffs, we suddenly have multiple pressure points. The race of 10th would be huge. But so would the race for sixth, since teams would want to avoid the play-in round. And the top two teams would get a few days of rest before playing a tired opponent, so now that matters too. Suddenly there are important games everywhere, not just involving a handful of teams.”

Others thought expanding the field would be smart to increase revenue, while some only supported the idea if it meant there was a shorter regular season.

Changes to Keep

Because we aren’t always negative, we wanted to look at the changes of the past year with a glass-half-full attitude by asking what new things were introduced this year that we would like to stay.

There was a lot of love for a shorter regular season after the 56-game season flew by. There was also support for keeping the series-style scheduling to reduce travel, also known as the schedule. The increase in divisional play, maintaining this season’s playoff format and keeping the All-Canada division were also favored.

There was not support for sticking with video call interviews instead of in- person interviews. Well, there was one person, but we will assume they were kidding.

And there might be one writer anxious for life to return to normal: “Burn it all.”

2022 Beijing Olympics

Staying in the theme of looking ahead, the Winter Olympics are scheduled for next year and the NHL has not finalized the agreement to go to Beijing. Despite the lack of finality, our panel strongly believes it will happen, with 92.7 percent saying the NHL will be there.

And when that happens, they think Canada will bring home a gold medal.

Who will win Olympic gold?

COUNTRY PERCENT OF VOTE

Canada

82.90%

USA

12.20%

Sweden

4.90% 1216604 Websites who can forget that epic moment from “Avengers: Endgame” when Captain America proved worthy enough to wield Thor’s hammer, much like the Islanders proved worthy enough to be on the same level as a team like Tampa Bay this season, taking the Lightning to seven games. The Athletic / NHL power rankings: Tampa Bay, Montreal and the NHL The Islanders ultimately lost, but no one can mistake this team for not Cinematic Universe belonging anymore.

4.Vegas Golden Knights

By Dom Luszczyszyn and Sean Gentille Jun 27, 2021 Last week: 2

Series record: Lost 4-2

The top two teams in the final power rankings of the playoffs are … the Dom rank: 4 Colorado Avalanche and Toronto Maple Leafs. Sean rank: 4 Just kidding. We have the Stanley Cup finalists ranked 1-2. Which is which? You’ll have to wait and see. Thanos: Max Pacioretty. Mark Stone. Robin Lehner. Alex Pietrangelo. After plucking a talented player from every team in the expansion draft, Our fun little theme this week: Every team gets its own Marvel Cinematic Vegas decided it wouldn’t stop there and collected superstars like they Universe analog. There’s a reason for that — we promise. were Infinity Stones. Is Jack Eichel the final stone needed to complete the Gauntlet and make victory inevitable? Maybe so, after yet another 1. Tampa Bay Lightning heartbreaking loss in the semifinals. After taking down Colorado with Last week: 1 apparent ease, it was strange to see Vegas outplayed by Montreal, but even the most intimidating foes aren’t invincible — something the Stanley Series record: Won 4-3 Cup playoffs prove every season.

Dom rank: 1 5. Colorado Avalanche (39-13-4, 82 points)

Sean rank: 1 Vision: The Avalanche are arguably the smartest organization in hockey — trade with Joe Sakic at your own peril — and that made them one of Thor: This one is obvious. Who else but the god of Lightning (and the league’s strongest teams this season. That fits Vision pretty well thunder)? Thor is arguably the most powerful Avenger, and that fits the given his super-intelligence, but he’s more than just a fancy cyborg in a Lightning to a T, as they’ve been the most consistently successful sweater vest. He has super strength, super speed and the ability to franchise over the past half-decade or so: a Stanley Cup last year, a Cup obliterate anyone in his path with the Mind Stone. That fits the Avalanche final berth in 2015, a trio of conference finals appearances, and the best pretty well, especially considering the eventual demise of the team and regular season of all time sprinkled in between. This season, the Vision coming at the hands of Vegas/Thanos. Lightning lost their best player for the entire year and still managed an incredible record — sort of like Thor losing Mjolnir or his eye in 6. (33-16-7, 73 points) Ragnarok. The Lightning are back in the Cup final again, their third appearance in seven years. It has been an incredible run, and a second Loki: In terms of heroes and villains, it’s pretty obvious Boston falls in the Cup win would cement Tampa Bay as the league’s most powerful team. latter category. There are times when the Bruins can trick you into likeability, but it’s always only momentary before you realize they’re still 2. Montreal Canadiens the Bruins. You can point to Patrice Bergeron and say, “Yeah, they’re all right” … and then remember they also have Brad Marchand, master troll. Last week: 3 That fits Loki’s character arc pretty well, as he’s played both sides during Series record: Won 4-2 the MCU run, though mostly leaning toward the villain side of things. Loki has a number of strengths, including sorcery. That’s kind of what it feels Dom rank: 2 like when watching Boston’s top line.

Sean rank: 2 7. Carolina Hurricanes (36-12-8, 80 points)

Spider-Man: A bit unassuming as far as superheroes go, your plucky Shuri: Might be the smartest character in the MCU. Carolina doesn’t neighborhood Spider-Man is often underestimated in the MCU. And yet really have a superstar, much like Shuri doesn’t have superpowers, but there he is, resilient as always for the greater good, ready to meet the both more than make up for it with super smarts. The Hurricanes are one toughest villains head-on before they even know what’s coming. Montreal of the league’s savviest teams. has thrived as the underdog this postseason, going the distance when few figured it could. Amid the chaos, the storied franchise has found a 8. Winnipeg Jets (30-23-3, 63 points) way to prevail despite the odds being stacked against it. Like Spider- Hawkeye: The Jets are filled with sharpshooters, so Hawkeye is a natural Man, the Canadiens had to prove they belong, and now that they’re here, fit for his marksmanship. It’s also because Hawkeye, as a glorified no one will be taking them lightly anymore. Legolas in a world full of mystical power, is one of the most 3. New York Islanders underwhelming Avengers outside of his bow-and- chops. Yeah, the Jets can snipe, but put them in a fight with a real baddie and they’ll be Last week: 4 overwhelmed quickly.

Series record: Lost 4-3 9. Minnesota Wild (35-16-5, 75 points)

Dom rank: 3 Winter Soldier: At one point, the Wild were NHL villains, boring us to Sean rank: 3 death with their defensive brand of hockey. No one wants that, but the Wild didn’t know any other way. One could say they were brainwashed, Captain America: Defense, defense, defense — followed by a quick much like Bucky Barnes, but they’re both on the right side of the tracks counterattack that’s often executed perfectly. That’s the Islanders, and now — even if many refused to believe it. After an uber-exciting season they fit perfectly with the Avenger best known for his shield. The of hockey, it’s hard not to concede the Wild are one of the good guys. comparison goes further than that, though. Consider the Super Soldier Serum Steve Rogers took to become Captain America as something 10. Florida Panthers (37-14-5, 79 points) Barry Trotz gives every player at the start of the season to become their Black Panther: In this scenario, Dale Tallon is Killmonger, dismissing best selves. There’s the reputation that both are capital-B Boring, but “The Computer Boys” and saying, “Is this your king?” to a decent, albeit that’s only if you stopped paying attention after the first movie/season. flawed roster. The Black Panther lost his powers like Florida lost two- There’s also the fact that both spent a little time in , which thirds of a second line in the expansion draft, and both became a shell of everyone seems to forget. And finally, there’s the intangible element, one their former selves. Eventually, Tallonmonger was defeated, order was that can’t be ignored when talking about Captain America or the restored and the Panthers finally fulfilled some of their promise with a Islanders. Both have the desire to be the best version of themselves, to strong regular season. persevere when the going gets tough and to keep fighting — always. And 11. Pittsburgh Penguins (37-16-3, 77 points) 22. Calgary Flames (26-27-3, 55 points)

Iron Man: Main characters, lots of firepower — one met his end, and the Talos: At one point, Talos and the very concept of a Skrull felt pretty other is close. Also, Iron Man, Steel City, things of that nature. threatening. By the end of “Captain Marvel,” you just feel bad for them. Poor Flames. 12. Washington Capitals (32-17-7, 71 points) 23. San Jose Sharks (21-28-7, 49 points) Doctor Strange: The Capitals continue to defy not only Father Time but also the sheer logic of how most teams win in this league. They find a Red Skull: Came tantalizingly close to a world takeover. Now banished to way, bending and altering space and time to continuously reach the hinterlands. Almost literally in purgatory. contender status. 24. Los Angeles Kings (21-28-7, 49 points) 13: Nashville Predators (31-23-2, 64 points) Black Widow: One of the most important characters and also someone Drax: “I’ve mastered the ability of standing so incredibly still that I who met an … anti-climactic end. But, wait! It might be time to introduce become invisible to the eye.” For some reason, that quote made me think some new characters and try to turn back the clock a bit. of the Predators, a team that has quietly become that irrelevant middle- table team that everyone forgets. For the past few years, the Predators 25. Ottawa Senators (23-28-5, 51 points) have been standing perfectly still in mediocrity. Michelle Jones (MJ): Spider-Man’s only weakness. If Montreal wins it all, 14. Edmonton Oilers (35-19-2, 72 points) give us a Sens-Habs series just to be sure we didn’t miss the real best team in hockey. Captain Marvel: An overpowered superhero feels apt for a team led by the past two Hart Trophy winners (assuming Connor McDavid wins this 26. Vancouver Canucks (23-29-4, 50 points) year’s in a landslide and hopefully unanimously). It’s even more apt when J. Jonah Jameson: Repeatedly foiled by Spider-Man (Montreal). you consider Captain Marvel basically disappeared for the entirety of Frequently wrong about almost everything, and sensationalizing it in the “Avengers: Endgame” and that the Oilers were a complete playoff no- process. Sometimes following the Canucks and their doings feels like show. reading the Daily Bugle’s Vancouver edition.

15. St. Louis Blues (27-20-9, 63 points) 27. Detroit Red Wings (19-27-10, 48 points)

Falcon: Is technically an Avenger in the same way the Blues are Hank Pym: The original Ant-Man got out of the hero game for a while — technically Stanley Cup champions. It happened, it’s real, but no one his choice — then came back in a big way. The Red Wings are on track really cares. for something similar.

16. Toronto Maple Leafs (35-14-7, 77 points) 28. New Jersey Devils (19-30-7, 45 points)

Mysterio: So this whole idea started because of this article — one that so Groot: Adult Groot was pretty powerful in his heyday and was capable of perfectly described the Leafs that it inspired an NHL Cinematic Universe. creating a strong defensive shell, but he’s in full rebuild mode now, going The Leafs are villains, so naturally, they get a villain from the MCU. from little sapling to Baby Groot to Teenage Groot. Time will tell if the Mysterio feels like an all-too-perfect fit. The holographic “bad guys” new Adult Groot will be as strong as the old one. Mysterio uses as a ploy to make himself look heroic? That’s Toronto beating up on the North Division in a meaningless regular season. The 29. Columbus Blue Jackets (18-26-12, 48 points) arrogance throughout his master plan, culminating in Mysterio tricking Hulk: Remember how excited Thor was to fight Hulk because they were Peter Parker into giving him Tony Stark’s special glasses? That’s the friends from work and then Hulk beat him to a pulp? That’s Columbus team and fan base caught up in their own hubris, thinking this was finally and Tampa Bay in 2019, of course. This year, though, the Blue Jackets the year after such a strong regular season and a 3-1 series lead. That just couldn’t get The Green Guy out, struggling to play up to their usual Mysterio’s entire schtick is just smoke and mirrors mixed with some standard. technology and smartest-guy-in-the-room syndrome is the icing on top. Naturally, he’s defeated in the end — partly by a plucky underdog with 30. Anaheim Ducks (17-30-9, 43 points) the will of a warrior, partly by himself for believing he’s God’s gift to the earth. Jane Foster: Remember Natalie Portman in the first Thor movie? Dom had to google it. 17. Dallas Stars (23-19-14, 60 points) 31. Buffalo Sabres (15-34-7, 37 points) War Machine: The Stars seemed primed for big things after a Cup final berth last season but were ravaged by injuries this season. War Machine The Scarlet Witch: This works on a couple of levels. Wanda Maximoff suffered a similar fate in “Captain America: Civil War” that left his legs went from being fairly irrelevant to extremely important — like, paralyzed. everything-revolves-around-her important in a hurry. She holds the key to the next phase of Marvel movies, just like the Sabres hold the key to the 18. New York Rangers (27-23-6, 60 points) offseason. In this analogy, Eichel is … the multi-verse maybe? Things are starting to fall apart. The other reason this works? She’s the most Ant-Man: After a strange offseason, it’s clear the Rangers’ higher-ups traumatized character in the game. Wanda has Seen Some Stuff. want to see the team get bigger and tougher, sacrificing its identity of speed, skill and finesse. It’s sort of like Ant-Man becoming Giant-Man The Athletic LOADED: 06.28.2021 briefly during “Captain America: Civil War” — a bit clumsy and not Ant- Man at his best, but it could work if done right.

19. Chicago Blackhawks (25-25-7, 55 points)

Agatha Harkness: Charmed everyone for a while and wound up a supervillain.

20. Philadelphia Flyers (25-23-8, 58 points)

Rocket Raccoon: What’s grittier than a smart-mouthed, bounty-hunting, misanthropic raccoon? Also, bits of Bradley Cooper’s Philly accent made it into the performance. It’s a miracle Rocket didn’t end up wearing a Flyers jersey at some point — though there’s still another “Guardians of the Galaxy” movie left, but who knows?

21. (24-26-6, 54 points)

Star-Lord: The most chaotic Avenger doesn’t know when to shut up. “Chaos” is Arizona’s middle name, and “doesn’t know when to shut up” fits the new ownership group perfectly. 1216605 Websites here in Montreal, and what he brings on and off the ice—for me, it’s special and we’re four wins away from winning a championship (and that would) be ultra-special. So that’s where this relationship is.”

Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens’ opportunity to win Stanley Cup means It’s one of mutual respect, with both Weber and Price grateful to Bergevin everything to Price, Weber trading for Suzuki and Tomas Tatar and drafting Kotkaniemi and Caufield in the years leading up to last summer’s decisions to bring in Jake Allen, Joel Edmundson, Tyler Toffoli, Josh Anderson, Corey Perry and Michael Frolik. Eric Engels June 27, 2021, 4:29 PM “Obviously, he did a lot of good things,” said Weber. “Filled some holes

for us this off-season, and it’s paying off right now.” BROSSARD, Que.— They are the first players who come to mind when Moves for Eric Staal, Jon Merrill and Erik Gustafsson ahead of this year’s you think about these Montreal Canadiens, two players at the foundation trade deadline have also paid dividends but were heavily scrutinized prior of their success and two players entering the Stanley Cup Final on a to the playoffs beginning. mission to have their names removed from the list of all-time greats to have never hoisted hockey’s silver chalice. It’s all part of the ups and downs Bergevin has experienced over the past few months, and just a small sample of the turbulence he’s weathered in Not to say this means more to Shea Weber and Carey Price than it does nine seasons on the job. to anyone else in a Canadiens uniform, but it unquestionably means everything to them. They are Canadian legends, world champions at *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. every level who have combined to play 1,745 regular season games and 179 more in the Cup Playoffs without ever getting this far And now, on Price has been through it all—and then some—since being drafted fifth the back nine of their respective careers, they both realize they might overall by the Canadiens in 2005. He was an instant success as MVP of never get a better chance than the one that’s currently in front of them. the Playoffs in the Hamilton Bulldogs’ run to an AHL championship in 2007, elevated to a starting role with Montreal a season Their teammates know it, too. later, bumped down to backup during the team’s run to the 2010 Eastern Conference Final and bumped out of the 2014 ECF when New York Stream the Stanley Cup Playoffs with Sportsnet NOW Rangers forward crashed into him and injured his knee. Livestream every game of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, blackout-free. Plus He experienced the highs of lifting the Hart, Lindsay, Vezina and get the NHL Draft, Free Agency, Blue Jays & MLB, NBA Playoffs Jennings Trophies in 2015 and has suffered many lows since, with the matchups and more. Canadiens failing to score the goals to support his best playoff “It’s pretty crazy, just getting to be with them every day and see what performances and with him failing to prevent enough pucks from getting they do on a day-to-day basis and how well they take care of themselves by him in failed regular seasons. and how much this moment means to them because they’ve been This past year, Price’s struggles played a hand in Claude Julien and Kirk playing for it their whole lives,” said Cole Caufield, who’s just three Muller being replaced by Dominique Ducharme and Alex Burrows, and months into his NHL career and already on the precipice of they were at the heart of Sean Burke taking over from Stephane Waite as accomplishing the dream Weber and Price have pursued at this level goaltending coach. since he was in grade school. But Bergevin reaffirmed his belief in Price upon making those decisions “Just to be able to share this with them, it’s been a lot of fun, but you see and has since taken a front-row seat to watching him answer his critics how serious this is,” Caufield added. “I saw that right away when I first with a Conn Smythe-worthy performance to get to this point of the stepped in the room. playoffs. “This is for them at this point.” Remaining Time -1:16 Remaining Time -0:41 Richardson praises Price ahead of goalie matchup with Vasilevskiy Caufield sees importance of this opportunity for veterans like Weber, The two enjoyed something special after the Canadiens beat the Vegas Price Golden Knights to advance to the Final, an embrace that stands as one Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin built this team for Weber and of the resonating Images from an unforgettable night. Price. He may have been more inclined to spend over $100 million to “We’ve gone through a lot together here in his tenure and gone through a improve the roster over the off-season based on what he saw in young lot of great times, a lot of hard times, and I was just happy to share a centres Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi in last year’s bubble joyful moment with him,” the 33-year-old Price said. “He’s really earned playoffs, but he said seeing both his captain and his star goaltender also it.” perform at the height of their abilities crystalized his vision for what the Canadiens could become as early as this year. For Bergevin, no player has earned this opportunity more than Price.

The GM has always felt this way about Weber and Price. When Bergevin “I guess the expression we could use is he’s a big-game player,” the GM traded P.K. Subban to the Nashville Predators in 2016, he said what he said. “He rises to the occasion. He does extremely well under pressure. was acquiring in Weber was “a diamond in the rough.” When he signed In big moments, like the Olympics, he was outstanding. I was part of the Price to an eight-year, $84-million contract in July of 2017, he said, management group at the World Cup, he was outstanding. When the “Goalies are not important until you don’t have one…It’s a position that’s game is on the line…I think they had a poll at some point in the past, if really hard to find, and we have, in my opinion, our opinion, one of the you need a big game to win, who you want to be your goaltender? It’s best in the business, so I’m going to keep him and make sure he’s here Carey Price. I think what you see now, it’s how he’s been.” for the rest of his career.” Lightning general manager Julien Brisebois, who was a member of the Bergevin has seen both players give heart and soul to the Canadiens Canadiens brass when Price was drafted, said, “He’s got a Hall of Fame over the years, he heard their appeals to put together a team that could career if he retires right now.” reward their efforts, and he spoke on Sunday about what it means to him to have finally provided. The same could be said of Weber.

“Well, those two gentlemen,” Bergevin started, “Pricey and Webby, it is What the Sicamous, B.C. native has been throughout these playoffs has special because they are the oldest of our players as far as of the fit perfectly with the legacy he’s built as one of the toughest and best backbone of this team. They’ve been through a lot, these two. Pricer as a defencemen in the world since he was drafted in 2003. He came into goaltender in Montreal, as we know, it’s demanding, there’s a lot of them with a busted left thumb and hurt his right one early in the Vegas expectation. Yeah, we do have a special relationship…Also, Webby, he series, but he’s soldiered on and played more an average than any came here as part of a trade where PK was traded… And I know there’s player still remaining. a lot of people that were guessing or second-guessing this transaction. Remaining Time -0:50 And again, to get something that special you have to give up a good player. So I’m not taking anything away from PK, but to get Shea Weber Weber reflects on journey to Stanley Cup Final with Canadiens As partner Ben Chiarot said, Weber’s been an inspiration to everyone in Montreal’s room and has epitomized the workmanlike approach that has guided this Canadiens run.

“I think the thing with Webby is once we hit the ice it’s all business. There’s no messing around,” said Chiarot. “He wants everything done exactly the way the coaches said it’s (to be) done. And I think that’s a big reason why he’s been so successful as a player—his attention to details, his seriousness once we hit the ice. And off the ice, he’s got a relationship with everybody in the room. The young guys—he’s dad to the young guys, and he’s buddies with all the older guys. He connects with everybody, and I think that’s why he’s considered one of the best captains in the league.”

A Cup would cement Weber’s status as one of the best ones ever.

It would also propel Price further up the hierarchy of the greatest goaltenders in league history.

“It’s been something we’ve been working towards our whole lives,” Price said, “and finally getting the opportunity, we’re just looking forward to it.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.28.2021 1216606 Websites “It’s big, honestly. It’s very big,” Gourde said in French. “I’m excited for the challenge. I can’t wait for it to start, for that puck to drop, to leave all this aside and just play hockey, to battle against the Canadiens.

Sportsnet.ca / Lightning’s connection to Canadiens runs deep ahead of “We know how good they are, how tight they play, how hard it’s going to Stanley Cup Final be to generate scoring chances. We’re looking forward to the challenge, it’s big for me and for the team.”

There are big historical undertones to a series that will be contested in Chris Johnston June 27, 2021, 6:16 PM the heat of late June and early July. The Canadiens can extend their NHL-best championship total by winning one that few thought possible as

recently as two months ago. And the Lightning are trying to go back-to- TAMPA, Fla. — When Julien BriseBois first started working for the back and claim their franchise’s third title in the process. Montreal Canadiens, they gave him an office next to the one Jean BriseBois has had a huge hand in their recent success, joining Tampa in Beliveau kept at the Bell Centre. 2010 to serve as Steve Yzerman’s right-hand man before taking over the The early days of his hockey career were shaped by the organization’s GM post from him in 2018. He’s tried to transport some of the Canadiens’ alumni. BriseBois was raised in the Montreal suburb of Greenfield Park culture to a place where many Canadians come to escape the harsh and got hired by the team as a 24-year-old lawyer in 2001, leaning winter months. heavily on the experiences of Bob Gainey, , , “When Steve and I started putting the program together here, obviously , Pierre Mondou and Rejean Houle. he was coming in from a great organization, the Detroit Red Wings, and “I was learning a lot more than I was contributing at that point,” he says they had had a lot of success and so he was bringing those lessons to now, on the verge of watching his Tampa Bay Lightning face the our management group and I was bringing experiences and lessons that Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Final. “I asked them a lot, a lot, a lot of I had learned in another great organization, the Montreal Canadiens,” questions and they were very generous in sharing their experiences.” said Brisebois.

With that kind of education, BriseBois understands better than most what “We kind of put all of those experiences together in trying to build the the pursuit of a 25th championship means in Montreal. How this team that we have here and the organization that we have here.” unexpected playoff run has reverberated across the province over the The last organization still standing between the Canadiens and the last six weeks and sent thousands into the streets on Saint-Jean-Baptiste Stanley Cup. Day to celebrate the berth in the Final. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.28.2021 And how several members of the Lightning have now gone from friend or family member to foe.

“There aren’t too many sports organizations where people write songs on the team and they become hits,” Brisebois said Sunday in French. “We’re very conscious – we have a number of Quebecers in our organization – we know we have eight million opponents that we will need to beat if we want to win the Stanley Cup.”

It was only in this pandemic-altered season that the Canadiens and Lightning could even meet with a championship on the line. They both usually play out of the Atlantic Division, and faced one another in Round 1 in 2014 and Round 2 in 2015.

It’s unusual for a Canadian player to go against his hometown team in a Stanley Cup Final because a decade has passed since anyone last had the chance — when Milan Lucic’s Boston Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks in 2011.

The Lightning are loaded with Quebec connections. Yanni Gourde and David Savard were both raised as Canadiens fans in the province, as was Alex Killorn in the Montreal suburb of Beaconsfield. Extras , Alex Barre-Boulet and Daniel Walcot are all from Quebec, too.

Then you have BriseBois, director of hockey operations Mathieu Darche, director of player development J.P. Cote, goaltending coach Frantz Jean and strength coach Mark Lambert, among others.

Killorn said his text messages from 514 area codes have been pretty civil so far, but only because he’s got friends hoping to score tickets off him. He knows that even those wishing him good luck probably don’t mean it sincerely.

“Listen, I understand how important this is to the city of Montreal,” said Killorn. “I grew up there, I grew up a Montreal Canadiens fan. I’m happy for the city: They’ve been locked down and [under] curfew and for them to get this?

“It’s exciting, for sure.”

*I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time.

The Stanley Cup is destined to spend a fair amount of time in Montreal this summer no matter who wins this series. And not just because that’s where it’s engraved with the winner’s names each year.

Gourde is from Saint-Narcisse and scored the only goal in the Game 7 victory over the Islanders to get Tampa here. The prospect of playing his boyhood team is so exciting that he’ll be reminding himself to stay calm in the leadup to Game 1 on Monday night. 1216607 Websites Sending a pair of picks to Buffalo in exchange for a veteran leader who knows how to win was Bergevin’s way of telling the rest of the North that he wasn’t waiting for deadline day to make his move. Staal brings a dependable two-way game and some much-need depth down the middle Sportsnet.ca / How the Stanley Cup Final-bound Montreal Canadiens in a bottom-six role that’s proven clutch through this post-season. were built April 2020 | Erik Gustafsson, D

via Philadelphia, in exchange for 2022 seventh-round pick Emily Sadler June 27, 2021, 9:46 AM There’s no single recipe for playoff success, but… bulking up your blue line feels like the closest thing.

Marc Bergevin always keeps things interesting. April 2020: Jon Merrill, D

It feels like every year, there are both musings about his job security and via Detroit, in exchange for Haden Verbeek + 2021 fifth-round pick marvelling about his ability to pull off bold trades (and even bolder suits). This year alone, the Montreal Canadiens general manager went from the In Gustafsson and Merrill, Bergevin was able to buy some much-needed hot seat to being a GM of the year finalist. veteran depth.

After years of constantly adjusting his roster and toeing the line between Previous trades throughout Bergevin’s tenure: rebuilding and contending, Bergevin has finally found the formula for a 2018 | Nick Suzuki, C + Tomas Tatar, LW/RW Stanley Cup run. via Vegas, in exchange for Max Pacioretty; Montreal also received a All but two players — franchise cornerstones Carey Price and Brendan 2019 second-round pick Gallagher — were initially brought in by Bergevin, and the majority originally landed in Montreal via trades. The Canadiens ended an era when they dealt their captain to Vegas, and also put to rest the many swirling rumours of trade talks. Tatar, who Here’s a look at how this 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens roster came hasn’t played since Round 1 against the Maple Leafs due to injury, had a together. career year in his first season with Montreal and then topped that point TRADES total in his second.

Here’s where Bergevin does most of his work. Never afraid of making a Suzuki makes up a major part of the Canadiens’ bright future, his strong splash on the trade market, Bergevin has made a career out of bold chemistry with newcomer Cole Caufield and increasingly strong play transactions — particularly when it comes to our favourite kind: the good down the middle ushering in a new and exciting chapter for Montreal. old player-for-player hockey trade. This year, Bergevin’s deadline deals 2018 | Joel Armia, LW saw him take advantage of his ample draft capital. What’s more impressive is that he’s still got all of his first- and second-round picks for via Winnipeg, in exchange for Simon Bourque; Montreal also received the next three years. and two late-round picks

Between this past off-season and April’s trade deadline, Bergevin added Bergevin took on Mason’s cap in the Jets’ salary-shifting move, six players via trades for the 2020-21 campaign. immediately buying out the final year of the goaltender’s deal, while landing a solid depth forward in Armia, an RFA at the time. The 2020 trade-and-signs: 2017 | Jonathan Drouin, LW 2020 | Josh Anderson, RW via Tampa Bay, in exchange for defenceman Mikhail Sergachev and a via Columbus, in exchange for 2018 conditional second-round pick; Montreal also traded a 2018 Both Anderson and Domi were RFAs in need of new contracts and fresh conditional sixth-round pick starts. Bergevin wasted no time locking up Anderson with a seven-year, When the Canadiens take on Tampa Bay in the Stanley Cup Final, they’ll $38.5-million contract upon his arrival. get a first-hand look at what could’ve been: Lighting defence partners 2020 | Joel Edmundson, D Mikhail Sergachev and Ryan McDonagh. Both were Canadiens prospects to start their respective careers, with Sergachev being selected via Carolina, in exchange for 2020 fifth-round pick ninth overall by Bergevin in 2016 and McDonagh 12th in 2007, way before Bergevin’s time. By trading for the pending UFA, Bergevin bought himself some crucial negotiation time with the top-four d-man, who won the Stanley Cup with Montreal needed some offensive firepower, and Drouin brought that — St. Louis in 2018. that he did so in his home province was extra special. He hasn’t been with the team throughout the post-season, with the club announcing in 2020 Jake Allen, G April his indefinite leave for personal reasons. via St. Louis, in exchange for a 2020 third-round pick + seventh-round 2016 | Shea Weber, D pick via Nashville, in exchange for P.K. Subban Ever since Price took the starting role for the Canadiens, there’s never been a question about who owns the crease. But No. 2 has been a It’s not a very well-known trade, and definitely isn’t revisited and re- different story, especially in recent years as the Habs struggled to find a assessed often, so you probably haven’t heard of it. Let’s move on. suitable, steady backup. Bringing in Allen, and investing a little more in net by handing him a two-year, $5.75-million extension, was crucial in 2016 | Phillip Danault keeping Montreal afloat during Price’s injury absence and helped ease via Chicago, in exchange for Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann; the workload, too. Clearly, that’s paid off as Price has been unbeatable Montreal also received a 2018 second-round pick this post-season. Bergevin knew exactly what kind of player he was getting when he traded Another note from this trade: The third-rounder sent to the Blues was the for Danault five years ago. After all, the longtime executive was assistant one acquired from Washington in the Kovalchuk trade at the 2019-20 general manager of the Blackhawks when Chicago drafted Danault 26th deadline. overall in 2011. Low-risk deadline deals: Looking back on this one, and considering how instrumental Danault has March 2020 | Eric Staal, C been during this incredible run to the Stanley Cup Final, it’s safe to say this transaction was one of Bergevin’s best. As for the second-round pick via Buffalo, in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick + 2021 fifth-round they also acquired alongside Danault, that wound up being Alexander pick Romanov.

2015 | Jeff Petry, D via Edmonton, in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick + conditional fifth-round pick

Petry has been a strong, steady presence for Montreal and is as composed as they come, with offensive production to boot.

2020 FREE AGENCY SIGNINGS

Clearly, trades are Bergevin’s bread and butter — but this year, he dabbled in free agency and is looking incredibly smart for it.

Tyler Toffoli, LW

2020 | Four years, $17 million ($4.25M AAV)

After upping his value in a short stint in Vancouver, it was surprising to see the Canucks let him walk last fall. Toffoli has been excellent since landing in Montreal, leading the club in goals and points in the regular season (28 goals, 44 points) and throughout the playoffs (five goals, 14 points).

2020 | Corey Perry, RW

One year, $750,000

Just like he did in Dallas last year, Perry brings a physical presence, winning experience, and that signature clutch gene to Montreal that every Cup Final team needs.

2019 | Ben Chiarot, D

Three years, $10.5 million

Along with Weber, Petry, and Edmundson, Chiarot makes up one of the most efficient blue lines in these playoffs, a crucial top-four defender who’s been a workhorse this spring.

DRAFTED

Of those on Montreal’s regular rotation, just seven players were originally drafted by the Canadiens. Of those seven, five were drafted by Bergevin — including two of the most exciting young forwards of this new era of Habs hockey:

2019: Cole Caufield, RW | first round, 15th overall

2018: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C | first round, 3rd overall

2018: Alexander Romanov, D | second round, 38th overall

2014: Jake Evans, D | seventh round, 207th overall

2013: Artturi Lekhonen, LW | second round, 55th overall

Bergevin inherited Gallagher (fifth round, 147th overall, 2010) and Price (first round, 5th overall, 2005). Price was drafted early in Bob Gainey’s seven-year tenure, while Gallagher was selected by his successor, . He’s made sure to build around both of them, locking both crucial players up to long-term deals and never leaving any doubt about their value to the organization.

Overall, the Canadiens have eight first-rounders on the roster, with Price, Kotkaniemi, and Caufield being the only three originally draft by Montreal. Other first-rounders on the roster:

Nick Suzuki, C: 13th overall, 2017, Vegas

Joel Armia, LW: 16th overall, 2011, Buffalo

Phillip Danault, C: 26th overall, 2011, Chicago

Eric Staal, C: 2nd overall, 2003, Carolina

Corey Perry, RW: 28th overall, 2003, Anaheim

WAIVERS

2015 | Paul Byron, LW

Six years after scooping up the forward off waivers from Calgary, Bergevin — who twice signed Byron to keep him in Montreal since picking him up — has thrice waived the forward himself this season to send him to the taxi squad and navigate the salary cap.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.28.2021