SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/25/2021 Bruins 1216302 Staying Or Going? Kampfer Unlikely To 1216323 Beer Cans and Caps Fly as Islanders Force a Return Game 7 1216324 Mathew Barzal-Nikita Kucherov dynamic could make difference in Islanders’ Game 7 at Lightning 1216303 Blue Jackets would covet a healthy, happy , 1216325 Scott Mayfield has come long way to play ‘huge’ role for but deal with Sabres would be risky Islanders 1216326 Islanders and relishing Game 7 Blackhawks 1216327 Banged-up Lightning star Nikita Kucherov may miss Game 1216304 Blackhawks voice will depart as best announcer 7 vs. Islanders in Chicago sports history 1216328 Islanders one win away from their final 1216305 Pat Foley, Hall of Fame Blackhawks announcer, to retire 1216329 Nikita Kucherov’s uncertain status hangs over Islanders-Lightning Game 1216330 Was a missed on Scott Mayfield's cross-check on 1216306 leaving Winnipeg to become Blue Jackets Nikita Kucherov? assistant coach under : report 1216331 's Game 7 advice to Islanders: Embrace the 1216307 Blue Jackets would covet a healthy, happy Jack Eichel, moment but deal with Sabres would be risky 1216332 Islanders-Lightning Game 7 drama revolves around the fate of Nikita Kucherov 1216333 The Islanders' history in a Game 7 1216308 Stars sign center Rhett Gardner to two-year deal for NHL 1216334 The Islanders are Finding Andrei Vasilevskiy’s league minimum Weaknesss, Here’s How 1216309 A look at the current state of the Stars’ roster and where the team has holes to fill 1216335 ESPN hires as NHL analyst after awkward Red Wings Rangers pitch 1216310 ' NHL draft: Two options for Steve 1216336 Mark Messier joins ESPN as studio analyst for NHL Yzerman to fill goaltending hole broadcasts next season 1216311 'Driven' Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno shows progress 1216337 Rangers goaltending coach Benoit Allaire to oversee during long, busy season goalie development at all levels 1216338 What comes next for the Rangers? Five predictions based on the latest from and 1216312 Lowetide: Oilers’ prospect pipeline could be at stake as AHL coach Jay Woodcroft outgrows his minor-league rol 1216339 This summer will be pivotal in determining Logan Brown's future with the Senators 1216313 Kings re-sign Blake Lizotte to one-year contract 1216340 Saying he learned from his days with Flyers and , 1216314 Fans adjusting to life without , which surprisingly named ’s first coach should scare Minnesota teams 1216341 Who can join on Flyers' top defensive pairing? Here are the candidates. Canadiens 1216342 Former Flyers coach Dave Hakstol is named coach of the 1216315 Lehkonen’s shot sends Canadiens to Stanley expansion Cup final 1216343 Eichel buzz, Caufield debate, more in 3 Flyers thoughts 1216316 In the Habs' Room: Magical Canadiens punch ticket to 1216344 Has finally found his level — and if Stanley Cup Final so, what does it mean for his future with the Flyers? 1216317 Artturi Lehkonen's OT goal sends Canadiens into Stanley Cup final 1216318 Stu Cowan: Remembering last time Canadiens went to 1216345 Penguins A to Z: Jonathan Gruden proves to be more than Stanley Cup final a throw-in 1216319 Luke Richardson is the last man standing behind bench 1216346 Should Penguins’ Mike Sullivan coach Team USA at 2022 for Canadiens Olympics? He ‘checks every box’ 1216320 Canadiens Game Day: Sometimes you just gotta believe 1216321 Artturi Lehkonen sends Canadiens to Stanley Cup Final: Playoff plus/minus 1216347 Sharks re-sign veteran forward Nieto to two-year contract 1216322 Céline Dion and the (fake) image that stung Canadiens fans near, far, wherever they are Seattle Kraken Websites 1216348 In hiring first coach Dave Hakstol, Kraken more concerned 1216383 The Athletic / NHL Mock Draft 2021: From the Sabres about getting it right than making big splash through the Cup winner, Corey Pronman picks the entire 1216349 Get to know Dave Hakstol, the NHL-expansion Seattle fir Kraken’s first coach 1216384 .ca / Through long and testing road, Canadiens 1216350 Dave Hakstol a surprise pick as Seattle Kraken’s first find way back to Cup Final coach 1216385 Sportsnet.ca / Golden Knights caught in Canadiens’ 1216351 NHL analyst: Why Seattle Kraken are ‘in good hands’ with destiny as latest playoff run ends Dave Hakstol 1216386 B.C. boy Johnson brings creative flair to NHL draft class 1216352 Seattle Kraken hire Dave Hakstol as franchise’s first head 1216387 USA TODAY / Canadiens defeat Golden Knights in coach overtime in Game 6, reach first Stanley Cup Final since 1216353 Kraken make surprise coaching hire, so who is Dave 1993 Hakstol, Seattle’s first ? 1216388 USA TODAY / Seattle Kraken name Dave Hakstol as first head coach in franchise history St Louis Blues 1216354 Media Views: expected to charge $20-$30 monthly for direct access 1216380 Jets lose long-time coach Vincent to Blue Jackets 1216355 Blues owner Tom Stillman says the team will spend to the 1216381 Pascal Vincent leaving Winnipeg to become Blue Jackets cap in 2021-22: ‘Our window is still open’ assistant coach under Brad Larsen: report SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1216356 Jill Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci attend Lightning vaccination event in Tampa 1216357 Is Nikita Kucherov sprawled on the ice what the NHL wants to see? 1216358 WWE’s Titus O’Neil cheers on Lightning in New York: ‘I’m definitely a heel in this territory.’ 1216359 Lightning-Islanders Game 6 report card: Where does loss leave us? 1216360 ‘Are you full?’ Why Game 7 is a defining moment for Lightning championship core 1216382 Canucks looked to Trotz after Torts, but caring coach got away to Caps instead 1216361 Graney: Off-season changes needed from Golden Knights 1216362 Mark Stone shoulders blame for series loss to Canadiens 1216363 Canadiens headed to first Stanley Cup Final in 28 years 1216364 Recapping Game 6 between Golden Knights, Canadiens 1216365 Golden Knights’ season ends with overtime loss in Montreal 1216366 Golden Knights switch for must-win Game 6 in Montreal 1216367 Down and Out: Golden Knights, Mark Stone come up empty as season ends 1216368 Blog: Golden Knights’ season ends in OT of Game 6 against Canadiens 1216369 Former Golden Knights prospect has come back to haunt them with Canadiens 1216370 Golden Knights again fail to reach their potential — ‘It’s a pretty empty feeling right ’ 1216371 Céline Dion and the (fake) image that stung Canadiens fans near, far, wherever they are 1216372 VGK Season Ends With Disappointment, Frustration In Montreal: Canadiens 3 Golden Knights 2 In Overtime Thursda 1216373 GOLDEN KNIGHTS GAMEDAY‘Pretty Terrible Feeling’: Stone Takes Blame for VGK Upset Loss 1216374 Vanquished: Vegas Golden Knights Bow in OT to Canadiens 1216375 “Win” Vegas Golden Knights Prepare For Massive Game 6 1216376 The Real Story Behind Celine Dion Vegas Golden Knights Viral Photo 1216377 BREAKING: Robin Lehner to Start Game 6 for Vegas Golden Knights 1216378 What is the future of Evgeny Kuznetsov? 1216379 Oshie's former college coach named first head coach of the Kraken 1216302 Boston Bruins Boston. If this is the end of it, I love the guys in the room, the staff, and we’ll go from there.

“I want to play hockey, obviously. Regardless of where that is, I want to Staying Or Going? Boston Bruins Kampfer Unlikely To Return play. I think I have a lot of hockey left in me. I think what happened this year, I guess I got hurt. It was unfortunate. I think the hardest part for me was I was playing, and I was playing well, then I had [to have] surgery.” Published 7 hours ago on June 24, 2021 Of the KHL, Kampfer would only say he’s been offered contracts to play By Joe Haggerty hockey for next season, without confirming that it was the KHL or not.

Kampfer was adamant that he hadn’t signed anything to this , and he obviously can’t do anything with the NHL until free agency opens next This is the second in an intermittent offseason series of articles looking at month. impending Boston Bruins free agents and whether they will be “staying or going” when it comes time for the B’s to make a decision. Staying or Going: Going. Things ended so strangely with Kampfer in Boston that it feels like a certainly he won’t be back. Regardless of The Case: Boston Bruins defenseman Steve Kampfer has been an whether he goes to the KHL or not, the Boston Bruins are going to miss excellent pro for the B’s over the last few years playing a largely his ability to play effectively in pockets while alternately sitting for long thankless reserve role. stretches of time. They’ll need to find another veteran seventh The 32-year-old has basically played the last three seasons as the spare defenseman and that’s a tougher role to fill than one might think while defenseman for the Black and Gold, who only plays in short, making up an NHL roster. unpredictable bursts and cedes the bulk of the NHL playing time to younger D-men ahead of him on the organizational depth chart. Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 06.25.2021 Despite all that, Kampfer consistently performed when called upon in emergencies even if he’d essentially sat out for weeks or months at a time in between lineup stints.

It’s a challenging role to be sure, and one that a younger defenseman would likely struggle with given the experience, mental toughness and selflessness required to fill a reserve role. Kampfer’s best year in Boston was when he suited up for 35 games during the 2018-19 regular season with three goals and six points, and even scored a goal in three playoff games that spring.

The rub with Kampfer has always been that his play flattens out after a few games when given extended NHL playing time, but he’s been consistently solid when called upon in a pinch. This past season wasn’t nearly as productive or satisfying for Kampfer or for the Bruins, however.

The 32-year-old lived away from his young family during the entire hockey season due to COVID-19 concerns, and then his season ended prematurely with hand surgery just prior to the . The undermanned, bruised Boston Bruins defensemen corps certainly could have used Kampfer during the playoffs, particularly once they lost Kevan Miller and Brandon Carlo on the right side.

But Kampfer said he simply and unfortunately couldn’t practice or play through the pain before succumbing to surgery at the worst time of year.

“It happened in early March right when I first started playing. I got hit and I played for six weeks on it and then I did all the necessary steps for it. I got a cortisone shot in it to hopefully alleviate the pain and then we moved forward. The pain came back, and it was to the point where I couldn’t play. I couldn’t handle a puck. I couldn’t shoot pucks in practice, and it was tough,” said Kampfer, who estimated he’s still got at least another two months of rehab from hand surgery awaiting him this summer. “It’s tough for any player because you don’t want to take yourself out of an equation. You don’t want to have surgery when you’re getting to that point of the season. It got to the point where we sat down with the trainers and the surgeon, and it was the best thing that we could do moving forward.

“It was extremely tough. Obviously with Brandon and Kevan [injured] in the first round and then the second round where you’re essentially not available to play, it’s tough. You want to play. It’s the best time of year. I think that was the hard part. You want to be available. You want to help the team at any cost. When you can’t, it’s difficult.”

Strangely enough, there were also rumors circulating during the playoffs that Kampfer had already agreed to a contract in the KHL for next season. That kind of a move might make sense for a guy like Kampfer to bank a little money at the tail end of his pro hockey career, but the timing of it all was very strange.

Either way it feels now like the writing is on the wall that Kampfer won’t be back with the B’s next season, a notion that the defenseman himself seemed to pick up on in his exit zoom interview with the media.

“My agents talk to [the Boston Bruins]. I haven’t spoken with Sweens about anything. That’s his call. That’s his area. I’ve yet to speak with him, so we’ll go from there. I don’t know,” said Kampfer. “I’ve loved my time in 1216303 Buffalo Sabres The Blue Jackets would have to get creative to swing a deal, and it would be hard to swallow. In chatting with scouts and executives across the NHL, a few names consistently surfaced as part of a makeshift offering.

Blue Jackets would covet a healthy, happy Jack Eichel, but deal with The deal would have to start with this year’s first-round draft pick (No. 5 Sabres would be risky overall), and likely include Elvis Merzlikins, either Texier or defenseman Andrew Peeke, and at least one of the Jackets’ top Russian prospects, either Yegor Chinakov or Kirill Marchenko. Truth be told, that By Aaron Portzline probably still doesn’t get it done.

Jun 24, 2021 If you knew Eichel would be healthy, you might consider it. The Blue Jackets would probably want to include winger Patrik Laine in the deal,

but it’s unclear if Buffalo has an interest in Laine, a big-ticket restricted COLUMBUS, Ohio — Just as the Columbus Blue Jackets are preparing free agent this summer. to trade away their latest prominent player, rumors are swirling across Blue Jackets’ plans: OK, so the Blue Jackets are no longer reloading, the NHL that the Jackets are in trade talks to acquire a superstar. they’re actually rebuilding. Or pick another word that means taking a step Defenseman Seth Jones is likely to be traded this summer after informing back to take bigger steps forward. But that doesn’t mean it has to take the Blue Jackets in May that he won’t sign a contract extension He wants forever, right? to pursue unrestricted free agency after next season. This much you “The one thing I talk to Jarmo about a lot is this: we have work to do, so already knew. let’s do it the right way, so that when we get better as a team, we can But there have been reports in recent days that the Blue Jackets are battle for a long time,” Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John heavily involved in discussions with the Buffalo Sabres, along with the Davidson said. , Minnesota Wild and surely others, to acquire Jack He wasn’t speaking specifically about Eichel. He was speaking in broad Eichel. terms about what’s ahead for the franchise. There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s get this part out of the way first: “I don’t even want to get into terminology,” Davidson said. “All I want our after talking with numerous sources in recent days, it doesn’t appear that guys to do is when we make decisions, we’re making them for the the Blue Jackets — at least as of today — are in hot pursuit of Eichel, betterment of the team, and not a quick fix. We’re going to develop and one of the premier centers in the league. become a good team and every decision we make will be with that in Has Blue Jackets Jarmo Kekalainen had conversations mind.” with his counterpart in Buffalo, Kevyn Adams? Yes. That’s what high- Eichel is only 24 years old, so the Jackets wouldn’t be selling the farm for ranking executives call “due diligence.” Earlier this week, Kekalainen said a player on the downside of his career. (All health matters aside, of he spoke with “six or seven” GMs in a single day. course.) Eichel is under contract for five more seasons ($10 million cap hit) and Still, giving up so many young players — and taking on so much risk with he plays a position that is an absolutely desperate need in Columbus. Eichel’s injury — seems the wrong move at this stage of the process. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound playmaker would immediately become the most The plan since Davidson returned from the New York Rangers, it seems, talented player on the Blue Jackets’ roster, arguably the most talented is to draft and develop the organization’s next wave of difference-makers. player to ever wear the sweater. And maybe, with high draft picks expected in the 2022 and 2023 drafts, But there’s some baggage here, too, and there are other reasons why too, they can pick their own Eichel-like talent. acquiring Eichel may not make much sense for the Blue Jackets, at least at this juncture. We’ll list them in the order of believed importance. Buyer beware: This may be a touch unfair to Eichel, who is, by all accounts a rare and wondrous talent. But how much of the Sabres’ Eichel’s health: The relationship between Eichel and the Sabres, after six chronic losing falls on him and the Sabres’ other top young players? years of near hopelessness, has only gotten worse because of a neck injury suffered in March, causing him to miss the final month of the Yes, the Sabres have been a roiling mess long before Eichel was drafted season. with the No. 2 pick in 2015. They haven’t made the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2011 and haven’t won a playoff series since 2007, when Eichel The Sabres want Eichel to pursue traditional remedies — rest, therapy, was just 10 years old. etc. — but he wants to have a surgery (artificial disc replacement) that Buffalo doctors say has never been performed on an NHL player. But the NHL’s best players elevate the players around them, and that hasn’t happened in Buffalo. Before any team acquires Eichel, they’d demand to see his medical reports. They may even insist on having their own team doctors examine Wherever Eichel goes, he’ll almost certainly be the focal point of the his neck. This is a serious injury with an uncertain resolution, and it hurts roster, the centerpiece of the offensive attack and the basis of the club’s Eichel’s value on the market. marketing push. He’ll be that club’s new Mr. Everything, especially after they gave up the farm to acquire him. For the Blue Jackets, memories of the untimely end of forward ’s career due to a back ailment are still fresh. That happened early Are we sure he’s up for that? in Kekalainen’s career with the Blue Jackets. From Buffalo to Cbus: It’s pretty clear that Eichel is done with Buffalo, No question teams would feel better about acquiring Eichel on the other looking for a fresh start after finishing 23rd, 26th, 31st, 27th, 25th and side of surgery, but the Sabres don’t show any signs of relenting. If the 31st in the NHL’s overall standings during his six seasons. neck doesn’t heal on its own, and Eichel and the Sabres remain at loggerheads over his treatment, this could end up in a hearing between But what would he think about relocating to Columbus, which has made the club and the NHL Players’ Association. NHL headlines the last two-plus years mostly because of the talent that’s headed out the doors of ? And you thought times were tough in Columbus? The Blue Jackets made the playoffs in four straight seasons before Eichel’s pricetag: Despite Eichel’s herniated disc, the Sabres are said to cratering in 2020-21, but they’re likely heading into a stretch of rough be asking for a mint for him. No. 1 centers don’t hit the market every day, seasons before the tide turns back around in central Ohio. right? Eichel’s no-move clause doesn’t kick in until July 1, 2022, so he can’t It has been widely assumed that Buffalo wants a young center with first- control his destination until then. And he has five more years before he’s line potential as the centerpiece of its return. If that’s the demand, you a UFA. can take the Blue Jackets off the list of suitors immediately, because nobody on the Columbus roster — not Max Domi, Jack Roslovic or But Columbus knows full well that the contract is just a technicality if the young Alexandre Texier — fits that description. player isn’t happy or doesn’t want to be there. Eichel seems to be in anywhere-but-here mode, but that could change quickly if the losing continues in his next stop. A different Sabres target: We should never say never with regard to the Blue Jackets and Eichel, but repeatedly this week we’ve been told that Columbus’ involvement in trade talks are overblown.

At least as it relates to Eichel. But elsewhere on the roster?

The Blue Jackets have expressed an interest in Sabres center Sam Reinhart, who is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. He’s coming off a 25-goal season (in only 54 games) after moving back to center when Eichel went down.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216304 anymore like he did when goalie Murray Bannerman stopped a breakaway by the North Stars’ Keith Acton on April 30, 1985, in the Norris finals.

Blackhawks voice Pat Foley will depart as best announcer in Chicago Foley is authentic. He feels what the fans feel, whether it’s jubilation or sports history frustration. His rant during a game on March 11, 2004, about former Blackhawk Alexander Karpovtsev, in which he bid “good riddance” to the traded defenseman and called him “a disgrace to the uniform,” deserved By Jeff Agrest an Emmy.

Jun 24, 2021, 3:15pm CDT He calls fights like a ringside announcer — not that I’m condoning fighting in hockey . . . OK, I am. He’s a wonderful storyteller, and he has

been able to tell more stories since moving to TV, where he isn’t as During the era of dual-cassette stereos, I became adept at dubbing. I beholden to the action. But he still calls it with great description, as made mix tapes of songs from music cassettes and the radio. I couldn’t though he were still on radio. download songs from Spotify. I had to record an hour of Z-95 and hope Granted, his words have come back to bite him a few times, but those the DJ played the ones I liked. instances have been few and far between. I have no doubt he could But my favorite mix tape doesn’t include any artists, at least not musical continue calling games at a high level. He certainly did this season, ones. It contains Blackhawks radio highlights — 8 minutes and 47 despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic. seconds of bliss. Providing the vocals is Pat Foley. The last time Foley wasn’t in the Hawks’ TV booth was from 2006 to ’08, With the help of the website Hockey-Reference.com, I traced the the two seasons he called Wolves games while in exile. took highlights to the seasons from 1988 to ’90. Foley became the Hawks’ over, and it did not go well. Kelly was replacing an icon who was gone voice in 1980, and I began listening a few years later. Once I did, I didn’t too soon, and he didn’t click with fans. stop. Before I fell asleep on game nights, the last person I heard wasn’t Foley returned in time for the greatest period in Hawks history, and the my mom or dad — it was Foley. team appears to be more sensitive to giving his successor a chance by Like a mix of my favorite songs, I needed a mix of my favorite voice. So I having the person share the mic with Foley next season, much like the would record snippets of home games off the radio and pray for three White Sox did when Harrelson gave way to Jason Benetti. It’s a good sounds: Foley yelling “He scores,” the crowd erupting and the goal horn move. blaring. But there won’t be another Foley, just like there haven’t been duplicates When the Hawks announced Wednesday that next season will be Foley’s of so many other broadcasters. Chicago fans are conditioned to seeing last with the team, I was glad I had kept the tape intact. It’s already a players come and go, but not broadcasters. They often last longer than technological relic, and it’s soon to be an audial one. popes, and their followers can be just as devoted.

I don’t have any data to support this statement, which, in the age of Hawks fans will move on from Foley, just as they will from Jonathan analytics, might disqualify it from your consideration. It’s based solely on Toews and Patrick Kane, just as they did from and Bobby what my ears and mostly working brain have deciphered from listening to Hull. And though their roles in Hawks history are different, their impacts countless Chicago sports broadcasts in the last 40 years: are similar. They were at the top of their game, whether they played it or called it. Of all the announcers whose voices have echoed through this city, Foley is the best. Full stop. For Foley, I have the tape to prove it.

No, I never heard , Lloyd Pettit or Jack Quinlan live — another fault line in my statement. And, yes, I didn’t include Foley in my Mount Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 06.25.2021 Rushmore of Chicago TV sports broadcasters three years ago. On it were , Harry Caray, Hawk Harrelson and Pettit. The first three transcended sports, and Foley holds such reverence for Pettit, a Blackhawks predecessor, that I deferred to Foley.

But from a purely announcing perspective, I’m confident that none of them could call their games better than Foley calls his.

Words sound as though they’re rolling off Foley’s tongue, which is impressive, given the speed of hockey. And he uses words so well. I was lucky to be recording on Jan. 3, 1990, when Denis Savard scored a highlight-reel goal against the Oilers that sent Foley and the crowd into euphoria:

“Savard back in over the line, dancing around a check, right in, he scores! Denis Savard, as only he can do it! ‘Savoir-Faire’ turned the defenseman inside-out. Made him look like a turnstile. He walked through him, and in on [Bill] Ranford he buried it.”

When the Hawks announced Wednesday that next season will be Foley’s last with the team, I was glad I had kept the tape intact. It’s already a technological relic, and it’s soon to be an audial one.

And this goal from April 8, 1989, in a Norris Division semifinal series against the Red Wings and goalie Glen Hanlon.

“Here’s in on right wing over the line, shooting, he scores! Troy Murray, from the blue line, right between the pearly gates!”

Other goals on the tape aren’t as poetic, but they have the same excitement. And that’s what Foley brings to broadcasts in abundance. His voice rises as the Hawks mount a rush, grabbing your attention. If a shot just misses, you can tell without seeing it when he emphasizes “HE missed the far post.”

If a shot finds the net, Foley finds another octave, though that has become much harder in his later years. He’s not yelling “Bannerman!” 1216305 Chicago Blackhawks

Pat Foley, Hall of Fame Blackhawks announcer, to retire

BY ALEX SHAPIRO

BLACKHAWKS

It’s the end of a legendary era for the Chicago Blackhawks. On Wednesday, the team announced that next season will be longtime play- by-play announcer Pat Foley’s final season calling games.

The 2021-2022 season will mark Foley’s 39th year in the booth for the Blackhawks. He will call some games on the schedule, but others will be used to help transition the new Blackhawks’ play-by-play announcer. A replacement for Foley has not been announced yet.

“Pat Foley is not just a legendary broadcaster and great partner in the booth, but I’m proud to say he is an even better friend,” said in a statement. “Two Chicago guys calling Blackhawks hockey for the past 15 years has been a dream come true for me and I’m so fortunate to have that experience. I’m so happy for him to be able to go out on his own terms and so proud of what he has accomplished. Pat Foley will always be the voice of Blackhawks hockey and we will be sure to entertain our fans and celebrate Pat this season.”

“Pat Foley has been synonymous with Chicago Blackhawks hockey for well over a generation,” said Blackhawks Chairman in a statement. “We are thankful for the memories Pat has created for our fans through the years and he will continue to be a part of the Blackhawks family. We are excited to begin this search for a new television play-by-play broadcaster who will create Blackhawks memories for the next generation of fans.”

Foley was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. He made the in 2014, as well. Over his career, Foley has also won five Emmys for his excellence calling live hockey games.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216306 Columbus Blue Jackets

Pascal Vincent leaving Winnipeg to become Blue Jackets assistant coach under Brad Larsen: report

By Aaron Portzline

Jun 25, 2021

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two weeks after he was named Blue Jackets coach, Brad Larsen has reportedly made his first hire.

Pascal Vincent, who has spent the last 10 seasons in the Winnipeg Jets organization — the first five as an NHL assistant, the last five as coach of the AHL’s Moose — will join the Blue Jackets as one of Larsen’s assistants.

The news, first reported by Sportsnet’s , has not yet been announced by the Blue Jackets or Winnipeg, but it was confirmed to The Athletic by multiple NHL club sources on Thursday. Vincent did not respond to text messages seeking comment.

Vincent, 49, is expected to run the Blue Jackets’ forwards and power play, although the bench duties won’t be officially sorted out until Larsen’s staff is complete. He’s said to be zeroing in on a second assistant, too.

Former Blue Jackets interim head coach Claude Noel, now a scout with , was the coach in Winnipeg in 2011-12 when Vincent joined the staff as a young assistant just up from the Major Junior Hockey League.

They worked together until Noel was fired during the 2013-14 season, but Noel has always raved about Vincent and promoted him for NHL jobs.

“I think Pascal is terrific,” Noel said. “Young, innovative, progressive … and he has great core values. It’s an excellent fit in Columbus, and he’ll really be well-liked there. He’s very passionate and personable.

“He’s also a very hard worker. I can’t say enough good things about him. He has a very bright future.”

When the Blue Jackets began searching for a head coach after parting ways with after the season, Vincent was one of the names that quickly surfaced as a possible candidate for the job that Larsen eventually filled. He was never interviewed for the job.

Vincent had been seen as a strong candidate to replace coach in Winnipeg, but Maurice, after eight seasons with the Jets, appears safe despite winning only one playoff round in the last three seasons.

Vincent, who coached Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic for two seasons in Manitoba, is considered an excellent teacher and developer of young talent, with Jets forward Kyle Connor his star pupil.

Like most coaches in today’s NHL, Vincent is said to favor a 1-3-1 set-up on the power play, with a heavy emphasis on shots from the point.

In five AHL seasons, beginning in 2016-17, Vincent’s teams finished 13th, second, 26th, 22nd and 13th in the league on the power play, although, to be fair, AHL lineups are often in a state of disarray with NHL call-ups, etc.

The Moose finished second in the AHL’s Canadian division this season with an 18-13-3-2 record. Vincent is 155-139-31 as an AHL coach.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216307 Columbus Blue Jackets The Blue Jackets would have to get creative to swing a deal, and it would be hard to swallow. In chatting with scouts and executives across the NHL, a few names consistently surfaced as part of a makeshift offering.

Blue Jackets would covet a healthy, happy Jack Eichel, but deal with The deal would have to start with this year’s first-round draft pick (No. 5 Sabres would be risky overall), and likely include goaltender Elvis Merzlikins, either Texier or defenseman Andrew Peeke, and at least one of the Jackets’ top Russian prospects, either Yegor Chinakov or Kirill Marchenko. Truth be told, that By Aaron Portzline probably still doesn’t get it done.

Jun 24, 2021 If you knew Eichel would be healthy, you might consider it. The Blue Jackets would probably want to include winger Patrik Laine in the deal,

but it’s unclear if Buffalo has an interest in Laine, a big-ticket restricted COLUMBUS, Ohio — Just as the Columbus Blue Jackets are preparing free agent this summer. to trade away their latest prominent player, rumors are swirling across Blue Jackets’ plans: OK, so the Blue Jackets are no longer reloading, the NHL that the Jackets are in trade talks to acquire a superstar. they’re actually rebuilding. Or pick another word that means taking a step Defenseman Seth Jones is likely to be traded this summer after informing back to take bigger steps forward. But that doesn’t mean it has to take the Blue Jackets in May that he won’t sign a contract extension He wants forever, right? to pursue unrestricted free agency after next season. This much you “The one thing I talk to Jarmo about a lot is this: we have work to do, so already knew. let’s do it the right way, so that when we get better as a team, we can But there have been reports in recent days that the Blue Jackets are battle for a long time,” Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John heavily involved in discussions with the Buffalo Sabres, along with the Davidson said. Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild and surely others, to acquire Jack He wasn’t speaking specifically about Eichel. He was speaking in broad Eichel. terms about what’s ahead for the franchise. There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s get this part out of the way first: “I don’t even want to get into terminology,” Davidson said. “All I want our after talking with numerous sources in recent days, it doesn’t appear that guys to do is when we make decisions, we’re making them for the the Blue Jackets — at least as of today — are in hot pursuit of Eichel, betterment of the team, and not a quick fix. We’re going to develop and one of the premier centers in the league. become a good team and every decision we make will be with that in Has Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen had conversations mind.” with his counterpart in Buffalo, Kevyn Adams? Yes. That’s what high- Eichel is only 24 years old, so the Jackets wouldn’t be selling the farm for ranking executives call “due diligence.” Earlier this week, Kekalainen said a player on the downside of his career. (All health matters aside, of he spoke with “six or seven” GMs in a single day. course.) Eichel is under contract for five more seasons ($10 million cap hit) and Still, giving up so many young players — and taking on so much risk with he plays a position that is an absolutely desperate need in Columbus. Eichel’s injury — seems the wrong move at this stage of the process. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound playmaker would immediately become the most The plan since Davidson returned from the New York Rangers, it seems, talented player on the Blue Jackets’ roster, arguably the most talented is to draft and develop the organization’s next wave of difference-makers. player to ever wear the sweater. And maybe, with high draft picks expected in the 2022 and 2023 drafts, But there’s some baggage here, too, and there are other reasons why too, they can pick their own Eichel-like talent. acquiring Eichel may not make much sense for the Blue Jackets, at least at this juncture. We’ll list them in the order of believed importance. Buyer beware: This may be a touch unfair to Eichel, who is, by all accounts a rare and wondrous talent. But how much of the Sabres’ Eichel’s health: The relationship between Eichel and the Sabres, after six chronic losing falls on him and the Sabres’ other top young players? years of near hopelessness, has only gotten worse because of a neck injury suffered in March, causing him to miss the final month of the Yes, the Sabres have been a roiling mess long before Eichel was drafted season. with the No. 2 pick in 2015. They haven’t made the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2011 and haven’t won a playoff series since 2007, when Eichel The Sabres want Eichel to pursue traditional remedies — rest, therapy, was just 10 years old. etc. — but he wants to have a surgery (artificial disc replacement) that Buffalo doctors say has never been performed on an NHL player. But the NHL’s best players elevate the players around them, and that hasn’t happened in Buffalo. Before any team acquires Eichel, they’d demand to see his medical reports. They may even insist on having their own team doctors examine Wherever Eichel goes, he’ll almost certainly be the focal point of the his neck. This is a serious injury with an uncertain resolution, and it hurts roster, the centerpiece of the offensive attack and the basis of the club’s Eichel’s value on the market. marketing push. He’ll be that club’s new Mr. Everything, especially after they gave up the farm to acquire him. For the Blue Jackets, memories of the untimely end of forward Nathan Horton’s career due to a back ailment are still fresh. That happened early Are we sure he’s up for that? in Kekalainen’s career with the Blue Jackets. From Buffalo to Cbus: It’s pretty clear that Eichel is done with Buffalo, No question teams would feel better about acquiring Eichel on the other looking for a fresh start after finishing 23rd, 26th, 31st, 27th, 25th and side of surgery, but the Sabres don’t show any signs of relenting. If the 31st in the NHL’s overall standings during his six seasons. neck doesn’t heal on its own, and Eichel and the Sabres remain at loggerheads over his treatment, this could end up in a hearing between But what would he think about relocating to Columbus, which has made the club and the NHL Players’ Association. NHL headlines the last two-plus years mostly because of the talent that’s headed out the doors of Nationwide Arena? And you thought times were tough in Columbus? The Blue Jackets made the playoffs in four straight seasons before Eichel’s pricetag: Despite Eichel’s herniated disc, the Sabres are said to cratering in 2020-21, but they’re likely heading into a stretch of rough be asking for a mint for him. No. 1 centers don’t hit the market every day, seasons before the tide turns back around in central Ohio. right? Eichel’s no-move clause doesn’t kick in until July 1, 2022, so he can’t It has been widely assumed that Buffalo wants a young center with first- control his destination until then. And he has five more years before he’s line potential as the centerpiece of its return. If that’s the demand, you a UFA. can take the Blue Jackets off the list of suitors immediately, because nobody on the Columbus roster — not Max Domi, Jack Roslovic or But Columbus knows full well that the contract is just a technicality if the young Alexandre Texier — fits that description. player isn’t happy or doesn’t want to be there. Eichel seems to be in anywhere-but-here mode, but that could change quickly if the losing continues in his next stop. A different Sabres target: We should never say never with regard to the Blue Jackets and Eichel, but repeatedly this week we’ve been told that Columbus’ involvement in trade talks are overblown.

At least as it relates to Eichel. But elsewhere on the roster?

The Blue Jackets have expressed an interest in Sabres center Sam Reinhart, who is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer. He’s coming off a 25-goal season (in only 54 games) after moving back to center when Eichel went down.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216308 Dallas Stars

Stars sign center Rhett Gardner to two-year deal for NHL league minimum

By Brice Paterik

Jun 24, 2021 CDT

The Stars shored up their depth Thursday by retaining center Rhett Gardner. Dallas announced the signing via Twitter.

The 25-year-old native of Moose Jaw, played 28 games with Dallas last season tallying his first NHL assist and his first goal.

Dallas drafted Gardner in the fourth round of the 2016 draft out of North Dakota. Gardner’s most dominant skill is his ability to win faceoffs as well as his knack on the defensive end of the ice.

He made his NHL debut in 2019 along with Nick Caamano in St. Louis a little more than a week after being the final cuts at training camp. Gardner went on to play eight games that season with the Stars.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216309 Dallas Stars Damiani dominating in the AHL. But as the Stars have seen with Hintz and especially Gurianov, sometimes a young players’ path to becoming an everyday NHLer could be long-winding. Dallas can hope they are A look at the current state of the Stars’ roster and where the team has answers for next season but can’t rely on it. This is where getting multiple holes to fill players of the Coleman ilk this offseason will be important.

Defensemen

By Saad Yousuf Esa Lindell — John Klingberg

Jun 24, 2021 Miro Heiskanen — X

Joel Hanley — Andrej Sekera

As much anticipation as there should be for the 2021-22 Stars season, a The Stars have half of the equation with their defensemen figured out pivotal offseason comes first. That time period is fast approaching, with with Lindell, Klingberg and Heiskanen. What happens with Oleksiak is the Seattle expansion draft and NHL Draft both now less than one month the big question here because his return would, at least initially, put him away. Free agency begins in 34 days. back on the pairing with Heiskanen and allow Thomas Harley to break into the NHL on the third pair. If the Stars and Oleksiak are not able to The Stars currently have roughly $16 million in cap space, a figure that is come to terms, Harley’s talent could vault him immediately to the second obviously not indicative of the splash they’ll be able to make in free pair. Anybody playing with Heiskanen will be in an advantageous position agency. Depending on which player Seattle selects, there could be more but given Harley’s offensive talent and defensive development, it would added to the pot. There will be a decent chunk of that allocated to Miro behoove the team to have more of a defensive defenseman paired with Heiskanen as he gets a hefty contract extension. Pending RFAs Joel both Heiskanen and Harley, similar to the fortified top pairing of Klingberg Kiviranta and Jason Dickinson will also require their piece of the pie, as and Lindell. The Stars need to find a fourth/fifth defenseman in free would pending UFA defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, if mutual interest agency, whether it be a familiar name or an external option. remains in bringing him back. Goaltender It’s difficult to project an exact money figure available because of the uncertainty. Heiskanen will definitely get a new contract but will it be a Ben Bishop long-term extension or a bridge deal? Seattle will definitely select a Jake Oettinger player but will it be a veteran with salary, such as Anton Khudobin, or somebody from the prospect pool, like Adam Mascherin? Before Anton Khudobin continuing on the speculation of the unknowns over the next month, including who the Stars could pursue on the open market and who they As we’ve written this offseason, goaltending will be a wait-and-see will add in the draft, let’s take a look at where the roster stands for certain situation for the Stars. They should come out of it in a decent position, at if the team was putting together a lineup today. worst, and enviable position, at best. Much will depend on the Kraken and whether or not they decide to select Khudobin. Mostly though, things Forwards will hinge on Bishop’s health, which could go in any direction at this point. Jake Oettinger is the sure-bet for the team no matter what happens with Jason Robertson — Roope Hintz — Joe Pavelski the veterans.

Tyler Seguin — Jamie Benn — Alexander Radulov The Stars did sign Adam Scheel a few months ago as a potential solution Joel Kiviranta — Radek Faksa — Denis Gurianov for the future. Beyond that, there are enough needs with the forwards and defensemen that the Stars won’t be spending money in the crease Tanner Kero — Jason Dickinson — Blake Comeau this offseason.

Offer sheets are mostly a myth in the NHL so restricted free agents typically aren’t going anywhere, though the expansion draft is a unique element this offseason and could change Dickinson’s availability. The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021

There will be a time to pontificate line combinations but that’s not what we’re doing here. Instead, the focus more is on the names and roles. When healthy, the Stars have five-to-eight “top-six” forwards. Robertson, Hintz, Pavelski, Seguin and Radulov have the name and game to fit the billing. Gurianov has shown the potential and Benn has shown the ability to still display that sort of talent when utilized a certain way.

There are others here who have played in the top-six but that can be seen as more of an indictment of the depth chart than their own talent. The best position for the Stars to be in is one where Kiviranta, Dickinson and Faksa help hold down the bottom-six instead of playing overmatched roles. The Stars brought Comeau back on a one-year, $1 million deal this week, fulfilling the forwards requirement for the expansion draft. It’s a much better deal for the team than the $2.4 million AAV Comeau has been playing at the past three seasons and it should allow the coaching staff to not just pencil him in on the third-line — or frankly, in the lineup — should the injection of new talent allow others to fill the role.

The Stars have a winnable top-six in place, especially if Gurianov can live up to his 2019-2020 potential and Benn can be as effective as he was last season after the switch to center. Seguin and Radulov would also need to stay healthy but after a short 2021 season and long offseasons for both, there’s reason to believe they will come back in good health. If the Stars have an opportunity to get another top-six talent in free agency, obviously they should do so but with the reality of the cap, the in-house options could get the job done.

What Dallas does need to do is find a way to bolster the “middle-six.” There are multiple ways to accomplish this, the most convenient being in the pipeline. Ty Dellandrea and Riley Damiani should both make legitimate pushes this fall to be mainstays in the NHL lineup. Both have shown promise, Dellandrea in limited NHL action last season and 1216310 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' NHL draft: Two options for to fill goaltending hole

HELENE ST. JAMES

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman knows firsthand how much difference a highly ranked goaltender can make — and it has been on display during the semifinals of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, , Vegas Golden Knights and New York Islanders all boast goalies drafted in the first round. Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury was the No. 1 pick in 2003 (by Pittsburgh), and Montreal's Carey Price was selected No. 5 overall in 2005. New York’s was drafted at No. 23 in 2006, and Andrei Vasilevskiy was selected at No. 19 in 2012 — with a pick Yzerman, then GM of the Lightning, acquired from the Wings at that year's trade deadline.

The Wings, who still had Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk on the roster, needed help on the blue line, and GM executed a three-team trade that sent veteran defenseman Kyle Quincey to the Wings and, eventually, a future Stanley Cup champion and franchise goaltender to the Lightning.

Now Yzerman is approaching his third draft as GM of the Wings, and he needs a goaltender for the rebuild’s future. The first round of the draft is July 23, and Yzerman holds two picks — the Wings’ own, at No. 6, and the one he acquired from the Washington Capitals in the Anthony Mantha trade, at No. 22. So let's take a look at a pair of first-round candidates in net for the Wings, as part of an ongoing series on possible first-rounders at all positions.

At No. 6: Jesper Wallstedt

Size: 6 feet 3, 214 pounds.

2020-21: Posted a 12-10-0 record with a 2.23 goals-against average and .908 save percentage in 22 regular-season games for Lulea HF in the , plus a 3.36 GAA and .871 save percentage in two playoff games. Played two games for Sweden at the World Juniors, posting a 2.40 GAA and .923 save percentage.

The buzz: The 18-year-old impresses with his ability to not allow rebounds, but has good control when he does give up a second chance. He’s a strong skater who isn’t afraid to challenge shooters, and he uses his size effectively to limit options for shooters. Handles the puck well, making swift and accurate passes to teammates. Plays with poise beyond that of a teenager.

Why he makes sense: He’s only a teenager but already shows the ability to move on quickly from a bad game. He’s a standout puck handler, a huge plus in a goaltender in today’s NHL.

At No. 22: Sebastian Cossa

Size: 6-6, 210.

2020-21: Posted a 17-1-1 record with a `1.57 GAA and .941 save percentage in 19 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the ,

The buzz: The 18-year-old is an athletic goalie who moves quickly from side to side and from butterfly position to standing up. By size alone, he doesn’t give opponents much net to shoot at — even while down in the butterfly pose, his shoulders still reach the crossbar. Good at getting to pucks behind his net and passing to his teammates.

Why he makes sense: Cossa boasts enviable size, skill and athleticism. He played 33 games for the Oil Kings in 2019-20, posting a .921 save percentage and 2.23 GAA. The pandemic denied him a shot at playoff hockey the past two seasons, but that should change next year. He projects to compete for Team Canada at the World Juniors next season. He’ll need time to work on his game, but Cossa could be a potential franchise goaltender.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216311 Detroit Red Wings “He came back here and played five games with the Red Wings and looked good. I talked to him and he feels really good about it."

Coach also has stressed the importance of being a complete 'Driven' Red Wings prospect Joe Veleno shows progress during long, player whom the coaching staff can trust on all 200 feet of the ice. busy season Veleno's improvement from a physical strength standpoint — he was noticeably stronger and thicker — and his diligence on the defensive end TED KULFAN | The Detroit News pleased Blashill.

"These players have to learn to be all-around, 200-foot players if they want to be part of this solution moving forward here to try to build into a Detroit — After the hockey season Joe Veleno had, it’s understandable team that can win a championship. You can't win championships without he’s relishing a little downtime. 200-foot players," Blashill said. "That's something that we've tried to continue to install in our players and it's going to be critical for Joe." Veleno, you’ll recall, was loaned to Malmo in the Swedish Hockey League last autumn while pro leagues in North America were on hold In general, Veleno made a good impression in five games. because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and spent the hockey season in Europe. "He was strong on the puck, strong on his stick, played a 200-foot game, had some opportunities," Blashill said. "He looked like a guy who's When the SHL season ended, Veleno hurried back to North America. He played two years pro and was ready for the opportunity to skate in the was able to make his NHL debut with the Red Wings, then get a few NHL. His strength really showed." games in with affiliate Grand Rapids. Given the Wings’ fluid roster situation next season, it would appear In all, it was a pretty hectic span of time. So spending most of the Veleno has a good opportunity of beginning the NHL season in October summer in his home of Montreal will be a little more special than usual. with the Wings.

“For sure it’s been quite a year, a lot of traveling and a lot of hotels,” But Yzerman, as has been his custom, isn’t going to hand over roster Veleno said during his end-of-season Zoom call with the Griffins. “I’m spots until the player is ready to thrive in the NHL. excited to get back home and see my family, friends. I haven’t seen them since the third of October. “He has a great attitude and works really hard,” Yzerman said. “Our message to him was you come in next year — it’s the same with all our “It’ll be nice to spend time with them and see their faces.” young guys. If you are ready to play on the team and play a role that helps us win and play significant minutes, you are going to be on the Red When Veleno has time to sit and reflect on this past season, he’ll do so Wings. with a sense of satisfaction. “If you aren't beating out the other guys, you'll be in Grand Rapids The Wings’ 2018 first-round pick (along with that year) playing there. We are very happy with his attitude, his progress and reaffirmed the belief in the organization that Veleno could be an potential going forward. He is a real good young prospect with a great important part of the future lineup. attitude and very driven." Veleno was able to play five games with the Wings, get his first NHL The experience and progress Veleno earned and showed this season goal, and showed glimpses of being the productive, responsible two-way gives him confidence heading into September’s training camp. center the Wings have envisioned. “I got to play some pretty good minutes (in Detroit),” Veleno said. “My goal coming back (from Sweden) was to play for the Red Wings, suit “Trusted in all areas of the ice, so it really boosted my confidence. I had a up for my first NHL game, which I did, and I was fortunate and grateful for little taste of it and what those NHL games are like and what to bring to that,” Veleno said. “Scoring a goal gave it a little bit of a bonus, but that the table day in and day out. It was good to have that experience. was also a huge accomplishment and I felt real proud about myself. “Confidence is going to be huge going into next year.” “It’s been quite a season. In one year, you don’t see that (playing in different countries, teams, leagues) quite often.”

Veleno felt the time in Sweden was particularly helpful. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 06.25.2021 The SHL is a respected pro league, emphasizing speed and skill, and it took a while for Veleno to adjust.

As the team struggled, Veleno was switched to wing to trigger more offense and he responded with his best stretch of the season.

Veleno had 11 goals and nine assists in 46 games for Malmo before a mild concussion prematurely ended his season.

“Times weren’t the greatest personally or for our team (Malmo). We struggled a little bit, but it was a good experience,” Veleno said. “I was happy with playing in Malmo and I was real fortunate they were able to bring me in for the season.”

The emphasis on two-way play, making sure the defensive end of the rink is as vital as offense, was impressed upon Veleno, whose progress in that department was noticed by the Wings.

“Joe had a great year last year in the , and by the end of the season, he was really good at both ends of the rink,” said Wings general manager Steve Yzerman. “He was having a positive impact in the game on the team. He had a really good year as a 19-year- old.

“Then he made the decision to go over and play in Sweden and he did real well. It is a different game, it's a bigger ice surface. He played a lot, but it further emphasized the point that these guys have to play. Regardless of whether you are in the NHL, the American League, Sweden, Finland, wherever, they are playing and playing a lot and it’s a good thing for them. 1216312 Edmonton Oilers Josh Currie and Joe Gambardella both looked capable at the NHL level, as reflected by their five-on-five points per 60 minutes. Both were aggressive on the forecheck, and I wouldn’t have been surprised to see Lowetide: Oilers’ prospect pipeline could be at stake as AHL coach Jay them make the big club in 2019-20. A coaching change ( Woodcroft outgrows his minor-league role replacing , who had replaced McLellan during the season) affected each man’s chance.

Jones had some wobble on defence but showed more than enough to By Allan Mitchell suggest he was on track for an NHL career. Specifically, his speed was noticeable. Cooper Marody and Patrick Russell had less of an Jun 24, 2021 opportunity, but both had good indicators in expected goals at five-on- five.

Since Jay Woodcroft accepted the head coaching job with the The players who either made their NHL debut or played in their first full ahead of the 2018-19 season, the pipeline of talent NHL seasons after time with Woodcroft have had similar results the past arriving at Edmonton International Airport has surged. The young men two seasons (numbers again five-on-five): arrive more ready for the NHL than under previous coaches, several Players from Woodcroft’s gang solved a big problem on defence opening instantly plugging in at important spots on the depth chart. night 2019-20 when Adam Larsson got hurt (Bear) and ignited a fantastic People have noticed. run beginning January 2020 by emerging as a key part of a red-hot scoring line (Yamamoto). This past season, both Bouchard and McLeod The Oilers this season recalled Evan Bouchard (first round, 2018) and showed enough to project as everyday players in 2021-22. Ryan McLeod (second round, 2018) among recent early draft picks who have developed with Woodcroft, a season after Kailer Yamamoto (first After years of watching highly touted prospects come up from the AHL round, 2017) made the jump. They also regularly played several later and either play fourth-line minutes or not play at all, Oilers fans are selections who have graduated from Woodcroft’s system: William finding the new wrinkle involving recalls a major positive. Credit goes to Lagesson (fourth round, 2014), Caleb Jones (fourth round, 2015) and the players, and to Tippett, but also to the learning and grinding and Ethan Bear (fifth round 2015). progress that happens in Bakersfield with Woodcroft at the helm.

The most successful Oilers minor-league coach of this century was The contract Claude Julien, who led the Hamilton Bulldogs for three seasons Oilers general manager Ken Holland has made it clear that the coaching beginning in 2000-01. He graduated seven men who would play at least staff in Bakersfield is a priority, and early on in his time with Edmonton, 20 AHL games and then over 200 in the NHL: Jason Chimera (1,107 he extended Woodcroft on a three-year deal in June 2019. That means NHL games), Shawn Horcoff (1,008), Jarret Stoll (872), Marc-Andre the coach and organization will begin their final year of this contract in the Bergeron (490), Fernando Pisani (477), (216) and Alexei fall — the same time Tippett’s deal is up. Semenov (211). Edmonton has some questions to answer about its AHL head coach. As After three seasons with Bakersfield, Woodcroft has six men he’s a year away from being free to sign with anyone, there are matriculating toward 200 games: Bear has played 132, Yamamoto 105, rumblings of interest from other teams. Elliotte Friedman mentioned Jones 93, Lagesson 27, Bouchard 21 and McLeod 10. Not all will make Woodcroft’s ability to get players to the NHL quickly and effectively it, but there are also players who have yet to play in the NHL who could (specifically McLeod) in a recent 31 Thoughts (No. 16 thought). The reach the 200-game level eventually. Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman fielded a of questions about Woodcroft won’t get that report card for many seasons. Where will he be Woodcroft’s future in his most recent mailbag, responding: “I do know in 2025? 2030? It’s an important question and the answer will impact the from talking to him in the past that he went down to Bakersfield — future of the Oilers. leaving his Oilers assistant gig — because he wanted to be a head coach. I don’t sense anything has changed.” The resume My opinion is that Tippett and his staff are safe after two straight seasons Woodcroft will turn 45 in August, meaning we are likely to hear his name making the playoffs. The next pressure point will be spring 2022, with many times over the next 20 years no matter where he lands. He began playoffs and some postseason success the clear expectation. his NHL coaching career with the Detroit Red Wings during ’s time as head coach. As video coach, Woodcroft was part of a I doubt there’s an appetite for changing the staff at the NHL or AHL level staff that guided the 2008 team to a Stanley Cup championship. at this time, and a series win after the 2021-22 season probably means another year with Tippett and his staff. Todd McLellan, also on that Detroit staff, took the head coaching job with the San Jose Sharks after the Cup win, and Woodcroft went with him. What does that mean for Woodcroft? The young coach spent seven seasons as an assistant under McLellan in On the positive side, new pro players like Dylan Holloway will receive San Jose and joined him again in Edmonton in time for the 2015-16 excellent coaching if they are sent to Bakersfield. It will give the staff season. Woodcroft was on the bench with McLellan during the Oilers’ more time to work with players like Raphael Lavoie, Mike Kesselring and 2016-17 playoff run, the most successful by an Edmonton team since others after an unusual season that began at hockey’s farthest reaches 2006. for many. The wheels came off the team a little in 2017-18, Edmonton finishing with At some point, if Woodcroft keeps developing players at this rate, a team 25 fewer standings points season over season. Woodcroft was that wants results from young players will come calling. When that reassigned to Bakersfield, taking his first head coaching job. The happens, the Oilers organization will have to make a decision, at the NHL expectation was for him to develop players to the point they could be level, the AHL level, or both. useful in the NHL, and the coach has been quality in this area for the organization. Measuring success

AHL success One way to measure success for farm teams is to simply count the number of NHL players being produced over a specific period of time. It’s Out of the box in 2018-19, the Condors were better under Woodcroft. A important to properly set up the comparison, mostly because building record of 42-21-5 was good enough for the Pacific Division and Western teams will have more (and more valuable) draft picks than clubs that are Conference titles, and the team would add a playoff series win against contending. In Edmonton’s case, first-round picks from 2010 to 2015 the Colorado Eagles in the spring. basically avoided the AHL altogether and skipped right to the NHL. Tyler Benson and Shane Starrett made the All-Rookie and second All- Using the Pacific Division as the pool to compare, and tracking picks Star teams. More importantly, five players made their NHL debuts during from 2016 to 2019, we can see the large gap in top-50 overall selections Woodcroft’s first season, beginning a trend for Woodcroft recalls. More in those years. Anaheim (seven), Edmonton (seven), Vancouver (seven), than any Oilers minor-league coach in memory, Woodcroft’s recalls have Vegas (six), Arizona (six), Los Angeles (six), San Jose (four) and Calgary been plug-and-play, with success in the early stages of their NHL time. (three) all had looks during those years, but some teams traded multiple picks and other teams fast-tracked talent. Here’s how the corresponding AHL farm teams have fared in developing prospects over the past three seasons. Rebuilding Anaheim and Los Angeles lead the way in players graduated to featured or regular (no on- the-verge-of-regular) roles; contenders Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Vegas trail; and San Jose and Arizona are wasted on the way:

The takeaway here for Oilers fans is the farm system is vastly improved from a decade ago. More first-round picks are spending time in Bakersfield, and bonafide prospects are spending more than a year in the AHL prepping for the career ahead.

Woodcroft will aid the build for one more season, but expecting him to be in Bakersfield after the 2021-22 season would be unwise for the Oilers. There are decisions to be made on the horizon.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216313 Los Angeles Kings

Kings re-sign Blake Lizotte to one-year contract

By Zach Dooley

The LA Kings announced today that the organization has signed forward Blake Lizotte to a one-year contract extension, which carries an AAV of $800,000.

Lizotte was one of 11 restricted free agents throughout the Kings organization entering this offseason, including one of eight to play an NHL game with the team this season. The Kings could have tendered Lizotte a qualifying offer, but Lizotte and the Kings got a deal done early, well before the qualifying offer deadline in late-July.

The 5-7 centerman had ten points (3-7-10) from 44 games played at the NHL level this season and has 33 points (9-24-33) from 107 career NHL games after he made his professional debut in April 2019 out of college.

From our seasons in review series, Lizotte was one of just four Kings regulars at the forward position to be a positive in terms of shot attempts, the only regular forward beyond the usual top line of Alex Iafallo – Anze Kopitar – Dustin Brown to finish on the upper end of the 50 percent mark. While down from his numbers that exceeded 55 percent in his favor during the season prior, Lizotte performed similarly relative to his teammates.

Lizotte also led the Kings with a +2 rating and was the only regular skater, regardless of position, to finish the season as a positive in the plus/minus column.

The Kings got more than their money’s worth on Lizotte’s entry-level contract, with an undrafted free agent signed out of college playing the entirety of his first two seasons at the NHL level, barring one rehab assignment with the Reign, that lasted just a game.

Looking ahead at the 2021-22 season, Lizotte’s re-signing gives the Kings some decisions to make at the center position. Naturally, Kopitar is a lock as the team’s 1C, and Lizotte enters back into a group that also features returning regulars Gabriel Vilardi and Jaret Anderson-Dolan, as well as top prospects Quinton Byfield and Rasmus Kupari, who impressed in NHL spurts. All of the aforementioned names are expected to, at the least, challenge for full-time role in the fall.

With now two seasons under his belt, Lizotte has shown an ability to play in various roles throughout the lineup, skating on the second, third and fourth lines at various times this season. His fit moving forward expects to be within the bottom six, as a hard-working, energetic forward who brings a spark to his team, while playing responsible, 200-foot hockey. Lizotte has shown to be a strong possession-based player in his short NHL time, as well as one of Todd McLellan’s most effective penalty killers.

The questions moving forward, for at least a couple of the aforementioned players, as well as those potentially joining the fray, would be who can also provide versatility in playing on the wing. With just four center positions available, and Lizotte now making six options under contract for the coming season, that stands to be an interesting storyline to focus on as the Kings approach training camp.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.25.2021

1216314 Minnesota Wild "There's many nights where I'll get a text from a buddy saying, 'Hey, are you watching the Twins?' You know, (Miguel) Sano just hit a three-run homer," Pederson said. "And I realize that I completely forgot that they were even playing that night. It's kind of out of sight, out of mind." Fans adjusting to life without Bally Sports North, which should scare Minnesota teams Star Tribune LOADED: 06.25.2021

Three Minnesota fans joined Daily Delivery for a discussion of their viewing habits — and how in some cases Bally Sports North and their local teams are out of sight, out of mind.

By Michael Rand Star Tribune JUNE 24, 2021 — 9:00AM

Tom Pederson considers himself a fan of all Minnesota sports, but particularly the Twins.

Pederson was thrilled when he dropped a more expensive cable package in favor of YouTube TV more than a year ago — a bundle of channels that, at the time, included Fox Sports North (since rebranded to Bally Sports North) and gave him access to virtually every Twins, Wild and Wolves games plus most Minnesota United and some Lynx games.

But like countless other Minnesota sports fans, he was dismayed when YouTube TV along with — the two largest live TV streaming services, with more than 3 million subscribers each in the U.S. — dropped Sinclair-owned regional sports networks in the fall in a dispute over carriage fees. Those channels have not returned nearly 9 months later.

"I thought, well, when Twins season starts that's really when I'm going to have to make a decision — when I'll really miss it," Pederson said on Thursday's Daily Delivery podcast, an episode that featured three fans sharing their sports viewing perspectives, frustrations and habits. "Unfortunately because of they way they're performing I haven't missed it that much. ... I've just been able to adapt around it, I guess. I just haven't missed it as much as I thought I would. We used to have Twins games on at home every day, just to follow them. But I've gotten used to it."

It's that sort of sentiment — one shared to a degree by Douglas Farmer and Corbitt Harrell, the two other fans on the podcast — that should scare teams the most as they navigate fans having a diminished opportunity to watch them.

While it's true that Bally Sports North is still available on major cable providers, via satellite with DirecTV (though not Dish Network) and one streaming service (AT&T Choice, for $85 a month), telling consumers to switch to one of those options is tricky for a couple reasons.

First, some of them like Harrell have already made multiple switches hopping from service to service in search of regional sports. They're tired of the hassle.

Second, many of the fans who made the switch to services like YouTube or Hulu did so because it was cheaper than cable/satellite and didn't require a long-term contract. Once you've given them a less expensive option with the content they want, they aren't going to be inclined to pay full price any more.

Farmer said he gave up his cable package when he moved a few months ago. But as a Wolves season ticket holder, he says he will feel the sting in a few months when that season starts up again. But he didn't mention adding back cable — instead, he only alluded to getting a friend to share a cable password.

"I will have to find a way," Farmer said.

Farmer and Harrell sounded intrigued when I mentioned the $23 standalone app that I wrote about a couple weeks ago, as reported by the New York Post. But all three fans thought $23 was too much to pay just for access to one channel.

That sort of thing wouldn't be ready until the 2022 MLB season, at the earliest. For now, all three fans are adapting. Farmer watches fewer games, but the ones he really want to see he will go watch at bars. Harrell says he has gotten into the Lynx this season because many of their games are on national TV.

And Pederson? Well, with the Twins floundering nearly halfway through the season, he's in no hurry to see what he's been missing. 1216315 Montreal Canadiens Caufield only joined the team at the end of the season after finishing out his collegiate career. A few months ago, he was selected the winner of the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in the NCAA.

Lehkonen’s overtime shot sends Canadiens to Stanley Cup final “This is awesome,” he said. “I love the fans. This city has been nothing but awesome so far.”

Vegas, which had not won a game during the playoffs when trailing after Marty Klinkenberg 6/25/2021 two periods, tied it again early in the third. The score was knotted at 2-2 when Martinez poked a rebound of a shot by Pietrangelo past Price from

seven feet away. Artturi Lehkonen #62 of the Montreal Canadiens is congratulated by The Canadiens had history on their side going into the night. Montreal Phillip Danault #24 after scoring the game-winning goal during the first had an all-time record of 26-3 when it held a 3-2 lead in a best-of-seven overtime period against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the series during the playoffs. Stanley Cup semi-finals on June 24, 2021, in Montreal. Price is 12-5 during the postseason and outduelled Lehner, who was Artturi Lehkonen scored on a crisp wrist shot in overtime on Thursday spectacular in defeat. Lehner had 29 saves. and Carey Price made 37 saves, as the Canadiens beat the Golden Knights 3-2 to advance to the for the first time in 28 “It is a pretty empty feeling right now,” Lehner said. “Any time you lose in years. Montreal will play the winner of Friday’s game in Tampa between the playoffs and know that the season’s over, it’s hard to take in. It is the Lightning and the New York Islanders in the final round. tough to digest right now, but you to give credit to the other team.”

The last time it made it that far was in 1993 – and that is also the last As a group, the Golden Knights forwards entered the contest having time it won the Cup. Montreal remains the last Canadian team to win scored only four goals in five games. Mark Stone, the team’s and one. leading scorer during the regular season, had yet to record a point. At the same time, Montreal’s forwards had combined for a dozen goals. Vegas Vegas tied the for the most points in the NHL during was 0 for 13 on the power play and didn’t seem to have much of an idea the regular season and was heavily favoured to win the best-of-seven of how to solve anything. series. The Canadiens confounded the experts by winning in six games. That follows a hard-fought victory in seven games over the Maple Leafs Stone ended the series with zero points, and the Golden Knights went 0 and a four-game sweep of the Winnipeg Jets in the second round. for 15 with the man advantage.

As the winning goal found the back of the net, 3,500 spectators inside the “It is a pretty terrible feeling,” Stone said. “I can praise them all I want, but Bell Centre went nuts. A much larger crowd outside the arena joined in ultimately it falls on myself Caufield has found the score sheet in seven of the celebration. It was Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day in Quebec, which is the last eight games dating to the second round. He is the first always a party. This turned it into bedlam. Canadiens rookie with at least eight points in one playoff year since P.K. Subban, who had eight in 2010. He has four goals and five assists in 14 “I’m excited,” Price said. The 33-year-old has played for Montreal since playoff games. 2007, and this is will be his first trip to the Stanley Cup final. “Everybody in the city is ecstatic. It is a fun time to be in Montreal right now.” “You’re just playing hockey, and I’m trying to think of it as another game,” Caufield said. “I’m taking it all in.” It was an emotional game and well played on both sides. The Canadiens held the lead twice only to have the Golden Knights fight back and tie it. Weber is 35 and has played in the NHL for 16 years. It will be his first The win improved Montreal’s overtime record to 5-1 during the chance to win the Stanley Cup, too. postseason. It has won 11 of its last 13 games. “I’m excited to still be playing hockey in July,” Weber said. “I am proud of Lehkonen did not have a point in the semi-finals until he scored during everyone in the locker room, but there is still work to be done.” sudden death on Thursday. His line mates Phillip Danault and recorded assists on the play. They also had no points in the Richardson said he and the players are eager to see who they will meet five preceding games. in the final round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“I feel very blessed to be here and to be in the final,” Danault said. He is “We are lucky to have one more game to watch the other teams and get 28, and it’s his sixth season with the Canadiens. “It is a team effort. I am a little feel for them,” Richardson said. “One plays similarly to us (the proud of us.” Islanders) and the other is a very dangerous offensive team (Tampa Bay). The three line mates had been used primarily to shut down Vegas’s top players. The Golden Knights scored the third-most goals in the regular “We’ll take Friday off, regroup on Saturday and see who we got.” season, but never got untracked against Montreal. Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.25.2021 “This is the time of year real playoff battlers come alive,” Luke Richardson, the Canadiens’ acting head coach said. He took over the bench after interim coach Dominique Ducharme tested positive for COVID-19. “It was fitting for them to get the winning goal.”

The Canadiens jumped on top on a long slap shot by Shea Weber with 5:54 remaining in the first period. The Montreal captain picked off an attempted clearing pass by and fired it past Robin Lehner, who was screened on the play by Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The goal came on a power play after Vegas was called for roughing up Joel Armia.

As the puck went in, Canadiens general manager raised his hands over his head. Bergevin arrived at the arena in the same red suit he wore when Montreal closed out its opponents in the first and second rounds.

The lead lasted only 48 seconds. The Golden Knights tied it at 1-1 when Reilly Smith deflected a shot by Shea Theodore into the net. It was the third goal of the postseason for Smith and his first in 10 games.

Cole Caufield, a 20-year-old rookie, put Montreal back ahead with his fourth goal of the series. After taking a long pass from defenceman Joel Edmundson, Caufield skated around Brayden McNabb and flipped a wrist shot over Lehner with 10:24 left in the second. 1216316 Montreal Canadiens

In the Habs' Room: Magical Canadiens punch ticket to Stanley Cup Final

"It feels great," Artturi Lehkonen says after scoring the series-winning goal in overtime as Montreal beats the Golden Knights in six games.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

Phil Danault and his linemates are best known for their defensive role, but they produced the biggest goal of the season Thursday night as the Canadiens defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime to book a spot in the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1993.

“I’m not going to lie to you, it feels great,” Artturi Lehkonen said after he took a pass from Danault and went top-shelf on Robin Lehner.

The third member of the line, Brendan Gallagher, picked up the second assist on the goal. It was the first point in this series for all three of them.

“It was a great play by Phil and a great shot by Lehky,” acting coach Luke Richardson said. “This is the time of year when real playoff battlers come alive and those guys have come through and so for our team, the way we play trying to do all the right things defensively, it was fitting that they should score the winning goal.”

The winning goal was scored after Carey Price made a save on former Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty and another on Alec Martinez.

Danault, who continued his tradition of showing up for the post-game Zoom call after series-clinching games with a slice of pizza, said the sequence was a reflection of the Canadiens’ season.

“We always start in our defensive zone and we try to carry some offence against the (opponent’s) big line,” Danault said. “Pricey made a big save and we took the draw and we left and capitalized on it.”

The goal made a winner of Price, who turned in another outstanding performance with 37 saves. Price has allowed two or fewer goals in eight of his last nine starts. He has posted five of his 12 wins in these playoffs in overtime.

The Canadiens now await the winner of Game 7 between the New York Islanders and the Tampa Bay Lightning Friday in Tampa.

The Canadiens were the last team to qualify for the playoffs, but a classy Lehner offered his congratulations to the winners and put their achievement into perspective when he said: “Everyone underestimates them. Good for them, obviously sucks for us.”

Cole Caufield and Lehner were involved in what Caufield called “fun and games” earlier this week. Lehner stopped Caufield in Game 4 Sunday, when the youngster tried to score in between the goalie’s pads and Lehner credited the Golden Knights’ scouting for the save.

Caufield went in on Lehner Thursday night and beat him by going upstairs. When asked if he was trying to make a point by going high on Lehner, Caufield replied: “I was just trying to find the back of the net.”

Richardson is filling in for Dominique Ducharme, who is in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. Ducharme has stayed in touch with his staff and the players using Zoom and Richardson said he exchanged an electronic fist bump with Ducharme after the game.

“The guys really miss him and they respect what he’s done this year,” Richardson said. “It’s kinda the hard part of the story, but the good thing is the players feel they got something done and extended (the playoffs) so Dom can get back with us.”

Richardson said the Canadiens would take a day off Friday and would watch the Islanders-Lightning showdown. He didn’t express any preference for a final opponent. He described the Islanders as a team whose style is similar to the Canadiens, while the Lightning is an explosive offensive team.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216317 Montreal Canadiens

Artturi Lehkonen's OT goal sends Canadiens into Stanley Cup final

Montreal will face the winner of the other semifinal between the Islanders and Lightning. Game 7 in that series will be played Friday night.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

The Canadiens are headed to the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1993 after Artturi Lehkonen scored at 1:39 of overtime to give Montreal a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights Thursday night at the Bell Centre. The win gave Montreal a 4-2 edge in the best-of-seven semifinal series.

The Canadiens will face the winner of the other semifinal between the New York Islanders and the Tampa Bay Lightning. That series is tied 3-3 with Game 7 scheduled for Tampa Friday night.

The goal brought an end to a goaltending duel between Carey Price and Robin Lehner. Vegas coach Peter DeBoer called on Lehner to replace Marc-André Fleury, who has struggled against Montreal in the playoffs. Lehner made 27 saves in the Golden Knights’ 2-1 victory in Game 4. Price made 37 saves, while Lehner had 29 Thursday night.

After Lehner stopped Cole Caufield on an attempt through the five hole in Game 4, the Vegas goaltender said the Golden Knights had a good scouting report on the rookie forward.

But the scouting report didn’t help Lehner in this game, as Caufield lifted the puck over the goaltender’s off the rush to give Montreal a 2-1 lead at 9:36 of the second period. Joel Edmundson hit Caufield with a stretch pass in the neutral zone and the rookie chipped the puck over Brayden McNabb’s stick and then chased the puck down. It was Caufield’s fourth playoff goal to go with five assists.

Vegas came back to tie the score a second time when defenceman Alec Martinez pinched in and banged in the rebound off a shot by Alex Pietrangelo early in the third period. The Vegas defencemen produced eight of the team’s 13 goals in the series.

Defenceman Shea Weber scored a power-play goal as the Canadiens opened the scoring for the 13th time in 17 playoff games. Weber took advantage of a giveaway by Martinez, whose weak backhand pass failed to clear the zone. Weber launched a shot from the point that beat Lehner on the blocker side at 15:06 of the first period.

Weber’s first goal of the playoffs goes into the book as unassisted, but Jesperi Kotkaniemi made a contribution as he picked himself up after falling and went to the net to serve as a distraction to Lehner.

The Canadiens’ lead didn’t last long because Reilly Smith scored his first goal of the playoffs 48 seconds later. Smith went to the net and slipped behind Joel Edmundson to deflect Shea Theodore’s shot from the blue line.

The Montreal penalty-killers continued their record-setting play. Vegas went 0-for-2 on the power play and finished the series 0-for-15. The perfect night gave Montreal a record 31 consecutive kills in the playoffs and they also extended their own record by going 13 games without allowing a power-play goal.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216318 Montreal Canadiens After the Canadiens eliminated the Islanders in 1993 — before beating the Los Angeles Kings in five games in the Stanley Cup final — the Prince of Wales Trophy was passed from captain Carbonneau to Muller and then to Savard. As Savard hoisted the trophy, the lid fell off. Stu Cowan: Remembering last time Canadiens went to Stanley Cup final “I didn’t realize I’d dropped it,” Savard told Farber later in the locker room Future Hall of Famer Denis Savard was brought to tears after Canadiens while wearing an ice pack on his right foot. “I never noticed it was a two- beat the Islanders in 1993 Prince of Wales Conference final. piece thing.

“I don’t think the Stanley Cup is,” Savard added. “But I don’t know. I have never got to touch it.” Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette It turned out Savard’s right foot was broken and after playing in Game 1

of the Stanley Cup final he wasn’t able to continue. But Savard was The last time the Canadiens advanced to the Stanley Cup final, Denis behind the bench assisting coach when the Canadiens Savard was brought to tears. beat the Kings 4-1 in Game 5 to clinch the Cup.

As the clock clicked down on the Canadiens’ 5-2 win over the New York After Carbonneau was given the Stanley Cup he handed it to Savard. Islanders in Game 5 of the Prince of Wales Conference final at the “He said: ‘There’s your Cup, lift it, it’s yours,’ ” Savard recalled a few days Forum on May 24, 1993, the future Hall of Famer couldn’t control his later after the Stanley Cup parade. “I think I was the first to lift it. It meant emotions on the bench. so much. I was in tears, I was so happy. It was the right time. I don’t have “He was crying big, salty man tears because real men do cry, and he was much time left. For us it represents so much. It’s the ultimate goal. I had it crying big, salty boy tears because every kid who ever laced on skates in with me during the parade and it was great. Verdun dreamed of playing for the Stanley Cup with the Canadiens,” “I’ve been spoiled in life. I’ve got a nice family, a kid, money and my former Montreal Gazette sports columnist Michael Farber wrote in the health,” Savard added. “But one thing was missing. Now I’ve got the Cup next day’s paper. and I feel very fortunate. It’s a dream come true. I was in the right place “Savvy, Savvy, you’re crying,” former Canadiens trainer Gaetan Lefebvre at the right time.” told Savard on the bench as the clock ran out. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.25.2021 “Gates, Gates,” Savard replied. “It’s my first time.”

Savard was in his 13th season in the NHL and his third with the Canadiens after spending 10 years with the Chicago Blackhawks. He had made it to the Stanley Cup semifinals six times, but never to the final.

Savard said it was the first time he had cried since the birth of his daughter, Tanya.

“I’ve dreamed this,” Savard told Farber after the Canadiens eliminated the Islanders. “A couple of times since the playoffs began it’s come to me in my sleep. The first time was after we’d beaten Quebec, coming back from 0-2 in that (first-round) series. I’ve dreamed it a lot since. I’ve been thinking about this every day. I’m not special. Everybody does it. But I’ve been on the ice, looking up at those (23 Stanley Cup) banners.”

There are now 24 Stanley Cup banners hanging at the Bell Centre thanks to that 1993 Canadiens team.

That could become 25 now that the Canadiens have advanced to the Stanley Cup final for the first time in 28 years after beating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 on an overtime goal by Artturi Lehkonen Thursday night at the Bell Centre in Game 6 to win the best-of-seven semifinal series 4-2.

Canadiens captain Shea Weber was only 7 the last time the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup and he is now going to the Cup final for the first time in his 16-year NHL career.

“To be honest, I don’t remember a whole lot of that,” Weber said Thursday morning when asked what memories he might have of the 1993 Canadiens.

Current Canadiens Josh Anderson, Joel Edmundson, Cole Caufield, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nick Suzuki, Artturi Lehkonen Jake Evans and Brett Kulak all weren’t born the last time the Canadiens won the Cup.

Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson was a defencemen with the Edmonton Oilers during the 1992-93 season and he remembers playing against the team that would win the Stanley Cup.

“It was just a tough, stingy team to play against and that’s what we want to be every night,” said Richardson, who has been filling in as head coach since Dominique Ducharme tested positive for COVID-19 before Game 3 against Vegas.

“I think there was a bit of a surprise in the league then with the Canadiens and I think there is a little surprise this year for us getting this far and doing that well,” Richardson added. “But I’m sure back in ’93, internally with guys like and Kirk Muller and Mike Keane and, obviously, the goaltender in Patrick Roy … a lot of character, great goaltending, a hard defence, so definitely comparisons with our team today. But there’s always differences as well.” 1216319 Montreal Canadiens before they know how tough it is. So they’re helping guide those young guys through it. Definitely we’re hopefully getting stronger in that area and it will show tonight.”

Luke Richardson is the last man standing behind bench for Canadiens As for Ducharme’s status, Richardson said he’s not sure when the interim head coach might be able to return behind the bench. Assistant coach started the season standing beside Claude Julien, Kirk Muller and Dominique Ducharme. “Nothing new that I’ve heard,” Richardson said. “I know there’s different scenarios with provincial guidelines and rules and federal … so because I believe we crossed the border the federal rules come into place. But I don’t think anything is totally set in stone. I think it still has to be probably Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette discussed between our organization, the NHL and the governments. So, unfortunately, right now he’s still out.

When the Canadiens started this season there were four coaches behind “I personally just go day-by-day on that until we hear something more the bench: Claude Julien, Kirk Muller, Dominique Ducharme and Luke confirmed.” Richardson. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.25.2021 Richardson would be the only one still there for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup semifinal series against the Vegas Golden Knights Thursday night at the Bell Centre.

Julien was fired as head coach and Muller was fired as associate coach on Feb. 24 when the Canadiens had a 9-5-4 record, replaced by Ducharme and Alex Burrows. Less than a week later, general manager Marc Bergevin fired goalie coach Stéphane Waite, replacing him with Sean Burke.

After Ducharme tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday, Richardson took over the head-coaching duties for Game 3 against the Golden Knights with Burrows and Burke as his assistants. Richardson had a 2-1 record as head coach heading into Game 6 against Vegas.

“It’s always tough when there’s a coaching change,” Richardson said after the Canadiens’ morning skate Thursday at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard. “I’ve been through it many times over the years and on both sides of it.”

Richardson was a defenceman for 21 seasons in the NHL before getting into coaching. He spent three seasons as an assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators, followed by four seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Binghamton Senators. He then spent one season as an assistant coach with the New York Islanders before joining the Canadiens for the 2018-19 season. Richardson was also head coach of Team Canada when it won gold at the 2016 .

“It’s always tough to see good people go,” Richardson said. “But sometimes, just for whatever reason, there’s a change. Our team still took some time to find itself over the second half of the season and we were lucky that we pushed and we got in the playoffs because the team’s found itself now.

“I’m very lucky to be a part of this organization and proud of the organization to be working here and have some success at this time of year because it means not just so much to us as the team — really it’s all about the players — but it’s so great to see the dedicated Montreal fans and the city enjoying the benefits. Especially with what the world’s gone through over the last year and a half (with COVID-19).”

Bonne Saint-Jean, Coach!#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/9gamC7eXy6

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 24, 2021

This year has been a roller-coaster ride for the Canadiens and Richardson following an impressive 7-1-2 start to the season. The only thing consistent about the Canadiens for the remainder of the regular season was their inconsistency and they never won more than three consecutive games. They limped into the playoffs in fourth place in the North Division with a 24-21-11 record after going winless in their last five games (0-3-2).

After falling behind 3-1 to Toronto in their first-round playoff series, the Canadiens won seven straight games to eliminate the Leafs and then sweep the Winnipeg Jets in the second round before losing Game 1 of the semifinal series to the Golden Knights.

“We probably have grown,” Richardson said Thursday morning. “It’s never easy to close out a series. There’s obviously going to be the most desperation that you’re going to face from the other team. We’ve gone through that. It hasn’t been easy. The other team’s push right to the end and that’s what you expect. We would do the same if we were down and we have done that in the first series when we were down. So I think all those lessons along the way are just adding to our experience, especially our younger players, and the older players that have been through it 1216320 Montreal Canadiens “He gives it all for the team and he doesn’t want any fortune or fame from it,” Richardson added. “He just wants to do the right thing for the team and be a good leader and good example at all he can do. He’s the perfect captain for any hockey team, but we’re so lucky to have him.” Canadiens Game Day: Sometimes you just gotta believe The OT winner! #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/EPx2KAxjv3 “Honestly, we wouldn’t be here right now if we didn’t believe," Carey Price says after Habs advance to Cup final with OT win over Vegas. — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 25, 2021

Goal Caufield

Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette Caufield’s goal was his fourth of the playoffs and all of them came in this six-game series against Vegas.

This one came on a quick shot that beat Vegas goalie Robin Lehner high The Canadiens believed this was possible — even if a lot of other people to glove side as Caufield cut to the net from the right wing. After Lehner didn’t. had stopped him on a breakaway in Vegas’s 2-1 overtime victory in Game 4 when Caufield tried to go five-hole, the goalie said the scouting “Honestly, we wouldn’t be here right now if we didn’t believe,” Carey report on Caufield was that he either goes high or he goes five-hole “and Price said after the Canadiens beat the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in it just looked like he was going five-hole, so I closed my legs.” overtime Thursday night at the Bell Centre to win their best-of-seven semifinal series in six games and advance to the Stanley Cup final. What was Caufield thinking this time? “We’ve always just kind of stuck with it and just not doubting ourselves.” “I just shoot for the back of the net,” he said. “Some people maybe This Canadiens team that finished fourth in the North Division with a 24- overthink it. I think that’s all fun and games what was going on between 21-11 record, went 0-3-2 in its last five regular-season games and was him and I. But I’m always shooting for the back of the net.” trailing the 3-1 in its first-round playoff series is now four wins away from winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 1993. While it took Weber 16 seasons to finally make it to the Stanley Cup final The Canadiens will play either the Tampa Bay Lightning or the New York and it took Price 14 seasons, Caufield has only played 10 regular-season Islanders in the final. That semifinal series is tied 3-3 heading into Game games and 15 playoff games in the NHL. 7 Friday night in Tampa (8 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports). “It means everything to me,” Caufield said. “But it means everything to The Canadiens got goals from Shea Weber and Cole Caufield in the team. These guys have been playing for a while. This opportunity regulation time before Artturi Lehkonen scored the winner at 1:39 of doesn’t come around very often. So playing for these older guys and the overtime. Price made 37 saves as he improved his playoff record to 12-5 guys that have been here for a while is probably the biggest thing right with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage. now. I’m just trying to take it all in and enjoy the moment. But it’s for the older guys and the guys that have been here for a while.” After the game, GM Marc Bergevin — who was wearing his lucky red suit for the third time in a series-clinching win — gave Price a long hug and a Phillip Danault, who joined Caufield for the post-game Zoom conference kiss on the forehead. and once again brought pizza after a series-clinching win, said to Caufield” “You’re sure a bit part of it, though.” “He’s very calm — almost a little frightening calm sometimes, he’s so calm,” Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson said about Price. Goal Caufield #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/yOt4rA4lcj “But I think the guys, when he’s playing like this and he’s walking around — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 25, 2021 the room and he’s calm and it’s a confident calm that makes everybody else calm. It lets them go and play their game knowing he’s back there.” Proud Quebecer

It obviously also gives them a sense of belief. This will also be Danault’s first trip to the Stanley Cup final and he was born the same year the Canadiens won their last Stanley Cup. The Canadiens are actually going to the Stanley Cup final. “I feel blessed … very blessed to be here with Montreal and to achieve … ALL the hugs for @CP0031. #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/TiOgCyIkB8 to be in the Stanley Cup final is something amazing as a Quebecer, even — NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) June 25, 2021 another level,” said Danault, who also wished fans a happy Saint-Jean- Baptiste Day. “Very proud. And, obviously, Cole scored a big goal, too. First trip to final So we all participated and it’s a team effort the whole series. I’m so proud of us. Very proud.” For Price and Weber this will be their first trip to the Stanley Cup final. Richardson was happy to watch the players celebrate in the locker room “We’ve been through a lot, for sure,” Weber said about this season. “I after the game. don’t think now’s the time to really sit back and dwell on it too much. There’s still work for us to be done. We got another series coming up, we “They deserve it,” he said. “It’s really heart-warming to see a group of got to win four more games but definitely proud of everybody in that guys that worked that hard together. I know every team’s the same and locker room right now and what we’ve accomplished so far. But definitely says the same thing, but these guys are a special group. A really good still work to be done. mix and it’s hard to put into words how proud we are of them. But they deserve it and they’re not done yet. They still have fire in their eyes, “I’m excited just like I was excited to play every game in this playoffs so they’re already talking about (the Stanley Cup final). far,” the captain added. “Whether you’re 20 or 35 it’s an exciting time to still be playing hockey.” “We are shifting our focus right away,” Richardson added. “We’ll probably step away tomorrow and just take some rest and come back on Saturday Weber logged 26:35 of ice time in Game 6 with two shots and three hits and do a little work and Sunday get right back at it. We’re looking forward and scored his first goal of the playoffs, coming on a power play. It was to the challenge.” only the second goal scored by a Canadiens defenceman in the playoffs with Erik Gustafsson getting the other one. Postgame pizza party! #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/o1Mxw4eGvm

“He’s a mountain man … he’s bigger than life,” Richardson said about — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 25, 2021 Weber. “His stare would probably stop the room. So you have a presence like that on the bench — and he’s not a rah-rah guy all the Some stats time. When he speaks it stops the bench, stops the dressing room. Vegas outshot the Canadiens 39-32, outhit them 31-29 and won 53 per Everybody pays attention, listens and implements whatever’s being said cent of the faceoffs. into our game plan. So, very helpful for our coaching staff, for sure. I think the guys respect him, they know how he blocks shots and plays The Canadiens went 1-for-3 on the power play, while Vegas was 0-for-2. hard and plays through injuries and pain. It’s pretty hard not to follow that Vegas went 0-for-15 on the power play during the series. lead. Joel Edmundson led the Canadiens in ice time with 28:45, followed by Weber with 26:53, with 25:59 and Ben Chiarot with 24:48. Nick Suzuki led the forwards with 18:38, followed by Tyler Toffoli with 17:23 and Paul Byron with 17:17.

Brendan Gallagher, Caufield and Lehkonen had four shots each. Lehkonen had a team-leading five hits, while Josh Anderson, Danault and Byron had four each.

Danault went 11-7 on faceoffs (61 per cent), Suzuki went 9-9 (50 per cent), Eric Staal went 4-7 (36 per cent) and Jesperi Kotkaniemi went 4-8 (33 per cent).

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216321 Montreal Canadiens Oh, and what does Lehkonen get for his trouble? A kiss from his general manager Marc Bergevin, who hasn’t looked this happy (or this relieved) at any point during his tenure as Canadiens general manager.

Artturi Lehkonen sends Canadiens to Stanley Cup Final: Playoff THE CELEBRATION OF THE GAME GOES TO LEHKONEN & plus/minus BERGEVIN.

BONNE ST-JEAN! PIC.TWITTER.COM/RE7UKAG6EH

By Julian McKenzie Jun 25, 2021 — NORTHLEGENDS (@NORTHLEGENDS) JUNE 25, 2021

And with that, it’s time for the good and the bad.

The Montreal Canadiens have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the The pluses first time since 1993. Arturri Lehkonen: No two ways about it: Lehkonen scored the Montreal Let that sentence breathe for a moment. Read it over again and again if Canadiens’ biggest goal in 28 years with his overtime winner. As you have to. Poke fun at everyone, even me, who thought the Canadiens mentioned above, he and his linemates were deployed to shut down the wouldn’t get this far. Now’s the time. Golden Knights’ best players. They can look back at this series and admire their handiwork. Only four Golden Knights forwards (Nicolas Roy, I can’t help but think about how happy some of my closest friends and Mattias Janmark, Max Pacioretty and Reilly Smith) scored in the series. the city I live in are feeling. Fans who’ve groaned about Lehkonen’s lack of scoring at times (he hasn’t scored more than 18 goals in a season and that was in his debut I tried to sleep in on the morning of Game 6, as it was St-Jean Baptiste campaign) now have to reconcile with the fact he will be an answer to a Day in Quebec. What should’ve been a quiet morning of slumber turned trivia question: Who scored the overtime goal to send the Montreal into a 30-plus minute conversation with a friend who talked my ears off Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021? about his optimism over his team. I spent the afternoon with friends at a park and spotted a number of Canadiens jerseys and flags. Shea Weber: Thanks to a costly turnover from Alec Martinez, Shea Weber shot fired ripped obliterated a puck past Robin Lehner to open the I’ve had friends who don’t normally care about hockey message me scoring. Minutes later, he broke up a scoring chance by Jonathan about the games in the last few days. They include one who sent me a Marchessault to keep the game tied at one. Here he is on Mark Stone, direct message laughing about the Vegas Golden Knights trading Nick who was rendered pretty much ineffective all series. Suzuki to the Canadiens through a GIF of Michael Jordan laughing at his iPad. Even the most casual fans, or hockey watchers, turn into avid fans MARK STONE PIC.TWITTER.COM/UALJSN7GMP around this time of year. — OMAR (@TICTACTOMAR) JUNE 25, 2021 I think of people who believed in the team regardless of what naysayers said, including a woman outside the Bell Centre who insisted to me that Throughout the series, Weber — alongside partner Ben Chiarot — has her faith never wavered despite the injuries and poor results through the been a reliable, sturdy defender who has pushed away traffic that comes second half of the season. to the front of the net. Tonight, he had a better game than his partner, though… And I can’t help but think of my fellow journalists, many of whom get to cover a Canadiens team in the final for the first time. Older journalists, Cole Caufield: The way he received the stretch pass. The flick of the such as Marc-Antoine Godin and Arpon Basu, can say they’ve seen the puck upward. The speed past Brayden McNabb. The drive to the net. Canadiens win Stanley Cups as children. People my age have never The finish. The kiss to the crowd afterward. Caufield has confidence in seen the Canadiens play in a Stanley Cup Final. spades and the book on Lehner. Caufield now has as many goals this postseason as the Golden Knights forwards did all series. Until now. He earned his postgame pizza. Seriously, look at this tweet from colleague James Mirtle. I didn’t think I’d be in this position! I stared at this tweet for quite some time in disbelief. THE PHILLIP DANAULT PRESS CONFERENCE PIZZA TRADITION And there are a few media members right now who are feeling the same LIVES ON. #ITSON PIC.TWITTER.COM/RDLTJZNXZ6 thing. — SPORTSNET (@SPORTSNET) JUNE 25, 2021 FOLLOW @ARPONBASU @MAGODIN @JKAMCKENZIE AND Carey Price: His finest save came in the second period when he @THEATHLETICNHL FOR ALL OUR COVERAGE TONIGHT AND IN absolutely shut down William Karlsson, once again keeping his team in THE FINALS. the game. He did, however, have a notable blemish when he couldn’t — JAMES MIRTLE (@MIRTLE) JUNE 25, 2021 corral Alec Martinez’s shot from distance, but he was solid otherwise.

Their reactions, of course, are a bit more controlled than the fans who Josh Anderson: Is it just me or have more and more people noticed threw fireworks and cones to the skies after the Canadiens won Game 6 everything Josh Anderson has been doing on the ice since he scored by a score of 3-2 in overtime. twice in Game 3? Just because he doesn’t score as frequently as some want, it doesn’t mean he isn’t skating, being physical or forechecking and All of this is thanks to a goal from Artturi Lehkonen — the first goal providing energy. scored by his line all series. Now, the Montreal Canadiens will play in a Stanley Cup Final beginning Monday. Joel Edmundson: A mention for Joel Edmundson, who continues to be a workhorse. He played the most minutes of anyone (28:45), and his long ARTURRI LEHKONEN IS THE HERO pass to Caufield led to a goal.

HE NETS THE GAME-WINNING GOAL TO SEND THE CANADIENS TO Canadiens penalty kill: In addition to killing 30 consecutive power plays THE STANLEY CUP! and holding the Golden Knights power play at bay, take a look at this heatmap from the second period. It reflects the shot attempts from both @SPORTSNET PIC.TWITTER.COM/YJZPLFKJNE teams when Vegas had the man advantage. — THE ATHLETIC (@THEATHLETIC) JUNE 25, 2021 Not only did the Canadiens’ penalty kill keep the Golden Knights from In the regular season, a line with Lehkonen, Phillip Danault and Brendan getting in front of the net, but the Canadiens continue to be dangerous Gallagher would have drawn swords, daggers and knives for going offensively despite being a man down. pointless through a six-game stretch. The minuses In the playoffs? It just means they’ve worked hard at denying their Ben Chiarot: Carey Price should have made the save on the Martinez opposition any space or opportunities to produce. Considering the work tying goal, but Chiarot did not help matters by failing to clear the puck they did on the Golden Knights’ star forwards, it was fitting that from the defensive zone. Chiarot also found himself in no-man’s land in Lehkonen’s goal would feature assists from Danault and Gallagher. front of Price and failed to pick up Martinez. Two mistakes on the same stretch of play. The Canadiens have been so good these last few games, you pretty much have to nitpick specific moments when they’ve been bad in order to add to the minuses. This is one of those instances.

No call on this hit?: I will never be a fan of any hits to the head (whether the head is a direct point of contact or not). It’s a reckless hit that went uncalled.

ALEX TUCH HITS JOSH ANDERSON IN THE HEAD, NO CALL WHATSOEVER PIC.TWITTER.COM/COMSC8BNEM

— SCOTT MATLA (@SCOTTMATLA) JUNE 25, 2021

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216322 Montreal Canadiens ICONIC DUO. : PATRICK BEAUDRY#GOHABSGO

PIC.TWITTER.COM/5JJTYXCZLH Céline Dion and the (fake) image that stung Canadiens fans near, far, — CANADIENS MONTRÉAL (@CANADIENSMTL) FEBRUARY 21, wherever they are 2020

She said Dion has come to represent family values, entrepreneurship By Sean Fitz-Gerald Jun 24, 2021 and the value of hard work. She has also become a symbol of endurance, of persevering through the especially harsh criticism received in both French and English early in her career.

Tara Slone, the musician and television host who was born in Montreal, Over the last decade, she has also noticed more young artists admit their was asked to describe the place Céline Dion still holds in the imagination admiration. of their home province. “Many of them are publicly claiming they are fans of Céline Dion, which “I would say that ‘icon’ doesn’t do her status justice,” Slone said. “She’s has not happened in a long time,” said Grenier. “They were public about like the musical patron saint of Quebec.” it: ‘Yes, I want to say I love Céline.’ And these are singers who do not, at all, sing in the same repertoire.” What happened earlier this week, then, was suspected heresy. Carl Wilson, a Toronto-based music critic with Slate, published “Let’s On Tuesday, less than an hour before the Montreal Canadiens stepped Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste,” a book about Dion, in onto the ice in Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights in Game 5 of their 2007. Stanley Cup semifinal series, a dramatic image appeared on the video board. It was a photo of Dion, a Quebec native, looking serious in a “I think that she’s embraced a lot more universally than she was at the hockey helmet emblazoned with the word “Vegas.” height of her fame, when she was both worshipped by her fans, but also really scorned and made fun of by people who considered them more CÉLINE DION, A TRAITOR, POSES IN VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS culturally sophisticated,” Wilson said Wednesday. ATTIRE HTTPS://T.CO/ZJNDBD5QZY PIC.TWITTER.COM/AG30MMI9J1 He was among the people who scorned her work, particularly in the late , when she reached the height of her fame following the release of — MONTREAL GAZETTE (@MTLGAZETTE) JUNE 23, 2021 “Titanic,” and her accompanying ballad “My Heart Will Go On.” Reaction was swift and strong. Canadian news outlets scrambled to “I was living in Montreal at the time, so she was really ubiquitous,” he generate stories. There was discussion about the photograph, and said. “There was this feeling that you couldn’t escape Céline Dion, 24 whether it had been doctored. (That appeared to be the case.) In hours a day in Montreal in 1998.” Montreal, the Gazette issued a (tongue-in-cheek) tweet that summed up the moment: “Céline Dion, a traitor, poses in Vegas Golden Knights Writing the book, he said, transformed his relationship with her music. He attire.” appreciates it now, and he does not think the Golden Knights were using her image to troll Montreal fans for liking her work. The Golden Knights did not return multiple messages left by The Athletic on Wednesday. Attempts to reach Dion’s publicity team were not They were more likely trolling Montreal because Las Vegas has stolen successful, but Dion posted a tweet in French on Thursday that denied her away. participation in the photo, saying, “I have nothing to do with this photo…. And you know what photo I’m talking about!” “I think the day of using Céline Dion to make fun of things has kind of passed,” he said. “I would say that it’s very much taunting Montreal with Still, Line Grenier, a professor in communication studies at the Université the kind of double-loyalty that she has, as being a long-time Vegas de Montreal, said the video board manipulation was a “beautiful resident — but being this iconic Québécoise success story.” marketing stunt” for the Golden Knights. Slone left Montreal when she was four years old but returned for “She doesn’t mean one thing, she means different things to different university. She became lead singer for the band Joydrop and appeared people,” Grenier said. “So that’s where it’s so brilliant on the part of on “Rock Star: INXS,” a reality show on CBS to find a new singer for the whoever decided to put her there. It will talk to tons of people for totally Australian band. She has settled in Toronto, where she is co-host of different reasons. “Rogers Hometown Hockey,” as well as host of “Top of Her Game” on Sportsnet. “Some people will probably be angry. Others will laugh. I think it’s brilliant marketing.” “For me, as a rock-and-roller, there’s always a little bit of the tongue-in- cheek — you kind of beat your chest and pretend to be Céline Dion in a Dion has become an institution in Las Vegas too. She took up residency kind of cheeky way,” she said. “But I don’t care who you are, if you’re a in 2003, and by the time she ended her run two years ago, her shows music fan or a musician of any kind, you have to respect her had reportedly drawn more than 4.5 million fans and generated more performance style and her commitment. than $680 million in revenue. (Her return, scheduled for later this year, sold out quickly.) “And her vocal prowess: There are just very, very few at her level.”

She has been photographed in a Golden Knights jersey at least once. She said the idea of using Dion on the video board in Las Vegas was But she has been photographed in a Canadiens jersey more often than “extremely clever.” that. “There’s definitely a ‘Wow, shots fired,’” she said. “That’s like Montreal Dion was born in suburban Charlemagne, Que., a half-hour from the Bell putting up a picture of Wayne Newton with a Habs jersey.” Centre. Her origin story is well-known: The youngest of 14 children, born to a butcher and a homemaker, she was performing on TV by the time The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 she was 13 years old.

Grenier said many elements of the origin story have helped Dion stand out. She rose to prominence as a singer, rather than a singer/songwriter. Her international star did not rise first in France, but rather in Japan and South America before the United States.

“All of that makes her a very interesting figure in terms of music,” said Grenier. “But at the same time, she has become a very complex, controversial public figure, where people either hate her or, on the contrary, just love her.”

DUO LÉGENDAIRE. 1216323 New York Islanders He was terrific last year, too, when he had 7 goals and 27 assists in the championship run. But it was a costly effort: Pain from a strained groin muscle migrated to his hip, requiring surgery on Dec. 29 and causing Kucherov to miss all 56 games of the regular season before rejoining the Beer Cans and Baseball Caps Fly as Islanders Force a Game 7 team for the playoffs.

After giving up a 2-0 lead, New York scored three straight goals, , the Lightning coach, did not indicate whether Kucherov including one by Anthony Beauvillier in overtime, to steal a must-win would be available for Game 7, but seemed prepared to make alternate Game 6. plans.

“We played 56 games without him,” Cooper said. “Usually, we have 12 forwards when we play without him, so that probably made it tougher on By David Waldstein June 24, 2021 us when we had 11. But we’ve gone down this path for four months. It’s nothing new for us.”

The debris came soaring out of the stands — beer cans, water bottles, For the Islanders, the victory means that could host towels, a couple of baseball caps, two gray shoes and a pair of glasses, more Islander games after all. The team, which has been playing in the whatever was handy. old concrete bunker since 1972, will move into a swanky new arena in Elmont next season, but if they win on Friday, they will play on in their It was the kind of unruly display normally seen from angry fans lashing ancestral home. out over a bad call by a referee or an opponent’s cheap shot. But this was not about malice or discontent. But if they lose Game 7, the final scenes of Islander hockey at the Coliseum will be of beer cans hurtling onto the ice while the players The cascade of litter was actually a gleeful celebration of one of the below celebrated a dramatic win. Trotz, who was the coach of the biggest victories the New York Islanders have had at Nassau Coliseum in Washington Capitals when they won the Stanley Cup in 2018, has been decades, and possibly the last one, too. coaching in the N.H.L. for 22 years.

Anthony Beauvillier’s wrist shot past goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, just one He said Wednesday’s win ranked up there with some of the best for a minute and eight seconds into overtime, gave the Islanders a dramatic 3- variety of reasons, including the win-or-die situation, his affection for this 2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of their Stanley team, the fans and even for the arena with all of its history as host to Cup semifinal Wednesday, and let loose an unusual and potentially decades of Islander teams with Hall of Fame players and four dangerous fusillade of joy. championship banners.

“It feels amazing to be honest,” Beauvillier said. “That building, coming “These are great moments,” Trotz said. “Coming off the ice and into work tonight, was smelling like cigarettes and now it smells like everybody is hugging each other and there’s beer cans flying all over. It beers.” was quite a sight and it was a moment that you will remember.”

It has been decades, though, since it smelled like champagne. The Then he remembered the only way to get the Islander fans back in those Islanders have not been to the Stanley Cup finals since they lost to the seats. Edmonton Oilers in 1984 (the year after their fourth consecutive championship). But they will earn a spot there again if they can beat the “We’ve got to get another one,” he said. Lightning in Game 7 on Friday. New York Times LOADED: 06.25.2021 It is the game the Islanders had hoped to play last year against the Lightning, but they were thwarted in that Game 6, also in overtime, and the Lightning went on to win the Stanley Cup against the Dallas Stars.

“We don’t look back, we just look forward,” said Barry Trotz, the Islanders coach, “and we look forward to the opportunity of a Game 7, now.”

That seemed unlikely for much of the night after the Lightning grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second period and furthered their recent domination in the series. Those goals, by Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, gave Tampa 12 straight goals against the Islanders going back to the third period of Game 4, and it included an 8-0 stampede in Game 5 in Florida.

But in another compelling game in a fascinating series, Jordan Eberle scored late in the second period to bring the arena back to life. Scott Mayfield tied it midway through the third when he took a nifty pass from Matt Barzal and lifted the puck over Vasilevskiy’s left shoulder. It pinged the crossbar and dropped in and the fans erupted.

In overtime, Beauvillier, who had not scored in his 10 previous playoff games, stole a careless pass from Blake Coleman from the corner to Vasilevskiy’s left. Beauvillier gained control after a quick flip of the stick, fired it into the net and then slid on his knees to the side boards where he was mobbed by his teammates. Then came the barrage of bottles, caps and shoes.

“That place was going crazy,” Beauvillier said. “Everyone is happy we are going back to Tampa.”

Well, everyone but Tampa and their fans, that is.

To make matters worse for the Lightning, the team could be without its top scorer, Nikita Kucherov, who played only one before leaving the game with an undisclosed injury. Kucherov had crashed into the boards while trying to hit Barzal and staggered off the ice.

It could be a significant blow to Tampa: Kucherov is leading all scorers in the playoffs with 27 points — 5 goals and 22 assists.

“There’s no replacing Kuch,” said Steven Stamkos, the Lightning captain. “He’s had an unbelievable playoffs for us.” 1216324 New York Islanders Kucherov has been this postseason’s most lethal player with the puck on his stick, boasting a league-high 27 playoff points, including a stunning 17 on Tampa’s power play.

Mathew Barzal-Nikita Kucherov dynamic could make difference in The Lightning are at their best when their best player has the puck. So Islanders’ Game 7 at Lightning are the Isles. It sounds obvious, but Tampa’s possible loss of the former Hart Trophy winner could bury them if Barzal keeps this pace up.

Kucherov left Game 6 2:22 into the first period after only one 46-second By PAT LEONARD NEW YORK DAILY NEWS |JUN 24, 2021 AT 5:07 shift. He took a nasty cross-check in the back from Mayfield, then was in PM clear discomfort after putting his right shoulder into Barzal on a routine check.

“With Kucherov obviously a lot of stuff runs through him and he’s so good The Islanders’ best player, Mathew Barzal, is playing his best hockey with deception,” Trotz said Thursday. “Any time you take one guy off a entering Game 7 of the Stanley Cup semifinals Friday night at Amalie power play it changes the dynamic. It has to go through different people Arena. sometimes. Kucherov has [13] power play assists so he distributes the The Lightning’s best player, Nikita Kucherov, is injured and might not puck better than anybody in the playoffs this year. So from that even be in the lineup for the reigning Stanley Cup champions. standpoint there will be a bit of a difference.”

“No update,” Tampa coach Jon Cooper said Thursday of his top-line The Lightning still appear to have a significant size advantage on the ice wing. “If that scenario came about, we have to count on the guy we bring that frequently keeps the Isles’ forecheck on the outside and limits into the lineup.” scoring chances. Plus Tampa has the red-hot Point who is just one goal away from tying Reggie Leach’s playoff record of 10 straight games with Cooper’s team is more than just Kucherov, and Barzal is still only 24 at least one goal (Philadelphia Flyers, 1976). And Point also could join years old, trying to lead the Isles to their first Cup Final appearance since Buffalo’s Pat LaFontaine (1992 vs. Bruins) as the only players to score a 1984. goal in all seven games of a series.

But if the Islanders’ 3-2 Game 6 overtime win at Nassau Coliseum on But Trotz has been to the mountain top in 2018 with the Washington Wednesday was any indication, Barzal’s assertive presence combined Capitals and he sees championship qualities in his Isles. So he doesn’t with Kucherov’s absence undoubtedly can change a game and maybe think much needs to be said, and he has no doubt how his team will the entire series. come out on Friday night.

“I thought that was Mat’s best game of the series,” Isles coach Barry “You get to a Game 7, you know what’s at stake,” Trotz said. “You play Trotz said after the Game 6 win. “He was using his skill set. He was all year to get to this point. You get one opportunity. So just stay in the making good decisions. And he was using all 200 feet of the ice, which moment. Enjoy it, embrace it and don’t get small. Don’t get wound up. was big. He was a factor.” Stay in the moment. Stay calm, and give your best effort.”

The Islanders sound like a team completely unfazed by the pressure of New York Daily News LOADED: 06.25.2021 Friday’s do-or-die stage.

“We’ve always kind of shown up, and we’ll continue to show up,” fourth- line wing Cal Clutterbuck said Thursday. “It’s kind of what we are, ya know? It’s just who we are.”

Barzal, the Isles’ top center, was the epitome of that resilient mentality in the second half of Game 6.

He was coming off a Game 5 ejection and a $5,000 fine for cross- checking Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta, a loss of composure that linemate Jordan Eberle called “out of character” following that embarrassing 8-0 defeat.

[More Sports] Islanders storm back at Coliseum to force Game 7 vs. Lightning, Anthony Beauvillier scores OT game winner »

Then Barzal’s top line was victimized on Brayden Point’s first period goal in Game 6. That flipped a switch, and down 2-0, Barzal assisted on both Islanders regulation goals by Eberle and Scott Mayfield to force overtime.

“We were on for the first goal and I think as a line we wanted to get it back,” Barzal said after Game 6. “Obviously that first goal by Ebs is so big, giving us a chance. Just a good game by our line but more importantly our team and just a huge win.”

Barzal did whiff on a tap-in in Wednesday’s first period, too, so his game still can get better. But it wasn’t just his assists that made a difference in Game 6. It was also the amount of time Barzal, the Islanders’ best passer and facilitator, spent with the puck on his stick.

The Isles didn’t score on the first shift of the third period down, 2-1, but Barzal was wheeling with the puck and buzzing in the offensive zone, and the Lightning immediately were on their heels.

Barzal played down the idea that he somehow raised the team’s intensity with that shift because clearly he felt it would be an insult to their effort.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say it set the tone,” Barzal said. “It was nice to get possession and get a couple good looks and maybe ease into the third period down one.”

But that possession was a perfect example of why Kucherov’s absence would be so critical, especially with Barzal playing at such a high rate. 1216325 New York Islanders

Scott Mayfield has come long way to play ‘huge’ role for Islanders

By David Lazar June 25, 2021 | 1:34am

Scott Mayfield scored one of the biggest goals of his team’s season Wednesday night in the Stanley Cup semifinals, but the Islanders defenseman’s vicious cross-check on the Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov may turn out to be even more significant.

In the third period of Game 6, Mayfield scored with a timely pinch and a perfectly placed snipe, tying the score at 2-2 and giving the Islanders new life.

“[Mayfield] has been a key part of this team for the past few years in the shutdown role that he plays,” fellow Islanders defenseman said Thursday morning. “The job he does on the penalty kill and then scoring the big goal that he did — that goal was huge for us.”

But Mayfield’s hit on Kucherov in the first period Wednesday — for which no penalty was called — could alter the balance of Game 7. The Lightning’s star forward did not return to the game Wednesday and his status for Game 7 on Friday in Tampa is in question.

Scott Mayfield

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper had no update Thursday on Kucherov, who missed the entire regular season after hip surgery, though it seemed as if the Lightning were preparing to play without their leading postseason scorer.

“If that scenario came about, we have to count on the guy we bring into the lineup,” Cooper said. “This isn’t new for us and you move on. If you’re fortunate enough to win the game, it makes for one hell of a story.”

Mayfield, meanwhile, is playing some of the best hockey of his career. The 28-year-old has been symbolic of the Islanders’ journey this season. He works hard, never gives up and gets rewarded.

Like many Islanders, however, Mayfield struggled before Barry Trotz took over as head coach a little over three years ago.

“I can tell you that when I first got here, I didn’t know anything about Mayfield,” Trotz said. “He had some potential. He was trying to do a little too much, trying to be that offensive defenseman, trying to make plays that weren’t there.”

Even as recently as this year, Mayfield was not playing up to his full potential. His Corsi for percentage (46.7), expected goals against (32.8) and goals for versus goals against (50.0) were all fifth among Islanders defensemen in the regular season. Not very good statistics.

Once the playoffs came around, however, Mayfield — who has two years left on the bargain five-year, $7.25 million contract he signed Jan. 4, 2018 — stepped up his game. He has six points and a plus-12 rating in 18 postseason contests.

“He has length and he has strength. He is a good penalty-killer. He protects the net well,” Trotz said. “Now you are seeing a very good defenseman who plays a hard game and he is playing a lot of minutes for us.”

Whether a crucial penalty kill, a timely fight or the big goal, the big-bodied defenseman can provide it. Mayfield has become the Islanders’ secret weapon — and without him, their season would likely be over.

New York Post LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216326 New York Islanders And the players take care of the rest, and at their very best they turn each shift into a passion play, aware that at any time a puck might be on their blade (or skipping toward a prone body by the goal line, as Ryan Pulock discovered the other night) and that might be the difference Islanders and Lou Lamoriello relishing Game 7 shot between a smile and a frown in the handshake line.

“For us, it’s just about worrying about what you’ll do the next time you step over the boards,” right winger Cal Clutterbuck said. “It’s about By Mike Vaccaro June 24, 2021 | 11:15PM narrowing your window of focus, just focus on what’s in front of you. What can you really do except be yourself?”

Lou Lamoriello knows how he looks whenever the cameras catch him They will do all of their game-day routines Friday, the same as they’ve during these playoff games. Invariably they find him looking calm and done since they were 7 years old. The boss, Lamoriello, will scale his stoic, just another executive studying a financial report or a personnel perch high above Amalie Arena, and to look at him you won’t be able to file. know if the Islanders are up 4-1 or down 2-0.

All around him, invariably, the madness of playoff hockey is blasting “You want that adrenaline,” he said, “but the game can only be played away like a guitar riff out of Jimmy Page’s amplifier, and Lamoriello’s when it’s time to play it. There’s an expression I like to use: There’s a lot expression never changes. The Islanders’ GM and president of hockey of 1 o’clock hitters in baseball, but the game doesn’t start until 2.” operations seems to take it all in tranquilly, whether it’s an angry arena This game starts sometime after 8 o’clock. By 11 or so, we’ll know if the ripping his team or the faithful at Nassau Coliseum roaring it on. next game will be next week or in October. But the Islanders will be “I always say I’m like a duck,” Lamoriello said. “You see a duck and on there. That much is certain. They’ll show up and take their swings and top of the water he looks as peaceful as can be. What you can’t see is, hope that’s good enough. Where else would you rather be? under the water, he’s working like crazy to stay afloat. That accurately New York Post LOADED: 06.25.2021 describes me watching these games.”

As Lamoriello’s laughter filled his cell phone, he was bound for the airport and his most important business trip of the year. Friday night, the Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning will settle matters once and for all in Game 7, the winner earning a date in the Stanley Cup final.

Lamoriello knows that roadmap well. His Devils won three Cups and qualified for two other finals between 1995 and 2012. He also understands what awaits the loser; he was, after all, on the other side of Mount Vancouver when Stephan Matteau beat in double- OT in Game 7 of the ’94 East finals.

Lou Lamoriello

“You never get used to it,” Lamoriello said. “It’s certainly going to be an emotional game, it’s an elimination game for both of us. You try to control your emotions but …”

Another laugh.

“Honestly, where else would you rather be than Game 7 and a chance to play for the Cup?”

Lamoriello loves this team, and while that sounds like a father who loves each of his children equally, there is something about them and the way they’ve enjoyed this journey together that he’s taken with. There has been a different hero every night, a different narrative, a different storyline.

He knows what championship-level teams look like, and that’s what he sees when he watches these Islanders play. All such teams face moments of crisis. The 2000 Devils, who won Lamoriello’s second Cup in New Jersey, were splattered by the Flyers in Game 4 of the East finals; coach Larry Robinson’s postgame tirade remains an essential part of Devils history.

In its own way, that was as seminal a moment as Game 5 of this series feels right now. That was the last time the Islanders’ plane touched down in Tampa, after which they were ransacked by the home team 8-0. A reporter, asking coach Barry Trotz about it Thursday, tried to diplomatically say, “that wasn’t your best game …” and Trotz cut him off with a guffaw.

“It was a disaster, actually, if you want to be more accurate,” he said.

But the Isles recovered in Game 6, just as the Devils recovered in 2000 to come back from 1-3 down in that series, later to sip from the Cup. Now all the Islanders have to do is write a similar chapter Friday night.

“You always look back with 20/20 hindsight when all the dust settles and you identify those defining moments,” Trotz said, “because you never know when they’ll come. Deal with whatever’s thrown at you.”

They are a perfect matched set, Lamoriello and Trotz, and the results speak for themselves. They are both no-nonsense practitioners of the bottom line, but understand well that it is flesh and blood and beating hearts that establish that line. Lamoriello empowers the coaches. Trotz and his coaches ignite the players. 1216327 New York Islanders

Banged-up Lightning star Nikita Kucherov may miss Game 7 vs. Islanders

By Mollie Walker June 24, 2021 | 9:46PM

TAMPA — The Islanders might be taking on a shorthanded Lightning team without its NHL-leading point producer in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup semfiinals Friday night.

Nikita Kucherov took one shift and headed to the locker room during the Islanders’ 3-2 overtime win in Game 6 on Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum. Tampa Bay’s top-line winger was cross-checked in the back by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield early in the first period. Mayfield got away with what should’ve been a penalty and eventually scored the game-tying goal in the third period.

Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper said he didn’t have an update on Kucherov on Thursday, but also would not entertain the idea of playing without him in Game 7.

“It is early to talk about that,” Cooper said. “But if [Kucherov could not play], we would have to count on the player that came into the lineup. You move on. And if you are fortunate enough to win the game, it makes one hell of a story.”

The Lightning, however, did take exception to Mayfield’s cross-check. Cooper pointed out how close the officials were to the cross-check, yet still did not call a penalty on Mayfield. Kucherov continued his shift after the cross-check and attempted to check Mathew Barzal, but then came up awkwardly and immediately left the ice.

Nikita Kucherov

“The play on [Kucherov], the referee doesn’t see it. Probably a guy looking for a cheap shot there,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said Wednesday night. “I think [the officials] said they didn’t think it was malicious. They don’t have a chance to look at it on replay like we do.”

Kucherov missed the entire regular season after he had hip surgery in December, but it was always clear the Lightning were aiming for him to return to the lineup come the playoffs. In 17 playoff games, Kucherov leads the NHL with 27 points, including 17 power-play points.

Since regulations don’t apply in the postseason, the Lightning have gotten away with dressing a lineup that is nearly $8 million over the cap with the late addition of Kucherov.

“A lot of stuff runs through [Kucherov] and he’s good with deception,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said Thursday before he and his team traveled to Tampa. “I think any time you take one guy off a power play it changes the dynamic.”

Kucherov is one of the strongest weapons on Tampa Bay’s first power- play unit, with his sharp shot and knack for creating space for his teammates. The Lightning went 0-for-2 on the power play without Kucherov on Wednesday, which was crucial in helping the Islanders secure the series-tying win.

“We played 56 games without [Kucherov],” Cooper said. “Usually, we have 12 forwards when we play without him, so that probably made it tougher on us when we had 11. But we’ve gone down this path for four months. It’s nothing new for us.”

The Islanders, in Game 6, overcame a multi-goal deficit to win an elimination game for just the second time in franchise history. The other time it happened was April 13, 1982, in Game 5 of the semifinals against the Penguins. The Islanders advanced to the division final against the Rangers behind two third-period goals and ’s overtime winner.

That Islanders team went on to win the third of four consecutive Stanley Cups.

New York Post LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216328 New York Islanders New York Post LOADED: 06.25.2021

Islanders one win away from their Stanley Cup final goal

By Mollie Walker June 24, 2021 | 7:46PM

TAMPA — The Islanders came into the season with a striking confidence they would be able to take the next step.

They are one win — Friday night in a winner-take-all Game 7 against the Lightning — from doing that.

After falling in six games to the Lightning in the Eastern Conference finals during last season’s bubble playoffs, the Islanders made it clear from the first day of training camp in January that they were striving to build upon that run.

Forcing Game 7 with a 3-2 overtime win at a raucous Nassau Coliseum Wednesday night, the Isles have, at the very least, been able to exceed last season’s run and pull within one win from qualifying for their first Stanley Cup final since 1984. But without a win Friday, their season will end essentially in the same spot last season’s did.

“We know what is at stake,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said Thursday, an off-day as they traveled back to Tampa Bay. “We are going into a Game 7. Obviously it was a big win last night. You enjoy it for a minute. But today is complete refocus and we are ready to go to work and win one game.”

Cal Clutterbuck and Mat Barzal know whats at stake in Friday’s Game 7.

This is unchartered territory for this team. The franchise hasn’t been in a Game 7 this deep in the playoffs since 1975, when the Islanders rallied from a 3-0 series deficit against the Flyers before falling short, losing 4-1 in Game 7. That was back when pieces of the dynasty were beginning to fall into place, with in his rookie season while and Bob Nystrom were just beginning their NHL careers.

For a team that has relied on its experience, the usually poised Islanders — in the playoffs for a third straight season — will have to battle through an unfamiliar situation.

Now that they avoided elimination in Game 6, a Stanley Cup final berth is on the line. And instead of competing in an empty arena as they did in the bubble playoffs, the Isles will have to withstand the challenges that come with playing in a monumental game on the road.

“Our mentality is the same all the time,” winger Cal Clutterbuck said. “I said this earlier in the playoffs. It is about narrowing your window of focus and focusing on what is in front of you. If you get down a couple in a game, what can you really do but be yourself?

“For us, it is just about worrying about what you need to do the next time you jump over the boards.”

The last Game 7 the Isles competed in was in the second round last year against Philadelphia, who stormed back from down three games to one before getting shut out in the series finale. Before that, the Islanders lost in seven games to the Capitals in the first round of the 2014-15 postseason.

Clutterbuck, Josh Bailey, Casey Cizikas, Nick Leddy, Brock Nelson, Matt Martin and Scott Mayfield are the only remaining active players from that roster.

The Lightning, who have not lost two playoff games in a row since 2019, are facing elimination for the first time in the past two seasons. In Game 5 at Amalie Arena on Monday, Tampa Bay manhandled the Islanders 8- 0, a beating which could still feel fresh for the visitors.

But the Islanders, coming off their third win of the postseason in which they trailed entering the final period, are a team that prides itself on playing in the moment. The Islanders are fighting to take that next step and put the NHL on notice that they cannot be underestimated anymore.

Oh, and keeping the lights on at Nassau Coliseum for one more series surely brings some added motivation as well.

“We’ve always kind of shown up,” Clutterbuck said. “We’ll continue to show up. It’s kind of what we are. It’s who we are.” 1216329 New York Islanders

Nikita Kucherov’s uncertain status hangs over Islanders-Lightning Game

By David Lazar June 24, 2021 | 2:48pm | Updated

The Islanders will have to wait and see if they have to deal with the NHL’s leading playoff point-producer in Game 7.

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper had no update on the status of Nikita Kucherov for Friday’s win-or-go-home match with the Isles with a Stanley Cup Final berth hanging in the balance. Kucherov left Game 6 after just one shift following a cross-check by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield.

While Cooper was short with reporters Thursday morning, he did talk about who would need to step up if his star winger, who has 27 points in 17 games, could not play.

“It is early to talk about that,” Cooper said. “But if [Kucherov could not play], we would have to count on the player that came into the lineup. You move on. And if you are fortunate enough to win the game, it makes one hell of a story.”

Nikita Kucherov on the ice during the Lightning’s Game 6 loss to the Islanders on June 23, 2021.

Kucherov — the former MVP who missed the entire regular season while recovering undergoing hip surgery — continued his shift after being cross-checked and later attempted to check Mathew Barzal. But Kucherov came up awkwardly, crippled over in pain and immediately left the ice. His night lasted 46 seconds.

Mayfield did not receive a penalty for his actions.

“The play on [Kucherov], the referee doesn’t see it. Probably a guy looking for a cheap shot there,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said Wednesday night. “I think [the referees] said they didn’t think it was malicious. They don’t have a chance to look at it on replay like we do.”

The NHL officiating has been a topic of discussion all postseason and Game 6 was no different. There were uncalled cross-checks on both teams, and the penalties that were called were questionable.

“It would be weird to say [Mayfield’s cross-check] wasn’t malicious,” Cooper said. “I don’t think that’s in the rule book, that cross-checks have to be malicious. I just know it happened really close to one of the officials, and he didn’t see it.”

No matter what happens Friday night for Game 7, Cooper is ready for the challenge that lies ahead — with or without Kucherov.

“We played 56 games without [Kucherov],” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “Usually, we have 12 forwards when we play without him, so that probably made it tougher on us when we had 11. But we’ve gone down this path for four months. It’s nothing new for us.”

New York Post LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216330 New York Islanders

Was a penalty missed on Scott Mayfield's cross-check on Nikita Kucherov?

By Colin Stephenson

The agent for Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid blasted the NHL referee who declined to call a penalty on Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield for his cross-check on Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov Wednesday that may have knocked the NHL’s leading playoff scorer out of Game 6, and muddied his status for Friday’s Game 7.

Agent Jeff Jackson retweeted a tweet from TSN in which analyst Craig Button says Mayfield was guilty of cross-checking Kucherov and said it was "not acceptable’’ that referee Chris Lee chose not to call a penalty on the play.

"How many games is Chris Lee going to ref where he pretends not to see a blatant penalty?’’ Jackson said in his retweet. "Why is he still doing games? Another star out!! Wake up!’’

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper had no update Thursday on Kucherov’s status or his availability for Game 7. Kucherov, who leads all playoff scorers with 27 points (five goals, 22 assists) played just one shift in Game 6, leaving the game shortly after taking the hit from Mayfield.

Islanders fans looking forward to Game 7 vs. Lightning

After the game, Cooper and the Lightning took the high road, and did not complain about the non-call.

"I just know it happened really close to one of the officials, but he didn’t see it,’’ Cooper said. "Move on.’’

Kucherov missed the entire 56-game regular season after undergoing hip surgery in the offseason, so Cooper said the Lightning will be fine if the 28-year-old can’t play.

"We played 56 games without him,’’ Cooper said. "We’ve won games with him, we’ve won without him.’’

No Game 7 party

Island Ice Ep. 103: Isles-Lightning Game 6 analysis

The guys are joined by NHL.com's Dan Rosen to discuss the thrilling Game 6 win for the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum in the Stanley Cup semifinals

The Islanders will not hold a watch party in the Coliseum for Game 7, as they did Monday for Game 5. With tickets at $10 each, with the money going to charity, the Isles drew an announced crowd of 7,200 for their party on Monday. The Islanders lost Game 5 in Tampa’s Amalie Arena, 8-0.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216331 New York Islanders up early in a game, but we've had a lot of situations in the playoffs where that hasn't been the case, and we won those games, too.’’

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.25.2021 Barry Trotz's Game 7 advice to Islanders: Embrace the moment

By Colin Stephenson

Game 7. Do you even really need to say anything else?

"No, I don't think so,’’ Islanders coach Barry Trotz said Thursday, before he and his team boarded a flight to Tampa for Friday’s deciding game between the Isles and Tampa Bay Lightning that will determine the winner of the teams’ semifinal series and send the winner to the Stanley Cup Final.

"You get to a Game 7, you know what's at stake,’’ Trotz said. "You play all year to get to this point. You know you get one opportunity, and it will be there. So just stay in the moment. Enjoy it. Embrace it. And don't get small.’’

The Islanders reached this point because they rallied from a two-goal deficit in Game 6 Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum, winning 3-2 on Anthony Beauvillier’s goal at 1:08 of overtime, which tied the best-of- seven series at 3-3. At stake for the Islanders is the chance to get back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1984. And a chance to win their first Cup since 1983.

Islanders fans looking forward to Game 7 vs. Lightning

To do so, the Islanders will have to win on the road, in Amalie Arena, where they lost, 8-0, in Game 5 Monday. Trotz called that game "a disaster,’’ but quickly added that result would mean nothing as far as the Islanders’ chances on Friday.

"I think [on Friday], you're gonna have two focused teams,’’ he said. "Game 7, and there's a chance to go to a Stanley Cup. I mean, it doesn't get much better than that for either organization, and all the players and all the coaches. It just doesn't.’’

The status of Tampa Bay forward Nikita Kucherov for Friday's game is unknown. Kucherov, the scoring leader in the playoffs with five goals and 22 assists for 27 points, left Game 6 after one shift during which he was cross-checked in the ribs by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield, who was not penalized for the hit. Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper had no update on Kucherov’s availability when he spoke to the media Thursday morning.

The Lightning did score two goals after Kucherov left the game, but their power play, which entered Game 6 hitting at 39.2% in the playoffs and which had gone 3-for-6 in Game 5, was 0-for-2 without him.

"Obviously with Kucherov, a lot of stuff runs through him,’’ Trotz said of the Lightning power play.

Island Ice Ep. 103: Isles-Lightning Game 6 analysis

The guys are joined by NHL.com's Dan Rosen to discuss the thrilling Game 6 win for the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum in the Stanley Cup semifinals

The defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning have not lost two playoff games in a row since they were swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round in 2019. They are 12-0 after playoff losses over the past two seasons.

But before Game 6 they were 11-1 this postseason in games in which they scored the first goal, including 3-0 in this series, and 11-1 in games in which they took a lead into the third period.

Islanders forward Cal Clutterbuck said the comeback win in Game 6 wouldn’t give the Isles more confidence than they already had in their ability to beat the Lightning.

"No, I think that our mentality is the same all the time,’’ Clutterbuck said. "It's about narrowing your window of focus and just focusing on what's in front of you. When it's during a game, it's just the next shift; it's the next puck. And if you get down a couple [goals] in a game, what can you really do but just continue to be yourself and really just keep going? And if you get it, you get it, if you don't, you don't. Obviously you'd like to get 1216332 New York Islanders Now they are 60 minutes — or maybe 61:08, as in Game 6 — away from a Cup Final and at least two more games at the Coliseum. (Next time minus the beer cans part of the celebration, OK?)

Islanders-Lightning Game 7 drama revolves around the fate of Nikita Let’s give the final words here to Cal Clutterbuck, who has been manic Kucherov on the ice and grumpy off it throughout these playoffs, and had his game face on early on Thursday morning before boarding a plane to Tampa.

"We’ve always kind of shown up and will continue to show up," he said. By Neil Best "It’s kind of what we are. It’s who we are."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.25.2021 Nassau Coliseum workers cleaned up the beer cans and other debris littering the ice with remarkable efficiency after the Islanders’ 3-2 overtime victory over the Lightning late Wednesday night.

That was good work, and it also served as an unintended message for everyone following the teams’ Stanley Cup semifinal: Game 6 was heck of a party, but last call for this round awaits on Friday night in Tampa.

Time to put the fun and historic import of the potential last game at the Coliseum on a side burner and get to some straight hockey talk in advance of the Islanders’ biggest game in 37 years.

This, for example: The Islanders’ best player, Mathew Barzal, had his best game of the playoffs in Game 6. The Lightning’s best all-around player, Nikita Kucherov, might not play at all in Game 7.

That dichotomy seems potentially important in a closely contested series — except for Game 5! — between experienced teams that figure not to be intimidated by the big moment.

Lightning coach Jon Cooper predictably offered no update on Thursday regarding Kucherov’s status after he departed Game 6 very early, possibly because of a cross-check from behind by Scott Mayfield.

All Kucherov has done is lead the NHL in playoff scoring, by a wide margin, with 27 points. Perhaps most important, the Lightning’s famed power play runs through him.

"If that scenario came about, we’d have to count on the guy we bring into the lineup," said Cooper, a former Hofstra lacrosse and club hockey player.

Cooper said such injuries open the doors for others, such as Anthony Cirelli, who assisted on one Lightning goal and scored the other in Game 6.

"You just plug guys in," Cooper said. "If you’re fortunate enough to win the game, it makes for one hell of a story."

Islanders coach Barry Trotz correctly noted that Kucherov’s fill-in on the first power-play unit, Ondrej Palat, is no slouch, but he added that taking someone such as Kucherov off the unit "changes the dynamic."

"He’s distributed the puck probably better than anybody, at least this year in the playoffs," Trotz said. "From that standpoint, there will be a little bit of a difference."

See: Hockey talk!

Island Ice Ep. 103: Isles-Lightning Game 6 analysis

The guys are joined by NHL.com's Dan Rosen to discuss the thrilling Game 6 win for the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum in the Stanley Cup semifinals

It is easy in these situations to get caught up in Game 7 platitudes, true as they may be.

(Trotz: "These are things that when you’re a young kid or a young coach you dream of these situations, and so there’s one tomorrow night and that’s fantastic.")

But one of these teams is the defending Stanley Cup champion and the other also is battle-tested and stubborn as heck. So it’s big, big, big, for sure, but not too big for these guys to handle.

"Just stay in the moment, enjoy it, embrace it and don’t get small," Trotz said. "Don’t get wound up. Stay in the moment, stay calm and give your best effort."

Asked what he saw when his team trailed 2-0 on Wednesday, Trotz said, "I saw resiliency. I saw determination. I saw what I’ve seen all year, a team that has backbone, has character, has all that." 1216333 New York Islanders Thomas Greiss made 16 saves behind a suffocating defense as the Isles advanced to the Eastern Conference finals in the COVID-19 playoff bubble.

The Islanders' history in a Game 7 Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.25.2021

By Nick Klopsis

Friday night will mark the 10th Game 7 in the Islanders' 48-year history as they travel to face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup semifinals.

The Isles are 4-5 in those nine games, but some of those four wins rank among the most memorable moments in franchise (and even hockey) lore.

April 26, 1975: Stanley Cup quarterfinal vs. Pittsburgh

Result: Islanders 1, Penguins 0

The Islanders rallied from a 3-0 series deficit to advance on ’s goal and ’s 30 saves.

Islanders fans looking forward to Game 7 vs. Lightning

May 13, 1975: Stanley Cup semifinal vs. Philadelphia

Result: Flyers 4, Islanders 1

The Islanders very nearly came back from their second straight 3-0 series hole, but the Flyers scored twice in the first 2:08, with one from just 19 seconds in, and never looked back.

April 29, 1978: Stanley Cup quarterfinal vs. Toronto

Result: Maple Leafs 2, Islanders 1 (OT)

Lanny McDonald’s goal at 4:14 of the extra period denied the Isles their fourth straight trip to the semifinals.

April 18, 1987: Patrick Division Semifinal vs. Washington

Result: Islanders 3, Capitals 2 (4 OT)

Island Ice Ep. 103: Isles-Lightning Game 6 analysis

The guys are joined by NHL.com's Dan Rosen to discuss the thrilling Game 6 win for the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum in the Stanley Cup semifinals

Every hockey fan knows about the . Pat LaFontaine’s slap shot at 8:47 of the fourth overtime — and in the early hours of Easter Sunday — completed the Islanders’ 3-1 series comeback and sent them to the division final.

May 2, 1987: Patrick Division Final vs. Philadelphia

Result: Flyers 5, Islanders 1

Once again, the Isles tried to finish a comeback from a 3-1 series hole, but this time fell short after the Flyers scored three times in the first period, including two shorthanded goals in a span of 44 seconds.

May 14, 1993: Patrick Division Final vs. Pittsburgh

Result: Islanders 4, Penguins 3 (OT)

David Volek’s defining moment came at 5:16 of overtime to help the Isles oust the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins.

April 30, 2002: Eastern Conference quarterfinal vs. Toronto

Result: Maple Leafs 4, Islanders 2

The Isles, back in the playoffs for the first time in nearly nine years, were tied after the first period before the Leafs pulled away in the second.

April 27, 2015: Eastern Conference first round vs. Washington

Result: Capitals 2, Islanders 1

The Isles ended a 13-year playoff drought but were ousted in the first round on Evgeny Kuznetsov’s winner at 12:42 of the third period.

Sept. 5, 2020: Eastern Conference second round vs. Philadelphia

Result: Islanders 4, Flyers 0 1216334 New York Islanders Barzal’s Game 4 tap-in stands out as well as Mat Martin’s Game 4 game- winner.

Mathew Barzal. The easiest goal of his career. The Islanders are Finding Andrei Vasilevskiy’s Weaknesss, Here’s How pic.twitter.com/JmKRTlx5yb

— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) June 20, 2021

By Stefen Rosner Matt Martin makes it 3-0 for the @NYIslanders

pic.twitter.com/AHywalsHcA

There is a reason why Tampa Bay Lightning netminder Andrei — (@hockeynight) June 20, 2021 Vasilevskiy is a finalist this season and previously won it In both instances, those forwards read the play and were able to get to back in 2019. He is a premier goaltender in the , the puck quickly with zero hesitation to get the shot off. Both goals also and the playoffs seem to bring out the best in him. do not happen if the Islanders fail to throw pucks at the net. As hard as he is to beat on a nightly basis, the New York Islanders have That last point, getting shots on the net, is something the Islanders still shown this series that he can be beaten. Like a video game, the skill of are hesitant to do. It has often plagued the Islanders, as when a chance the opposing netminders has increased from round to round, and is there, hesitation leads to missed opportunities. Vasilevskiy has been top boss but not unbeatable. The Islanders need to put shots on net, especially in the postseason Vasilevskiy had made opposing teams earn their goals, and so far, the where chances are slim. Shots with no traffic in front are more likely to be Islanders have done just that due to hard work around the crease and deposited into the corner by Vasilevskiy with ease while also boosting his strong shots. confidence. The Islanders have scored 11 goals in this series through six games, On each forward line, the Islanders have players that can stand in front. which averages out to 1.83 goals per game. Vasilevskiy has been Islanders head coach Barry Trotz has flip-flopped Leo Komarov and Kyle outstanding with highlight-reel saves, but fortunately for the Islanders, Palmieri, but both can fill that role on whatever line they are on. Brock they have scored some timely goals to pick up wins. Nelson is a big body, and quite frankly, anyone on the fourth line can The Islanders have realized what they have to do to have success make it difficult on Vasilevskiy. against the 26-year old superstar netminder. And it is the same formula Traffic just needs to happen more often. to beat any premiere netminder in the NHL. That is by lifting the puck and getting traffic in front to ensure that if there is a rebound, it is Now in a Game 7, on Amalie Arena ice, Vasilevskiy will be at his best. He uncontrollable. is 12-0, allowing under 1.50 goals following a loss this postseason.

Out of the 11 goals Vasilevskiy has allowed this series, only one puck The Islanders know how to beat Vasilevskiy. They will need to continue has beaten him down low, cleanly. That came on the first goal of the to do what has worked to come out of Game 7 victorious and advance to series, a Mat Barzal breakaway goal through the wickets to give the the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1984. Islanders a lead in Game 1. The Athletic LOADED: Another look at Barzal on the breakaway! pic.twitter.com/wAn1dsNBOo

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) June 13, 2021

Six of the last 10 goals for the Islanders have come off elevated shots, while four have come off rebounds. And traffic has played a focal point in the majority of them.

For such a big netminder in Vasilevskiy, who stands at 6’3 weighing 207 lbs, he drops before every shot, like every goaltender in the league. That has left him susceptible to getting beat high. Two goals that stand out are the opening tally in Game 4 off the stick of Josh Bailey and then the most recent goal in Game 6, which was the overtime winner off the stick of Anthony Beauvillier.

Both were scored in a similar fashion and showcased even the best of the best have their weaknesses.

While one was closer than the other, #Isles opening tally in Game 4 (Bailey)and their OT winner in Game 6 (Beauvillier) came by moving laterally from right to left and shooting back high-glove to beat #GoBolts Andrei Vasilevskiy. pic.twitter.com/y8BgQIRVvC

— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) June 24, 2021

That lateral movement across the slot when the puck gets shot the other way is one of the harder shots to stop. The goaltender wants to move with the player and sometimes gets caught off their angle and on Wednesday’s game-winner, Vasilevskiy dropped as he moved, leaving the top right corner open for business.

A goaltender with the skillset that Vasilevskiy possesses usually makes the save when he can see the shot cleanly. Bailey’s goal in Game 4 had traffic in front and Beauvillier’s winner came off an ill-advised turnover right in front. But the majority of goals in this series for the Islanders have come when there is some sort of traffic in front whether it has been an Islanders forward or Lightning defensemen.

Despite the big-time saves, Vasilevskiy’s rebound control has not been all too strong this series. That is not to say it is his fault, as he has not received support from his team after some big-time saves. The Islanders’ willingness to crash the net hard, and be ready for the rebound has paid off. At times, Islanders have been left wide-open to deposit pucks. 1216335 New York Rangers

ESPN hires Mark Messier as NHL analyst after awkward Rangers pitch

By Justin Tasch June 24, 2021 | 5:56pm | Updated

Campaigning for a job with the Rangers right after they fired John Davidson and Jeff Gorton didn’t work out. So Mark Messier found another line of work.

The Rangers legend has been hired by ESPN as an NHL studio analyst on a multiyear deal, the network announced Thursday.

“The game of hockey, and the NHL, have afforded me enormous opportunity, success and experiences on the ice and in my life,” Messier said in a release. “My passion for the game is as strong as it has ever been and I am looking forward to sharing that passion, plus my insights and analysis with the sport’s incredible fans.”

Messier, 60, has previously made guest appearances on Versus and NBC’s NHL coverage.

The six-time Stanley Cup champion — who led the Rangers to their 1994 Stanley Cup win, ending the franchise’s 54-year title drought — made waves last month during an interview on ESPN New York’s “The Michael Kay Show” just hours after Jim Dolan dumped his president and general manager.

ESPN has hired Rangers legend Mark Messier as an NHL studio analyst.

“I’ve made it very clear that I’ve been standing by ready to help out in any way for many years,” Messier said on May 5. “I don’t really know what else to say.”

The former Rangers captain said he could “one thousand percent” coach without any prior experience; this was a week before new president-GM Chris Drury fired .

Messier, who previously was a special assistant to former general manager , was considered for the Blueshirts’ head-coaching job in 2013 before they hired .

ESPN has already added former Rangers goalie as well as and as analysts. Leah Hextall was hired to do play-by-play and other roles. Messier’s former teammate, NHL legend , recently joined TNT as an analyst.

New York Post LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216336 New York Rangers

Mark Messier joins ESPN as studio analyst for NHL broadcasts next season

By Colin Stephenson

Former Rangers captain Mark Messier, who led the Blueshirts to their 1994 Stanley Cup championship, has been hired by ESPN as a studio analyst for the network as it begins its second run of presenting NHL hockey this fall.

A Hockey Hall of Famer, Messier, 60, won six Stanley Cups and was a 15-time All-Star in his 25-year NHL career. He has signed a multiyear agreement, ESPN announced Thursday.

"The game of hockey, and the NHL, have afforded me enormous opportunity,’’ Messier said in the release announcing his hire. "The NHL is beginning a new era with ESPN and the Walt Disney Company . . . and I am thrilled to be a part of the team.’’

ESPN and TNT will split coverage of the NHL next season, replacing NBC and NBC Sports. Messier will serve as an analyst for broadcasts on ESPN, ESPN-Plus, and Hulu. Messier’s fellow Hall of Famer and former Edmonton Oilers teammate, Wayne Gretzky, will serve as a studio analyst for TNT.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216337 New York Rangers

Rangers goaltending coach Benoit Allaire to oversee goalie development at all levels

By Colin Stephenson

Longtime Rangers goaltending coach Benoit Allaire has been promoted to director of goaltending for the organization, the team announced Thursday, and president and general manager Chris Drury announced a couple of other hires for the team’s front office.

Jeff Malcolm, who has been a goaltending consultant for the team for the past three years, has been elevated to goaltending coach for the Rangers’ farm team, while Jean-Ian Filiatrault joins the organization as a goaltending consultant and Matt Hunwick joins the player development department.

Allaire, entering his 18th season with the Rangers, will continue to serve as the Rangers’ goaltending coach, but now will also oversee the development of goalies at all levels of the organization, including at Hartford and with the Rangers’ ECHL affiliate, the Mariners. Allaire was the only member of the coaching staff to be retained when Drury fired coach David Quinn and his staff after the season.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216338 New York Rangers If Vitali Kravtsov can bring the necessary hardness and “200-foot game” Gallant desires, that spot could be his too. Or perhaps it goes to Pavel Buchnevich, who plays a hard game that could be enhanced by Gallant’s teaching. There will be no shortage of options on the wings, especially if What comes next for the Rangers? Five predictions based on the latest Drury does manage to get one of his grit guys in free agency or a trade. from Chris Drury and Gerard Gallant He will have to overpay in cap dollars for any of those rugged players mentioned above, though.

“Every team in the league is watching these playoffs,” Drury said By Rick Carpiniello Tuesday. “We all want harder players to play against.”

3. Jacob Trouba will be the next Rangers captain So Chris Drury and Gerard Gallant finally had their say on Tuesday. The And Jacob Trouba will be the first one since Ryan McDonagh was Rangers’ new president/general manager and the coach he just hired for blockbustered to Tampa Bay at the 2018 trade deadline. what is believed to be $3.5 million per over four years Zoomed with reporters to lay out their vision for 2021-22 and beyond. Drury, himself a former Rangers captain, said Tuesday that he wants a captain but that it has to be the right guy and not just a captain for the Of course, these things are usually filled with platitudes and promises sake of having one. (Gallant: “We’re going to be the hardest-working team in the league,” for example) which we hear in every news conference for every new GM He mentioned that some leadership qualities emerged in the second half and coach. They sound like politicians who promise they “will create of last season. Well, in the second half of last season, Trouba was far 55,000 new jobs” without explaining how they will actually accomplish and wide seen as having grabbed the reins of a leadership role as his that. game improved — until he was concussed by Matt Martin early in that disastrous back-to-back against the Islanders. And I’m not calling anybody a liar or an exaggerator here (well, other than the politicians). It’s just that optimism tends to rule these things and I think Quinn was awaiting a similar situation where a player would grab promises can’t always be delivered. the bull by the proverbial horns and rise to the captaincy organically. Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider were the obvious candidates before Based on what we heard, though, we can start to gain a better sense of Trouba’s rise. Neither was ever named. what’s to come. Between the lines of Drury and Gallant’s news- conference blurbs, there were ideas that offer hints at what they’ll do in Trouba is not only a big leader inside the room, as they say, but his the months ahead. physical style and his ability to play that Gallant style makes him a perfect candidate. Here are some predictions based on what they said: 4. Kaapo Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière will get more opportunity 1. The next month will be critical for Drury … if they earn it. Gallant said so. And you can assume the same for With an expansion draft, an entry draft and free agency all happening by Kravtsov, though of course all of these things are going to be fluid and the end of July, this is the time for moves big and small to make the based on what forwards join the roster during Drury’s remake in the next Rangers better and help them turn the corner from the rebuild. month — and which prized prospects, be it Kravtsov or Buchnevich or The entry draft (July 23-24), with the Rangers holding the No. 15 pick, others — may be included in a deal to bring in a bigger name than and then free agency four days later will be a perfect time to swing a Hyman or Coleman. trade. I believe that pick will be a trade chip, the Rangers already having Gallant compared Kakko and Alexis Lafrenière to his three youngsters in built enough of a prospects cupboard to deal draft chips this year. Florida — Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau and . I really don’t think Drury is going to make the big move for Jack Eichel Eventually those players went from prospects to good young players to and his $10 million cap hit (unless Buffalo would eat some of that) and critical pieces of a lineup. It’s time for the top kids to take a big step his bad neck, not to mention the assets it would take to get him. But forward under a new coach. Drury, the ex-Sabre, will surely be in the discussion with the Sabres. Based on the way his rookie season progressed, I’d expect Lafrenière is He’d also have to be all ears and in the mix if the whispers and rumors ready to do so. Kakko, entering his third season now, should also be regarding Matthew Tkachuk wanting out of Calgary are at all true. That much better after incremental improvement throughout ’21. Kravtsov is wouldn’t be an easy and perfect fit. The Rangers would have to give up much more of an open book, having just arrived late in the season, but some good young players and be willing to pay Tkachuk a ton of money one who has the size, willingness and skill to make a mark soon. after his $7 million ’21-22 season, when he becomes a restricted free Which reminds me, when Gallant said Tuesday that he doesn’t think agent with arbitration rights. But we’re hearing nothing to suggest that he young players get a lot out of playing on the fourth line, well Twitter will actually, in reality, be available. predictably overreacted. Quinn didn’t think so, either. But he played kids In addition to player moves, Drury must fill out front-office, coaching and there because it was a way to ease them in and because he didn’t really scouting staffs that he has stripped pretty bare in his house-cleaning. have a prototypical fourth line. Kravtsov was being eased in, and he moved up from time to time. Julien Gauthier is another story, and those Drury said Tuesday that making the 2022 playoffs is his hope but that he who reacted immediately, believing Gauthier would be the beneficiary of doesn’t believe it’s a mandate. It’s possible, if not likely, he’s been told Gallant’s arrival and style, might be disappointed. Because while it’s true that by the owner. The owner, though, seems to be a fellow who changes Gauthier has a better chance to succeed under a new coach than he did his mind rather abruptly, don’t you think? And a fellow whose patience under the previous coach — and perhaps he will finally seize the moment ran paper-thin less than two months ago. and use those tools he has — where the heck is he going to play on a team that has Panarin, Kreider, Buchnevich, Kakko, Lafrenière, Kravtsov, 2. They will go after “toughness and grit” Morgan Barron and probably a brand new gritty forward on the wings? I think Drury — who on Tuesday talked of “the physicality, the energy, the Answer: Seattle, Hartford or the fourth line. effort, the intensity” of the teams left in the playoffs — will try to add a 5. The new mindset will reset expectations elsewhere Blake Coleman or a Casey Cizikas or a Zach Hyman unless a more-legit top-six player with those rugged qualities can somehow be finagled via a Gallant said he wants the Rangers to be a Vegas-type of team, and blockbuster. everybody figured the Rangers needed to gain more of those qualities even before the lopping of the front office and coaches. So expect the Hyman is much more of a top-sixer than the others, but I think any of plan to simply change a bit more dramatically. them would look better on the right of Ryan Strome and Artemi Panarin than Colin Blackwell does, for example, and arguably than Kaapo Kakko For example, I believed all along that the Rangers would chase a free does. agent like Alec Martinez to add some veteran presence (and some Stanley Cup jewelry) to a young defense. That might still be in the cards, By the way, it was Panarin who frequently asked coach David Quinn, if though perhaps instead of Martinez they look for someone with more not begged or demanded, that Blackwell be on his right rather than bite. Kakko, among others. Quinn usually deferred. Based on the hard-to-play-against agenda, I don’t think the Rangers can have a top six on defense that includes the untouchable, possible Norris Trophy winner Adam Fox, plus similar-styled Zac Jones and Nils Lundkvist. The other three incumbents are Trouba, Ryan Lindgren and K’Andre Miller.

I wonder if the Rangers will now consider re-signing (on the cheap) Brendan Smith, who took a big step in terms of leadership duty and who scored a ton of points when he fought Tom Wilson in the last week of the season. (Gallant said the Rangers made a pretty big statement about their character when they had the brawls against the Capitals that night, which I agree with.)

Maybe we’ll see rugged 2020 first-round defenseman Braden Schneider sooner than later, even if not at the start of the season, and ditto up front for 2020 second-rounder Will Cuylle.

Big and rugged Barron, to me, is a lock to be one of the top nine forwards unless his camp is a disaster. There’s no reason to think it will be.

Then there’s Kevin Rooney. For all the noise about the Rangers possibly losing Brett Howden, Gauthier or Libor Hájek to Seattle, I keep hearing that the Kraken have an eye on Rooney, who did a fine job as a fourth- line center and penalty killer and played with a Gallant-style ruggedness. Perhaps the Rangers protect him and leave Blackwell and the three aforementioned from which Seattle GM can choose on July 21?

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216339 Ottawa Senators first-hand that he should get ‘exceptional player’ status to suit up in the AHL.

That rule doesn’t exist right now, but if Greig doesn’t make Ottawa in the This summer will be pivotal in determining Logan Brown's future with the fall, Mann would welcome him in Belleville to hone his skills. It could be a Senators big battle, though, because junior teams don’t like giving up their best players and want development to take place at their level.

“If, for some reason, the agreement is tweaked to have an exempt player, Bruce Garrioch which I believe is something that should be done, then a guy like Ridly Greig would be available to the Belleville Senators,” said Mann. “I do

think there are some unique cases within each organization and some There will be plenty of attention on the future of wingers Brady Tkachuk NHL teams may not have anybody. and Drake Batherson and their respect contract negotiations with the “I do believe in a place like Ottawa that a player like Ridly Greig has Ottawa Senators. nothing to prove at the WHL level and September will tell us if he can And, while talks with the duo will be at the forefront, an interesting play in the NHL. I believe he would benefit from a season in the AHL, decision to watch will be the future of Senators centre Logan Brown, who much like (Cole) Perfetti in Manitoba who was able to benefit from a year is also among the club’s restricted free agents. in the AHL because there was no OHL season. I believe he’s much closer to making the NHL. The 23-year-old No. 11 overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft has yet to lock up a spot with the Senators and, as an RFA this summer, general “We’ll see what happens over the next few months.” manager has already stated Brown will receive a qualifying Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.25.2021 offer to retain his rights for free agency.

But, there’s no question Brown and the Senators are at a crossroads in his career.

He hasn’t been able to stay healthy, he’s been unable to stay on the roster with any regularity and it feels like one way or another Brown’s situation will come to a head this summer. Yes, he’s eligible for the Seattle expansion draft July 21, but he could be moved before then.

If Brown is back at training camp in September then Belleville coach Troy Mann will continue his work to try to help get him to the next level. Yes, you’ve heard that before, but Mann can’t do it all by himself and much of the responsibility falls on the player to show up for camp ready to compete in September if he’s still part of the organization.

“Logan is a tremendous talent that’s dealt with a tremendous amount of injuries over the course of his career, including when he was back in junior” Mann said on Wednesday on a conference call with reporters. “If he’s back in Belleville, we’re going to do our best on a daily basis to make him better.

“This goes back to a question earlier, every player and every coach has a timeline and some are really quick and some take longer.”

There will be people in this market who will tell you that Brown hasn’t been given a chance to make the team, but that’s not even close to being the truth. You have to make the most of what you’re given and he hasn’t been able to do that. The Senators are as frustrated with Brown as he is with them, but Dorion has never denied the 6-foot-6 Brown has the skills.

It was noted to Mann in the question about Brown on Wednesday that maybe he can follow a similar path to the one Nick Paul has taken to the NHL. He has cleared waivers countless times in his pro career, however, Paul has carved himself out a role, he plays it well and earned the first one-way contract of his career last October.

First, and foremost, to even get there, Brown has to stay off the trainer’s table and be on the ice more consistently. That would be a start to getting on the right path.

“I certainly feel injuries have derailed ability to play in the NHL on a full- time basis over the last few years,” said Mann. “But, he’s a tremendous talent. He has a relationship and a rapport with the coaches here in Belleville, so if, come October, he’s here, we’ll do our best to make sure he’s an elite player.

“Hopefully, he can stay healthy and we’ll get him to the NHL at some point.”

Of course, will tomorrow ever happen for Brown? If you look at the club’s depth chart down the middle, he’s been bypassed by Josh Norris and there’s a belief in some circles that Ridly Greig, the 2020 No. 28 overall selection from the , is about to leave Brown in the rear-view mirror.

Greig suited up for seven games with Belleville last season and the organization is hoping he can play there next year. The agreement between the NHL and the Canadian Hockey League has to be negotiated this summer. but Mann has been a strong proponent since he saw Greig 1216340 Philadelphia Flyers “I hadn’t had the experience of working on the National Hockey League level,” he said. “There’s a different rhythm to the National Hockey League in almost every realm, from an 82-game schedule to the pace of the game. Experience is very valuable. There are a lot of things that I Saying he learned from his days with Flyers and Toronto, Dave Hakstol solidified and really cemented as far as philosophies. There are other surprisingly named Seattle’s first coach things where you grow, you learn, and develop. And all those experiences -- not just the last six years (in the NHL) -- are very valuable

in terms of how I apply those going forward.” Sam Carchidi Hakstol knows the Flyers players better than most, so it will be interesting to see which player Seattle takes from Philadelphia in the expansion draft. Shayne Gostisbehere, James van Riemsdyk, and Jake Voracek Dave Hakstol, who had a “disconnect” with his players when he coached are among the players the Flyers are expected to leave exposed, but all the Flyers, will get a chance to build a team from the ground up. have rather hefty contracts.

The stoic Hakstol, 52, was named the first coach in Seattle history Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.25.2021 Thursday. The Kraken will play their inaugural season starting in October, and they will have their expansion draft to fill their roster on July 21. NHL teams (except Vegas) will lose one player to Seattle, unless trades are made.

Seattle also has the No. 2 overall pick in the July 23 draft.

“This is a dream that has come true,” Hakstol said at a news conference in Seattle. “This is an awesome thing to be a part of ... This is a once-in- a-lifetime opportunity.”

The hiring was a surprise because some “name” coaches were available, including Claude Julien, .

Hakstol, 52, coached the Flyers for three-plus seasons and compiled a 134-101-42 record (.560 points percentage) before being fired and replaced by interim coach Scott Gordon on Dec. 17, 2018. Including the 2018-19 season, the Flyers made the playoffs in two of Hakstol’s four years and never got past the first round.

The Flyers were last in the 16-team Eastern Conference and had a 12- 15-4 record when Hakstol was ousted. He had been hired by then- general manager in May of 2015, a daring move because Hakstol came straight out of the University of North Dakota.

When he was fired by , the new general manager said “there was a disconnect to what he was preaching and how the players were playing.”

Fletcher also called Hakstol a “straight-up guy and I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.”

Hakstol, who coached seven of his 11 North Dakota teams the the Frozen Four, spent the last two seasons as a Toronto assistant.

“Dave possesses great experience, a strong work ethic, a solid understanding of the game, and the remarkable ability to communicate clearly and effectively,” Seattle GM Ron Francis said, discounting Fletcher’s 2018 comments.

Francis, Hakstol and assistant Kraken general manager were together for four weeks with Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Championship. Hakstol was an assistant coach of the team, and a seed was planted.

“I sort of built respect for what he could do,” Francis said.

Hakstol said he was “honored” to be the Kraken’s first coach and that he was “blown away” the first time he saw their arena. “It is such a unique venue. I am looking forward to being part of a group that builds a team that plays with pride, passion, and selflessness for the city of Seattle.”

His Flyers teams didn’t always play with pride and passion. Fact is, they got off to too many slow starts in games and got in a habit of playing catch-up.

Maybe his years as a Toronto assistant better prepared him for his second stint as an NHL head coach. When he was named the Flyers coach, he became the first coach since 1982 to jump from the college ranks to the NHL.

“It was maybe a big jump from college the first time, but now he’s been in the league for six years,” Francis said. “He’s worked under some different coaches and gained a lot more experience, so we’re comfortable in that regard.”

Looking back on it, Hakstol hinted he wasn’t ready for the NHL when the Flyers hired him. 1216341 Philadelphia Flyers season seemed possible before Nashville went on a run and made the playoffs. Now it’s a long shot he will land in Philly.

Ryan Ellis Who can join Ivan Provorov on Flyers' top defensive pairing? Here are Age 30, 5-10, 180, shoots right. the candidates. 2021 stats with : 5 goals, 18 points, plus-1 in 35

games. Sam Carchidi He is a difference maker in several areas. Think . Ellis has six years left on his contract (annual cap hit: $6.25 million), and he would become the Flyers’ best defender. Nashville reportedly dangled The Flyers need a defenseman to join Ivan Provorov on their top pairing. him last year in trade talks, but the cost would be high. So is the Flyers’ You know it. I know it. General manager Chuck Fletcher knows it. upside with Ellis paired with Provorov.

Some fans want a defensive defenseman — an Ed Van Impe type for David Savard those who remember that golden age of Flyers hockey. Age 30, 6-2, 233, shoots right. Some want a marquee defenseman who will play here for a long time, such as Dougie Hamilton or Seth Jones. 2021 stats with Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning: 1 goal, 6 points, minus-27 in 54 games. Some think that spending $8 or $9 million per season on Hamilton or Jones would put too much strain on the team’s salary cap, and that an An unrestricted free agent who had a $4.25 million cap hit this season under-the-radar guy (Adam Larsson? Travis Harmonic? Cody Ceci?) with Columbus and Tampa Bay, Savard is a rugged, stay-at-home would be a better move because it would leave the Flyers money to defenseman who does a lot of the dirty work — clearing bodies, blocking address other needs. shots — that the Flyers desperately need. But is he capable of playing on the top pairing? That, in my opinion, is a stretch. He’s valuable for a In any event, here are some defensemen on the Flyers’ radar. They defense but doesn’t have the all-around game that Matt Niskanen had would be an improvement over the revolving defensemen who played before retiring prior to last season. alongside Provorov this season. Dougie Hamilton Age 28, 6-6, 230, shoots right. Age 28, 6-foot-6, 227 pounds, shoots right. 2021 stats with St. Louis Blues: 2 goals,12 points, minus-2 in 32 games. 2021 stats with : 10 goals, 42 points, plus-20 in 55 games. A back injury hindered him until late this season, and he struggled. If healthy, he would be a great partner for Provorov. He is in the final He is a pending unrestricted free agent and checks all the boxes but season of his contract ($5.5 million cap hit). St. Louis was unwilling to might be too expensive in both assets dealt if a trade-and-sign is pay for Alex Pietrangelo and let him take the free-agent route (to Vegas), completed and money spent for his contract. Carolina has given him so you have to wonder if the Blues will do the same with Parayko and put permission to talk to other teams before free agency arrives July 28. That him on the trade market. could create a trade-and-sign situation before he reaches free agency. Hamilton’s analytics and traditional numbers are off the charts. But Jamie Oleksiak signing him might cause the Flyers to neglect other areas that need an Age 28, 6-7, 255, shoots left. upgrade. 2021 stats with Dallas Stars: 6 goals, 14 points, minus-3 in 56 games. Seth Jones An unrestricted free agent, Oleksiak would improve the Flyers’ defense Age 26, 6-4, 213, shoots right. but, like Savard, isn’t best suited for the top pairing. Oh, and he’s left- 2021 stats with Columbus Blue Jackets: 5 goals, 28 points, minus-18 in handed, another strike against him as far as the Flyers are concerned. 56 games. That makes it unlikely he will be the Flyers’ choice unless they whiff on several other players. Jones has one year left on his contract, which has a $5.4 million cap hit. Jones’ defensive analytics aren’t close to Hamilton’s, but he passes the Travis Hamonic eye test, and his offensive numbers are always very good. Don’t get Age 30, 6-2, 205, shoots right. hung up on his plus-minus rating because he played for woeful Columbus. The Flyers would acquire him only if they had an agreement 2021 stats with Vancouver Canucks: 3 goals, 10 points, minus-3 in 38 that he would sign a long-term deal. games.

Matt Dumba He is an unrestricted free agent for the second straight year. Fletcher tried hard to sign him last year, but Hamonic went to Vancouver because Age 26, 6-foot, 185, shoots right. he wanted to play in Western Canada. Maybe he has a change of heart 2021 stats with Minnesota Wild: 6 goals, 21 points, plus-1 in 51 games. this time. He is defensively responsible and could help an awful penalty kill. Oh, and the price tag won’t be high. He was on the second pairing Dumba is available because the Wild probably won’t protect him in the this season, alongside Quinn Hughes. July 21 expansion draft and don’t want to lose him and get nothing in return. He has two years left on a contract that has an annual $6 million Cody Ceci cap hit. Because he was with Minnesota when Chuck Fletcher was the Age 27, 6-2, 210, shoots right. GM, there is speculation he is on the Flyers’ radar. He was drafted by Fletcher in the first round (seventh overall) in 2012. Fletcher’s problem: 2021 stats with Pittsburgh Penguins: 4 goals, 17 points, plus-18 in 53 He figures to protect Provorov, Travis Sanheim, and Phil Myers in the games. expansion draft, so it would be tricky to acquire Dumba. An unrestricted free agent, Ceci is a solid defender who plays with Mattias Ekholm physicality, blocks shots, and chips in offensively. He was a second- pairing defenseman with Pittsburgh this year, and signing him would be Age 31, 6-4, 215, shoots left. payback for Penguins GM Ron Hextall’s pilfering Mark Friedman off 2021 stats with Nashville Predators: 6 goals, 23 points, plus-18 in 48 waivers from the Flyers. He’d be a good addition to the PK as he led the games. Penguins with an average of 2:35 of shorthanded ice time.

He has one year left on his deal, and Nashville will undoubtedly protect Tyson Barrie him in the expansion draft. But if the Preds feel they can’t sign him to an Age 29, 5-11, 197, shoots right. extension, they will probably listen to offers. Acquiring him before last 2021 stats with Edmonton Oilers: 8 goals, 48 points, plus-4 in 56 games.

Playing for high-powered Edmonton on its top pairing, Barrie had terrific offensive numbers. But his defensive game had flaws, and he doesn’t seem to be the right fit for Provorov. The son of Tampa Bay co-owner Len Barrie, he is an unrestricted free agent.

Alec Martinez

Age 33, 6-1, 209, shoots left.

2021 stats with Vegas Golden Knights: 9 goals, 32 points, plus-26 in 53 games.

The unrestricted free agent is risky because of his age, but if you can get him for two or three years and if he can switch to the right side … That’s a lot of ifs. Truth is, his right-handed partner on Vegas’ top pairing, Pietrangelo, would have been a much better fit. But that ship sailed last year when Pietrangelo signed a seven-year, $61 million deal ($8.8 million annual cap hit) with the Golden Knights.

Rasmus Ristolainen

Age 26, 6-4, 218, shoots right.

2021 stats with Buffalo Sabres: 4 goals, 18 points, minus-18 in 49 games.

He has one year left on a contract that carries a $5.4 million cap hit with Buffalo, and the Devils are reportedly making a strong bid in trade talks. The Flyers should not get in a bidding war. Ristolainen’s defense has too many holes, but he’s strong on the power play and provides solid offense and physicality. He was slowed this year by a coronavirus battle.

Adam Larsson

Age 28, 6-3, 208, shoots right.

2021 stats with Edmonton Oilers: 4 goals, 10 points, plus-2 in 56 games.

Larsson, drafted by New Jersey in the first round (fourth overall) in 2011, is a defensive defenseman who was on Edmonton’s No. 2 pairing this year and was an alternate captain. Once traded for Taylor Hall, Larsson isn’t flashy. He plays with a calmness and physicality, traits the Flyers need greatly. The Sweden native had a $4.2 million cap hit this season, and he is an unrestricted free agent.

Brandon Montour

Age 27, 6-foot, 194, shoots right.

2021 stats with Buffalo Sabres and : 7 goals, 18 points, minus-5 in 50 games.

The unrestricted free agent is a two-time AHL All-Star who provides offense and is a good shot blocker and puck mover. He’s a decent player, but the Flyers should add someone with a better defensive pedigree.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216342 Philadelphia Flyers

Former Flyers coach Dave Hakstol is named coach of the expansion Seattle Kraken

Tim Booth

SEATTLE — The Seattle Kraken hired Dave Hakstol on Thursday as head coach of the expansion franchise that will begin play this fall.

Hakstol will lead the first-year organization in his second head job in the NHL. He coached the Flyers for three-plus seasons from 2015-19 and spent the past two years as a Toronto Maple Leafs assistant.

“Dave possesses great experience, a strong work ethic, a solid technical understanding of the game and the remarkable ability to communicate clearly and effectively,” general manager Ron Francis said. “I look forward to working with Dave as we strive to build a team our fans will be proud of.”

The 52-year-old Hakstol coached the Flyers to two playoff appearances but both were first-round losses and he was fired midway through his fourth seasons. He coached at the University of North Dakota for 11 years and was an off-the-board hire six years ago for then-Philadelphia general manager Ron Hextall, just as he is for Francis this time.

“I am honored to be joining this tremendous group,” Hakstol said. “When I first saw the arena, I was blown away. It is such a unique venue. I am looking forward to being a part of the group that builds a team that plays with pride, passion and selflessness for the city of Seattle.”

The expectations for the Kraken are success from the start and the team will join the Pacific Division with the shifting to the Central.

Hakstol’s task will be significant, trying to equal the success of the the league’s last expansion franchise, however unrealistic it might be for the Kraken to match the Golden Knights. Vegas reached the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season and has made the playoffs in all four years since its inception.

The hiring fits the timeline Francis set out from the start of wanting Seattle’s coaching search settled before the end of June, well before the July 21 expansion draft and July 23 NHL draft when the Kraken will have the No. 2 overall selection.

Hakstol got the job over former Arizona coach Rick Tocchet and others who interviewed multiple times. Francis, Hakstol and Seattle assistant GM Jason Botterill were together with Canada’s team at the 2019 world championship.

While Hakstol ended up with the job, he may not have been the initial favorite.

Gerard Gallant seemed the obvious option for Seattle due to his experience leading Vegas through its record-setting first season that ended with a loss to Washington in the final. Gallant opted for the chance with the New York Rangers over potentially taking on the challenges of another first-year franchise.

The Kraken are expected to begin training camp in September with the season likely to begin in mid-October.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216343 Philadelphia Flyers Doors will open at 3 p.m. ET with opening ceremonies set for 4 p.m. ET. Fans can purchase tickets right here.

Below is the Flyers Alumni roster. Eichel buzz, Caufield debate, more in 3 Flyers thoughts Two great groups of people coming together for a good cause. Should be fun.

BY JORDAN HALL 3. Cam-Cole comparisons ... already?

If anyone is genuinely upset or peeved by the Flyers' decision to draft Cam York over Cole Caufield, those feelings are awfully premature. In a week, the calendar will turn to July, commencing a busy month for the Flyers. You've got to give this time.

It features the Kraken expansion draft (July 21), NHL entry draft (July 23- Caufield is an impressive 20-year-old kid with eight points (three goals, 24) and opening of free agency (July 28). five assists) over 14 games in the Canadiens' playoff run. He possesses innate goal-scoring ability, which he put on full display in his 72-goal draft As the 2021 playoffs continue to near the Stanley Cup Final, let's get into year. Caufield was taken by Montreal in the 2019 draft at 15th overall, a our latest three Flyers thoughts. spot after the Flyers selected York.

1. The Eichel tower York himself is an impressive 20-year-old kid, a point-producing defenseman who reached the Flyers this season and has plenty of The precarious Jack Eichel situation in Buffalo is just another reason to accolades. buckle up for this Flyers offseason. Both have combined for 13 NHL regular-season games. Both have all The Flyers are in a spot this summer in which they'll consider everything kinds of potential. It's insanely too early to debate this. and anything. They should be as open-minded and aggressive as any team in the league considering where they stand after a letdown, SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2021 disconcerting 2020-21 season.

In April, Chuck Fletcher said stemming back to last offseason, the Flyers had "numerous conversations with essentially every general manager." With the Flyers' position now and the apparent strife in Buffalo between star player and team, it would be surprising if the Flyers' GM doesn't pull up a seat at the Eichel table.

A week ago, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported that conversations between the Sabres and Eichel suitors were "getting more intense and serious." LeBrun then included the Flyers among six teams he believes make sense for an Eichel trade. On Wednesday, Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli listed Eichel as the NHL offseason's No. 1 trade target.

Next season, the 24-year-old center will be on the fourth year of his eight-year, $80 million deal, per CapFriendly.com and PuckPedia.com. He's from North Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and played a year at Boston University before being selected No. 2 overall after Connor McDavid in the 2015 draft.

The Flyers have the Northeast connection working for them in making Eichel feel comfortable and close to home if they do land him in a trade. The Flyers also have the ability to deliver a haul for a blockbuster. Their organizational depth consists of solid variety, a good picking of older, established players still performing at a difference-making level, younger, proven talent and potential ascending prospects.

Speaking of connections, here's a fun one between Fletcher and Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams. When Fletcher briefly took over as general manager of the Panthers in 2002, he traded Adams to the Hurricanes. Adams, now 46 years old, was then a 27-year-old center for Florida.

Not a bad icebreaker to talk major business.

This offseason, the Flyers are expected to have interest in big names on the back end, Dougie Hamilton and Seth Jones to name a few. They'll look to upgrade "everywhere," as Fletcher said in May.

There has been no indication of the Flyers being in pursuit of Eichel. The shakeup and sacrifices to acquire him would be weighty. We'll see how much the trade winds pick up as July rolls around. The entire NHL will have eyes and ears on the Eichel situation.

2. Flyers Alumni vs. Flyers Warriors

There's a really cool event Sunday for Flyers fans.

At the IceWorks Skating Complex in Aston, Pennsylvania, members of the Flyers Alumni will play a charity game against the Flyers Warriors, a team dedicated to U.S. Military Veterans with injuries/disabilities and a passion to play the sport.

Zack Hill/Philadelphia Flyers

Warriors captain Jim Young and Flyers icon Bob Clarke in September 2019 1216344 Philadelphia Flyers Yet through it all, Gostisbehere actually finished the season quite strong, scoring nine points in his final 16 games and playing like one of the few consistently impactful Flyers in the play-out-the-string section of the season. He may have dealt with his fair share of setbacks — both out of Has Shayne Gostisbehere finally found his level — and if so, what does it his control and in his control — but to his credit, he never let them mean for his future with the Flyers? torpedo his season.

“I think every time I came back, I answered the bell, and I came back with vengeance,” he noted in his end-of-season exit interview. “And I By Charlie O'Connor Jun 24, 2021 responded really well and positively for our team. So, I think that just shows on a personal level for myself, dealing with adversity is not a problem. And you’re gonna have to do that to build your character as a It’s becoming an offseason Flyers tradition: debating the status and human being.” future of Shayne Gostisbehere. Credit Ghost for delivering a bounceback year Entering the 2020-21 season, Gostisbehere’s entire NHL career had been marked by one key tendency: a complete inability to have a run-of- When evaluating his 2020-21 season, it’s important to recall just how the-mill, perfectly fine season. Either he would deliver a banner campaign disastrous 2019-20 was for Gostisbehere. that placed him among the best in the league (his rookie season, 2017- In past “bad” seasons for Ghost, there was a legitimate element of bad 18) or he’d have a season defined by healthy scratches and perceived luck at play as well. Yes, he made mistakes, but his underlying numbers defensive struggles. Last winter was the nadir of Gostisbehere’s up-and- were usually fine, hinting that had he been bailed out a few more times down trajectory. He was coming off his worst season as a pro and wasn’t by his goalies or gotten a few more of his slap shots to bounce off a leg even a nightly staple in the Philadelphia lineup come playoff time. Yes, and into the net, his year might not have seemed so disappointing. This Gostisbehere had rebounded from poor seasons before. But a time around, however, no such excuses could be made. Gostisbehere bounceback given these circumstances — and this locale — was starting was actually bad. to seem improbable at best. He barely scored (12 points in 42 games). His defensive play at five-on- Instead, Gostisbehere didn’t merely rebound; he finally delivered that five fell off a cliff (2.63 expected goals against per 60 minutes). His on-ice long-awaited “perfectly solid” season, despite numerous obstacles along chance differentials tanked (45.49 percent Expected Goals For). It was the way. later revealed that he was dealing with knee issues during the season, So now that he’s back in form and re-established as a useful member of and ultimately he required two clean-up surgeries — one during the the Flyers’ blue line corps, the debates regarding his long-term place in season, one in between the season and the playoffs — to address them. Philadelphia can finally, mercifully cease, right? Well, not quite. But even after he returned for the bubble postseason ostensibly healthy, he couldn’t earn the faith of the Flyers’ coaching staff to the point of One thing can be said about Gostisbehere in 2020-21: His improvement becoming a nightly lineup regular again. wasn’t due to the fact that he was able to have a boring, uneventful hockey season. The result of that dismal season? The Flyers actively tried to find him a new home during the winter but were unable to do so. Gostisbehere’s It certainly started on the right foot. The coaching staff essentially told value around the league had dropped so much that it would have Gostisbehere that the slate was clean from 2019-20 by giving him first required a sweetener in the form of draft picks or prospects for another crack in the shortened training camp at replacing Matt Niskanen on the club to be willing to take him on. So come January, there was top pair with Ivan Provorov. And it looked like that’s where he would start Gostisbehere at camp, ready to take potentially one last crack at making the season — until he was a surprise absence with just two days it work in Philadelphia. remaining in camp. He became the first Flyers player (though certainly not the last) to contract COVID-19 during the 2020-21 season, and the And against all odds, he pulled it off. ensuing recovery and league protocols knocked him out of action for the To be clear, he didn’t morph back into highlight-a-minute rookie year first six games of the season. Ghost Bear, or 60-plus-point, first-pair stud 2017-18 Ghost. But he However, when he returned, the coaching staff surprisingly wasted no absolutely checked the necessary boxes to qualify as “clearly useful.” He time dropping him right into his camp role. Primarily focusing on two-way scored at a 40-point 82-game pace, drove play at five-on-five (50.83 play over offense, Gostisbehere’s scoring was slow to come around (just percent Corsi For, 51.63 percent xG For), came in slightly above water in one point in his first nine games), but he held his own in the difficult terms of isolated impact on his team’s shot and chance differentials per usage, a welcome sight for a blue line corps struggling mightily out of the Evolving-Hockey’s RAPM model and was by far the best defenseman on gate. Then shortly after the team returned from its February COVID-19 the Flyers by Corey Sznajder’s microstats, ranking as the blue line’s most pause, Gostisbehere’s nose for the net reemerged as he popped in five effective generator of zone exits and its stingiest entry denier. goals over 10 games in late February and early March. All was well, The “old” Gostisbehere wasn’t necessarily back. But this version wasn’t right? too bad, either. Not quite. After two poor games alongside depth defenseman Nate Don’t go overboard on how good he was, though Prosser, Gostisbehere was scratched for three games by the coaching staff, right in the heart of the team’s March swoon. Then, two weeks later, But just how good was Gostisbehere in 2020-21? There’s at least a case he suffered another indignity: waivers. With the team looking to give to be made that he wasn’t just “not bad” — he was the team’s most Oskar Lindblom and Nolan Patrick extended breaks at the end of March effective defenseman. and needing to clear a roster spot to sit both and still ice a full lineup, Ghost was waived with the goal of being assigned to the taxi squad to After all, he did lead the Philadelphia blue line corps in the Goals Above open up that spot, assuming he was not claimed by another team Replacement metrics from Evolving-Hockey. He was the most efficient outright. Of course, Gostisbehere did pass through waivers, but the per-game scorer on the back end, as well. And interestingly, despite the “success” of the team’s gambit didn’t change the fact that watching every fact that the Flyers’ coaching staff ultimately shied away from using the team in the NHL pass on claiming you for nothing certainly stands as an Provorov-Gostisbehere duo as the top pairing, it performed better than unpleasant, humbling experience for a professional hockey player, any other Provorov duo: particularly one as well known as Gostisbehere. All metrics five-on-five only and courtesy of Evolving-Hockey. But Gostisbehere’s up-and-down season wasn’t finished — even though It’s pretty easy to take a cursory look at these stats — particularly the by the end of March, the Flyers’ playoff chances were. A knee injury Provorov-Gostisbehere pair ones — and come to the rapid conclusion knocked him out of the lineup for three games in late April, then he got that the coaching staff and organization really messed this up. They himself suspended for two more games, losing his temper at the end of a obviously should have kept Ghost on the top pair, certainly not have Flyers-Penguins game and cross-checking former teammate Mark scratched him and absolutely not have waived him. Just another example Friedman into the boards from behind just after he had scored an empty- of the Flyers coaching staff’s poor work this season, right? net goal to put the game out of reach. But that doesn’t quite pass the smell test. Gostisbehere looked fine this season, to be sure, but a bonafide top-pair defenseman? Seems like a stretch. And as it turns out, it is a stretch. After taking a deeper dive into defenseman. Which would be fine, except for the fact that top prospect the pair’s results, competition quality and usage mattered a lot for the Cam York is coming. Provorov-Gostisbehere duo in 2020-21. As another lefty-shooting, offensively gifted blueliner who will likely need Let’s start with competition. The pair certainly has its good moments — to be eased into tough minutes, his ideal role to start his NHL career the Flyers outshot, outchanced and outscored the opposition on the sounds a lot like the one Gostisbehere is best suited to fill. And York isn’t whole with the two of them on the ice together, after all. But as the lead far from the NHL; he might not make the team out of training camp in top pair, there was a stark discrepancy in terms of how they performed 2021-22, but the late-season audition that he received in May implied against the four East Division playoff teams in 2020-21 (Washington, that the Flyers believe he’s close to being ready for the jump. Add the Boston, Pittsburgh and the Islanders) and the three teams that didn’t Flyers’ need to clear cap space this summer to be as aggressive in terms make the postseason (New Jersey, Buffalo and the Rangers). of making adds as they seem to want to be, plus general manager Chuck Fletcher’s March admission that the mix on defense was in need of All metrics five-on-five only and courtesy of Natural Stat Trick. change, and suddenly one starts to wonder: Could this finally be the time Against weak opponents, the 9-53 pairing thrived. Against top-tier ones, that Gostisbehere is actually moved? they were exploited. It’s been rumored for so long that any fan would be forgiven for taking an And even the above breakdown doesn’t tell the full story. Don’t forget “I’ll believe it when I see it” approach to the situation. Perhaps despite all how the coaching staff was forced to deploy its blueliners this season. the trade speculation that has surrounded him over the past few seasons Handed a severely lacking defense corps, the coaches were forced to do — talk that he acknowledged in his exit interview has weighed on him — lots of in-game juggling of pairs, and those maneuvers extended to the Gostisbehere will actually finish out the final two years of his contract with top pair as well. Even after the tandem of Provorov and Justin Braun the Flyers. became a mainstay, the coaching staff was often putting Gostisbehere or But it’s not at all difficult to envision Gostisbehere leaving in the coming Travis Sanheim on the ice with Provorov for offensive-zone faceoffs or weeks, whether as part of a hockey trade or salary dump or even for shifts against weaker competition. Philadelphia didn’t have the luxury Seattle’s choice in the expansion draft. If Gostisbehere does return, he’s of a “set it and forget it” top pair; they essentially had to piecemeal it re-established himself as a useful defenseman. Still, with an active together. offseason looming, it might finally be time for his tenure in Philadelphia to As a result, there were plenty of games where Provorov and end. Gostisbehere didn’t start together but ultimately received three or four — All statistics courtesy of Evolving-Hockey, Natural Stat Trick and minutes skating as a duo if the coaches deemed the circumstances right. Corey Sznajder. And generally speaking, those were what are called “sheltered” minutes — easier shifts meant to take full advantage of the puck skills of both The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 players (and remove a player like Braun from the equation).

So how much of an impact did those sheltered shifts have on the Provorov-Gostisbehere duo’s results? Let’s take a look at how they performed in games when Gostisbehere was Provorov’s primary partner (essentially, when they were the clear “top pair” that day) and then how they did when Provorov spent more time alongside another Flyers defenseman but still received some scattered shifts with Ghost. That should provide an idea of the impact of sheltering. And let’s just say the impact looks dramatic.

All metrics five-on-five only and courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.

Basically, when facing legitimately good teams, the coaching staff clearly had to pick its spots with the Provorov-Gostisbehere pair.

What does this mean? Well, the 9-53 duo probably wasn’t secretly fantastic, regardless of what a quick look at the numbers might hint. They could take apart bad teams, yes. And they could thrive in sheltered minutes against good ones. But use them as the clear first-pairing against quality opponents, and they would get crushed.

To be clear: Gostisbehere still had a good season. Having an offensively skilled defenseman who can thrive in sheltered minutes is a benefit to any club. But he’s not secretly a top-pair defenseman.

Gostisbehere and his Flyers fit moving forward

So what is Gostisbehere if he’s not a top-pair quality defenseman even after his bounceback season?

In my opinion, he’s ideally a No. 4 or 5 defenseman, who the coaching staff works to strategically deploy at even strength to ensure they maximize his value. And he can still be a strong power-play weapon on a unit that deploys a bombs-away shooting strategy, since his shot remains his primary weapon on the man advantage. In that role — No. 4/5 and PP specialist — Gostisbehere can put up points and be a minor net positive at even strength. He showed that this season. Now, with a $4.5 million cap hit, he’s not providing a ton of surplus value in that role, but he’s not a cap liability, either. It’s a relatively fair price for a player with his skill set.

But now we get to the problem of the fit of such a defenseman in Philadelphia right now.

We’ve already established that Gostisbehere isn’t a top-pair defenseman, so he can’t be with Provorov long term — only sporadically. Sanheim is locked in as the second-pair left-side defenseman, and a Sanheim- Gostisbehere pairing seems like a defensive disaster waiting to happen (xG For Percentage together in 2020-21: 45.37 percent). So that leaves Gostisbehere the No. 5 slot on the depth chart, as the third left-shot 1216345 Pittsburgh Penguins The son of New York Islanders assistant coach John Gruden, Jonathan Gruden offers all the cliched characteristics of being a “coach’s son” in that he has a high hockey IQ and good vision on the ice.

Penguins A to Z: Jonathan Gruden proves to be more than a throw-in And while he could stand to add some muscle, he is not averse to going to the net to get ugly goals.

Ultimately, Gruden, who was a top-line producer in the Ontario Hockey SETH RORABAUGH | Thursday, June 24, 2021 8:01 a.m. League (OHL) with the London Knights during the 2019-20 season, is probably best suited for a bottom-six role as a winger if he ever

graduates to the NHL. In 32 AHL games this past season, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins If nothing else, he’s proven so far that he is more than just a throw-in forward Jonathan Gruden had 14 points (six goals, eight assists). from a prominent trade. With the Penguins in the midst of their offseason, the Tribune-Review is Tribune Review LOADED: 06.25.2021 looking at all 48 players currently under NHL contracts to the organization in alphabetical order, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

Jonathan Gruden

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

Age: 21

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 170 pounds

2020-21 AHL statistics: 32 games, 14 points (six goals, eight assists)

Contract: First year of a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $788,333. Pending restricted free agent in 2023

Acquired: Trade, Oct. 7, 2020

2020-21 season: Upon his arrival to the Penguins, Gruden had one thing working against him.

Who he was traded for.

Gruden will always be an answer to a trivia question as he was part of the return the Penguins received when they dealt two-time Stanley Cup- winning goaltender to the Ottawa Senators.

To be sure, the real haul in that transaction from the Penguins’ perspective was the second-round selection (No. 52 overall) in the 2020 draft that they used to add high-end goaltender Joel Blomqvist to the organization. But Gruden wasn’t exactly a nugatory throw-in.

He showed that much during his first professional season with Wilkes- Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

Opening the campaign on Feb. 8 skating the left wing of Wilkes- Barre/Scranton’s fourth line with the likes of AHL veterans Chase Berger and Zach Nastasiuk, Gruden did not find the back of the net until March 6 when he had a power-play goal on a rebound and an assist in a 6-3 road win against the Binghamton Devils.

By late March, Gruden was promoted to center the third line and by late April, he was manning either the left wing or the center spot on the second line.

Over his final nine games of the AHL season, Gruden produced seven points (four goals, three assists).

On March 29, Gruden was briefly recalled to the Penguins’ taxi squad for one day in a maneuver related to the Penguins’ management of the salary cap.

The future: Gruden will likely open his second professional season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this upcoming fall. A fourth-round pick (No. 95 overall) in 2018 by the Senators, Gruden’s trajectory is moderate.

That said, by most accounts, he appeared to display satisfactory development in his first season at the professional level, albeit under the disjointed conditions the 2020-21 AHL campaign was conducted under due to the pandemic.

After starting off in a fourth-line role, he slowly picked up the nuances of the professional game and earned more prominent assignments on the third then the second line while even showing he can man the center role as well. 1216346 Pittsburgh Penguins Ownership was forced into an in-season management shakeup this past season when Jim Rutherford abruptly resigned in January. Ron Hextall was hired as his replacement. Along with Hextall came Brian Burke as hockey operations president. Should Penguins’ Mike Sullivan coach Team USA at 2022 Olympics? He ‘checks every box’ Neither Hextall nor Burke has expressed dissatisfaction with Sullivan’s performance. In fact, Burke is mystified that Sullivan wasn’t a finalist for the as NHL’s top coach.

By Rob Rossi Jun 24, 2021 Sullivan has never been a finalist despite the Penguins’ status as one of the league’s top regular-season clubs since his hiring in December 2015.

Penguins under coach Mike Sullivan USA Hockey’s Colorado Springs headquarters are located on Bob Johnson Drive — a deserved tribute to the late “Badger Bob” that meant TEAM RECORD ROW P% so much to his beloved sport’s growth in America. Capitals The Badger meant a lot to hockey’s growth in Pittsburgh, too. 265-118-42 The Penguins won their first championship 30 years ago in his first and — tragically — only season as bench boss. He was only the second 247 American-born coach to win the Cup at the time. .673 Four coaches have since followed in the footsteps of Johnson. Two Lightning literally stood where Johnson did May 25, 1991 — behind the Penguins bench. And the only NHL franchise to win multiple titles when coached by 269-125-30 Americans might become the only one to have their current coach call the shots at two Olympics involving NHL players. 248

Dan Bylsma’s bid to lead Team USA to a gold medal ended in bitter .670 disappointment at the 2014 Olympics. But at the 2022 Olympics in Penguins Beijing, Mike Sullivan could take his own shot at adding international gold to the silver Cup he collected twice in Pittsburgh. 251-131-43

“He’s in the mix,” said a Team USA official, who requested anonymity out 234 of respect for the selection process. .642 Added an NHL source familiar with that process: “It’s a short list; Sullivan’s near the top and has been for a while.” Bruins

Sullivan’s style is not to publicly pitch himself for the job. However, 246-127-53 people who’ve work with him in some capacity during his six seasons 232 with the Penguins acknowledge he wants to coach Team USA at the Beijing Games. One team employee said Sullivan is ready with a plan for .640 how to allot time to duties as coach of the Penguins and Team USA. “I’m not involved with the selection of this team,” said Burke, who was Sullivan may have faced questions about this subject had the Penguins GM of Team USA’s silver-medal squad at the 2010 Olympics in advanced in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Instead, they lost in the opening Vancouver. “If I were, you’re darn right Sully would be at the front of the round for a third consecutive season. line.”

Stan Bowman, the GM for Team USA, will have to weigh the recent Burke, speaking before the Penguins’ loss to the Islanders in an East postseason failures of Sullivan’s Penguins squads against their nine Division semifinal series, noted that Sullivan hadn’t coached the consecutive series wins from 2016-18, a run that included back-to-back Penguins “with their full lineup once since I’ve been here.” (Arguably, the Cup wins. Penguins were healthiest during the postseason, but backup goalie Casey DeSmith’s core-muscle injury prevented him from being an option Working for Sullivan: to replace a struggling Tristan Jarry and center Evgeni Malkin missed He is the only American coach to with the Cup more than once. Games 1 and 2 and played the others on a right knee that required significant surgery.) He is one of four American coaches to win 300 NHL games and the Cup, and two others (Bylsma, ) have already coached national Sullivan’s communication is often cited by players as his greatest teams at the Olympics. strength. Players often echo his message when speaking to the media. He has shown a skill for handling stars, hitting it off immediately with Despite their recent postseason struggles, the Penguins are sixth in the Penguins captain and, more recently, tightening his NHL with a .652 points percentage the past two seasons, each of which relationship with Malkin after their 2019 offseason meeting in Miami. was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and despite ranking top-five in combined man-games lost. The trials of adjusting because of injuries over his many seasons has afforded Sullivan a unique expertise at quickly finding lineup fixes — Working against Sullivan: always an issue in a short, single-elimination tournament. Also, for better or worse, he is as familiar as any potential Team USA coach when it The Penguins are 1-5 in elimination games dating to the 2018 comes to tough decisions about goalies. postseason. And Team USA’s battle for the No. 1 spot in net figures to be fierce. The depth of American coaches with NHL experience is at an all-time high, a point Sullivan made before the current playoffs. “In 2010, when we put the team together, we told guys what their role was; if a guy wasn’t comfortable, don’t come,” Burke said. “It comes His head-to-head postseason record against Barry Trotz is 12-17; and down to communication and getting guys to buy in when adjustments Trotz, if not the coach, is likely to be on the coaching staff for Hockey needed to happen, and Mike’s done that here in Pittsburgh for years — Canada, which is Team USA’s chief rival. and he’s done it very well.”

Also, there’s the chance — albeit slight — that Sullivan won’t be a NHL A strength for Team USA in international competitions is the mobility and coach by the time of the 2022 Olympics. Next February is long way off, puck-movement penchant of its defensemen. Sullivan’s system with the and early-season struggles by the Penguins could place Sullivan’s job in Penguins relies similarly on defensemen being able to make multiple peril. The Penguins have employed nine coaches since reads and keep the puck away from opponents. and Ron Burkle became majority co-owners; four have been in-season replacements. “It’s a perfect fit that way,” Burke said. “But also, look at Geno; Sully lets him improvise. With star players, sometimes you’ve got to give them a little more rope.”

Burke said coaching Team USA comes down to “selecting the roster and coaches.”

That wouldn’t all be on Sullivan or any potential coach, but Sullivan showed while working for Rutherford and Hextall that he is no stranger to getting good results from rosters assembled by GMs with whom he might disagree philosophically.

Sullivan, as Bylsma did with 1998 and 2010 Team USA coach Ron Wilson, would surely lean on previous coaches that attempted to charter courses for their national and NHL clubs. Also, if selected, Sullivan could lean on an assistant not currently working in the NHL.

Bylsma had such an assistant in Laviolette, who had been fired by the Flyers after three games during the 2013-14 season. Laviolette had also coached Team USA at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy.

Sullivan’s friend and mentor, John Tortorella, could fill a similar role if selected as an assistant. Tortorella was an assistant for the 2010 Olympics, and his intensity and personality made him “a perfect fit” for that Team USA squad, Burke said.

Even if he brought on Tortorella, who parted ways with the Blue Jackets after this past season, Sullivan wouldn’t have a situation as advantageous as Bylsma did during the 2013-14 season. His general manager with the Penguins, Ray Shero, was the top Team USA assistant to Olympic’s GM .

Shero had been Poile’s No. 2 with the Predators before taking the Penguins job and that close connection worked in Bylsma’s favor throughout the season — especially when Shero ended up running Team USA in Sochi, Russia. (Poile could not travel to the 2014 Olympics because his eye was injured when a puck hit him during a morning skate in Minnesota before the Games.)

Though Burke is not serving Team USA in an official capacity for the 2022 Olympics, his longstanding reputation with its officials and working knowledge of how all aspects of the process would be valuable to Sullivan — especially during those months when balancing two jobs.

“Communication, running a bench, having a feel for situations, leadership, getting a group to buy in in a short amount of time — Sully checks every box,” Burke said. “I thought he was a great coach before I came to the Penguins. He’s even better than I thought.”

Post Gazette LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216347 San Jose Sharks

Sharks re-sign veteran forward Nieto to two-year contract

BY ALEX DIDION

SHARKS

Matt Nieto's second stint with the Sharks will continue into next season, as the organization announced it has re-signed the forward to a two-year contract.

“Matt brings a consistent, veteran presence to our line-up, and his speed and defensive awareness have made him a valuable part of our penalty killing unit,” said Sharks general manager of Nieto. “Additionally, his ability to chip in offensively gives our coaching staff a versatile option in crafting our line-up from night to night.”

Nieto played in 28 games for the Sharks in 2021, scoring five goals and adding two assists.

Initially a second-round draft pick of the Sharks in 2011, Nieto signed with the team in free agency back in October 2020, after four seasons with the Colorado Avalanche.

Over 500 career games in the NHL, Nieto has amassed 158 points. The 28-year-old also has played in 55 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, including 16 during the Sharks' run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2016. Nieto has eight goals and 13 assists over his postseason career.

After injuries brought his 2021 season to an end, the forward will be hoping to re-establish himself next season and get back to being the 20- point player he's proven to be in recent full seasons.

The Sharks clearly have confidence in Nieto by giving him a two-year contract, and he'll have a chance to back up that belief next season.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216348 Seattle Kraken were all fired in the weeks preceding Hakstol’s dismissal. It was only a matter of time before the new GM installed his own people.

Francis’ report from the Kraken’s analytics team concluded that Hakstol In hiring first coach Dave Hakstol, Kraken more concerned about getting did a better job in Philadelphia than what might have appeared on the it right than making big splash surface, Leiweke said.

“It was really quite compelling,” Leiweke said. “They didn’t want to use the word ‘rebuild,’ but there was a lot of transition going on. And he kept June 24, 2021 at 4:45 pm Updated June 24, 2021 at 8:47 pm them going somehow.”

By Larry Stone What really may have clinched Francis’ choice of Hakstol occurred when both found themselves in Europe with in 2019. They Seattle Times columnist spent four weeks together in Austria and Slovakia during the World Championships.

When the fledgling hockey team in Seattle settled on “Kraken” as its One day Hakstol volunteered for a scouting excursion to Brno in the name in July 2020, I wasn’t a big fan. Frankly, I thought it was hokey. But Czech Republic that Francis was taking as well. It was during that trip a I praised team officials for having the courage of their convictions and not relationship was forged. taking the safe route. When you’re building an organization from scratch, “We went up in the car together, had lunch together, scouted the game, a little audacity is a good thing. Fearlessness is a virtue. talked on the way back,” Francis said. “You spend time with a guy, you On Thursday the Kraken showed those qualities again when it unveiled start to get to know him.” its first coach, Dave Hakstol. The safe route would have been to select Francis likes to start work early, and during the month at the one of the big names that had been bandied about for months, the likes championships, every time he’d go to the Hockey Canada coaches room of Rod Brind’Amour, Gerard Gallant, , John Tortorella, in the wee hours of the morning, Hakstol invariably would already be , or Mike Babcock. there, the first coach to show up. Instead, the Kraken went for a guy with low profile but high potential. “I came to respect how hard he works and his work ethic on things,” Seattle might not win the news conference quite as decisively — though Francis said. “As you talk to him about the game, you start to understand Hakstol was just fine in that realm. But as general manager Ron Francis his hockey acumen. You get to know him as a person — his wife was said afterward, “My job is not to get the biggest name. My job is to get the there, his son was there, and you get to understand them as a family. guy I think is the best opportunity for our organization to be successful.” “All those things left a good impression in my mind that he was not only a And the more Francis dug into Hakstol, the more it became clear to him good coach but a good person. That played into it as we moved forward that he had found that guy in a 52-year-old native of Warburg, Alberta. in this realm of making the decision.” Hakstol’s own playing career as a defenseman never took him out of the minor leagues, but as a coach he rose through the junior ranks, made his It will be a long time before we can discern the wisdom of that choice. name in college as the head of the hugely successful North Dakota Building a team from scratch is a delicate and anxious endeavor, with the program, and then cut his teeth in the NHL, first as the coach of the potential for numerous pitfalls but also a chance to create something truly Philadelphia Flyers for three-plus seasons, then as an assistant with the marvelous. Toronto Maple Leafs the past two years. Francis, a Hall of Famer who has succeeded at every level of the NHL, “I’ve been in the game a long time,” Francis said. “You go through the saw something special in Hakstol. It will be great fun to see how it plays process, and you get a gut feeling that’s the direction you need to go in, out, and if it reveals itself. and Dave was that guy.” By the way, “Kraken” is starting to grow on me. Many people will be skeptical because Hakstol’s tenure in Philadelphia didn’t end well. He was fired in December 2018 with the Flyers buried in last place in the 16-team Eastern Conference. Chuck Fletcher, the Seattle Times LOADED: 06.25.2021 general manager, said at the time, “To my eyes, there was a disconnect to what he was preaching and how the players were playing.”

Hakstol had a 134-101-42 record with the Flyers and a .560 points percentage. His teams made the playoffs twice and were eliminated in the first round both times.

That didn’t deter Francis, for whom the task of naming the coach has been a huge focus since he was hired in July 2019. As Kraken CEO said Thursday, “Ron’s been thinking of this every day for the last two years of his life. Every single day this has been on his mind. He’s a guy to measure twice and cut once. For him it wasn’t the path of least resistance. Because there were other names, and obviously a lot of interest in this job.”

Francis adhered to the theory that coaches tend to be better the second time around, having absorbed many hard lessons. He believes Hakstol has such a vast hockey acumen that he will be greatly improved by virtue of the experience not just in Philadelphia, but Toronto. Hakstol admitted that making the jump from college to the NHL was a big adjustment that one couldn’t fully prepare for without actually living it.

“There’s a different rhythm to the National Hockey League,” Hakstol said. “On almost every realm, from the 82-game schedule to the pace of the daily business, to on ice and the pace of the game. So the experience was very valuable. There are a lot of things that I solidified and were really cemented in terms of my philosophies.”

Francis had his analytics team delve deeply into Hakstol’s Philadelphia tenure, which had some extenuating circumstances. For one thing, Hakstol walked into the middle of a youth movement, which was going to ensure struggles. For another, the GM who hired him, Ron Hextall, and his assistant GM, Chris Pryor, as well as assistant coach Gord Murphy, 1216349 Seattle Kraken

Get to know Dave Hakstol, the NHL-expansion Seattle Kraken’s first coach

June 24, 2021 at 1:25 pm

By Andy Yamashita

Seattle Times staff reporter

Just about a month before the NHL expansion draft and more than two years after the league awarded a team to the Emerald City, the Seattle Kraken has announced who will lead the franchise in its inaugural season.

Former Philadelphia Flyers coach Dave Hakstol, who most recently served as an assistant focusing on defense and penalty kills for the Toronto Maple Leafs, is the first coach in Kraken history.

Arriving in Seattle with more than 26 years of coaching experience, Hakstol made a name for himself with the junior hockey Sioux City Musketeers before becoming an assistant at his alma mater, the University of North Dakota in 2000.

Four years later, Hakstol became the coach of the Fighting Hawks, where he led the team to seven Frozen Four appearances in the NCAA tournament in 11 years. Hakstol then made the jump to the NHL with the Flyers, reaching the playoffs two times in three seasons.

What to know about the Kraken’s coach

Name: Dave Hakstol

College: North Dakota

Hometown: Drayton Valley, Alberta, Canada

Notable: In 277 games coaching the Flyers, Hakstol went 134-101-42, amassing 310 points. … Despite leading Philadelphia to the postseason in 2015-16 and 2017-18, Hakstol is still searching for his first playoff series win, crashing out in the first round both years. … He went 289- 143-43 in 11 seasons as coach of North Dakota … Noted for his experience working with younger players, both at college and professional levels

Seattle Times LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216350 Seattle Kraken try to get the best out of them and give them every opportunity to be the player they want to be.”

Hakstol wasn’t the most prominent among potential Kraken coaches Dave Hakstol a surprise pick as Seattle Kraken’s first coach fitting that description. Rumored candidates the past two years — not all of which became available — included Rod Brind’Amour, Gerard Gallant, Rick Tocchet, John Tortorella, Bruce Boudreau, Travis Green, David Quinn, Joel Quenneville and Mike Babcock. Lesser-known candidates June 24, 2021 at 8:51 am Updated June 24, 2021 at 5:38 pm included and most recently Tony Granato and Joe Sacco. By Geoff Baker But Hakstol was the last man standing. Seattle Times staff reporter Francis first worked with him in May 2019, before being named the Kraken’s GM and five months after Hakstol was fired by the Flyers. Hakstol was on Team Canada’s coaching staff at the IIHF World Dave Hakstol spent the night before being named the first Kraken coach Championships in Slovakia, and Francis and former Flyers GM Ron gathered with his new team’s general manager and CEO watching an Hextall were assistant general managers of that team under GM Jason NHL semifinal playoff game on television. Botterill.

Flanked by GM Ron Francis and CEO Tod Leiweke at the latter’s Mercer Hextall, fired by Philadelphia just days before Hakstol, spoke highly of his Island home, Hakstol watched the upstart New York Islanders fight back former coach to Francis. Botterill now works as an assistant GM under to beat the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning to force a decisive Francis with the Kraken, so Hakstol had a familiar track on that front. Game 7. It was just the latest turnabout in a postseason that has seen talented, favored teams outbattled and out-hustled by determined playoff “We spent a couple of hours driving together in the car to go scout a underdogs. game and a couple of hours back, so we talked there,” Francis said of the overseas tournament. “And then in the early morning in the coach’s And so it wasn’t a surprise to hear “work ethic” and “resiliency” raised by office, he was always either there every time I walked in or he came in Hakstol during Thursday’s news conference announcing him as Seattle’s shortly after. So I got to see firsthand just how hard he worked.” coach. Hakstol’s near-invisible candidacy this past year amid a slew of higher-profile rumored favorites made him seemingly just as unlikely to Francis, who is big on family, got to see Hakstol interact with his wife, emerge victorious as some of those unheralded playoff teams. Erinn and son, Brenden — both of whom attended Thursday’s conference — and his daughter, Avery. “There’s different levels of ability,” said Hakstol, 52, an Alberta native who spent parts of four seasons as coach of the Philadelphia Flyers and He got permission from the Maple Leafs to speak to Hakstol last summer the past two as an assistant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. “There’s the amid an initial round of Kraken interviews that included Gallant, among obvious on-ice skills portion that goes into that. But you know, I’m a guy others. Francis continued his coaching search this spring, waiting to see who believes that work ethic is a part of that ability piece. Work ethic is a whether additional candidates became available. skill, so that’s a piece of that. Hakstol didn’t breathe a word to the hockey-hungry Toronto media about “For me, resiliency — you go through the 82-game schedule and the Kraken’s interest. Francis invited Hakstol for more interviews, then hopefully into a playoff run, resiliency is a huge part of what our team will made his final decision “a couple of days ago” — bypassing some be about. It’s not always easy. And teams that relish those tough days longtime friends such as finalist Tocchet. and want to come back and battle together, those are the teams that will “That’s never easy,” Francis said. “I’ve been playing this game a long have success.” time, and I’ve got a lot of good friendships. Leiweke, speaking at the news conference, called the hiring the latest “You try to be upfront and as honest with everybody that’s involved in the step in “an episodic journey that took us from the improbable to the process as possible. Hopefully that doesn’t affect your friendships as you probable” and praised Francis for his “methodical” and “thorough” search. move forward, but at the end of the day it’s my job to hire the guy that I Francis and Hakstol will work on hiring the remainder of the coaching feel gives us the best opportunity to be successful.” staff ahead of the July 21 expansion draft, at which the Kraken will select one player off the rosters of each of 30 other NHL teams except the Hakstol never played in the NHL, but the defenseman captained the exempt Vegas Golden Knights. powerhouse University of North Dakota before a five-year career in the minor pro International Hockey League. He began coaching a United In an interview after Thursday’s news conference, Hakstol said it’s no States Hockey League junior team before returning to North Dakota for fluke the remaining Stanley Cup contenders share work ethic and 11 years as coach. He helped send more than 30 players to the NHL. resiliency traits. In 2015 he joined the Flyers, becoming the first NCAA coach since 1982 “Competitiveness and work ethic is a huge part of it,” he said. “At playoff to jump to the top job behind an NHL bench. time, it’s elevated. That’s pretty evident right away when the puck drops come playoff time. That’s something you work at building in as a staple Hakstol made the playoffs two of three full seasons with the Flyers — and a foundation of your team and of your game in order to have a getting ousted in the first round — and was fired in December 2018 with chance at success.” his underachieving team languishing. He said he learned plenty from that first NHL go-round he hopes to apply in a “once in a lifetime opportunity” Hakstol last month was on the receiving end of his most recent team to build an expansion team. being outworked in the playoffs; his heavily favored Maple Leafs were bested in seven first-round games by a more resilient Montreal “There’s a different rhythm to the NHL level in almost every realm,” he Canadiens squad that, like the Islanders, entered Thursday a win from said. “From the 82-game schedule to the pace of the daily business to the Stanley Cup Final. on-ice and the pace of the game.”

Hakstol’s assistant duties centered on Toronto’s defensive corps, which His work with younger players and with the analytics-minded Flyers and yielded four goals the first four games of that series before surrendering Maple Leafs also checked critical boxes with the Kraken. Hakstol said 10 over three final contests that all ended in defeat. analytics are “a phenomenal tool” for coaches but added, “this is still a human game — 100% on the ice, it’s played with emotion and passion. As the coach here, Hakstol’s ability to get the most out of a Kraken roster with varying skill sets will be paramount. “So the combination of the two are valuable together.”

“It’s critical,” said Francis, who approached Hakstol last summer about the job. “When you look at the expansion draft, teams get to protect their seven best forwards. We’re picking after that. Seattle Times LOADED: 06.25.2021

“They get to protect their top three defensemen, so we’re picking after that. And they get to protect their best goaltender. So we want to get players that we feel have some upside potential. Then you want to get a coach in place that can show those players he believes in them and then 1216351 Seattle Kraken Hakstol. “When you talk to Dave Hakstol, you come away from it thinking you learned something about the game, you learned something about his philosophy and that he believes in that philosophy. So I suspect that that had a lot to do with him convincing management and ownership that he NHL analyst: Why Seattle Kraken are ‘in good hands’ with Dave Hakstol would be the right choice to get the Kraken off and running.”

BY BRANDON GUSTAFSON MYNORTHWEST.COM LOADED: 06.25.2021 JUNE 24, 2021 AT 1:36 PM

The Seattle Kraken made a big announcement on Thursday, naming former University of North Dakota and Philadelphia Flyers coach Dave Hakstol as the first head coach in the history of the franchise.

Seattle Kraken hire Dave Hakstol as team’s first head coach

After a stellar run in the college ranks, Hakstol was hired by Philadelphia in 2015 and spent three-plus seasons coaching the Flyers. During his time in Philadelphia, Hakstol accumulated a winning record and led the Flyers to two playoff berths.

Someone who got to see and talk to Hakstol a good deal during his time in Philadelphia is , an NHL analyst for NBC Sports who serves as the Flyers’ color commentator. He joined 710 ESPN Seattle’s Jake and Stacy on Thursday to share his thoughts on the Kraken’s hire, and it was clear from listening to Jones that he thinks highly of Seattle’s hire.

“Fortunately I got to know Dave well when he was behind the bench for the Flyers and the Kraken are in good hands with a guy that I think developed a lot of good coaching styles from his first appearance in the National Hockey League,” Jones said. “I think that experience is going to go a long way in helping him get off to a running start with the Kraken.”

Jones shared that part of how Hakstol got his start in the NHL is because former Flyers general manager Ron Hextall’s son Brett played at the University of North Dakota under Hakstol. While Hakstol has a reputation of being a great college coach who has a limited amount of NHL success, Jones doesn’t think that his reputation of working well with young players was the sole reason the Kraken chose him.

“I think it’s beneficial, I don’t think there’s any doubt about that with developing some of the younger prospects,” Jones said. “But I think this is more about recognizing that he’s got a great hockey mind, that he’s been in Philadelphia, which is a tough city to coach in and he gained valuable experience there. … It’s a whole body of work (for why he was hired), but I do think it’s a benefit that he had a successful career at North Dakota and that has served him well in helping younger players adapt to the National Hockey League.”

While Hasktol led the Flyers to two playoff appearances during his time in Philadelphia, they both ended with first-round series losses. Jones said Hakstol’s Flyers tenure was much better than it may initially appear, though.

“I think a lot of it had to do with the timing of where the team was in their progression. I thought he did a really good job with a lot of the younger players on the team that were just basically getting their feet wet at the National Hockey League level,” Jones said. “… They had a young detour that really had some good seasons with Dave Hakstol at the helm. I thought he did a great job in developing younger players.”

According to Jones, the Flyers at that time had a mix of young players and an established veteran core that “had kind of been stuck in the mud” before Hakstol took over. Once he came to town, Hakstol did a good job with what he had, Jones said.

“He was able to push some of the right buttons and I think he would probably admit that there were some lessons learned along the way there, but some of it was out of his control, to be honest with you,” Jones said. “I thought overall Dave did a really good job, but the team itself and the construction of the team wasn’t conducive for a first-time National Hockey League coach to be really successful.”

Through Jones’ experience talking to Hakstol in-depth about his teams and the game, he’s not surprised that Hakstol would come away from an interview process with a head coaching job.

“He believes in what he says and he has a great way of delivering that, which I think would probably be really beneficial to him in an interview setting,” Jones said when asked what he thought sold the Kraken on 1216352 Seattle Kraken

Seattle Kraken hire Dave Hakstol as franchise’s first head coach

BY BRANDON GUSTAFSON

JUNE 24, 2021 AT 9:05 AM

The Seattle Kraken have officially hired the first head coach in team history: Dave Hakstol, who has head coaching experience in both the college and professional ranks.

The Kraken announced the hiring of Hakstol on Twitter Thursday morning.

SEATTLE, WE GOT OUR GUY!

“I am incredibly proud to announce Dave Hakstol as the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken franchise,” Kraken general manager Ron Francis said in a press release. “Dave possesses great experience, a strong work ethic, a solid technical understanding of the game, and the remarkable ability to communicate clearly and effectively. I look forward to working with Dave as we strive to build a team our fans will be proud of.”

“It is an honor to be the first head coach of the Seattle Kraken,” Hakstol said. “I am honored to be joining this tremendous group of staff and fans. When I first saw the arena, I was blown away – it is such a unique venue. I am looking forward to being a part of the group that builds a team that plays with pride, passion and selflessness for the city of Seattle.”

Hakstol, 52, played hockey at the University of North Dakota and spent five seasons in the minor leagues. After his playing career concluded, Hakstol started his coaching career with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey league, working his way up to head coach, a position he served for four seasons.

After four years in Sioux City, Hakstol returned to his alma mater of UND where he served as an assistant from 2000 to 2004, when he was named the program’s head coach. From 2004 to 2015, North Dakota went 289- 143-43 under Hakstol, which included seven Frozen Four appearances during his tenure as head coach.

After a successful run in the college ranks, Hakstol was named head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2015 and served in that role until he was fired partway through his fourth season. During four years in Philadelphia, Hakstol’s teams compiled a 134-101-42 record and made the playoffs twice, falling in the first round both times. Hakstol most recently was an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs for the last two seasons, primarily working with the team’s defensemen.

With Hakstol on board, the Kraken now have a head coach to work alongside Francis, who compiled a Hall of Fame career on the ice during 23 years in the NHL. He later was general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Some of Francis’ former teammates and colleagues in Carolina were rumored to be in the running for the Kraken’s head coaching job, such as Rick Tocchet and Rod Brind’Amour, but Hakstol will be the man for the job as Seattle prepares for its first season starting later in 2021.

MYNORTHWEST.COM LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216353 Seattle Kraken The fact he reached the playoffs in his first season with the Flyers at least creates a conversation about whether or not Hakstol could do the same in Seattle. The fact he has seen the NHL as both an assistant and a head coach creates the belief that the Kraken have a well-rounded Kraken make surprise coaching hire, so who is Dave Hakstol, Seattle’s coach, not one who would be expected to bring instant results while also first head coach? learning the professional landscape. The fact he has a reputation for developing only adds to the intrigue about what the future could look like

starting with whomever the Kraken select with the No. 2 pick during next By Ryan S. Clark month’s NHL Draft.

Jun 24, 2021 All of those items represent the promise that comes with Hakstol. But there are also going to be questions. What makes this venture with the Kraken different compared to what happened with the Flyers? Is it the fact he has more NHL experience or is it something else? How much will Everything was silent until the Seattle Kraken made it known Wednesday those experiences with the Flyers and Leafs shape how he will approach night they were having a press conference to announce something. the job with the Kraken? Can he get the Kraken to the playoffs in his first Details were scarce. Some even joked that it was to announce a new season much like he did with the Flyers? mascot. When the coaching search had just barely started, Francis and Olczyk Practically everyone had a strong feeling about what could go down answered questions about their process. Then the 2020-21 season Thursday. That the Kraken were finally going to announce their first head started and both of them became a bit more tight-lipped. They each stuck coach, which led to names being floated throughout social media. Except with the mantra that they could make a hire at any time but were geared it was the name few, if any, actually saw coming. His name is Dave toward making a decision toward the end of the second quarter. Hakstol, and he officially became the Kraken’s head coach in a decision that ended a nearly two-year saga with a conclusion that had many Still, certain names kept coming up. Gerard Gallant was one of them. His throughout the hockey world talking. experience and success with the Vegas Golden Knights led many to think he could be a natural fit with the Kraken. Still, the team opted to So why Hakstol? What makes him the winner? What led to him becoming wait and sort through all its options before making a hire. The Kraken the coach who will help lay the foundation for a new franchise? Those could have signed Gallant well before he was hired by the New York are questions that Kraken general manager Ron Francis will answer in a Rangers. They could have immediately snagged a Stanley Cup winner in hotel ballroom. But for now consider the notion that the breadcrumbs Claude Julien after he was fired by the Montreal Canadiens during the were there all along. Kraken assistant GM Ricky Olcyzk explained back regular season. Being patient, however, allowed the Kraken to see who in November that he and Francis generated a list for more than a year of else was in the market. A few more possibilities emerged, such as potential candidates. He said those possibilities ranged from people they another Stanley Cup-winning coach, John Tortorella, and David Quinn, have met over the years to those who have been recommended to who has collegiate and NHL experience after coaching the Rangers. individuals who have reached out, with Olcyzk adding, “People get focused on the 31 NHL coaches at the helm now.” Yet the Kraken’s coaching searched starting coming more into focus. Or so many thought. Former Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet appeared Hakstol was one of those people Francis met and closely observed. to be the favorite considering he had met with the Kraken three times. Francis was part of the management group for Team Canada at the 2019 The thought around the NHL was centered around why the Kraken were IIHF World Championship. As was Jason Botterill, the former Buffalo taking so long to announce Tocchet and it remained that way Sabres GM who is now an assistant GM with the Kraken. Hakstol was an Wednesday evening after the club announced it would be holding a press assistant on a team that took silver. Yet the time they spent together was conference. only part of the appeal. At least it did until Thursday morning when the name that was hardly Finding an experienced coach was always a priority for the Kraken. mentioned suddenly became the one that had everyone’s attention. Hakstol met that criteria in that he guided the Philadelphia Flyers for three-plus seasons from 2015 to 2018. The Hakstol era started with a 41- win campaign that ended with a first-round playoff exit. A second season saw the club fall short of the postseason after finishing 39-33-10, and the The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 team returned to the playoffs in his third season with a 42-win effort that led to another first-round departure. Hakstol was 31 games into his fourth season when the team’s inconsistent start culminated in a four-game losing streak that led to his dismissal in December 2018.

In all, Hakstol’s time with the Flyers amounted to a 134-101-42 record with a .560 points percentage.

Six months later, Hakstol was hired as an assistant coach by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He initially served under Mike Babcock but was retained by after Babcock was fired. Hakstol was responsible for overseeing the Leafs’ defense and penalty kill. Natural Stat Trick reveals the Leafs ranked 19th in five-on-five goals allowed during Hakstol’s tenure. They were 18th in scoring chances allowed during those sequences, while also being 18th in high-danger scoring chances allowed and 19th in high-danger goals allowed. Over that same two-year period, the Leafs’ penalty kill allowed the second-fewest high-danger scoring chances, was 10th in high-danger goals allowed and fifth in shots. Still, the Leafs were 16th in power-play goals allowed and ranked 25th out of 31 teams with a 78 percent success rate in those two years.

Everything Hakstol accomplished at the University of North Dakota is what made him in 2015 the first college coach to get an NHL head coaching job since 1982 when the hired the University of Wisconsin’s Bob Johnson. Hakstol strengthened the national powerhouse that is UND with 298 victories, 11 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and seven Frozen Four visits in his 11 seasons in Grand Forks, N.D. One of the items that made Hakstol’s reign successful at UND was his ability to develop young players who reached the NHL such as T.J. Oshie and . 1216354 St Louis Blues argument can be made that those who really are interested in the teams have switched to a service that shows the games.

But in this era, with traditional television viewership rapidly declining, any Media Views: Bally Sports Midwest expected to charge $20-$30 monthly extra nudge by those who are providing the content is massively for direct access counterproductive.

How bad is it? As previously reported in this space, Ripley said in the spring on a conference call with financial analysts that Sinclair wasn’t Dan Caesar even reaching 50% of its potential customers nationally. He said that at the end of 2020 those regional sports networks were in about 35 million

households, “less than half of the total subscribers possible” in the areas How much is direct access to most Cardinals and Blues telecasts, as well they serve. as some St. Louis University men’s games, worth to you? He is well aware of the problems — and viewer frustrations. Ten bucks a month? Twenty? Fifty? The same could be said for the other programming providers who have The New York Post recently reported that Sinclair Broadcast Group dropped Bally Sports Midwest and similar networks. officials have been telling potential investors that the company plans to “That doesn’t mean a settlement is out of the question,” Swann charge $23 a month for its regional sports networks when it starts selling continues, “but it does suggest the two streamers are content to play them directly to consumers next year via video streaming. That probably hardball until Sinclair lowers its price. (And that may never happen.)” would be by the beginning of the baseball season — that is, if MLB solves its labor problems and indeed starts play on time.

But Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley disputed that, according to the Baltimore St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.25.2021 Business Journal.

That number is inaccurate, and I can’t comment on what the ultimate pricing will be,” he told that publication, adding that market research is underway to find a “fair price.”

It would seem the landing spot would be somewhere in the $20-$30 per month range that Sinclair would charge consumers for unencumbered access to the 19 sports television outlets it owns nationwide. That includes Bally Sports Midwest, which serves the St. Louis market. Currently, a subscription to a program provider that carries the network — such as (Charter), DirecTV, AT&T U-verse, Cable America, Fidelity and Vast in the immediate St. Louis market — is needed to receive the games.

The minus: This figures to be much more expensive than the major streaming services — in fact Hulu, HBO Max and ESPN+ combined can be purchased for about $22 monthly. Getting content piecemeal leads to a lot of individual shopping for programming, rather than the simplicity (albeit usually more costly) traditional cable/satellite packages.

This obviously does not sit well with those programming providers now carrying the regional sports networks. Although Sinclair would be expected to continue to make the games available to them, those companies undoubtedly would lose some subscribers if their viewers can bypass them. Sports Business Journal reported this week that two unnamed such operators have threatened to drop the Sinclair sports channels if the company establishes the direct-to-consumer plan. That could have a huge impact.

Sinclair officials declined to comment Thursday. But there already have been delays in getting the plan implemented.

Sinclair has been promising to offer its sports networks à la carte since last fall, when Ripley said: “We have a pretty aggressive plan. It will happen next year (2021).”

But that apparently was too ambitious, because in February he pulled back and said the direct-purchase option “is expected to launch in 2022” and in May updated that to “the first half of 2022.”

Economic squabble

It is imperative for Sinclair to get this up and running because it now has a product — sports telecasts — for which it pays a lot of money but isn’t delivering to many people who want it because of bickering with multiple programming providers over the amount Sinclair demands to be paid. These services have determined that it is more beneficial to lose customers who go elsewhere for this sports programming than to pay the required rate.

The danger is twofold. Viewers who have discovered they can live without these telecasts not only affect the ratings, which impacts Sinclair, but in theory can become less interested in sports. In the long run, that hurts the teams doing business with Sinclair.

It has been estimated that only about 10% of the total audience that had been receiving what now is Bally Sports Midwest before the distribution issues began cropping up in recent years has been affected. And the 1216355 St Louis Blues “I need to sit down with the ownership group, Mr. (Tom) Stillman, talk about the window that I believe we created three years ago and give him my opinion on why it’s still open,” Armstrong said at the time. “Obviously he loves hockey, he’s got passion for the game, he understands the Blues owner Tom Stillman says the team will spend to the cap in 2021- game and we can digest and make a game plan.” 22: ‘Our window is still open’ A month later, after Stillman and Armstrong had a chance to have those conversations, The Athletic asked what came of them.

By Jeremy Rutherford “Well, I’ll give you a few qualifiers first,” Stillman said. “We are still in the assessment period and figuring out what we think is best for the team, Jun 24, 2021 which way we’re going to go and what we need to do to make us better. But I will say that I’m not of the view that we should burn it all down or anything like that. Blues owner Tom Stillman likes to be one of the first people in the organization to welcome a new player. “We have a very strong group of players, some in the prime of their careers and several young guys who are really pushing. So I think with It’s been 108 days since the Blues signed Torey Krug to a seven-year, whatever adjustments we make, we can be very competitive. I’m not $45.5 million contract, and Stillman has yet to meet the defenseman in saying we’re perfect — just stand pat and everything will be fine. We person. have to keep figuring out what we can do to get better.”

“I’ve never said hello to Torey Krug in person,” he told The Athletic this Stillman has been in regular contact with Armstrong again this offseason week. and is amazed at all the moving parts and possibilities.

Those in-person meetings with Stillman’s group of local investors have “Doug rarely stops thinking and planning and analyzing,” he said. “It’s been on Zoom, too. His contact with Blues general manager Doug constant. I’m sure the phrase ‘We’re always trying to get better’ sounds Armstrong is mostly on the phone. “And I almost never talk to the like this bromide to put you off. But it is very real with him.” coaches,” he said. But until those potential adjustments come to fruition this offseason, it A lot has changed with how the Blues owner of the past nine years has might come as a disappointment to some that the Blues may again be operated, but one thing hasn’t: his commitment to the on-ice product. relying on a core of players that has underperformed the past 1 1/2 seasons. In January, Stillman detailed for The Athletic the reasons behind a small- market team spending to the NHL’s salary cap. If you don’t, it’s difficult to Stillman doesn’t share that sentiment. be competitive, he said, and that was the philosophy that paid off when the Blues brought home the Stanley Cup in 2019. “I see what you’re describing as a positive thing,” he said. “We know we have good players and we know what they’re capable of doing, so that is However, it’s one thing to pledge that level of commitment under normal a cause for optimism and encouragement. Things didn’t go as we’d like, circumstances, and it’s another when teams are losing millions of dollars but we still have that core of strong players who have shown what they due to the pandemic. In a 56-game season with extremely limited can do.” attendance, the Blues’ payroll was near $80 million this season, and despite no guarantees that a variant of the virus won’t emerge, Stillman Stillman added that there have been COVID-19-related dynamics confirmed that the club will be near the $81.5 million cap again in 2021- affecting how teams have played, which can make it difficult to evaluate. 22. “The fact that we just went through a pandemic injects variables and Some contracts that were on the books before the pandemic account for uncertainty in making assessments of our performance as a team or a majority of that salary, but according to CapFriendly, the Blues have individual players,” he said. “It’s something that the organization has to $17.4 million of cap space that Stillman now says they’ll use. When add into its usual calculus in looking back at the year.” asked how hard that decision was in this economic climate, the 69-year- When it was pointed out that other upper-echelon clubs have overcome old paused for a moment before responding. those challenges, Stillman replied: “Well, I can’t say that that thought has “We want to win,” Stillman said. “It’s more difficult to spend to the cap never crossed my mind. But frustration isn’t going to get us anywhere. after the financial hits of the last two seasons. But we think that’s the best You better look forward and figure out what is going to make us better.” way to go, the best for the franchise and for our fans and partners.” Injuries were also a factor all season, and while Stillman didn’t want to To a certain degree, the Blues had already made this decision when they use that as an excuse, he acknowledged the role they played. declared themselves in the midst of a five-year championship window. “That was one of the worst years for injuries during the time I’ve been They won the Stanley Cup in the first year of that window, and after two involved,” he said. “Generally within the organization, you don’t want to early playoff exits, there are two years left in their self-proclaimed talk about injuries. You’ve got to get that player healthy, and in the window. meantime play the games. But sure, when you look back, you have to They have signed Krug, Brayden Schenn, and Jordan see that it’s certainly something that affected our performance in a big Binnington to long-term contracts, which will take those players into their way.” early-to-mid 30s on the back end of their deals. So it would make little But if it’s not the pandemic or the injuries that have seemingly cut short a sense now for the Blues to spend, say, $70 million next season and allow Stanley Cup window, the Blues could be in trouble in the eyes of many. those players to get a year older without putting the team in the best Those aforementioned long-term contracts will only loom larger if the position to be successful. roster retooling doesn’t get the team back on track. “We did all of this, we built this, and we’ve got to make the most of it,” Stillman, who points out that he approved those deals, stands by Stillman said. “We believe that our window is still open. Whether as a Armstrong’s approach. competitive hockey person or a business person, that’s not the time to pull back on investment. “As Doug says, ‘Give yourself a window of a few years to win it all,'” Stillman said. “You can’t just build for one year because then you run into “So it is influenced by where we are in our stage of development. We’re some injuries or bad calls or whatever. I think that strategy has been not spending to the cap so we can say that we’re spending to the cap. correct and quite successful. Our record over the last several years is We’re doing it because we think it’s the best thing to do for a competitive near the top of the league, and we have been able to keep the window team.” open longer time than most teams and we’ve been able to remain In the wake of a first-round playoff sweep by Colorado this season, this competitive … without top draft choices. That’s not easy. decision appeared to be up for debate within the organization. Armstrong “I think Doug has done an excellent job of managing our agreements and said in May that he would suggest to Stillman staying on the same path keeping us in a competitive position. That doesn’t mean you’re not going but admitted that it would ultimately be decided by those above him. to have to do some things in deals that you aren’t crazy about, but that’s just the market. We have a number of players in the prime of their careers, so now is the time.”

So while the GM focuses on the offseason, the owner is setting his sights on 2021-22 and a return to normalcy.

It was a difficult year financially for a franchise that has been working since Stillman’s group took over in 2012 to make the Blues stable on that front. The Stanley Cup two years ago helped, but the pandemic has put the club in a position that it will be repaying loans for the foreseeable future.

“But the organization, both on the business side and hockey side, has done an excellent job of reducing the damage, reducing the losses,” Stillman said. “We still had major losses, but they’ve done about as good a job as you can do to keep those down. So it’s a tough year and we will be paying for it for some time, but the organization has done a heck of a job managing as best it could.”

The Blues will get a boost from the $650 million expansion fee that the Seattle Kraken have paid to enter the NHL next season, as well as revenue from the new NHL contracts with ESPN and Turner Sports, which will bring in an average of $625 million per season. It’s been estimated that each club could see as much as $40 million between the expansion and TV deals.

“We’ll be all right,” Stillman said. “We’ll keep moving. What the infusion means is that we have some help digging out from the last two seasons, so it’s very welcome.”

In the meantime, the Blues have seen a solid response from both the corporate world and fans, which also bodes well.

“Our partners have been great — every indication is that we’re going to get great support from them — and most season ticket holders have made clear they’re in for next year,” Stillman said. “People are sticking with us, and they’re showing their dedication to the franchise. The fans have been great during this period. The TV viewership numbers have been strong. Believe me, we don’t take that for granted. That’s a huge deal and a big reason for optimism moving forward.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216356 Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.25.2021

Jill Biden, Dr. Anthony Fauci attend Lightning vaccination event in Tampa

By Mari Faiello

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Dequitia Parker was nervous about getting the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Thursday afternoon at Amalie Arena. But after experiencing the virus last year, she knew she didn’t want to take the chance of getting it again or, worse, contracting the Delta variant.

So Parker sat at a high-top table listening to Jill Biden’s words of encouragement as an AdventHealth nurse wiped down Parker’s left shoulder and prepared to administer the vaccine.

“(She was) just like a mother,” Parker, 38 of East Tampa, said of the first lady. “She said, ‘Look at me, don’t look at the needle.’ It was really fun and exciting, and I’m very grateful that she was there. It was a once-in-a- lifetime experience.”

At their two-hour “Shots on Ice” vaccination event at Amalie Arena, the Lightning invited those who had not been vaccinated to get their shot in a cool way. AdventHealth administered both the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines for free.

After the event, five people were randomly selected from a drawing to win pairs of tickets to Game 7 of the Lightning’s Stanley Cup semifinal series against the Islanders Friday at Amalie. Four randomly selected people will receive $50 gift cards to the team store.

Earlier in the postseason, the Lightning offered ticketed fans the chance to get vaccinated before home playoff games through its Together Tampa Bay program.

Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical adviser, attended the event, along with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and Lightning owner Jeff Vinik.

The first lady, “a Philly girl through-and-through,” commended the Lightning organization and the Viniks for their creativity and the efforts they’ve made to promote vaccinations in the Tampa Bay area.

“You might be asking, ‘Dr. Biden, why would you betray your beloved (Philadelphia) Flyers by coming down to Florida and complimenting a rival team?’” the first lady said in a speech. “Well, there are some things that transcend even hockey. And I know that my beloved Flyers are right behind me

Biden told attendees that “five-in-10 Floridians are fully vaccinated,” and “that’s just not enough.”

“It’s why I wanted to come here today,” she said. “Because we want everyone to be protected.”

Vinik said it was an exciting time to host a vaccination event at Amalie, one night before the Lightning-Islanders series finale in the same building. The winner will advance to the Stanley Cup final.

Castor said the event was the “coolest” way for people to get vaccinated, since it was held outside of a traditional setting such as a pharmacy or grocery store.

“I think a lot of people get busy and don’t think about it, and then others have questions and depend on false information,” Castor said. “People are still dying from this and now we have the variant, which is much more contagious and much more deadly, so now it’s even more important to get vaccinated.”

As for the game, the mayor said she expects another “butt-whooping” like Monday’s 8-0 win in Game 5, which was followed by a 3-2 loss Wednesday in Game 6.

“I think the Lightning are going to come back strong,” Castor said, “and it’s going to be a decisive win.”

1216357 Tampa Bay Lightning On Hockey Night in Canada, former NHL defenseman Kevin Bieksa was dumbfounded by the non-calls.

“It’s prison rules,” he said. Is Nikita Kucherov sprawled on the ice what the NHL wants to see? , another former NHL player, was equally chagrined on the show after watching Montreal’s Shea Weber and Vegas’ Tomas Nosek punch, cross-check and slash each other before a whistle was finally By John Romano blown.

Published Yesterday “If that’s your standard … I mean, Chris Lee you (could) call four penalties there on both sides,” Simpson said, according to the Montreal

Gazette. “There’s the frustration you have of what the standard is of what So we will have a Game 7 in Tampa on Friday, and perhaps that is how it you call and don’t call.” should be. Montreal fans circulated a petition calling for Lee’s firing. At last count, it The Islanders are a smart, tough and accomplished group, so it should was up to 27,000 signatures. come as no great surprise that they are the first team in the past two Whether Lee is at fault is only a small part of this story. The bigger issue postseasons to take the Lightning to the brink of elimination. is the NHL’s negligence. Or maybe culpability is the better word. With that in mind, this is neither condemnation nor complaint. It is simply This is not just about the outcome of a playoff game, this is about the a question. safety of players. It’s about the integrity of the sport. Is this what the NHL wants? The NHL should not be reveling in the perception of the game’s By that, I mean superstars sprawled on the ice. Referees acting as if they toughness at the expense of some of the world’s best players. see nothing. And league officials promoting the narrative of the Stanley

Cup being the most difficult trophy to win by turning the entire postseason into a war of attrition. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.25.2021 It is impossible to tell the story of New York’s 3-2 overtime win in Game 6 on Wednesday night without exploring the play that knocked Nikita Kucherov out of the game on his first shift.

The puck was elsewhere on the ice when New York defenseman Scott Mayfield cross-checked Kucherov with a referee facing them from just a few feet away. There was no penalty called on the play, and seconds later Kucherov skated off the ice and into the night. Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game he had no update on Kucherov’s injury.

“They said they didn’t think it was malicious or anything. So it is what it is,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “They don’t have the chance to look at it on replay like we do. We’re not going to complain about the officiating. Nothing we can do about it now.”

If that was the explanation, it has a whiff of truth to it. While the play clearly injured Kucherov, it was not the type of violent hit that immediately makes you wince. But that doesn’t change the reality that it was a penalty. A clear, blatant penalty that ultimately sent the best player on the ice into the locker room for the remainder of one of the most important games of the year.

So, again, is this what the NHL wants?

It’s true that calling a penalty on Mayfield may not have altered the outcome of the game. Yes, it would have given Tampa Bay a power play, but the Lightning eventually jumped out to a 2-0 lead and they were unable to hold it. That’s on them. And Kucherov would have still been hurt whether or not a penalty was called.

But there’s a much larger issue at stake here. If referees are going to ignore penalties based on some existential goon standard, this is going to be the end result. Players will push the envelope farther and farther, and superstars will end up on IVs instead of ice.

Cooper said he was not told about the “malicious” explanation but seemed incredulous at the thought.

“I cannot confirm that. I don’t know if that was said,” Cooper said. “It’d be weird, though, to say it wasn’t malicious, yeah. Because I don’t think that’s in the rulebook, that a crosscheck has to be malicious. I don’t think that word is in there. But I can’t confirm that was said.

“I just know it happened really close to one of the officials. He didn’t see it. Move on.”

The problem is that the NHL keeps moving on. This is not the first time this issue has been raised this month. And it’s also not the first time that referee Chris Lee was on the ice for an obvious penalty that went uncalled.

In Game 3 of the Montreal-Las Vegas series, Corey Perry was bloodied by a high stick in overtime but there was no call. In Game 4, Brayden McNabb punched Nick Suzuki in the head with Lee standing a few feet away, and no penalty was called. 1216358 Tampa Bay Lightning

WWE’s Titus O’Neil cheers on Lightning in New York: ‘I’m definitely a heel in this territory.’

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Titus O’Neil’s professional wrestling career brought him to the Nassau Coliseum many times in the past as a performer. Wednesday night, the Tampa resident was a spectator, rooting on the Lightning in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup semifinals from his seat right in front of the glass.

“I’ve been in this arena a lot of times over the past few years and this fan base is pretty awesome when you come out for wrestling,” he said of the Nassau Coliseum crowd. “But right now, I’m definitely a heel in this territory.”

O’Neil traveled north to attend the funeral service of famous car dealer Billy Fuccillo in Syracuse, but decided to see some friends in the area and watch the Lightning on the road. O’Neil has attended several Lightning games at Amalie Arena, but hadn’t yet watched them play in .

“I sent messages to several of the players and coaches, letting them know I would be here,” O’Neil said. “My exact words were to kick their bleeping ass.”

The Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the New York Islanders in overtime forcing a Game 7 in Friday in Tampa.

O’Neil tweeted earlier in the day that he hoped to shut the Coliseum down. The Lightning entered the game up 3-2 in the series and could have eliminated the Islanders from the postseason and ended their tenure at the 49-year-old venue. (The Islanders are moving into a new building in Belmont Park.) But their 3-2 overtime loss extended the series to a do-or-die Game 7 Friday night at Amalie Arena.

“Hopefully we can go all the way and become back-to-back Stanley Cup champions,” he said. “(Brayden) Point has been nothing short of spectacular. He’s been unbelievable during the playoffs, and obviously Vasy (goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy) has been ridiculous throughout the entire season and especially during the playoffs.

“We have a great core of players who have played together for a long time. And the younger guys have kind of rallied around those guys. The culture is right in Tampa right now. That’s why we call it Champa Bay.”

O’Neil spent time engaging with fans and taking selfies while watching the game. At 6-foot-6, 270 pounds, he’s hard to miss, even in a crowd of more than 13,000.

O’Neil, a former University of Florida football player whose given name is Thaddeus Bullard, has had a busy year. Earlier this week, he was nominated for ESPN’s Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award for a second straight year. He hosted this year’s WrestleMania alongside Hulk Hogan in Tampa and received the WWE Hall of Fame’s Warrior Award for his community contributions. He was also named WWE Global Ambassador.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216359 Tampa Bay Lightning Grade: A-plus Painful loss

Nikita Kucherov, the NHL’s leading playoff scorer with 27 points, played Lightning-Islanders Game 6 report card: Where does loss leave us? all of 46 seconds in the first period before leaving with an injury.

Kucherov went to the locker room after checking the Islanders’ Mathew By Frank Pastor Barzal in the Lightning defensive zone. Kucherov was visibly laboring after the hit, but the injury likely occurred earlier in the shift when he was Published Yesterday cross-checked from behind by Mayfield at the other end of the ice.

Only Wayne Gretzky has had more assists over consecutive postseasons than the 49 Kucherov has handed out over the 2020 and Where there were answers, now there are questions. 2021 playoffs, so there’s no silver lining here. Where there seemed certainty, now there is doubt. Mitigating the damage might be the fact the Lightning played the entire Where there had been breathing room, now there is pressure. regular season without Kucherov as he recovered from hip surgery. Plus, Tampa Bay regularly played 11 forwards on its way to winning the A night we thought would end with fans at an Amalie Arena watch party Stanley Cup last season, so its forwards are used to playing with a lot of celebrating the Lightning’s return to the Stanley Cup final concluded different linemates. instead with Islanders fans throwing beer cans on to the ice after their team extended its season with an improbable 3-2 victory Wednesday at But make no mistake. This was a big loss. Nassau Coliseum. Grade: F A winner-take-all Game 7 will be played Friday in Tampa. Timely kill The Tampa Bay Lightning lost to the New York Islanders in overtime The Lightning power play has overshadowed the penalty kill for much of forcing a Game 7 in Friday in Tampa. the postseason because it has scored at such a ridiculously high rate. If Tampa Bay doesn’t change something quick, its Stanley Cup defense But it was the penalty kill that bailed out the power play in the second will end there. period.

The Lightning had clinched three straight series with victories When Victor Hedman and Mikhail Sergachev picked up penalties less and appeared on their way to another when they held a 2-0 lead with six than a minute apart in the period, Tampa Bay went from a power play to minutes remaining in the second period. a two-man disadvantage — after some 4-on-4 and 4-on-3 play — with two of its penalty-killing defensemen sitting in the box. But the Islanders pushed, and the Lightning didn’t push back. Ryan McDonagh did an outstanding job of closing off shooting lanes on Mathew Barzal, whose status was in question after he cross-checked his side of the ice, and Rutta was equally strong on the other side as the Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta in the face Monday, seemingly had the Lightning killed off both penalties. Vasilevskiy did his part, as well, getting puck on his stick for the final period-plus Wednesday, shaking defenders a piece of a Kyle Palmieri shot from the left circle and stopping a one- much as he did a possible suspension. He assisted on Jordan Eberle’s timer from Ryan Pulock. goal with 5-1/2 minutes remaining in the second period with a nice drop pass in the slot, then set up Scott Mayfield’s tying goal with less than Grade: A nine minutes left in regulation by skating to the middle, drawing three Stepping up players to him, before dishing to Mayfield in the right circle. With Kucherov out of the game, Tyler Johnson, Gourde and Steven The Islanders didn’t waste any time ending the game once they got it to Stamkos saw time alongside first-line forwards Point and Ondrej Palat. overtime, as Anthony Beauvillier scored on the first shot of the extra But Cirelli might have been most effective in the role. period after Blake Coleman turned over the puck in front of the Lightning net while trying to get it to Rutta. He made an immediate impact, assisting on Point’s first-period goal and scoring one of his own in the second, his fourth of the playoffs and first of Where was the Tampa Bay team that has made a habit of closing out the series. games the past two postseasons? Palat sprung him on a breakaway with a nice stretch pass, and Cirelli What was Coleman thinking? skated low in the left circle before firing a shot between the legs of Where was Andrei Vasilevskiy when things broke down in front of him? goaltender Semyon Varlamov.

Will Nikita Kucherov be on the ice when his team faces elimination for the Cirelli was a factor every time he was on the ice, contributing two points, first time this season? playing a big role on the penalty kill, winning 50 percent of his faceoffs and blocking a shot in 18:22 of ice time. And will the Lightning bounce back from the loss as they’ve done so many times before? Grade: A

Lots of questions, few answers.

Grade: D, for didn’t think we’d be in this situation Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.25.2021

Here is how we ranked the rest of the Lightning’s performance in Game 6:

Chasing history

Brayden Point scored in his ninth straight playoff game, his first-period goal putting him within one of matching Reggie Leach’s all-time NHL record for goals in consecutive playoff games, set with the Flyers in 1976.

The Islanders tried to relieve pressure in their zone by rimming the puck around behind their net, but Point sealed off the boards, keeping the play alive for Anthony Cirelli. Cirelli put a shot on net from low in the left circle, and Point beat Adam Pelech to the rebound, kicking the puck to his stick before backhanding a shot into the net.

Point will score in Game 7. Of that, we are certain. 1216360 Tampa Bay Lightning McDonagh pointed out there are many players from the 2018 team that held a 3-2 series lead in the 2018 conference finals to the Capitals and lost the next two games, including Game 7 at home. And there are several from the core who blew a 3-2 series lead in the 2016 conference ‘Are you full?’ Why Game 7 is a defining moment for Lightning finals to eventual champion Pittsburgh. championship core Those defeats hardened them and left scars, but also provided lessons.

“You have to understand how hard it is, how hard you have to play,” By Joe Smith McDonagh said. “The end goal is in sight, it’s what both teams are striving for. It’ll come down to who wants it more. The little battle every Jun 25, 2021 shift and execution when you’ve got the puck on your stick. We have confidence in our group and we want to come through for one another. We’ve just got to play the right way and find a way to win a game here at The day before the Lightning faced the Islanders in last year’s home.” conference finals, coach Jon Cooper pulled out a special video to provide some inspiration. The Lightning were in command Wednesday when they could have closed out the series (and closed the Coliseum). They were up 2-0 in the They were in a hotel ballroom in the Edmonton bubble, where they’d second period. But the Islanders scored three unanswered goals, with usually go over pre-scout topics dissecting their opponents. Cooper the first coming on a Tampa Bay breakdown, the second on an unreal typically addressed the team, perhaps another assistant added a few shot by Mayfield and the third on a rare defensive zone turnover by Blake words. But after the X’s and O’s were done, the flat-screen TVs flashed Coleman. There will be adjustments for Game 7, with the Lightning an infamous video clip of Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers wanting to be less “flip happy,” as Brayden Point put it, with an emphasis talking about what sparked their dynasty. on improving breakouts and getting to their forecheck game.

Edmonton had just lost — again — to the Islanders, who swept them to “You just need to trust the system, trust the game plan,” said winger win their fourth straight Stanley Cup in 1983. But when Gretzky, Paul Barclay Goodrow, who scored a Game 7-winning overtime goal with the Coffey and Mark Messier walked by the Islanders dressing room at Sharks in 2019. “When it comes down to Game 7, one game take all, it’s Nassau Coliseum, they didn’t see much celebrating or champagne about being on top of things, all the details. It’s going to be fun. I know showers. They saw players with ice bags all over their bodies, some we’re looking forward to going back home and getting the job done.” hunched over, and realized there was a lot more they needed to give. The Lightning’s track record shows they know how to do just that. Since The message the Lightning players said they took from this was, “Don’t the start of the 2020 playoffs, these are Tampa Bay’s numbers in games leave anything behind. Don’t leave any sort of regrets or doubts in your following a loss: 12-0 record, 4.08 goals per game, 1.58 goals against, mind.” 27.7 percent power play, 85.7 percent penalty kill.

We all know what happened next, with the Lightning finally breaking A big reason is the performance of the best goaltender in the world, through and winning the Stanley Cup. They’re the champions now, the Andrei Vasilevskiy, who is 12-0 with a 1.38 goals-against average, .946 ones who know exactly what it takes. It’s the Islanders who are trying to save percentage and three . He’s pitched a shutout in three wrestle the title from them, having pushed Tampa Bay to its first straight series-clinching games, dating back to last year’s Stanley Cup elimination game in two years, Friday’s Game 7 at Amalie Arena. Final.

This is a defining moment for the Lightning core. They realize this might NHL players who have won back-to-back Cups say there are often be the best team they ever play on, a deep and determined group that defining moments throughout their runs they look back on that were includes potentially a handful of Hall of Famers. But they also know while turning points in their championship paths. For the 2017 Penguins, it was the championship window is far from closing, the pending salary-cap Game 7 in their second-round series against the Capitals, when Sidney crunch and expansion draft will make this team look a lot different next Crosby and company blew a 3-1 lead to end up in a Game 7 in season. Washington. There was no panic, however, no stress, rather a sense of calm. They would win that night, 2-0, the first of two Game 7 victories en Cooper has said the question for his group is, “Are you full?” What he route to becoming the first team in the cap era to go back to back. means is, is winning one Cup enough or “do you want to be special” and be one of the few teams in history to have gone back to back? To get “We said, ‘We have a great opportunity to write our own story and a there, they’ve got to win Friday, with or without 2019 Hart Trophy winner chance to be back-to-back champions,’” former Penguins forward Patric Nikita Kucherov, the playoffs’ leading scorer. Hornqvist recalled. “Here it is, one game in front of us, it doesn’t matter the three games before. We can write our own legacy here. We have the “Our group has been down this road before,” Cooper said. “I’m so opportunity to do something special.” confident in just the way they prepare, the way they play, they battle for each other. They really are a team that plays for each other, and really It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Lightning take the same mindset looks at these special moments and says, ‘How often are we going to get going into Game 7. They have every reason to be confident and believe these?’ and embrace them. That’s what we’re trying to do.” in their group, which will walk together forever after hoisting hockey’s holy grail following 65 days in the bubble. If the Lightning play up to their Will it be easy? Definitely not. That’s especially true if Kucherov is not capabilities, I don’t think there’s a team in the league that can beat them. available, and his status is uncertain after leaving Wednesday’s game The problem is, they haven’t lived up to that standard in every game of two minutes in following a cross-check to his side by Islanders this series (see Game 1). defenseman Scott Mayfield. Tampa Bay won 36 regular-season games without Kucherov this season, but this is a whole different animal. The The players have said all season that winning the Cup has made them Lightning are leaning on their experience, including their 12-0 record after hungrier to do it again. On Friday, it’s time for them to walk the walk, a loss in the past two playoffs. Cooper said the one defining trait he sees taking another step into potentially rarefied air. in his group after winning the Cup is its “maturity when things go south.” “It’s not being content,” Cooper said a few weeks ago. “Don’t take for The Lightning don’t often get rattled. They’re a proud group that hates to granted we win the Stanley Cup, that’s the greatest memory I have lose, boasting the type of leadership and accountability to bounce back. besides the birth of my kids. But do you want to be special? And I think if you can go back to back, now you’ve got a special, like ‘That team is “We’ve been together as a group for quite a while, some longer than special.’ That’s where you dig inside and say, ‘Hey, you don’t get these others,” defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “You go through a lot of ups chances that often. Let’s seize it.'” and downs together. It’s not always going to be picture perfect like you dream about or want it to. The beauty of a team sport is sticking together, and keep pulling in the same direction, going through the lows as a group and just understanding what our main goal is at the end here, and all the The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 battle and the fight we have to go through to give ourselves that opportunity.” 1216361 Vegas Golden Knights It’s also more than fair to suggest — especially if you watched a second of this series — that the Knights traded the wrong center when shipping Nick Suzuki to Montreal in the Max Pacioretty deal.

Graney: Off-season changes needed from Golden Knights Yes. Dynamic forwards aren’t just hanging around the street corner. But the Knights need better than what they have right now.

High-end talent By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal They have never been afraid to jump into a sweepstakes when it comes June 24, 2021 - 10:10 PM to acquainting top-end talent, so why not devise a trade package for Jack Eichel and give Buffalo a call? Why not see what Columbus would want Updated June 24, 2021 - 10:47 PM for Patrik Laine, one of five players in NHL history who had 50-plus power-play goals through his first four seasons?

It happened again. The script never changed. Sure, the Knights still have obvious salary cap problems. They would have to move a bunch of pieces to land what they truly need. Still might Third time’s a charm? not work. But you have to try.

Not if the Golden Knights don’t make offseason changes. “I thought we took a step from a year ago when we were at this point,” DeBoer said. “But we still fell off at the wrong time.” They assumed position for the sort of handshake line they were neither expected nor favored to experience as the Knights on Thursday evening Fell off because they couldn’t score. were eliminated from a Stanley Cup semifinal in a 3-2 overtime loss to Montreal at Bell Centre. Same script. Same result. Change needs to occur.

The Canadiens won the best-of-seven series 4-2 and advance to the Stanley Cup Final, a direct result of executing their structure far better LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.25.2021 than the Knights countered with theirs.

Sound familiar?

Can’t stand pat

The Knights were sent home from Canada in a semifinal series for the second straight season, falling to Dallas in 2020 in the Edmonton bubble when they also couldn’t score enough to advance.

“There is another door we need to find to barge through at this time of year,” said Knights coach Pete DeBoer. “Everybody has to look in the mirror, coaches included. I think everything is on the table. We have to look at what we can do different from a coaching perceptive. We have to look at our personnel. I think everything is on the table.”

They just lost to a team that had the 18th-best record in the regular season.

It’s no time to stand pat.

It’s on those whose personnel decisions created these last two playoff exits to fix. President of hockey operations George McPhee. General manager Kelly McCrimmon. Find solutions.

Some of it you never see coming. Nobody could predict the team that in a previous series eliminated high-powered Colorado would again experience a drought harsher than what’s happening across the Western United States.

But it did. It was, for the most part, a huge whiff from the top six forwards and Alex Tuch. Eight of the team’s 13 goals in the series were scored by defensemen. Mark Stone is the team’s best player and captain who went oh-for-six games.

“If I knew, I probably would have changed it,” Stone said when asked about the back-to-back semifinal losses to defensive-minded opponents. “It’s just getting over that hump. Teams go through this. Going into (next season), the goal is to win the Stanley Cup.”

Then they better figure some things (and players) out.

The power play went 0-for-15 in the series and needs a massive overhaul, be it schematically or personnel. It’s also far-fetched to believe the Knights can — make that should — again carry a $12 million cap hit to keep both goalies in Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner.

They need to move on from one. You figure it would be Fleury.

And then there is Cody Glass.

The lack of center depth that was exposed at times this season and again in the playoffs shines a bright light on the team’s first draft pick (and No. 6 overall) in 2017. The fact that Glass hasn’t developed to a level where he wasn’t even an option is, at this point, a stark indictment on management and coaching.

For now, they missed badly on him. 1216362 Vegas Golden Knights

Mark Stone shoulders blame for series loss to Canadiens

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

June 24, 2021 - 9:59 PM

Mark Stone, emotions still raw, sat down at a Bell Centre podium Thursday night and faced the music.

The Golden Knights right wing excelled most of the season as the organization’s first captain. He scored at more than a point-per-game clip in the regular season. He was a Selke Trophy finalist for the second time in his career.

In the playoffs, he delivered a crucial overtime goal in Game 5 and played stellar defense as part of the Knights’ second-round upset of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche.

But the same Stone wasn’t present for the semifinal series against the Montreal Canadiens. He finished with no points in the series, and the Knights were eliminated in six games after a 3-2 overtime loss Thursday night at Belle Centre in Montreal.

“I got skunked this series,” Stone said. “That can’t happen. I’m the captain of this team, the leader of this team. I take a lot of responsibility for what just occurred.”

Stone was missing his usual center in Chandler Stephenson for half the series and was often defended at Bell Centre by center Phillip Danault’s excellent defensive line.

The Knights still needed their captain to find a way to produce. Stone had seven shots on goal in the six games and finished minus-two at five-on- five.

He also had a giveaway that led directly to a Montreal power-play goal in Game 5. The Knights were minus-one in Stone’s 70:16 of short-handed ice time in the regular season.

Coach Pete DeBoer said his captain doesn’t need to shoulder all the blame. Stone wasn’t the only one not scoring.

Only center William Karlsson and defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore finished with more than three points in the series.

“I’m not surprised he’s taking that on himself, but that’s not a load he needs to carry and definitely not alone,” DeBoer said. “There’s another door we’ve got to find a way to barge through at this time of year. I think everybody’s got to look in the mirror. Obviously coaches included.”

Martinez grateful

Defenseman Alec Martinez called the Knights’ second consecutive exit “incredibly disappointing.” The two-time Stanley Cup winner said it was one of the best teams he has played on.

The pending unrestricted free agent also made sure to mention how grateful he was that the Knights played a season at all. The team got in a 56-game regular season and 19 playoff games during a pandemic.

“A lot of people, not just in our organization but around the league, put in a lot of effort, did a lot of different things during a strange time that allowed us to play this year,” Martinez said. “A thank you and a tip of the cap to all those. I know there’s probably countless people out there that made it possible.”

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216363 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.25.2021

Canadiens headed to first Stanley Cup Final in 28 years

By Adam Hill Las Vegas Review-Journal

June 24, 2021 - 9:41 PM

A Canadian team is headed to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2011.

Artturi Lehkonen took a slick pass from Phillip Danault and fired it into the net 1:39 into overtime to punch the Montreal Canadiens’ ticket to the series with a 3-2 victory over the Golden Knights in Game 6 to win the semifinal series 4-2 on Thursday night.

“I feel blessed to be here with Montreal and to be in the Stanley Cup Final,” Danault said. “It’s something amazing. It was a team effort all series and I’m so proud of us.”

While the Final was played in Edmonton last season, it featured two American teams. It had been nine seasons since Vancouver played in the championship series, matching the longest stretch without a Canadian team in the Stanley Cup Final in NHL history.

Montreal last played for the Cup in 1993 when it beat the Kings in five games to raise the trophy. That was also the last time any team from north of the border won the title.

The Canadiens will play either the Islanders or Lightning, who meet Friday in Tampa to determine the other finalist.

“We’ve come a long way to get here and it’s good to enjoy this,” rookie Cole Caufield said. “But the job is not finished.”

The 20-year-old, who played in just 10 regular season games after finishing his season at the University of Wisconsin, continued to be a spark plug for the Canadiens. He has engaged in some light sparring with Knights’ goaltender Robin Lehner in the media the last couple days about whether his moves were predictable and Lehner stoned him on a breakaway in the first period.

Caufield got his revenge in the second period Thursday and put the Canadiens ahead, 2-1.

“I just shoot for the back of the net,” Caufield laughed. “Some people maybe overthink it. It’s all fun and games what was going on between him and I, but I just shoot for the back of the net.”

Caufield is part of a young core for the Canadiens that blended well with a veteran group to make this run.

“It means everything to me, but it means everything to the team,” he said. “Some of these guys have been playing for awhile and this opportunity doesn’t come up often. So playing for these older guys and the guys that have been here for awhile, I’m just trying to take it in and enjoy the moment.”

The Knights tied the score early in the third period, but Montreal struck early once the overtime began. Lehkonen’s first goal of the playoffs came just moments after Carey Price denied a potential game-winning bid from former Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty.

Danault and Lehkonen are known far more for their defensive roles, but came up with a memorable series-clincher as Danault kicked it outside on the break.

“What a play by Phil and then a great shot,” said assistant coach Luke Richardson, who is filling in for interim coach Dominique Ducharme. “They do so much blocking of shots and Phil was so great in the faceoff circle again. This is the time of year when real battlers come alive. It’s fitting for them to get the winning goal.”

Montreal has won 11 of its last 13 games after falling behind 3-1 against Toronto in the opening round and improved to 11-0 this postseason when scoring at least two goals.

“We wouldn’t be here right now if we didn’t believe,” Price said. “We’ve always just kind of stuck with it and never doubted ourselves.” 1216364 Vegas Golden Knights

Recapping Game 6 between Golden Knights, Canadiens

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

June 24, 2021 - 9:32 PM

RJ’s

3. Knights center William Karlsson — He led what was easily the team’s best line and finished with two assists. He was the Knights’ leading scorer in the series with five points.

2. Canadiens goaltender Carey Price — He made 37 saves to earn his first trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He finished the series with a .947 save percentage.

1. Canadiens left wing Artturi Lehkonen — His first goal and point of the series was the overtime clincher. He was rewarded for his excellent defensive performance against the Knights’ top line.

Key play

Lehkonen’s overtime winner.

The Knights carried over a strong finish to the third period into the start of overtime. They put the first two shots on goal, one coming from former Montreal captain Max Pacioretty.

The Canadiens responded like they had so often in the series. They absorbed the pressure and counterattacked. Center Phillip Danault drove to the middle of the ice in the offensive zone before sliding the puck to Lehkonen for a quick shot that beat goaltender Robin Lehner.

Key stat

0 — The number of points Knights captain Mark Stone had and the number of power-play goals the team scored in the series.

Stone had seven shots in six games and was minus-two at five-on-five.

The power play was 0-for-15 in the series and finished the postseason on an 0-for-18 drought. The Knights were 4-for-43 with the man advantage in the playoffs.

Knights quotable

“I got skunked this series. That can’t happen. I’m the captain of this team, the leader of this team. I take a lot of responsibility for what just occurred.” — Stone.

Habs quotable

“We’ve been through a lot, for sure. I don’t think now’s the time for us to sit back and dwell on it too much. There’s still work to be done. We’ve got another series coming up. We’ve got to win four more games. But definitely proud of everybody in that locker room right now and what we’ve accomplished so far.” — Montreal captain Shea Weber.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216365 Vegas Golden Knights “It’s a pretty empty feeling right now,” Lehner said. “It’s not easy to get to the Stanley Cup Final. We were right there. We have some things, all of us today, have to be a little better. We were right on the door.”

Golden Knights’ season ends with overtime loss in Montreal The Knights struggled to manage the puck in the first period and took two penalties as part of a tentative start.

Montreal took advantage on its second power play, as Martinez By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal committed one of the Knights’ 11 giveaways in the period when his stick broke and he failed to clear the zone. June 24, 2021 - 8:07 PM The puck went to defenseman Shea Weber at the top of the left faceoff

circle, and the four-time winner of the hardest shot contest at All-Star Max Pacioretty was alone with the puck, in the arena where he spent his Game weekend blew a slap shot past Lehner at 14:06. first 10 seasons in the NHL and served as the captain, staring at a net But the Knights responded 48 seconds later when Smith dug the puck guarded by his former teammate. out of the corner and tipped Theodore’s shot/pass inside the post for his With a career-defining moment on his stick, the Golden Knights forward first goal since June 2. fired a shot that would have tied the Stanley Cup semifinal series and Montreal regained the lead in the second period when rookie Cole crushed the city of Montreal all at once. Caufield notched his fourth goal of the series. He chipped the puck past But Pacioretty couldn’t beat Canadiens goalie Carey Price, and the defenseman Brayden McNabb in the neutral zone and went high on Knights season ended with a thud soon after. Lehner’s glove side for a 2-1 advantage at 9:36.

“It comes down to moments,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “I thought we had “We didn’t find another level, and they did,” DeBoer said. “They were the best look of the night, maybe Max Pacioretty, in overtime. If that gets opportunistic. They owned the key moments of the series. When they got stuck in the net, maybe it’s a different series. a chance, they stuck it in the net. When they needed a big save, they got a big save.” “It’s moments that you’ve got to seize.”

A season that started with Stanley Cup aspirations came to a bitter conclusion Thursday night, as the Knights lost 3-2 in overtime to the LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.25.2021 Canadiens in Game 6 at Bell Centre in Montreal.

Artturi Lehkonen scored 1:39 into overtime for Montreal, which advances to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993. The Canadiens will meet either the New York Islanders or defending champion Tampa Bay.

“It just came down to they did a better job scoring goals than we did in the series,” Reilly Smith said. “The chances were there, but it seemed like every time they got an opportunity or breakaway it ended up in the back of the net and we weren’t able to do the same on our end.”

Despite spending big in the offseason and tying Colorado for the most points in the NHL during the regular season, the Knights exited the playoffs at the same stage as last season.

And for the second straight year, the Knights’ offense went dry against a team that employs a tight defensive structure.

The Knights averaged 2.17 goals per game in the series. Mark Stone, the team’s leading scorer in the regular season, was held without a point in the six games.

“I got skunked this series. That can’t happen,” Stone said. “I’m the captain of this team, the leader of this team. I take a lot of responsibility for what just occurred.”

Defenseman Alec Martinez slammed a rebound past Price 1:08 into the third period to tie the score 2-2 and breathe life into the Knights.

In the overtime, Stephenson cut across the slot and left a drop pass for Pacioretty. But Price came out to the top of his crease to make the gave- saving stop.

After the faceoff, the Canadiens gained possession and Phillip Danault carried the puck across the blue line with speed. He sent a pass to Lehkonen on the left wing, and Lehkonen’s shot beat Robin Lehner for his third goal of the postseason.

The Knights fell to 3-5 in one-goal games this postseason. Montreal improved to 5-1 in overtime during the playoffs.

“I think this is one of the best, if not the best team I’ve played on,” Martinez said. “To come up short is obviously really disappointing. I’m proud of the way the guys battled.”

Lehner earned the start after he was the winning goalie in Game 4 and finished with 29 saves.

In the third period, he stopped Danault’s drive after Shea Theodore’s turnover and squeezed the pads to keep out Tyler Toffoli’s backhand with about seven minutes remaining. 1216366 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights switch goaltenders for must-win Game 6 in Montreal

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

June 24, 2021 - 8:48 am

Updated June 24, 2021 - 5:00 PM

Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner (90) greets his family during warmups before Game ...

The Golden Knights are switching goaltenders for the third straight game for Thursday’s must-win Game 6 in Montreal.

Robin Lehner will make his second start of the team’s NHL semifinal against the Canadiens. He played Game 4 in Montreal and was great. The 2019 Vezina Trophy finalist made 27 saves in the Knights’ 2-1 overtime win. It was only his second start of the playoffs after being the team’s primary starter last postseason. He gave up seven goals on 37 shots in his first appearance May 30 against the Colorado Avalanche.

Lehner is 14-13 with a .920 save percentage and 2.16 goals-against average in his playoff career. He is 1-2 with a .882 save percentage and 2.46 goals-against average when his team is facing elimination.

He is 1-1 with the Knights. He had a 14-save shutout in Game 7 against the Vancouver Canucks and gave up three goals on 26 shots in a Game 5 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars last postseason.

“He’s a great goalie,” center Tomas Nosek said. “He proved that in Game 4. Hopefully he proves that tonight, too.”

Marc-Andre Fleury will be on the bench after shouldering most of the Knights’ workload this season. The Vezina Trophy finalist is 9-7 with a .918 save percentage and 2.04 goals-against average this postseason. He is 1-3 against the Canadiens, the team he grew up cheering for, with a .904 save percentage. He misplayed a puck late in Game 3 that led to right wing Josh Anderson’s game-tying goal with 1:55 remaining in the third period.

Lehner and Fleury have supported each other throughout the season and formed arguably the NHL’s best goalie tandem. The two won the Jennings Trophy for the fewest goals allowed. It was Lehner’s second Jennings Trophy.

“I’ve said it many times, I think we have the best duo in the NHL,” Nosek said. “That’s our advantage, how we can switch them any time we want.”

The Knights made one other lineup change. Nic Hague is playing on the third defensive pair in place of Nick Holden. Hague hasn’t appeared since Game 4 against Colorado. Holden lost his man, center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, on Montreal’s first goal in Game 5.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216367 Vegas Golden Knights The power play was abysmal in going 0-for-15 in the series and had trouble keeping the zone at times, much less generating scoring chances. The Canadiens outplayed the Golden Knights drastically for two games in a row coming into Thursday’s eliminator. Down and Out: Golden Knights, Mark Stone come up empty as season ends Montreal’s game plan and execution were tremendous, but with a clear talent advantage, Vegas should have been able to do more. But the Canadiens continually prevented the Golden Knights from “getting to their game,” something Vegas stressed throughout the series. By Justin Emerson (contact) Game 6 was a virtual draw between two battle-tested playoff teams, with Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 11:04 p.m. a slight edge to Vegas after a strong third period and start to overtime. Things started to shift Vegas’ way once Alec Martinez tied the game 1:08 into the third period, and the pace the Golden Knights implemented to The first question asked to Mark Stone in the postgame news conference start overtime had people thinking about Saturday’s Game 7 at T-Mobile Thursday night at Bell Centre was about the emotions he was feeling. Arena.

“It’s a pretty terrible feeling,” Stone started answering bluntly before Vegas had the first four shot attempts in overtime, including a glorious words failed him and he trailed off. chance from former Montreal captain Max Pacioretty. Goalie Carey Price swallowed it up, Vegas won the offensive zone faceoff, Martinez shot From the moment the camera turned on after the Golden Knights’ wide and Montreal went the other way on a rush, finishing with an Artturi season-ending 3-2 overtime loss to the Montreal Canadiens in the Lehkonen wrister at the 1:39 mark of the extra period. Stanley Cup Playoff semifinals, Stone looked clearly despondent. As captain of the Golden Knights, Stone was supposed to be the player the “It’s a pretty empty feeling right now,” goalie Robin Lehner said. “Anytime team looked toward in big moments. you lose in the playoffs, the season’s over, it’s hard to take in. But one that I thought we battled hard and I’m really proud of our guys.” Whether it was a goal, an assist, a turnover or a hit, Vegas needed something from its best player. It’s the third year in a row the Golden Knights’ season ended in overtime and the second year in a row it came with them as the higher seed. This But Stone played the worst hockey of his Golden Knights’ tenure at the might be the most disappointing ending to a season in team history. worst time, recording no goals and no assists in a six-game series against the Canadiens. It was a disappointing end for a team with so There’s a strong argument for the infamous major penalty game in 2019, much promise, and a disappointing end for a star who played so well until but that team didn’t have the look of a surefire Stanley Cup contender all Vegas needed him most. year like this one did.

"I got skunked this series. That can’t happen,” Stone said. “I’m the It wasn’t supposed to end this way. The Golden Knights got past the hard captain of this team, the leader of this team. I take a lot of responsibility part, surviving a late-series push from the Wild and overwhelming the for what just occurred." President’s Trophy-winning Avalanche.

Dating back to a scoreless outing in Game 6 against the Avalanche, All their hard work in the regular season and the first two rounds gave Stone concludes the season on a seven-game streak without a point — them a gift — the 18th-ranked team from the regular season, one that his longest slump since the 2015-16 season when he was in Ottawa. came in as one of the bigger betting underdogs in semifinal history.

It was somewhat of a cruel case of history repeating as Stone also But the saying that the playoffs are a different beast from the regular struggled in the semifinal round last season, managing only one goal and season came true, and the Golden Knights are living proof. Whether it’s one assist while the Dallas Stars ousted the Golden Knights. power-play ineptitude or a tightening game that suppresses Vegas’ offensive style, two years in a row the Golden Knights were shut down by Only two players on Vegas’ roster, Stone and fourth-liner William Carrier, a defensive-minded opponent. played more than half of the games in the Montreal series without recording a point. Stone’s lack of production was the shocker after he led The core of the Vegas team that looked like an incessant bulldozer since the Golden Knights in the regular season with 40 assists and 61 points, the season began in January is still here and will be back in October for both career-bests on a per-game basis in the shortened season. another go at hockey’s famed chalice. The captain knew that, and did what he could to look ahead for a positive spin. In the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Wild, he led the team with four goals. Then, in the second round versus the Colorado That’s what a captain is supposed to do. Avalanche, he played lockdown defense to thwart what was considered the best line in hockey and carry Vegas to a monumental comeback after One look at Stone’s face after the loss, however, was telling about how it lost the first two games in the series. much the loss wore on him and how it will take some time to get over. Stone and the Golden Knights will be OK someday, just not today. Stone slowed down from there, however, and the rest of the team followed suit. In the decisive Game 6, Stone was invisible — registering “We’ve had a lot of different heartbreaks,” Stone said. “I’m excited to just one shot attempt that didn’t come until there was 3:33 remaining in learn from mistakes and try and build this team to a Stanley Cup winner, regulation. not just a contender.”

It followed up a similarly uncharacteristic Game 5 where he was panned for a giveaway and a backcheck on Montreal’s third goal of the game. It LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.25.2021 was a rough series for Stone, who logged 17:10 of ice time in Game 6, the second-lowest total of his postseason run.

“I’m not surprised he’s taking that on himself, but that’s not a load he needs to carry, and definitely not alone,” coach Pete DeBoer said.

Stone is the captain and will get the lion’s share of the criticism, but there’s plenty of blame to go around for the Golden Knights’ defeat. The entire Vegas forward group had only three goals through the first games, and none of them came from its top scoring threats.

Max Pacioretty scored in Game 5 and Reilly Smith chipped in Vegas’ first goal as part of a terrific individual effort in Game 6, but the forwards collectively went dark for stretches far too long in the series.

Shea Theodore also didn’t have the same pop from the blue line that he’s established over the last couple years. And a fatal misplay by goalie Marc-Andre Fleury directly led to Montreal’s Game 3 victory. 1216368 Vegas Golden Knights one in the second and scored on neither, dropping to 0-for-15 in the series.

The Golden Knights led in shots on goal 22-21 through two periods. Blog: Golden Knights’ season ends in OT of Game 6 against Canadiens Golden Knights answer Canadiens goal to end first period tied

The Golden Knights gave up an early game and instead of "self- By Justin Emerson (contact) imploding" as coach Pete DeBoer said this morning, they responded with their best push of the game. Published Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 3 p.m. Montreal scored late in the first to take the lead, only to see Vegas grab Updated Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 7:48 p.m. one of its own, and the first period of Game 6 at Bell Centre on Thursday ended in a 1-1 tie.

The early parts of the first period felt like a game where neither team The Golden Knights season came to a stunning end Thursday night in wanted to make the first mistake that led to a goal. It was Montreal who Montreal. did blink, but the Golden Knights couldn't take advantage. Vegas got its third-period goal to tie the game. Vegas came out hot in The game was about 9 minutes old when Montreal's Josh Anderson overtime. Vegas looked like it was rolling. rushed in and made an aggressive poke at the puck. He missed, setting Instead, Artturi Lehkonen will go down as a hero for the Canadiens, up 2-on-1 with Mattias Janmark and Nicolas Roy. Janmark stormed down scoring 1:39 into overtime to lift Montreal to a 3-2 victory in Game 6 at the left wing, but waited too long to make a pass and by the time he Bell Centre and send the Golden Knights home for the offseason. made his move around the defenseman, he was on the side of the goal and the puck went nowhere. Vegas never led in the game but battled back when it fell behind. The Canadiens scored first, 14:06 into the first on a power-play goal from Vegas took two penalties in the first, and the second one proved costly. Shea Weber, but Reilly Smith redirected a Shea Theodore shot 48 Alec Martinez didn't get everything on a clearing attempt and the puck seconds later. When Cole Caufield put Montreal back up in the second, scuttled right to defenseman Shea Weber, who found up and blasted it Alec Martinez scored early in the third to give the Golden Knights life. into the net. It was a power-play goal at 14:06, and put the Canadiens up 1-0. Overtime belonged to the visitors early, with a couple of chances including a golden one from former Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty. In Game 5, the Golden Knights allowed a goal in the first and didn't But when Montreal got going on the rush, Lehkonen finished with assists respond until it was far too late. This time they answered, and tied the from Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher. game less than a minute after they fell behind. Reilly Smith put himself in the right place next to the Montreal net, and as Shea Theodore's point The Golden Knights fell in the semifinal round for the second year in a shot worked its way through traffic Smith put his stick on the ice and row. Against the Canadiens, they finished 0-for-15 on the power play and tipped the shot by Carey Price at 14:54, 48 seconds after Weber's goal. captain Mark Stone, who led the team in points in the regular season, did not register a point. Vegas got out of the first period despite some sloppy puck management. Weber's goal came off a giveaway, one of 11 in the period by the Golden Golden Knights, Canadiens going to overtime in Game 6 Knights (Montreal had five). That's something Vegas will need to clean up in the next two periods. For the third time in three games this series in Montreal, the Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens are going to overtime. The Golden Knights led 10-9 in shots after one.

Vegas entered the third period trailing by a goal, but Alec Martinez Golden Knights determined heading to must-win Game 6 vs. Canadiens scored early in the frame to tie things up. It stayed that way the rest of the period, and Game 6 will need at least one more period, tied 2-2 after Even after Tuesday's Game 5 loss, there was a sense of calm within the three at Bell Centre. Golden Knights camp that permeated into the travel day Wednesday and morning skate today. The team has been in this position before, though The Golden Knights needed someone to step up, and the defensive pair the situation tonight is dire. of Martinez and Alex Pietrangelo obliged 68 seconds into the third period. Pietrangelo had the initial shot that was batted down in the front, but The Golden Knights take on the Montreal Canadiens at 5 p.m. in a bid to Martinez pinching in was lost in chaos and swatted the puck into the net keep their season alive. Montreal leads the semifinal series 3-2 and has to tie the game. a chance to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Final at home on Saint- John-Baptiste Day, a provincial holiday in Quebec. Vegas needs a win It forced the majority of the third to be played with an even score, and it and is determined to get it. already felt like overtime. Each mistake was magnified — including two dangerous defensive-zone turnovers by Shea Theodore — but Robin "I think we have a lot of confidence," forward Reilly Smith said. "It's a do- Lehner had his best period of the night in goal, including getting just or-die game and we're excited about the challenge and the opportunity to enough of a Tyler Toffoli attempt with 7:12 to go. win this one and go back home for Game 7."

Vegas led in shots through regulation 37-21. One subplot of this series is the goaltending, even if it's not one of the most pressing issues facing Vegas. Robin Lehner is expected to start Golden Knights trail Canadiens after two periods in elimination Game 6 Game 6 after a terrific Game 4 where he kept the Golden Knights alive long enough to net the equalizer and win in overtime. Marc-Andre Fleury The Golden Knights have 20 minutes to keep their season alive. has been good this series outside of a mistake that cost Vegas Game 3, Vegas surrendered a goal in the second period to fall behind the but he couldn't overcome numerous defensive mistakes by the team in Montreal Canadiens 2-1 at Bell Centre in Montreal on Thursday. Trailing front of him last time out. 3-2 in the series, a loss would eliminate Vegas from the playoffs. The Golden Knights have issues they need to sort out, and if they don't, it Cole Caufield continues to be a menace for the Golden Knights this doesn't matter who the goalie is. The forwards still aren't scoring. The series. He won the Hobey Baker as college hockey's best player, then power play is still lifeless. They've taken until the third period to arrive the signed with the Canadiens with the hope he'd make an impact in the last two games. Montreal has executed its game plan to perfection for playoffs. He did it all on Montreal's second goal, blowing by Vegas much of this series and does not look like the overmatched team many defenseman Brayden McNabb with his speed, then finishing high-glove predicted entering the series. on Robin Lehner with what is becoming one of the league's best shots. It The Canadiens play their best hockey with a lead. They are, at their core, gave Montreal the lead back, 2-1 at 9:36. a defensive team anchored by a strong top-four on the blue line and a It was Caufield's fourth goal of the series, giving him one fewer than all rock star in goal. If they get the lead, they're hard to stop, evidenced by Vegas forwards. their 10-2 record when scoring first.

Unless something happens in the third period, the story of this series will be failures of the power play. The Golden Knights had one in the first, "You're playing with more confidence, you're more calm if you're up," Vegas forward Tomas Nosek said. "It's an advantage to score the first goal, but it's not the end of the world."

Outside of Lehner, the Golden Knights are projecting just one lineup change from the skaters. Nick Holden, who played the last seven games, was working with the extras during morning skate, while Nicolas Hague was not. Holden lost his defensive assignment in the first period Tuesday, leading to the Canadiens' first goal. Hague last played in Game 4 of the previous round against Colorado.

The Golden Knights have never extended a series when facing elimination, with all their victories in win-or-go home games coming in a Game 7. They are 2-3 all-time in elimination games but three of those are Game 7 (2-1 record). They lost in Game 5 against the Capitals in 2018 and in Game 5 against Dallas last season.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216369 Vegas Golden Knights hindsight. Glass and Suzuki were the first two draft picks in franchise history with the former going No. 6 overall and the latter No. 13 in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Former Golden Knights prospect has come back to haunt them with It’s easy to say now that Vegas should have held on to Suzuki, but in Canadiens 2018, Glass was considered one of the best center prospects in hockey. Suzuki was a slightly lower-ranked prospect.

It’s not fair to slam the Vegas front office for retaining value in a deal that By Justin Emerson (contact) brought them a star winger. But that also doesn’t make it hurt any less for Golden Knights’ fans to watch Suzuki potentially contribute to their Thursday, June 24, 2021 team’s demise while Glass toils away on the taxi squad.

Glass has only appeared in one NHL game in the last two and a half A pertinent, “This Day in Hockey History”-type tweet surfaced months. Suzuki has been one of the driving forces of Montreal’s playoff Wednesday featuring a beaming Nick Suzuki nestled between the two run and, in a cruel twist to Vegas fans, he’s recently done it in a building Vegas Golden Knights’ executives who drafted him. Almost exactly four where it once looked like he would playing his home games. years ago, Suzuki represented the future of the franchise, a player who On Tuesday, he set up Montreal’s first goal with a perfect cross-ice pass would help his team one day reach the Stanley Cup Final. and then set up the third with a takeaway. It was almost poetic that his He’s helped get a team to the verge of the Stanley Cup all right, but it’s third point of the night, an empty-net goal, officially ended a Vegas not the one anyone expected back then. Partly because of Suzuki’s comeback attempt. strong play, the Montreal Canadiens are one win away from eliminating Suzuki has been everything the Golden Knights imagined when they took the Golden Knights heading into Game 6 at 5 p.m. tonight at Bell Centre. him in the first round four years ago. He’s just done it against them For Golden Knights’ fans, Suzuki is something like an ex-boyfriend: They instead of for them. say they want what’s best for him, but when they meet face-to-face, they maybe wish he were doing just a little bit worse. LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.25.2021 “It worked out for both teams,” Suzuki said before the series of his trade from Vegas. “When (Montreal general manager) Marc (Bergevin) called me and said I was a big piece that they wanted I just wanted to show that Montreal made the right decision in bringing me over. I want to do everything I can for this franchise.”

On Tuesday, that meant tallying three points as part of a 4-1 Canadiens’ win to give them a 3-2 series lead. Pacioretty scored the Golden Knights’ lone goal, which is appropriate considering he was the player traded for Suzuki in June 2018.

The Golden Knights were coming off an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final but saw two of their top forwards, and David Perron, depart via free agency. The then top line of Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith was still around, but Vegas needed another scoring threat even after signing Paul Stastny to play center.

With the needs of the club in the moment, trading a 19-year-old Suzuki who was not expected to contribute for another year for one of the decade’s most prolific finishers in Pacioretty made sense.

Pacioretty struggled out of the gate as he adjusted to a new system in Vegas, but turned into a different player once the Golden Knights acquired Mark Stone five months later. Since Stone arrived, Pacioretty has 60 goals and 125 points in 135 regular season games, and 15 goals and 30 points in 35 playoff games.

Suzuki broke in with Montreal in 2019-20, putting up a respectable 13 goals and 41 points in 71 games his rookie year. He boosted that to 15 goals and 41 points in 56 games this year, but he’s really thrived in the playoffs this year with five goals and 13 points in 16 postseason games.

He’s terrorized the Golden Knights, registering five points in the last three games.

“He went to a situation where he got a really good opportunity, that was ready for him, and has flourished,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “We wanted to improve another line and that’s what Max did for us, and the synergy he developed with Mark Stone took them both to another level.”

Putting aside other pieces of the trade (Tomas Tatar and a second-round pick), the swap of Pacioretty for Suzuki netted both teams what they needed at that point in their respective timelines.

Pacioretty has kept the Golden Knights near the top of the NHL while Suzuki has helped pull the Canadiens from the bottom of the league to respectability for near the league minimum salary. That means Suzuki might be right: This could be the rare trade that’s worked for both sides.

Given the chance, both teams would likely sign off on the trade again.

The part that may make the trade sting for the Golden Knights is that they shipped out Suzuki instead of Cody Glass, the other forward alongside Pacioretty who will always be a part of the discussion in 1216370 Vegas Golden Knights but ultimately it falls down on myself and the top players on this team. We had some guys produce night in and night out, but as far as myself and our other guys, I got skunked this series. That can’t happen. I’m the captain of this team, the leader of this team. I take a lot of responsibility Golden Knights again fail to reach their potential — ‘It’s a pretty empty for what just occurred.” feeling right now’ Dating to the Colorado series, this was the first time Stone went seven straight games without a point since joining the Golden Knights. He wasn’t alone, though. Reilly Smith and Max Pacioretty each scored one By Jesse Granger goal in the series — the only goals by the top two forward lines. William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault, Chandler Stephenson and Alex Tuch each was held scoreless. And a big reason for that was the power-play The Golden Knights have been to the conference-final round in three of struggles. Vegas went 0-for-15 with a man advantage in the series, and their first four years of existence. 4-for-42 in the playoffs. That conversion rate of 9.5 percent is the lowest of any team this deep into the playoffs in 28 years. It’s an incredible accomplishment, a level of success many franchises would be ecstatic with. But on Thursday night in Montreal, you couldn’t “We didn’t play with any confidence,” DeBoer said of Vegas’ power play. tell by the expressions on the Vegas players’ faces after they were “You saw the same thing we did. If we knew what was wrong, we eliminated one step short of the Cup Final for the second straight year. would’ve fixed it. That’s obviously something that has to get fixed. You need your power play this time of year, and your penalty kill. It was “Obviously this is incredibly disappointing,” defenseman Alec Martinez disappointing.” said, sulking in his chair with his head drooping in front of the microphone. “I think this is one of the best, if not the best team I’ve Vegas struggled to score at all strengths, not just on the power play. And played on. To come up short is obviously really disappointing. I’m proud despite controlling possession for long stretches, the Canadiens were far of the way the guys battled. This is a great group.” more opportunistic with their chances.

Martinez hit the nail on the head on multiple levels. He’s right that “It just came down to how they did a better job of scoring goals than we Thursday night’s 3-2 overtime Game 6 loss to the Montreal Canadiens did in the series,” Smith said. “The chances were there, but it seemed was an incredibly disappointing end to an otherwise exceptional season, like every time they got an opportunity or a breakaway, it ended up in the and in the same breath, he also put into words why it’s so disheartening. back of our net, and we weren’t able to do the same on our end.”

This Golden Knights team was overflowing with talent at every position. So where do the Golden Knights go from here? They were already They had a deep group of forwards that finished third in the NHL in pressed so tightly against the salary cap that it forced them to play with scoring in the regular season and scored the most even-strength goals in less than a full roster throughout the regular season. They now enter the the playoffs. They added Alex Pietrangelo to an already impressive offseason with roughly $6 million in cap space, but with several key defensive group, and he was outstanding in his first postseason run with players hitting unrestricted free agency. Martinez, who was one of the the club. They have one of the best goalie tandems in recent memory, most impactful players during this playoff run, headlines that list, followed with Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner allowing the fewest goals in by Mattias Janmark and Tomas Nosek. the league. “I think everything’s on the table,” DeBoer said of the offseason. “We But despite all that, the Golden Knights were eliminated in six games by have to look at what we can do differently from a coaching perspective. a team they were heavily favored over. It’s a very similar fate to last We’ve got to look at our personnel. I think everything’s on the table.” season, when they were suffocated by a Dallas Stars team built in a similar fashion. That’s another reason why Thursday night’s loss is so crushing. This was a special group of talented players, and it’s unlikely they’ll get another run “I don’t know if they’re exactly the same issues,” coach Pete DeBoer said as currently constructed. That’s the business of hockey. after the loss, contrasting it to last year’s Western Conference finals exit. “I thought a year ago, with our group, we wouldn’t get through the “Like Marty said, this is probably the best team that we’re ever going to Minnesota series like we did this year. That was a tough team that play on,” Smith said. “As players, we just have to be better, and we defended the inside. They didn’t give you a lot of room, and we found a expect that from each and every one of us.” way this year. Whereas a year ago, I’m not confident we would have. But For the Golden Knights’ sake, they should hope this isn’t the best team we couldn’t do it two times against a team that was playing that way. So, they ever play on. They still have the vast majority of the core under I don’t know.” contract moving forward, and aside from potential additions to the roster, DeBoer is correct that this postseason isn’t the same as last year. In there is room for growth and improvement from within. The front office 2020, the Golden Knights were gifted with one of the easiest paths to a now faces a major decision. Is the core of the team in need of a conference final in history. They clobbered a Chicago Blackhawks squad substantial overhaul, requiring salary to be moved out, or do they simply that wouldn’t have qualified for the postseason if not for the season tweak the roster around the edges and hope that’s enough to get over shutting down due to a pandemic, then squeaked by an overmatched the hump? Kelly McCrimmon and George McPhee have been aggressive Canucks team. This year, Vegas more than earned its way to this point. to this point, so it will be interesting to see which route they take. The Golden Knights showed incredible grit to beat Minnesota, an “When you get to this point, the teams that win find another level, they opponent they’ve historically struggled with, then put together perhaps don’t sag,” DeBoer said. “We didn’t find another level, and they did. I the best four-game run in team history to eliminate the Presidents’ thought they were opportunistic, and they owned the key moments of the Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche. series. When they got a chance, they stuck it into the net.” And while this postseason run showed a lot more than the last, in the The Golden Knights clearly have enough talent to win it all, but putting it end, the result was the same. together at the right time is an entirely different thing. It’s not as if they’re “It’s a pretty empty feeling right now,” goalie Robin Lehner said. “Every far off. Three of the games in this series went to overtime, and the other time you lose in the playoffs and the season is over, it’s kind of hard to contests were close throughout. take in. I thought we battled hard. I’m really proud of our guys. Everyone “I thought we battled hard,” Lehner said. “I’m really proud of our guys. worked really hard. It’s not easy to get to the Stanley Cup Final. We were Everyone worked really hard. It’s not easy to get to the Stanley Cup right there. We have some things, all of us (have) got to be a little bit Final. We were right there. We have some things, all of us got to be a better. We were right on the door.” little bit better. We were right on the door. We’re right there. It’s such For the second-straight year, Vegas’ scoring dried up at the worst small details and inches.” possible time. The Golden Knights’ top players struggled to generate Robin Lehner and Carey Price. (Jean-Yves Ahern / USA Today) offense of any kind, let alone score goals. Captain Mark Stone went all six games without a single point, and like the leader he is, he shouldered Now they enter another offseason disappointed and hungry for the blame. improvement.

“They play hard,” Stone said of the Canadiens. “They’re big, they’re “That’s what we play for,” Karlsson said of the Stanley Cup. “That’s what strong, their forward group is responsible. I can praise them all I want, drives you every day. That’s why you work hard in the summers and why every game, every day, is worth the grind. I know this whole group really wants to win.”

It’s easy to be upset with Stone now for his play in this series. He wasn’t good enough, period. When asked if he was playing through an injury, he leaned into the microphone and belted an emphatic “no.”

But as disappointing as Stone’s play was over the last six games, he showed leadership after the loss by shouldering the blame. He also showed he has the right mindset to lead this team moving forward.

The Golden Knights have won a ridiculous number of games during their first four seasons in the NHL, but it doesn’t make Thursday night sting any less.

“We’ve had success, but going into year five, the expectation is to win the Stanley Cup,” Stone said. “I’m excited to learn from mistakes and try and build this team into a Stanley Cup winner and not just a contender.”

And now commences the offseason, and with the way this franchise has operated, it should be another interesting one.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216371 Vegas Golden Knights it: ‘Yes, I want to say I love Céline.’ And these are singers who do not, at all, sing in the same repertoire.”

Carl Wilson, a Toronto-based music critic with Slate, published “Let’s Céline Dion and the (fake) image that stung Canadiens fans near, far, Talk About Love: A Journey to the End of Taste,” a book about Dion, in wherever they are 2007.

“I think that she’s embraced a lot more universally than she was at the height of her fame, when she was both worshipped by her fans, but also By Sean Fitz-Gerald really scorned and made fun of by people who considered them more culturally sophisticated,” Wilson said Wednesday. Jun 24, 2021 He was among the people who scorned her work, particularly in the late

1990s, when she reached the height of her fame following the release of Tara Slone, the musician and television host who was born in Montreal, “Titanic,” and her accompanying ballad “My Heart Will Go On.” was asked to describe the place Céline Dion still holds in the imagination “I was living in Montreal at the time, so she was really ubiquitous,” he of their home province. said. “There was this feeling that you couldn’t escape Céline Dion, 24 “I would say that ‘icon’ doesn’t do her status justice,” Slone said. “She’s hours a day in Montreal in 1998.” like the musical patron saint of Quebec.” Writing the book, he said, transformed his relationship with her music. He What happened earlier this week, then, was suspected heresy. appreciates it now, and he does not think the Golden Knights were using her image to troll Montreal fans for liking her work. On Tuesday, less than an hour before the Montreal Canadiens stepped onto the ice in Las Vegas to face the Golden Knights in Game 5 of their They were more likely trolling Montreal because Las Vegas has stolen Stanley Cup semifinal series, a dramatic image appeared on the video her away. board. It was a photo of Dion, a Quebec native, looking serious in a “I think the day of using Céline Dion to make fun of things has kind of hockey helmet emblazoned with the word “Vegas.” passed,” he said. “I would say that it’s very much taunting Montreal with Reaction was swift and strong. Canadian news outlets scrambled to the kind of double-loyalty that she has, as being a long-time Vegas generate stories. There was discussion about the photograph, and resident — but being this iconic Québécoise success story.” whether it had been doctored. (That appeared to be the case.) In Slone left Montreal when she was four years old but returned for Montreal, the Gazette issued a (tongue-in-cheek) tweet that summed up university. She became lead singer for the band Joydrop and appeared the moment: “Céline Dion, a traitor, poses in Vegas Golden Knights on “Rock Star: INXS,” a reality show on CBS to find a new singer for the attire.” Australian band. She has settled in Toronto, where she is co-host of The Golden Knights did not return multiple messages left by The Athletic “Rogers Hometown Hockey,” as well as host of “Top of Her Game” on on Wednesday. Attempts to reach Dion’s publicity team were not Sportsnet. successful, but Dion posted a tweet in French on Thursday that denied “For me, as a rock-and-roller, there’s always a little bit of the tongue-in- participation in the photo, saying, “I have nothing to do with this photo…. cheek — you kind of beat your chest and pretend to be Céline Dion in a And you know what photo I’m talking about!” kind of cheeky way,” she said. “But I don’t care who you are, if you’re a Still, Line Grenier, a professor in communication studies at the Université music fan or a musician of any kind, you have to respect her de Montreal, said the video board manipulation was a “beautiful performance style and her commitment. marketing stunt” for the Golden Knights. “And her vocal prowess: There are just very, very few at her level.” “She doesn’t mean one thing, she means different things to different She said the idea of using Dion on the video board in Las Vegas was people,” Grenier said. “So that’s where it’s so brilliant on the part of “extremely clever.” whoever decided to put her there. It will talk to tons of people for totally different reasons. “There’s definitely a ‘Wow, shots fired,’” she said. “That’s like Montreal putting up a picture of Wayne Newton with a Habs jersey.” “Some people will probably be angry. Others will laugh. I think it’s brilliant marketing.”

Dion has become an institution in Las Vegas too. She took up residency The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 in 2003, and by the time she ended her run two years ago, her shows had reportedly drawn more than 4.5 million fans and generated more than $680 million in revenue. (Her return, scheduled for later this year, sold out quickly.)

Dion was born in suburban Charlemagne, Que., a half-hour from the Bell Centre. Her origin story is well-known: The youngest of 14 children, born to a butcher and a homemaker, she was performing on TV by the time she was 13 years old.

Grenier said many elements of the origin story have helped Dion stand out. She rose to prominence as a singer, rather than a singer/songwriter. Her international star did not rise first in France, but rather in Japan and South America before the United States.

“All of that makes her a very interesting figure in terms of music,” said Grenier. “But at the same time, she has become a very complex, controversial public figure, where people either hate her or, on the contrary, just love her.”

She said Dion has come to represent family values, entrepreneurship and the value of hard work. She has also become a symbol of endurance, of persevering through the especially harsh criticism received in both French and English early in her career.

Over the last decade, she has also noticed more young artists admit their admiration.

“Many of them are publicly claiming they are fans of Céline Dion, which has not happened in a long time,” said Grenier. “They were public about 1216372 Vegas Golden Knights When Smith scored in period one, it was only the fourth goal given up by Montreal in the first period during the playoffs. Giving up only four first period goals in 17 postseason games — a stat that explained why Montreal has played with the lead so often this postseason. Montreal VGK Season Ends With Disappointment, Frustration In Montreal: defeated Toronto and Winnipeg to reach the semis. Canadiens 3 Golden Knights 2 In Overtime Thursday Montreal has also killed VGK penalties quite effectively and has given up only three power play goals all postseason.

June 24, 2021 The Knights were 0 for 17 on the power play when they failed to notch a goal on a PP early in period two. By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com Montreal awaits the winner of Tampa vs New York Islanders Game 7 in

Tampa tomorrow night. The Vegas Golden Knights are a very good team. They are just not a Martinez noted the efforts made to realize a season during the COVID-19 championship team. pandemic: “The first thing that comes to mind is I’m grateful. A lot of The Montreal Canadiens, which had 16 less wins during the NHL 56- people not just in our organization but in our league put in a lot of effort game pandemic season then the VGK, knocked out Vegas from the and did a lot of things during a strange time that allowed us to play this Stanley Cup playoffs Thursday night. Montreal was seeded 16th out of year.” 16 playoff teams, while Vegas had the second best record in the regular season. LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 06.25.2021 For Las Vegas, at least there was much-hyped opening of the Resort World hotel-casino on the Strip this evening.

But in Montreal, a feisty crowd of 3,500 celebrated the Canadiens’ 3-2 win over Vegas in overtime. Montreal won the NHL Final 4 semis in six games.

Golden Knights forward Mark Stone, who did not register a point in the six games, summed up the feeling in the postgame locker room: “Pretty terrible feeling. . . We have to grow as a group.”

Here’s Robin Lehner, the VGK goaltender, summarizing the defeat:

He also tweeted this message to Montreal:

The Knights knocked off a rough Minnesota team in seven brutal games and took out Colorado in six after dropping the first two games.

But they encountered the rock-solid play of Montreal goaltender Carey Price, suffered through six games with an anemic power play and watched a star born in Canadiens newcomer Cole Caufield.

Caufield made a gorgeous move to get around reliable VGK defenseman Brayden McNabb, zoomed in on Lehner and wristed the puck into the upper right corner of the cage to give the Habs a 2-1 lead. Caufield scored four goals in the series. The entire group of VGK forwards scored four goals in the six-game series.

VGK defenseman Alec Martinez tied the score at 2-2 in the third period.

But the Golden Knights’ game, series and season ended on Montreal’s first shot in overtime.

Artturi Lehkonen scored 99 seconds into the extra session.

It’s a pretty empty feeling right now — VGK goalie Robin Lehner

“They were opportunistic,” VGK coach Pete DeBoer said after the game.

Montreal defeated Vegas three times this series by that same 3-2 score. After Vegas won the first game, 4-1, Montreal took four of the next five games.

Montreal is the first Canadian team to appear in the Stanley Cup Final in a decade. The Canadiens were the last team from north of the border to win the Stanley Cup in 1993.

In period one, an Alec Martinez giveaway led to a power play goal by Montreal’s Shea Weber, who blasted a shot past Lehner to give the Canadiens a 1-0 lead a little less than six minutes into period one.

But the Knights answered right back only 48 seconds later when VGK forward Reilly Smith snapped a nine-game goal-scoring slump by tipping home a shot by Shea Theodore. And just like that, the game was tied.

“There’s always room for improvement. We have to keep on pushing,” Smith said after one period. Smith noted the Knights come to the rink before every game thinking they will win the game. “We don’t like to think this is is an elimination game.”

The Golden Knights committed 11 turnovers in the first period and it was a victory for VGK to come away with a 1-1 tie after the first 20 minutes. 1216373 Vegas Golden Knights

GOLDEN KNIGHTS GAMEDAY‘Pretty Terrible Feeling’: Stone Takes Blame for VGK Upset Loss

Published 5 hours ago on June 24, 2021

By Tom Callahan

Before the start of this season, the Vegas Golden Knights named Mark Stone the first captain in team history. A leader on and off the ice, the VGK could not have made a better choice. Stone can be an emotional firestarter, celebrating a big goal with exuberance. Or he can be a calming influence, steadying his team when the going gets tough.

And he definitely wears that C as if it were Superman’s S stamped on his chest. He takes it personally.

The very first question he faced following Game 6 was simple enough. What are his feelings about losing for a second straight year in the Stanley Cup Semifinal?

“It’s a pretty terrible feeling.”

That was his entire response.

Stone spent the rest of his time at the media table shouldering more than his fair share of the blame for what happened.

“I can praise them (Montreal) all I want, but ultimately it falls down on (me) and the top players on this team,” Stone said. “We had some guys who produced night in and night out, but as far as (sic) myself and other guys… I got skunked this series. That can’t happen. I’m the captain of this team, the leader of this team and I take a lot of responsibility.”

For the record, Stone finished the series with no points and a minus-3 rating. He was one of several big names that failed to make an impact for the Golden Knights in the series.

When asked point-blank if he had been playing hurt, Stone only replied “no”.

“We’ve had a lot of different heartbreaks. I’m excited to learn from our mistakes and try and build this team into a Stanley Cup winner, not just a contender.”

Certainly, anyone would tell you that the fault isn’t just on Stone and that there’s plenty of responsibility to go around.

“I’m not surprised he’s taking that on himself,” said Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer. “That’s not a load he needs to carry, definitely not alone. I think everybody’s gotta look in the mirror, coaches included.”

It will be a shorter off-season than usual as the NHL looks to get back to normal next season and welcome the expansion Seattle Kraken. But for Mark Stone and the Vegas Golden Knights, it’s going to feel like a very long time until that next puck drop.

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Vanquished: Vegas Golden Knights Bow in OT to Canadiens

Published 6 hours ago on June 24, 2021

By Tom Callahan

The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in overtime of Game 6 to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993.

A 500-1 long-shot to win the Stanley Cup at the start of the playoffs, the Canadiens used a smothering defensive game to limit the Vegas Golden Knights’ scoring throughout the series. The Canadiens also received top- level goaltending from Carey Price the entire series.

The loss marks the second straight season and third time in four years the Golden Knights have reached the Stanely Cup Semifinal. In the team’s inaugural season they went to the Stanley Cup Final where they lost to the Washington Capitals.

Vegas Hockey Now will be with you through the coming days and weeks to provide a look back as well as examining what may lie ahead for the team over the summer.

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“Win” Vegas Golden Knights Prepare For Massive Game 6

Published 9 hours ago on June 24, 2021

By Tom Callahan

Robin Lehner and the Vegas Golden Knights will have to bring their best effort tonight against the Montreal Canadiens to stave off elimination and force a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Semifinal series.

“The guys are positive,” said prior to today’s game. “We know what we have to do to win, go out and execute our job.”

There is still a lot of talk in VGK speak. The usual quotes like “we just need to stick with our game and our plan” could be attributed to any member of the team. Today those words were spoken by Tomas Nosek (more on him later).

Publicly, the Golden Knights have not once wavered from the message inside the dressing room. The key tenets are:

Play with speed.

Be aggressive but smart.

Establish the forecheck.

Move the puck up quickly from the D on breakouts.

Trust that everyone will do their job.

That’s the “our game” you keep hearing about, the one Montreal has shut down to a large degree in this series. The Canadiens are very good at strangling the middle of the ice in all three zones. It forces the pucks outside and even if you’re moving forward, you’re still not in a prime position to do any damage.

Previously, Vegas has stretched the neutral zone in cases like this with longer outlet passes hitting skaters in stride. Sometimes they’ve been able to drive the wall and get the opposition defense to turn and chase. But that hasn’t worked against the Canadiens, who are a very patient team.

Ah, I forgot the most important bullet of all. Patience.

Patience means waiting for opportunities. Waiting for mistakes. Not forcing a bad decision or making a high-risk play just because you haven’t been scoring a ton of goals. This time of year, it’s hard to be patient. Especially when you’re down in a series. But Vegas has to do just that, wait for Montreal to make a rare mistake, and then capitalize.

Special Teams Battle

One of the areas where the Golden Knight has not made the Canadiens pay is on special teams. Zero power-play goals in the series and only four in the playoffs is not getting the job done. The Canadiens do take penalties. But Vegas has yet to make them pay for it. Putting Montreal behind by a goal or two because of the power play makes them play a different game. And then they play differently yet again when they know they can’t take penalties and get away with it. It’s called fear. But the Habs don’t fear the VGK power play.

“Sometimes you just need a couple of bounces to go your way,” said Reilly Smith, who has just two points in the series and hasn’t scored a goal in nine games. “I think that’s a big factor in the series for us. Struggling on the power play is hurting our game, so we look to…turn that around. If we’re able to I think it’ll go a long way. The power play is an issue for us, not (scoring) those goals.”

The VGK PP must convert.

Final Thoughts

I’ll leave this quote from Chandler Stephenson when asked about tonight’s game: “Win. Game 6. One game. We can’t look at winning two games. Win one and take it back to Vegas.”

1216376 Vegas Golden Knights

The Real Story Behind Celine Dion Vegas Golden Knights Viral Photo

Published 14 hours ago on June 24, 2021

By Tom Callahan

The fanbase for the Montreal Canadiens and perhaps the entire Province of Quebec exploded in reaction to a viral photo of chanteuse Celine Dion wearing a Vegas Golden Knights helmet and posted on the scoreboard at T-Mobile Arena before Tuesday’s Game 5.

Vegas Golden Knights Celine Dion

The pic added fuel to the fire that had many wondering what side the famous singer was on: her adopted hometown of Las Vegas where she’s been in residency for years or La Belle Provence where she grew up?

Dion has appeared in both a Montreal Canadiens and Vegas Golden Knights jersey in the past, and in 2018 famously wore a VGK jersey on stage at one of her shows.

While Vegas fans were crowing That’s The Way It Is and Montreal faithful were wondering if their Heart Would Go On, it turns out Dion’s team had no knowledge of the photo. It appears it was photoshopped from a cover of her album Taking Chances then used by the Golden Knights. Noovo reporter Camille Lopez confirmed Dion and her team had nothing to do with it on Twitter.

There has been chatter in the Twittersphere that Celine Dion could show up to sing the anthem tonight since today is la Fête nationale, or Sainte- Jean-Baptiste Day. Or maybe she’ll just avoid the controversy entirely and stay All By Herself.

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BREAKING: Robin Lehner to Start Game 6 for Vegas Golden Knights

Published 17 hours ago on June 24, 2021

By Tom Callahan

After head coach Pete DeBoer refused to name his starting goaltender leading up to tonight’s critical Game Six in Montreal, Vegas Golden Knights forward Tomas Nosek inadvertently confirmed that it will be Robin Lehner starting tonight.

When asked a question at the end of his media availability about Lehner, Nosek wrapped his answer with “he’s a good goalie… hopefully he can prove that again tonight.”

So there you have it. All the secrecy, the cloak-and-dagger tactics… out the window. Lehner starts.

Lehner’s Game Four performance was a big one, getting the Golden Knights back to even with a 27-save performance that included some high-pressure saves. Winning a playoff game in overtime is a big test, but it was the saves Lehner made during regulation that allowed Vegas to tie the game and then secure the win. The biggest stop came on Cole Caufield’s breakaway chance when Montreal could have gone ahead 2- 0.

Vegas Golden Knights Robin Lehner Cole Caufield

Lehner’s other start in the playoffs was rough sledding, giving up seven goals to the Colorado Avalanche in Game One of that series, which the Vegas Golden Knights eventually won 4-2.

The real question on everyone’s mind will be which Robin Lehner shows up tonight? Given Lehner’s propensity to be motivated by big situation and/or other people talking smack about his level of play, my expectation is that we see the fired-up, big-save version of him.

That alone is a good reason for DeBoer to come back with Lehner tonight. He’s a battler who is motivated by proving people wrong.

Another good reason for the selection is Lehner’s big game in the series was in Montreal. It’s no secret that having only 3,500 fans at the Bell Centre makes a difference in atmosphere, but whatever pressure there was did not seem to rattle Lehner. One of the biggest concerns I had – his propensity to give up a soft goal early – was nowhere to be found in Game Four. He came in focused and ready to go.

Vegas really needs Lehner to deliver his best game yet. It may take stopping everything to turn back the Canadiens, who have a chance to move on to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1993. Vegas needs to play with the confidence to jump into the play and create odd- man situations on the offensive side of the puck, and a major part of that is knowing the guy in the net behind you can bail you out if it comes to that.

Finally, Lehner is pretty fresh. He’s played two games in the last seven weeks or so. Energy will not be an issue and hopefully, that carries over to the rest of the team as well.

The playoff fate of the Vegas Golden Knights rides on the pads of Robin Lehner tonight. Game Six puck drop is slated for 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT on USA Network.

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216378 Washington Capitals Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.25.2021

What is the future of Evgeny Kuznetsov?

BY J.J. REGAN & ANDREW GILLIS

*With a flat salary cap, some expiring contracts and the Seattle expansion draft, this is going to be a busy offseason for the Capitals. To get you ready, Capitals writers Andrew Gillis and JJ Regan are breaking down the biggest offseason questions with their thoughts.

Today's question: What is the future of Evgeny Kuznetsov?

Andrew: I feel like I have the exact opposite opinion of most Caps fans, and it's that I think Evgeny Kuznetsov isn’t going anywhere.

The Capitals have made it clear that they’re set on competing for a Stanley Cup in 2022, and having a player with even the potential of Kuznetsov is worth riding out for another year. When he’s on his game, he’s an elite center and gives the Capitals an extremely talented one-two punch down the middle.

If the Capitals ship out Kuznetsov, then the return is very unlikely to net a player that can fill in a top-six role at center that is on par with what the Capitals would need. Trading Kuznetsov, at likely his lowest value of his massive contract, wouldn’t net the Capitals what they’d need to win a Cup.

This conversation is fluid and can massively change over the course of the next year, both good or bad, but right now he’s the best option for a team that wants to win.

JJ: When asked about the possibility of trading Kuznetsov at the team's end-of-season media availability, Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said, "I think we're always open to trading people if it makes sense for what's going on. If it's going to make our team better, I think we're open to it. I don't think anybody's off the table. We're not going to trade Ovi or Backy and those type of people, but I think you have to be open on anything. We would talk to anybody about any player."

That's not exactly a "no," is it?

Before you cross him off your roster, however, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, Kuznetsov is arguably the team's top center and trading that away makes the roster weaker. On a championship-caliber roster, Lars Eller is a third-line center, not a second. The plan can't be just to get rid of Kuznetsov and bump Backstrom to the top line and Eller to the second.

Maybe the team could do that initially with Connor McMichael playing on the third line in the hopes that McMichael would be able to develop into a top-six player by the end of the season, but that is a lot to put on the shoulders of a player with one game of NHL experience and 33 games in the AHL. That's probably an unreasonable expectation and I would predict McMichael starts the season in Hershey.

The second thing to consider is what could the team get back for Kuznetsov? His trade value is probably as low as it has ever been at this point, plus he has a modified no-trade clause allowing him to present the Caps with a 15-team no-trade list. Exposing him to Seattle in the expansion draft could be an option and his talent level would be pretty hard for the Kraken to pass up. You would be losing him for nothing at that point so it would be a matter of just how much the team wants to move him (if they do at all) and what they deem the market to be for him. If there is no trade market, then exposing him to Seattle would at least clear up $7.8 million of cap space for a team in desperate need of shedding salary.

After three straight first-round playoff exits, I think a major move is needed if the team hopes to continue to compete for the Stanley Cup. With that in mind, I see why moving an inconsistent player like Kuznetsov would make sense. But you only make that kind of a move if you are sure you can get a top-six center back (whether as part of the deal, through a trade, free agency, etc.) because the goal for this season remains to compete for the Stanley Cup. If not, then the Caps should keep him for one more run.

1216379 Washington Capitals

Oshie's former college coach named first head coach of the Kraken

BY J.J. REGAN

The Seattle Kraken named Dave Hakstol as the team's first head coach in franchise history on Thursday.

SEATTLE, WE GOT OUR GUY!

Hakstol, 52, spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to that, he was the head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers for over three seasons. But it was at the University of North Dakota where Hakstol came to prominence coaching there for 15 seasons, 11 of which as the head coach. It was there that he coached Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie for three seasons from 2005 to 2008.

Oshie's name has been speculated as a player Washington could potentially leave exposed in the Seattle expansion draft this summer due to his age, 34, and contract, four years remaining with a $5.75 million cap hit. Because of his production, likeability, and the fact that he was born in Washington state, if Oshie was to be left exposed he would be a hard player for Seattle to pass on.

Both Oshie and Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan have expressed their desire for Oshie to remain with Washington and it is doubtful that the hiring of Hakstol will really change either of their opinions.

Ultimately, the hiring of Hakstol changes little when it comes to the possibility of Oshie going to Seattle. The Caps must decide by July 17 who to protect from the draft and Oshie will likely not even be available to them. The only way in which the hiring of Hakstol changes things is that it makes it even more likely that the Kraken would take Oshie if he were to be left exposed.

While the reasoning for why Seattle would want Oshie makes sense, the fact remains that he is a 34-year-old player whose production will, at some point, not live up to the remaining years of his contract. If the Caps decided to expose Oshie as a way to cut salary, there's no guarantee that Seattle would take him, That could have potentially left the Caps with a tricky situation of having a player they want to move and publicly tried to move but ultimately couldn't.

The hiring of Hakstol likely erases the guesswork here. As a coach with familiarity with Oshie, there should be little doubt that Oshie would be Seattle's pick if left exposed. It just makes too much sense.

Again, it doesn't matter if MacLellan was not going to expose Oshie anyway, but certainty in these types of situations always helps a team in its decision-making.

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Jets lose long-time coach Vincent to Blue Jackets

Paul Friesen

Publishing date: Jun 24, 2021

The Winnipeg Jets are losing their top developmental coach.

Pascal Vincent, a member of the Jets 2.0 organization for all 10 seasons, is leaving his post as head coach of the American League’s to become an assistant with the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, reports indicated on Thursday.

Vincent, 49, coached the Moose for the last five seasons, after five years behind the Jets bench as an assistant coach.

He was often credited by Jets coach Paul Maurice for his work in helping young players make the jump from the AHL to the NHL.

Vincent joins new Blue Jackets boss Brad Larsen.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 06.25.2021 1216381 Winnipeg Jets

Pascal Vincent leaving Winnipeg to become Blue Jackets assistant coach under Brad Larsen: report

By Aaron Portzline

Jun 25, 2021

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two weeks after he was named Blue Jackets coach, Brad Larsen has reportedly made his first hire.

Pascal Vincent, who has spent the last 10 seasons in the Winnipeg Jets organization — the first five as an NHL assistant, the last five as coach of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose — will join the Blue Jackets as one of Larsen’s assistants.

The news, first reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, has not yet been announced by the Blue Jackets or Winnipeg, but it was confirmed to The Athletic by multiple NHL club sources on Thursday. Vincent did not respond to text messages seeking comment.

Vincent, 49, is expected to run the Blue Jackets’ forwards and power play, although the bench duties won’t be officially sorted out until Larsen’s staff is complete. He’s said to be zeroing in on a second assistant, too.

Former Blue Jackets interim head coach Claude Noel, now a scout with New Jersey, was the coach in Winnipeg in 2011-12 when Vincent joined the staff as a young assistant just up from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

They worked together until Noel was fired during the 2013-14 season, but Noel has always raved about Vincent and promoted him for NHL jobs.

“I think Pascal is terrific,” Noel said. “Young, innovative, progressive … and he has great core values. It’s an excellent fit in Columbus, and he’ll really be well-liked there. He’s very passionate and personable.

“He’s also a very hard worker. I can’t say enough good things about him. He has a very bright future.”

When the Blue Jackets began searching for a head coach after parting ways with John Tortorella after the season, Vincent was one of the names that quickly surfaced as a possible candidate for the job that Larsen eventually filled. He was never interviewed for the job.

Vincent had been seen as a strong candidate to replace coach Paul Maurice in Winnipeg, but Maurice, after eight seasons with the Jets, appears safe despite winning only one playoff round in the last three seasons.

Vincent, who coached Blue Jackets forward Jack Roslovic for two seasons in Manitoba, is considered an excellent teacher and developer of young talent, with Jets forward Kyle Connor his star pupil.

Like most coaches in today’s NHL, Vincent is said to favor a 1-3-1 set-up on the power play, with a heavy emphasis on shots from the point.

In five AHL seasons, beginning in 2016-17, Vincent’s teams finished 13th, second, 26th, 22nd and 13th in the league on the power play, although, to be fair, AHL lineups are often in a state of disarray with NHL call-ups, etc.

The Moose finished second in the AHL’s Canadian division this season with an 18-13-3-2 record. Vincent is 155-139-31 as an AHL coach.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 1216382 Vancouver Canucks On Wednesday, the Islanders responded on home ice with an unlikely overtime goal by Anthony Beauvillier, who hadn’t scored in 10 postseason games. The raucous Nassau Coliseum crowd went crazy, and beer cans were tossed on the ice in celebration as the Islanders Canucks looked to Trotz after Torts, but caring coach got away to Caps lived to fight another day. instead “I saw what I saw all year — a team that has backbone and character,” said Trotz. “We got down 2-0 and our bench was great. You could see the momentum building and I was pretty confident if we got to overtime. Ben Kuzma You could see it in their eyes and you could feel it on the bench.” Publishing date: Jun 24, 2021 The pressure is on the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning to respond Friday like they did in Game 5 and not let the Islanders get in their heads. That might not be easy. Perspective is always present with Barry Trotz. “There are unlikely heroes and big moments,” noted Trotz. “As a coach The engaging New York Islanders head coach is just as educating and or player, you have it a certain way in your mind and it never goes that entertaining in explaining a gut-punch loss as he is delivering a period- way. That’s why you have to stay in the moment and have a defining by-period account of an exhilarating, season-saving overtime triumph moment because they come at the strangest times. Wednesday. “And that’s the beauty for me in how the human spirit reacts. You dream With the Islanders one victory away Friday from replicating what the of these situations, and we have one Friday and that’s fantastic.” Washington Capitals accomplished in 2018 under the direction of Trotz — rallying to win Game 6 at home and topping the Tampa Bay Lightning Trotz has never sought adulation, whether being honoured for his charity to capture the Eastern Conference title en route to a Stanley Cup work or simple acts of thoughtfulness. championship — there is a lot for the bench boss to draw upon. On one occasion, the Predators went curling in Calgary during downtime. And a lot to ponder in Vancouver. When players bolted to the ice after downing pizza and sub sandwiches in the dining area, Trotz wiped tables, picked scraps off the floor and What if the National Hockey League career of the highly respected, made sure chairs were pushed back in. successful and humble Trotz had gone in another direction? Another time, the Predators were long gone after practice and this In 2014, he was on the Canucks’ radar to replace John Tortorella after visiting scribe spotted Trotz at the end of the hallway and hoped to get a agreeing to part ways following 15 years with the Nashville Predators, couple of minutes with the coach. I got 20. who were entering a rebuilding phase.

But while intrigued by interest on the West Coast, Trotz chose to remain loyal to the Washington organization because it provided him with his first Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.25.2021 professional coaching position as an assistant with the Baltimore Skipjacks. And in his fourth season running an American Hockey League bench, he guided the Portland (Maine) Pirates to a championship in 1994. Ironically, he couldn’t reach contract terms after the 2018 Stanley Cup triumph and was quickly snapped up by the Islanders.

Instead of landing Trotz, the Canucks leaned on , who won an AHL championship with the Texas Stars in 2014. To his credit, the Canucks instantly responded with a 101-point season but lost in the opening round of the 2015 playoffs. Desjardins couldn’t get his club back to the postseason the following two seasons, was fired and replaced by Travis Green.

Would it have been different here with Trotz? Who knows?

Tortorella had said the Canucks’ roster was too old, too stale and the franchise was obsessed with trying to turn the clock back to 2011. It needed a rebuild. Desjardins often seemed overwhelmed by demands in a hockey-mad market.

To know what the Canucks could have had if Trotz had a change of heart, consider how the 58-year-old Dauphin, Man., native functions. The former diminutive Western Hockey League defenceman once explained his coaching philosophy to me in this manner:

“I care about the player. He can’t be good unless he’s right. The game is not all X’s and O’s. It’s about relationships and understanding why a guy might be having an off week — maybe problems at home. You better find out about your players and find out what makes them tick.

“I’m fair. If they chirp and I get on their case, they understand because they’re probably not playing as well as they can because I do care about them. They understand there has to be discipline, but you have to treat people well. In Nashville, we had good people and good pros and if they don’t fit in, we weren’t afraid to move them or make harsh decisions.”

Who wouldn’t want to hire a coach like that?

On Thursday, Trotz was at his best to chronicle an 8-0 loss Monday in Tampa that could have crushed the Islanders’ spirit. Tossed a softball question to ease that stunning setback, he cut to the chase.

“It was a disaster, actually, if you want to be more accurate,” he responded. “It was a one-off. We turned pucks over in desperation. It was one of those strange games where we got out of character. Games are going to do that to you sometimes.” 1216383 Websites 8. Los Angeles Kings: Brandt Clarke, RHD, Barrie-OHL The Kings have only used one first-round pick on a defenseman since

2010 (Tobias Bjornfot at No. 22 in 2019). Teams around the league think The Athletic / NHL Mock Draft 2021: From the Sabres through the Cup in a draft with four premium defense prospects that seems the odds-on winner, Corey Pronman picks the entire first round thing to happen with L.A.’s pick — to take whichever of Hughes, Edvinsson or Clarke are left at No. 8.

9. Vancouver Canucks: Kent Johnson, C, Michigan-Big Ten By Corey Pronman There is an industry consensus top-nine skaters in this draft and it’s Jun 24, 2021 presumed Vancouver will take whichever of the nine are left at their pick. In this mock scenario, it would be the Michigan forward Johnson.

10. Ottawa Senators: Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea-SHL We’re a month from Buffalo being on the clock so it’s time to start discussing how I think the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft will actually When I’ve asked team sources around the league where they think the go. This mock will be 31 picks deep and there will be a longer one closer two top goalie prospects in Wallstedt and Sebastian Cossa could end up, to the draft date. the common answers are Ottawa and Chicago, with some mentioning of Detroit, too. Once the consensus top-nine skaters are gone most scouts This mock is less “intel” based, given a lot of teams haven’t had meetings agree the goalies are right in that mix. Mads Sogaard had a decent brief yet to put together their lists. The mock will discuss certain picks and how stint with AHL’s Belleville Senators, but almost all scouts consider they blend with that specific team, but readers should also use this Wallstedt as a major upgrade and the best player available at No. 10 in exercise to get an idea of roughly what players I think will go at what this scenario. Once the consensus top nine are gone Ottawa becomes range, and what options their team could be looking at. This is not my one of the most interesting picks in the draft. opinion of the players in the draft class. Those along with full reports can be found here. 11. Chicago Blackhawks: Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton-WHL

The last four team slots in this mock were based on points percentage. Cossa hasn’t emerged as a top-12 guy with every scout but most think he’s right in this mix talent-wise and think Chicago will consider 1. Buffalo Sabres: Owen Power, LHD, Michigan-Big Ten whichever of him or Wallstedt are available at this slot. Alternatively, I would be more surprised than stunned if this was anyone other than sources think Chaz Lucius or Matthew Coronato could be the path they Power. I won’t rule out one of the other top prospects for No. 1 here but go if they opt for a skater. after the IIHF World Championship that Power had with Team Canada, I 12. Calgary Flames: Chaz Lucius, C, U.S. NTDP-USHL think this one has become fairly locked in. If both goalies go before Calgary, the Flames have a chance to dictate 2. Seattle Kraken: Matthew Beniers, C, Michigan-Big Ten how the rest of the first round goes. Lucius, Matthew Coronato and Fedor Seattle will take their best player available, as anyone would at No. 2, but Svechkov are names I’ve heard mentioned with Calgary’s pick. Lucius’ a part of me suspects that org will want their first-ever pick to be a center stock dipped slightly in the eyes of teams over the season when he was or defenseman. If they like Beniers, you can argue it’s a reasonable healthy, but he’s right at the top of next grouping and should go right selection on talent too. Premium centers will be the toughest to acquire around this area. via the expansion draft as well. 13. Philadelphia Flyers: Cole Sillinger, C, Sioux Falls-USHL 3. Anaheim Ducks: Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton-WHL Sillinger didn’t get to play in the U18 worlds but before the tournament he Guenther is a highly talented goal-scorer and there isn’t a ton of that in was a guy most teams expected to go in the 13-to-18 range. The Flyers the Ducks’ pipeline right now. You can envision a future PP1 with him on could use some young center depth, especially if Nolan Patrick is moved the left flank, Trevor Zegras on the right and Jamie Drysdale manning the this summer. point. The organization could use another premium center, so teams 14. Dallas Stars: Matthew Coronato, RW, Chicago-USHL around the league think Mason McTavish or Beniers, if he gets to No. 3, could be possibilities here as well. Coronato’s stock kept going up all season, from a second-or-third-round type to a late first-round projection, to a guy teams firmly expect to go in 4. : Luke Hughes, LHD, U.S. NTDP-USHL the middle of the first round, either at this slot or plus or minus a couple I’m sure some will roll their eyes at this one, which would unite Luke with picks due to how well-rounded a forward he is. He could provide a skill his brother Jack Hughes. The Devils are somewhat stuck between a rock and scoring injection into Dallas’ system. and a hard place if their preference is someone else at No. 4. People 15. New York Rangers: Fedor Svechkov, C, Togliatti-VHL around the league think this will be either Luke Hughes, Guenther or Simon Edvinsson as I am not hearing this is 100 percent Hughes. Before the U18 worlds, Svechkov was getting more buzz as a 20-to-40 range type of pick, but following U18s, with him being the 1C on the 5. Columbus Blue Jackets: Simon Edvinsson, LHD, Frolunda-SHL second-best team at the tournament, there’s more interest in him as a The message out of Columbus is they need centers but once Seth Jones top-20 pick. He would make sense based on talent and the Rangers is dealt they will need centers and defensemen. Edvinsson, Hughes and having a need for some top young center talent in their system. McTavish are the names people around the league think could be the 16. St. Louis Blues: Corson Ceulemans, RHD, Brooks-AJHL pick at No. 5 with Edvinsson being the one I’ve heard mentioned the most. Ceulemans is a divisive player with teams. Some don’t see him as a first- rounder, and some see him as a top-15 candidate. I think after a strong 6. Detroit Red Wings: Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough-OHL U18s he’ll end up going around the teens as a 6-foot-2, mobile McTavish is the name I’ve heard the most with Detroit early in the mock defenseman with offense. St. Louis hasn’t picked a defenseman in the draft season but team sources have also said they think goalie Jesper first round since 2012. Wallstedt or Michigan forward Kent Johnson could be the pick here too. 17. Winnipeg Jets: Zachary Bolduc, C, Rimouski-QMJHL An interesting thing with this pick is both Johnson and William Eklund face questions on if they’re actually NHL centers. Could Detroit use three Bolduc didn’t have an amazing season but his stock has remained high high picks in four years on potential wingers? with teams due to how well he skates to go with a high skill level and it’s expected he will be picked in the 15-to-25 range on draft day. The Jets 7. San Jose Sharks: William Eklund, LW, Djurgarden-SHL don’t have a clear, pressing need in their system so Bolduc or Eklund would provide the type of elite skill at forward the Sharks haven’t defenseman Carson Lambos would be the best players available per the been able to draft in a long time and would fit into the type of player industry. they’ve taken in recent years. If Guenther doesn’t go higher than this I 18. Nashville Predators: Carson Lambos, LHD, Winnipeg-WHL imagine he’s a strong possibility at No. 7 as well. Trying to mock draft Lambos is a tough exercise due to the fact he didn’t goal-scorer with size, skill and speed who you can see complementing have a great season and a medical issue ended his 2020-21. Some the various weapons Colorado already has. teams don’t think he’s a first-rounder and others remain very optimistic on him as a top-15 candidate. I expect on draft day he will go right 28. Montreal Canadiens: Matthew Knies, LW, Tri-City-USHL around this range given those risks after coming into the season as a top Knies’ draft stock has gone through waves during the last 16 months, prospect. Nashville hasn’t used a high pick on a defenseman since 2016. with a great underage year, a big early-season dip and then a recovery in 19. Edmonton Oilers: Brennan Othmann, LW, Flint-OHL the closing parts of the season. Some teams expect he will for sure go in the second round, but I’ve heard some late first-round discussions about Othmann’s stock rose after the U18 worlds, and some scouts think he him recently. He brings size, skill and competitiveness to a team that could go much higher than this slot but others expect right around 20 is values that in Montreal. where he will land due to a lack of speed. Othmann would bring a high level of skill, goal-scoring ability and physicality to the Oilers and 29. New Jersey Devils: Shai Buium, LHD, Sioux City-USHL someone to finish plays set up by their star centers. Buium is one of the players whose draft stock went up the most over the 20. Boston Bruins: Daniil Chayka, LHD, CSKA-KHL course of the season. After playing U16 prep hockey two seasons ago he’s being discussed now as a 25-to-40 selection candidate with the late Chayka’s season in Russia was up and down, but talking to teams there first-round chatter picking up with how well he ended his USHL season. is still a lot of interest in a mobile 6-foot-3 defenseman who many scouts Even with adding Hughes, the Devils could use several more good believe has some offense. Boston’s system has a lot of needs so taking defense prospects and Buium would add a skill component that their the best player available here, per the industry, would be Chayka who is other current defense prospects don’t have. expected to play again in Ontario next season. I could see Aatu Raty or Wyatt Johnston here too, as the Bruins system could use a skill infusion. 30. Columbus Blue Jackets: Samu Salminen, C, -Jr. A.

21. Minnesota Wild: Nikita Chibrikov, RW, SKA-KHL True centers make the world go round when it comes to the NHL draft and Salminen created a lot of attention for himself at the U18s. He was Mock drafting Chibrikov is a tough exercise. Many scouts agree on talent Finland’s top center, playing very well and getting some scouts to see the that he’s a top-15 pick player in the draft due to his great skill, sense and possibility of him being a middle-six center even if not all scouts agree he high compete level. They also admit it’s tough going to bat for a smaller, can be that. For that reason I can see him sneaking into the first with not overly quick winger signed with SKA and thus teams think he could Columbus being a prime candidate for how much they want to shore up get to the 20s. Minnesota has other system needs, such as defense, but that position. this would be too much talent to pass up at this point and there isn’t an obvious top defenseman prospect on the board. 31. Vegas Golden Knights: Kirill Kirsanov, LHD, SKA-KHL

22. Detroit Red Wings: Isak Rosen, RW, Leksands-SHL Kirsanov is expected to go in the 25-to-50 range. Vegas has some good defense prospects but hasn’t used a top pick on that position since Erik Rosen had a great U18 worlds, leading to some speculation from scouts Brannstrom in their first draft. They also have shown no hesitation picking that he could go top 20 if not higher, whereas others still see him as a Russians. I could see Stanislav Svozil as an option here as well. late-first type. Rosen brings a lot of speed and skill to a lineup and could become another important prospect for Detroit. I could see Chibrikov or The Arizona Coyotes forfeited their 2021 first-round pick for violating the Othmann here as well if either gets to this slot. NHL’s combine testing policy.

23. Florida Panthers: Xavier Bourgault, C, Shawinigan-QMJHL

Bourgault has elicited mixed opinions among scouts, with some saying The Athletic LOADED: 06.25.2021 he will go top 20 due to his tremendous skill and production and others saying he’s more a 25-to-35 type player because of what he lacks outside his skill. I think Florida would ideally like to add a defenseman at this pick but there isn’t an obvious defense pick here so I see them targeting more dynamic players such as Bourgault, Fabian Lysell or Oskar Olausson.

24. Columbus Blue Jackets: Aatu Raty, C, Karpat-Liiga

Trying to figure out where Raty’s stock is right now has been a challenge. I don’t talk to a lot of scouts who are excited to step up and take him high, but most expect he will still go somewhere in the 20s due to the chance that he could be a middle-six center, even after his underwhelming draft season. If Columbus picks Edvinsson at No. 5, adding centers with their other selections adds up with Raty or Johnston being ideal targets.

25. Minnesota Wild: Wyatt Johnston, C, Windsor-OHL

Johnston’s stock shot up following the U18s and he’s now being talked about among scouts as a probable first-round pick. Minnesota added two centers in the last draft with Marco Rossi and Marat Khusnutdinov but you can never have too many with Johnston being seen as a two-way center with good skill and compete with middle-six potential. I could see Raty as a possibility here too.

26. Carolina Hurricanes: Fabian Lysell, RW, Lulea-SHL

After coming into the season as a presumed top-15 if not top-10 pick Lysell’s stock has slid with teams over the course of the campaign. He’s a really tough player to mock draft. I wouldn’t be surprised if he still did go top 15 and I wouldn’t be surprised if, like in this mock, he flirts with the edges of the first round. If he gets to this spot, he fits a lot of what Carolina targets in terms of dynamic ability. Bourgault also makes sense for them here.

27. Colorado Avalanche: Oskar Olausson, RW, HV71-Allsvenskan

Olausson’s stock fell as the season went on, with scouts thinking he’ll go around 25-to-35 now. I still think he’ll squeeze into the first round. He is a 1216384 Websites “Obviously there’s a bigger one out there that we’re chasing,” said Cole Caufield, whose goal in the second period featured every element of what will make him a special player for years to come.

Sportsnet.ca / Through long and testing road, Canadiens find way back The 20-year-old rookie pushed a stretch pass over Brayden McNabb’s to Cup Final stick in the neutral zone, double-clutched from second gear to fourth and ripped his wrist shot over Robin Lehner’s glove and under the bar of the Vegas net to make it 2-1 Canadiens 9:36 into the second period. It was the fourth goal of the series for the kid who started the playoffs watching Eric Engels @EricEngels the first two games from the Toronto press box. June 25, 2021, 1:58 AM Resilient.

After Lehkonen sealed the deal, Lehner shared his appreciation for the MONTREAL — It was a Saint Jean Baptiste Day celebration like no Canadiens’ determination. other, with the Montreal Canadiens playing for the first time ever on “Hell of a team,” Lehner said. “Works really hard. Sticks with their Quebec’s cherished Fête Nationale and punctuating it by stamping their structure, and they have a lot of great players. Everyone underestimates 34th ticket to the Stanley Cup Final. them. Good for them.” Unique? How about unheard of. All of them. This has been the year of the unexpected — for all of us, but most You don’t get through everything the Canadiens have been through and certainly for these Canadiens, who were given no chance against the pull off something entirely unexpected without every single person doing Toronto Maple Leafs in Round 1 and even less of one in this semifinal what’s expected of them — and some doing even more. against the Vegas Golden Knights. No team has had worse odds to make it this far in over 30 years, and it’s perfectly fitting this one defied “It’s really fun to see the guys enjoying themselves in the dressing room,” them. said Ducharme’s stand-in, assistant coach Luke Richardson. “They deserve it. It’s really heartwarming to see a group of guys that work that These Canadiens fought through in six games, overcoming this hard together. I know every team is the same, it says the same thing, but challenge like every other one they faced before it: ferociously and all these guys are a special group and a really good mix. It’s hard to put into together. And this series-clinching win was a microcosm of that, with words how proud we are of them, but they deserve it, and they’re not Artturi Lehkonen scoring 1:39 into overtime to end Game 3 at 3-2 and done yet. send them back to the Final for the first time since 1993. “I saw a fire in their eyes. They’re already talking about it. We are shifting Prior to that, the Canadiens allowed two one-goal leads to slip away and our focus right away. We’ll probably step away (Friday) and just take fell back on their heels to end the third period. some rest and come back on Saturday and do a little work and Sunday, They stayed there to start overtime, but were lifted off their toes to get right back at it. And we’re looking forward to the challenge.” celebrate Lehkonen’s goal after Brendan Gallagher cut through the neutral zone and fed the puck to Phillip Danault, who slashed through the middle and found Lehkonen’s stick. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.25.2021 The 3,500 fans at the Bell Centre erupted, handshake lines were formed, and then Shea Weber skated over to accept the Clarence Campbell Bowl — he didn’t touch it — for the first time in over 100 years of Canadiens history.

Weird? No, just more of the same stuff this year’s been made of.

“We’ve been through a lot,” said the captain, who scored the opening goal — his first of the playoffs, a booming slap shot from the left point that made you almost forget he missed the final eight games of the season with a left-thumb injury.

The drama of the last six months could’ve filled a dozen soap operas.

This team started off on a tear and then played so badly it got its coach fired. This team came out of a break and then jumped into a pause when Joel Armia caught COVID-19. This team had to finish the season by playing 25 games in 44 nights, travelling across the country three times just to get it done. This team faced a salary-cap dilemma and a roster crunch that handcuffed its coach from dressing the optimal lineup when he desperately needed the flexibility post trade deadline. This team lost Weber, star goaltender Carey Price and every other key player to injury while a playoff spot hung in the balance. This team clinched with a loss in its second-to-last game of the season — one of 14 they endured over their final 21. This team was dead to rights down 3-1 to the Maple Leafs, shut out on home ice in what was expected to be their last game of the year at the Bell Centre. And this team left Vegas tied 1-1 in the series with the Golden Knights, returning to Montreal, where head coach Dominique Ducharme was diagnosed with COVID-19 and placed into quarantine for the remainder of this series — and possibly beyond.

This team prevailed.

“We wouldn’t be here right now if we didn’t believe,” said Price, who made 37 saves in Game 6. “We’ve always stuck with it.”

On Thursday, with a city’s worth of people flooding the streets outside the building and a few thousand more filling the seats within its walls, the Canadiens were the team who surrounded that Campbell Bowl for a picture and then left it right there on the table. 1216385 Websites “When you’re concentrating on defending and you have the ability to counter-punch with guys who don’t need multiple looks to stick a puck in the net, you’re a very dangerous team,” DeBoer said of Montreal. “That was the story here. They concentrated on defending, shutting guys down. Sportsnet.ca / Golden Knights caught in Canadiens’ destiny as latest And when the puck went the other way, on Caufield’s stick, Suzuki’s stick playoff run ends — they put it in the net. That’s playoff hockey.”

In their four seasons since joining a an expansion team, the Golden Knights have bowed out once as a Stanley Cup finalist, and twice more Mark Spector @sportsnetspec in the Round of Four. They have never missed the playoffs, small solace June 25, 2021, 12:50 AM as they pack up their gear and head home to the desert as a failed semi- finalist for the second straight year.

It doesn’t have to get much better in Vegas, but it can’t stay the same Sometimes you get caught in the path of destiny’s freight train. A fate either. train, if you will. “There’s another door we have to find a way to barge through at this time That’s where the Vegas Golden Knights spent the past couple of weeks, of year,” agreed DeBoer. “Everyone. Coaches included.” trying simultaneously to beat the Montreal Canadiens and a 28-year curse, where the country that cares the most about the Stanley Cup annually has watched it ship south for the summer each year. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.25.2021 Now, at the expense of the Golden Knights, Canada gets another shot.

And a town that has had nothing but a contender since getting their expansion team four seasons ago? They just watched hockey’s eldest franchise show them a thing or two about playoff hockey, closing off this series in overtime with a 3-2 win in Game 6.

“(Montreal) owned the key moments of the series,” said Vegas head coach Peter DeBoer, in the wake of another close-but-no-cigar season for the Golden Knights. “When they got a chance, they stuck it in the net. When they needed a save, they got a big save. They won the overtime battles. They won the special teams battles.

“If you’re losing those areas of the game, you’re putting yourselves in a tough spot.”

Artturi Lehkonen was the unlikely overtime hero, “Finn-ishing” the Golden Knights with a dandy roof job off a slick pass from Phillip Danault. The goal came after Max Pacioretty had stared down Carey Price from tight, shooter’s range, but failed to beat the man who enters the Stanley Cup Final as Montreal’s Conn Smythe favourite.

It was a microcosm of the series: Perhaps Vegas’ most lethal scorer could not solve Price, and moments later Lehkonen — a third-liner who will give you 12 goals a season — pots his first of the series to drive the stake through the Golden Knights’ armour.

“It just came down to they did a better job scoring goals in the series,” said Reilly Smith, Vegas’ most dangerous forward in this series. “The opportunities were there for us. They got a breakaway or an opportunity and it ended up in the back of the net. We didn’t do a good enough job on our chances.”

Let’s face it: Vegas’ biggest shooters choked in this series.

Mark Stone, Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson and Alex Tuch all had zero goals versus Montreal. Pacioretty and Smith each had one.

The power play finished the series at 0-for-15, a crippling outage and likely the decisive failure in this series for Vegas.

“Their D play hard. They’re big, they’re strong. Their forward group is responsible,” Stone said of the Canadiens. “I can praise them all I want, but ultimately it falls down on myself and the top players on this team. We had some guys produce night in, night out, but as far as myself and a number of other guys…

“I got skunked this series,” he concluded. “That can’t happen. I’m the captain of this team. The leader of this team. I take a lot of responsibility for what just occurred.”

Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki were miles better than any Vegas forward — two small, skilled Montreal players whose ability to pull you out of your chair is off the charts. That two kids could become the difference makers against a Vegas team with this much playoff experience is simply amazing, befitting of the tale the Habs are penning here.

How hard are these Habs to play against?

“They stick with their 1-1-3 structure,” said goalie Robin Lehner. “And they made it hard for not just us. The made it hard for Winnipeg and Toronto, with some of the best goal scorers in the world.” 1216386 Websites From a forward's perspective, what's it like going up against Wolverines defenceman Owen Power in practice?

"It's a good challenge, for sure. He's so big and skates so well at his size B.C. boy Johnson brings creative flair to NHL draft class and he's got such a long reach and a good stick and just really smart with the way he defends. It's really tough to get around him."

What stands out the most about linemate Matthew Beniers? By Mark Masters "I was lucky enough to get to play with him all year and everyone notices that motor right away and how he's just going all day. And it's like that in practice too. He's working so hard the whole practice, buzzing around, Kent Johnson was only eight years old, but he remembers being in the and obviously he has a really good two-way game and is great crowd when his favourite team, the Vancouver Canucks, finally defensively, but that doesn’t mean he’s not good offensively. He can vanquished the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs. definitely put the puck in the net and make plays. So, it's really fun to play "[Alex] Burrows slayed the dragon with that slap shot on Corey with him." Crawford," Johnson said with a smile. "Never going to forget that one ... What's it been like talking to NHL teams? We probably would go to one playoff game a series back in those days, so really lucky I ended up being at that one." "Really cool. Some of the people are kind of NHL legends, which you get to talk to, which is pretty amazing." The 18-year-old from Port Moody, B.C. lists that game as his favourite fan moment growing up. Who is one legendary hockey figure that you've talked to that's stood out? "It was just so loud," Johnson recalled. "I had to clog my ears. It was just so loud. So, pretty special." "Pretty recently [Red Wings general manager] Steve Yzerman, so that was cool." Pretty soon Johnson may be in position to create some special moments for young Canucks fans. The Michigan Wolverines forward is projected to What was that like? be a top pick in the upcoming National Hockey League draft and TSN director of scouting Craig Button has Vancouver picking him in his latest "Maybe it helped that I didn’t know he was going to be on the call so I mock draft. didn't really have time to think about that or be nervous and he was really nice to me, so it was good." "It'd be a dream come true to get to play for my hometown team," Johnson said. Was he asking a lot of questions or just listening?

During a conversation with TSN, Johnson spoke about why Vancouver's "He was mostly listening. They had a lot of guys on there, maybe six or Elias Pettersson is a role model and where his game grew the most this eight, asking questions, but he definitely asked a fair bit of questions too." season. The following is an edited transcript of the interview. What's one question that you've gotten from any team that's surprised You're a really a creative player, where does that come from? you?

"Kind of naturally. I like to watch a ton of the best offensive players in the "Geez, they're kind of all blending into one now. I know a lot of times they NHL and I think they make some creative plays, so I try and play like ask you to rate your skills out of 10 or whatever and that's something I them a lot and just naturally try and have fun out there. That's the way I never really think of doing. So, that's a challenge for me to kind of think play." about every skill on its own like that."

Who are your favourite guys to watch? What gets the highest marks in your game?

"I'd say Pettersson in Vancouver and [Patrick] Kane in Chicago." "Probably my hockey IQ and my puck skills."

What do you like the most about Pettersson’s game? What are you going to be focusing on in the off-season?

"He has a similar body type to me and it doesn't matter. He still wins a lot "Just mostly focusing on filling out and getting stronger and faster and of battles, protects the puck and makes a lot of skilled plays." doing some power skating to tweak my stride a little bit ... I try and get on the ice with skating coach Barb Aidelbaum. She's been awesome for Back in December you scored a really nice backhand goal against me." Minnesota, what did you see on that play? What are you learning? "It was a delayed penalty and I jumped on for the goalie as the extra attacker and slung low, got the puck and just beat one or two guys and "Just little things here and there about my form that, before I went to her, then beat another guy and tried to get the backhand off and luckily it went I didn't notice on my own. Mostly little things that once she points out it's in a good spot there." like, 'Geez, I really didn't do that. Like, that's pretty easy to fix.' Stuff like that, she has a really good eye for." It's fun to look at some of your highlights on YouTube. I was looking back at your BCHL days with the Trail Smoke Eaters and there was a shootout Can you give us an example? goal when you just had one hand on your stick the whole way. What was "In a straight line, I wasn't getting enough upper-body rotations, so I'm your thought process there? just rotating my upper body more to give me more power and not use my "I kind of did that a lot at practice, at the end of practice on my goalie, legs as much." and it kept working every time and he was like, ‘Yeah, that’s so surprising What would you like to accomplish next year? that you can shoot that so quickly.' We kind of talked that out and were like, 'Yeah, that can work in a game.' So, first shootout of the year I tried "Well, I think everybody at Michigan believes we have a national it and it was a big goal and we were both pretty happy when it went in." championship-contending team again, so that's a big thing."

How do you assess your season in Michigan?

"It was a solid season. It definitely got a lot better as the season went on TSN.CA LOADED: 06.25.2021 and there's a lot to build on for next year."

Where do you feel like your game grew the most?

"Just protecting the puck against the older guys in college. At the end of the year, it was really tough to get the puck off me even though I was a younger guy and skinnier guy. I used my body well to protect it." 1216387 Websites The Canadiens will face the winner of Game 7 between the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders.

USA TODAY / Canadiens defeat Golden Knights in overtime in Game 6, USA TODAY LOADED: 06.25.2021 reach first Stanley Cup Final since 1993

Mike Brehm

USA TODAY

No Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since the 1993 Montreal Canadiens.

The 2021 version of the team has a shot at ending that drought after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in overtime in Game 6 in Montreal on Thursday night. The Canadiens are the first Canadian team to reach the Stanley Cup Final since the 2011 Vancouver Canucks lost to the Boston Bruins.

Artturi Lehkonen scored the winning goal for Montreal 1:39 into overtime.

The game was decided off a faceoff in the Montreal end, and after goaltender Carey Price held his ground to stop former Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty set up in the left circle. Montreal’s Nick Suzuki gained the Vegas zone and slipped a pass to his left to Lehkonen, who lifted a shot beating Robin Lehner high on the short side.

“Just trying to go high and hit the net,” Lehkonen said. “We’re trying to keep it going one game at a time and not think things too much far ahead. I feel like we showed up today and it’s a big win for us and we have four more to go.”

Cole Caufield and captain Shea Weber also scored, as Montreal will make its playoff-leading 35th Stanley Cup Final appearance with a shot to add to its 24 championships.

Montreal clinched the league's final playoff spot with 59 points. After trailing 3-1 in the first round, the Canadiens have won 11 of their last 13 games to upset the Toronto Maple Leafs (77 points) and Winnipeg Jets (63) in the North Division and then the Golden Knights (82) in the Stanley Cup semifinals.

The roots of the playoff run started in the offseason when Marc Bergevin, the runner-up for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award, brought in a host of former Stanley Cup winners. They included forwards Tyler Toffoli and Corey Perry, defenseman Joel Edmundson and backup goalie Jake Allen. Eric Staal, who won the Stanley Cup in 2006, was added before the trade deadline.

The Canadiens also had to overcome adversity throughout the season. They fired coach Claude Julien on Feb. 24 and named Dominique Ducharme interim coach. They also fired goalie coach Stephane Waite and named Sean Burke director of goaltending. They had a grinding schedule at the end to make up for games postponed by COVID-19 protocol.

“We wouldn’t be here right now if we didn’t believe,” Price said. “We’ve believed this whole time and obviously we’re ecstatic and we have a lot of work left to do.”

Just as Price was turning around his game, he suffered a concussion in April. Forward Brendan Gallagher broke his thumb, leaving the Canadiens without two key players down the stretch.

But both returned for the playoffs. Price has been the key, helping the Canadiens to a 11-2 postseason record when they score the first goal. The team's big defensemen are clearing out the crease to help him see shots, and Montreal is getting contributions from veterans (Toffoli, Perry, Staal) and youngsters (Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi).

They even encountered adversity in the semifinals because Ducharme tested positive for COVID hours before Game 3.

"I feel like we’ve always responded well to adversity, and tonight was just another example," Price said. "Not having Dom behind the bench is just another twist we had to deal with."

Luke Richardson, named the interim coach, won three out of four games to advance. 1216388 Websites

USA TODAY / Seattle Kraken name Dave Hakstol as first head coach in franchise history

Alyssa Hertel

USA TODAY

The Seattle Kraken on Thursday announced Dave Hakstol as the first head coach in franchise history.

The NHL approved a proposal to grant an expansion franchise to Seattle in 2018. In July 2020, the team revealed the Kraken as the mascot as well as branding and team colors. Luke Henman recently become the first player in franchise history when Seattle inked three-year entry level contract with the center on May 12.

Hakstol coached at the University of North Dakota for 11 seasons. He was named the Philadelphia Flyers’ head coach in 2015, becoming the first head coach to go directly from the NCAA to the NHL since 1982. Hakstol led the Flyers to three winning records in his first three years, but was fired after a 12-15-4 start to the 2018-19 season.

In 2019, he was hired as assistant head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“Dave is confident, strong on technical aspects of playing three-zone game,” said Seattle GM Ron Francis. “Tracking back to University of North Dakota days, Dave is a coach who cares about his players. At times, a coach’s messages can get diluted. Players want to understand what the coach wants them to do. Dave communicates clearly and concisely. Players like that.”

Hakstol spent much of his career – both coaching and playing – with the University of North Dakota. He played college hockey from 1989 to 1992 and played minor league hockey for five years before hanging up the skates. He spent a little over four years with the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL before returning to his alma mater as an assistant in 2000.

In 2004, Hakstol was named head coach of the Fighting Hawks. He compiled a 289-143-43 record and led North Dakota to the national tournament every year. The Fighting Hawks made the Frozen Four seven times and went to the national championship once under Hakstol, but never won the title.

“He turns kids into men,” said Stephane Pattyn, a former North Dakota player. “He’s by far the greatest coach I’ve ever played for. He’s taught me a lot on the ice and as a person. Every guy in that room has his back. He genuinely cares about all of us.”

Hakstol will be head coach for less than a month before the 2021 Expansion Draft, set to take place July 21. Seattle will then have the second overall pick in the NHL Draft on July 23.

USA TODAY LOADED: 06.25.2021