News Clips Sept. 18, 2018

Columbus Blue Jackets PAGE 02: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets: Notebook: Pierre-Luc Dubois says tired legs led to 'frustrating' preseason loss to Buffalo PAGE 05: Columbus Dispatch: Sabres 4, Blue Jackets 1: Anthony Duclair hits re-set button, tries to make Jackets PAGE 07: Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets: Fedor Tyutin returns as member of CBJ scouting staff PAGE 08: Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Blue Jackets: in preseason opener for Sonny Milano, others: 'Just play well' PAGE 10: Fox Sports Ohio: FOX Sports Ohio to Produce 80 Blue Jackets Games This 2018-19 Season PAGE 13: The Athletic: Powerful pedigrees: Ryan MacInnis, among Blue Jackets’ hopefuls in training camp PAGE 16: The Athletic: With a wedding behind him, Blue Jackets need adaptable David Savard to form another successful partnership

Cleveland Monsters/Prospects

NHL/Websites PAGE 18: Seattle Times: Only groups standing between Seattle and NHL, new KeyArena are those that want them most

PAGE 20: The Athletic: Down Goes Brown: The Bizarro-meter evaluates the offseason moves of the Western Conference teams

PAGE 25: .ca: Teammates need to stay out of each others' contract negotiations http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20180917/blue-jackets--notebook-pierre-luc-dubois-says-tired-legs- led-to-frustrating-preseason-loss-to-buffalo

Blue Jackets | Notebook: Pierre-Luc Dubois says tired legs led to 'frustrating' preseason loss to Buffalo By Adam Jardy – September 17, 2018

Monday night’s exhibition opener was never going to be about what the final scoreboard said for the Blue Jackets. Not even a week into the preseason, the lines they would send to the ice at Nationwide Arena were guaranteed to feature heavy legs and issues with chemistry. That didn’t make the 4-1 loss to Buffalo much easier for Pierre-Luc Dubois to stomach. “It’s a little frustrating sometimes playing these games because you see the plays and you see some stuff but you just don’t have the energy to always do it,” he said. “It’s just getting through the first 4-5 days of camp. That’s when you skate a lot, and then you get back to one skate or one practice a day.” With coach watching from the stands and assistant coaches Brad Larsen and Brad Shaw on the bench, the Blue Jackets fell behind 2-0 during the second period, briefly pulled to within 2-1 but got no closer despite outshooting the Sabres 37-20. Shaw said the tired legs made themselves evident primarily at one end of the ice. “I think where it mainly showed up was in our D-zone coverage,” he said. “Lots of seam plays, lots of plays where if we’re a little sharper our sticks and feet are there and our awareness is a little better and the majority of their scoring chances just don’t happen. It showed up all over the ice, but I think mainly in that defensive zone.” That wasn’t too surprising for veteran defenseman David Savard. “It’s weird games (early),” he said. “The first few in the preseason are usually all over the map. Guys are sometimes not in the right spot. It’s getting familiar with each other and some guys are coming from different systems. The legs are a little heavy so you have to keep your shifts short. You’ve just got to battle through it and still try to make the best play, improve and get back in the game mode.” Kivlenieks hurt The Blue Jackets had planned to split time evenly between goaltenders Matiss Kivlenieks and Brad Thiessen. Instead, Thiessen came out to relieve Kivlenieks to open the second half after the 22-year-old suffered an unspecified lower-body injury. To provide cover, Joseph Raaymakers was pulled from the crowd to serve as Thiessen’s backup. The public-address announcer had no sooner finished announcing that Thiessen was now in net to start the second half for the Blue Jackets when Sabres center Patrik Berglund took a pass from the left corner from teammate Alexander Nylander and rifled it past him for a 1-0 lead. The goal came 22 seconds into the second half and after Kivlenieks had stopped all seven first-period shots. “It probably helped Thiessen, going in not in the middle of the second period, which we were scheduled to do,” Shaw said. “Didn’t really change (our plans). Sometimes I think it’s easier for a goalie to prepare. He warmed up between periods and he had lots of time to get ready, so I think it was probably a positive. We didn’t really give him the greatest first shot against, so that’s a tough first save for any goalie.” It got things going after an uneventful first period. Buffalo’s Brendan Guhle took a at 4:54, but the Jackets negated their power play at 5:48 when Savard was called for high sticking and they were assessed a penalty for too many men on the ice. During the ensuing 1:13 of 4-one-3 hockey, Buffalo made it 2-0 when Nathan Beaulieu beat Thiessen over his right shoulder at 6:31. That brought Savard out of the box, and eight seconds of game time later he took a pass from Anthony Duclair and sent a long wrister from the left slot past Buffalo goaltender Linus Ullmark to make it 2-1 at 6:39. Kyle Criscuolo reestablished a two-goal Sabres advantage at 13:15, though, when he beat Thiessen top- shelf after sustained pressure from the Buffalo attack and the 3-1 lead lasted through the end of the period. Andrew Oglevie finished the scoring at 2:14 of the third when he poked home a rebound. Thiessen finished with nine saves on 13 shots. “It’s part of the game,” Savard said. “I think we created a few good chances. Obviously they buried whenever they had a chance. I thought (Thiessen) had some really good saves. Today’s the first game. It’s get back in the rhythm and we have some stuff to work on, obviously. It’s part of the process.” Goal The Savard goal came in short order after Dubois won a faceoff and got the puck up-ice to Anthony Duclair, who is known to his teammates as “Duke.” His pass from the right corner to a trailing Savard helped to create the goal. “I’ve never played with Duke, but he’s a really skilled player who makes some nice plays,” Dubois said. “On that goal, you saw his jump on the faceoff and he made a nice pass to Savard. We have so much depth on this team.” Said Savard: “Nice play by Duke. It was a great pass. I don’t think the goalie saw it; the D-man was right in his way. Just kind of put it on there, see what happened. It’s nice after they scored. I think we created quite a few chances late in the game and in the third their goalie played really well. It’s kind of a weird game, but it was good.” Special teams Here’s a few lines the Blue Jackets tried on the power play and the penalty kill: PK: Brandon Dubinsky, Calvin Thurkauf, Scott Harrington, Markus Nutivaara PK: Ryan MacInnis, Markus Hannikainen, Tommy Cross, Adam Clendening Power play: Duclair-Dubois-Milano Nutivaara-Oliver Bjorkstrand Vitaly Abramov-Alex Broadhurst-Jonathan Davidsson Dean Kukan-Savard Lineup The Blue Jackets will host Chicago on Tuesday at 7 p.m. Here’s who is scheduled to be on the active roster: Forwards: Alexander Wennberg, Cam Atkinson, Liam Foudy, Riley Nash, Zac Dalpe, Boone Jenner, Lukas Sedlak, Eric Robinson, Kevin Stenlund, Nick Foligno, Josh Anderson, Kole Sherwood Defensemen: Seth Jones, Ryan Murray, Gabriel Carlsson, Ryan Collins, Dillon Simpson, Michael Prapavessis Goaltenders; Jean-Francois Berube, Raaymakers http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20180917/sabres-4-blue-jackets-1--anthony-duclair-hits-re-set- button-tries-to-make-jackets

Sabres 4, Blue Jackets 1 | Anthony Duclair hits re-set button, tries to make Jackets Adam Jardy – September 17, 2018

A pair of adjectives have been used in relation to summer signee Anthony Duclair since the Blue Jackets got this preseason underway. First, it was coach John Tortorella, who at media described his potential as “unlimited,” provided he can figure a few things out. Then, a few days into camp, it was Duclair himself who described the situation that led to his signing with his fourth NHL team in five years as “a bit embarrassing.” That’s where both sides entered Monday night’s exhibition opener against the , with Duclair on the top line in his first public steps toward realizing the hopes of growing into a key role for the Jackets. He started at right wing and assisted on David Savard’s goal in the second period as the lone offensive bright spot in a 4-1 loss to the Sabres. Buffalo did most of its damage in the second, scoring only 22 seconds in as Brad Thiessen relieved Matiss Kivlenieks in goal for the Blue Jackets after Kivlenieks stopped all seven shots he faced in the first period. The lead doubled when Nathan Beaulieu scored during a 4-on-3 advantage at 6:31, and Savard’s goal eight seconds later made it a 2-1 Buffalo lead until Kyle Criscuolo beat Thiessen at 13:15 to make it 3-1. Playing with obviously heavy legs in a game Tortorella said earlier in the day would be difficult to evaluate given this stage of the preseason, the Blue Jackets finished with a 37-20 advantage in shots on goal but struggled to solve goaltender Linus Ullmark. Duclair has played 213 NHL games since breaking into the league at age 19 with the in the 2014-15 season. He blossomed the following season with Arizona, scoring 20 goals and adding 24 assists but slumped the following year and was traded to Chicago during the 2017-18 season. Since his 44- outburst, Duclair has 16 goals and 22 assists. He ended last season with a 14-game scoreless streak to close a season in which he was occasionally a healthy scratch. He signed a one-year contract as an unrestricted free agent for the league minimum — $650,000 — to join the Blue Jackets after the Blackhawks opted not to bring him back. “Obviously, being a free agent at 22 years old is a bit embarrassing to me,” he said. “I didn’t take it too well. I looked myself in the mirror and said something has got to change. I had a conversation with Torts when I signed, and I’m definitely coming in motivated and I want to get back to my old ways like I did my rookie season.” A native of Montreal, Duclair said he chose the Blue Jackets because he felt it would be a good fit and that Tortorella would help get the best out of him. Tortorella has made a promise to Duclair: He is watching him every single day this preseason in the hopes of helping him shake off the inconsistencies that have made him bounce around the league. “It’s not a threat, (it’s) because I’ve heard so many good things about what he can be,” Tortorella said. “I need to watch. Why is this his fourth team? I need to ask that question.” Now Duclair’s hope is that the Blue Jackets aren’t just another speed bump in his career. “Obviously coming from Montreal you don’t follow the Blue Jackets too much, and then this is my (fifth) year in the league, you take notice that the Blue Jackets are a hard-working team. They work their butts off in every game. I think that’s what I need to do in my career. I think it’s a perfect place for me to do that.” http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180917/blue-jackets-fedor-tyutin-returns-as-member-of-cbj- scouting-staff

Blue Jackets: Fedor Tyutin returns as member of CBJ scouting staff By Adam Jardy – September 17, 2018

Fedor Tyutin once again walked into Nationwide Arena today as a member of the Blue Jackets. It’s an entrance he’s well-accustomed to after an eight-year playing career with the club. This time it was a little bit different. Newly added to the hockey operations staff after finishing his playing career with Colorado in 2017, Tyutin has joined the Blue Jackets as a member of the team’s scouting staff. Speaking in the hallway outside of the press area during the first intermission of Monday night’s exhibition opener against Buffalo, he said a number of factors all aligned to bring him back to Columbus. First, as a father of three, he didn’t want to be away from his family for the length of time required to be a professional hockey player. Second, this was an area the Tyutin family wanted to move to and put down roots. So when the opportunity presented itself after some conversations with president of hockey operations John Davidson and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen, the 35-year-old Tyutin said it all made sense. “Like most retired hockey players wanting to stay in the game and keep doing something that we’ve been doing since we were little kids, right?” he said. “We decided a while ago that we were going to move back. We were just trying to figure out all the other stuff, housing stuff.” In 553 career games for the Blue Jackets from 2008-16, Tyutin posted a line of 39-146-185 and amassed 553 minutes. He’s the club’s all-time leader in games played, goals and points among defensemen and is second in assists and penalty minutes. Only Rick Nash (674 games) has played more for the Blue Jackets. Was it a difficult decision to retire? “You know what? It wasn’t hard,” Tyutin said. “I was ready for it. My family, my kids, they’re more important to me than a game. You see where the league is going with everybody getting younger. I still could have played and I had offers to still play, but I made a decision because I know it’s priceless when you’re on the road and you’re missing kids and you’re coming home. I decided for myself the kids are more important for me than making another couple hundred bucks. When he played here, Tyutin said he lived in Upper Arlington so his work commute would be easier. Now the family is about to close on a house in Dublin because he wanted to own land as well as a house. He joins a staff with a familiar face: Blue Jackets scout Bob Halkidis played in Tyutin’s native Russia when he was a teenager. The two crossed paths there, he said, and Tyutin said he’s already started picking Halkidis’ brain. He is also not the only former player to be added to the staff today: the Jackets also signed former forward Jared Boll as an assistant development coach. “I think it’s great,” Tyutin said. “It feels special to me, too, just because the kind of careers both of us … were similar careers, the time we came here and the time we left. Both of us have been here for quite a few years and since day one we’ve been on the team, we’ve always been … I wouldn’t say, like, best friends, but we were pretty close all our years here together. So, it was pretty special to me walking in here with him today.” http://www.dispatch.com/sports/20180917/columbus-blue-jackets--goal-in-preseason-opener-for- sonny-milano-others-just-play-well

Columbus Blue Jackets | Goal in preseason opener for Sonny Milano, others: 'Just play well' By Adam Jardy – September 17, 2018

When the Blue Jackets play their first preseason game Monday night, they will skate a hodgepodge lineup of familiar and new faces. Included in the mix is a player who had among the hottest starts to the 2017-18 season in Sonny Milano. Milano, who scored in each of his first three games as a rookie, will be on the top line as the Jackets open against Buffalo at 7 p.m. in Nationwide Arena. His hopes are simple. “Just play well,” he said after Monday’s morning skate on the main ice in the arena. “Maybe score a goal and play well defensively.” The Blue Jackets open their eight-game preseason schedule with back-to-back home games before a scheduled off day Wednesday. Since getting things underway Thursday with the team’s annual preseason 2-mile run under coach John Tortorella, the players have been subjected to heavy volume skating and intrasquad scrimmages with short benches. The 61-man roster will receive its first modifications during the day off. “Then I have some dates in mind (for further moves), but it’s not cut in stone,” Tortorella said. “You may have some surprises that keep you around, that keep other players around that you didn’t expect.” The Blue Jackets play at home against Chicago on Tuesday, then go to St. Louis on Friday night for the first of three games in as many days in different cities. They will be at Pittsburgh on Saturday and home against the Blues on Sunday. Tortorella will not coach either of the first two games, leaving that to assistant coaches Brad Larsen and Brad Shaw, but said he will coach some games toward the end of the schedule. Once the Blue Jackets are through this weekend, Tortorella said the team will start video work and putting in some of its systems as the roster takes shape. The remaining players will also eventually be split into two groups with obvious delineation between the first and second groups. The Sept. 28 home game against Pittsburgh will likely see the Jackets field a first-team lineup. Monday night, though, will be a different experience. “I’m a little bit concerned about these two games for us because they have skated and skated and it’s been really hard for them,” Tortorella said, “so you’ve got to be really careful as far as how you evaluate because I think we’re going to have some tired players out there tonight. I’m looking at the guys that I just don’t know a lot about, that I have not seen. I act accordingly that way.” Mixing and matching Here’s the projected lines against Buffalo. Forwards: Sonny Milano-Pierre-Luc Dubois-Anthony Duclair Alex Broadhurst-Ryan MacInnis-Oliver Bjorkstrand Markus Hannikainen-Sam Vigneault-Vitaly Abramov Calvin Thurkauf-Brandon Dubinsky-Jonathan Davidsson Defensemen: Markus Nutivaara-Scott Harrington Tommy Cross-Adam Clendening Dean Kukan-David Savard Goalie: Matiss Kivlenieks Said Milano about his line, “Playing with Dubois, who I played with a little bit last year, and Duclair, who is new. We played together a little bit in the scrimmages and started to build some chemistry. I think as the game goes on it’ll get better and better.” Staff additions Two former Blue Jackets have been added to the team’s hockey operations staff. Monday, the club announced that Jared Boll has joined the team as an assistant development coach and Fedor Tyutin as a member of the scouting staff. A forward, Boll retired after the 2017-18 season after having spent the previous two years with Anaheim. During his nine seasons with the Blue Jackets from 2007-16, Boll had 27 goals and 35 assists and a team-record 1,195 penalty minutes in 518 games. Tyutin, a defenseman, played for the Jackets from 2008-16 and had 39 goals and 146 assists in 553 games and is the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, goals and points for a defenseman. Panarin day to day Tortorella said left winger Artemi Panarin, who has been dealing with a stiff neck, is “day to day” in his recovery. Panarin was on the ice before Monday night’s lineup got out there for morning skate. https://www.foxsports.com/ohio/story/columbus-blue-jackets-fox-sports-ohio-2018-19-season- coverage-091718

FOX Sports Ohio to Produce 80 Blue Jackets Games This 2018-19 Season By Staff – September 17, 2018

COLUMBUS, Ohio – As we “Countdown to Face-Off,” FOX Sports Ohio is getting ready for the Columbus Blue Jackets 2018-2019 season. CBJ REGULAR SEASON ON FSO The network will carry 80 regular season Blue Jackets games this season, beginning Thursday, October 4th when the team opens the season at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena with a 7:30 p.m. matchup against the Red Wings. The team’s home opener is the following night with a 7:00 p.m. puck drop at Nationwide Arena vs. the . Coverage each game night will begin with Blue Jackets Live pregame show, presented by Central Ohio Toyota Dealers, featuring highlights, player interviews and analysis 30 minutes before each game. On opening night on Friday, Oct. 5, FSO will feature a special one-hour Blue Jackets Live pregame show starting at 6:00 p.m. Immediately following the final horn, the coverage will continue with the postgame edition of Blue Jackets Live, presented by IGS Energy. LIVE STREAMING All Blue Jackets programming televised on FSO will stream live on the FOX Sports app. The FOX Sports app, available to iOS and Android devices, provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content along with highlights and instant alerts for scores and key plays. Fans can download the mobile app for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play. Streaming on the FOX Sports app is also available on connected devices, including on AppleTV, Android TV, FireTV, Roku and Xbox One. Fans can also stream the games directly through the Blue Jackets official mobile app. BROADCAST TALENT Former Blue Jackets forward Jody Shelley returns as the color analyst alongside play-by-play announcer Jeff Rimer. Bill Davidge will continue in the role of analyst and host during the pre- and post-game editions of Blue Jackets Live, as well as contributing during intermissions. Davidge will be joined at the desk by host Brian Giesenschlag. Dave Maetzold will also be back as in-game reporter. COUNTDOWN TO FACE-OFF FSO will get fans ready for the season with a lineup of Blue Jackets programming. In the “Countdown to Face-Off,” the network will air the following Blue Jackets shows: – Blue Jackets Rewind games: – Thursday, September 27 at 8:00 p.m. – 2017-18 season opener vs. Islanders – Sergei Bobrovsky had 29 saves and Sonny Milano and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored their first NHL goals as the Jackets defeated the Islanders 5-0. – Monday, October 1 at 7:00 p.m. – versus Red Wings from 4/3/2018 – The Jackets rallied from a three- goal deficit to beat Detroit in overtime. – Tuesday, October 2 at 3:00 p.m. – Game 1 of the 2017-2018 Playoffs @ Capitals from 4/12/2018 – The Blue Jackets came back from a 2-goal deficit to defeat the Caps when Artemi Panarin scored in overtime. – Wednesday, October 3 at 7:00 p.m. – Game 2 of the 2017-2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs @ Capitals from 4/15/2018 – The Jackets went up 2-0 in the series on Matt Calvert‘s overtime winning goal. – The network will also air three 30-minute Blue Jackets Live – Preseason Edition shows, hosted by Bill Davidge and Brian Giesenschlag. – Monday, October 1 at 6:30 p.m. – Tuesday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m. – Wednesday, October 3 at 6:30 p.m. COUNTDOWN TO FACE-OFF BLUE JACKETS SCHEDULE *Subject to change Day Date Time Show Description Thursday Sept. 27 8 p.m. Blue Jackets Rewind 10/6/2017 Opener vs. Islanders Monday Oct. 1 6:30 p.m. 7 p.m. Blue Jackets Live Blue Jackets Rewind Preseason Edition 4/3/2010 vs. Red Wings Tuesday Oct. 2 3 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Blue Jackets Rewind Blue Jackets Live 4/12/2018 @ Capitals Preseason Edition Wednesday Oct. 3 6:30 p.m. 7 p.m. Blue Jackets Live Blue Jackets Rewind Preseason Edition 4/15/2018 @ Capitals Thursday Oct. 4 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m. Blue Jackets Live pregame CBJ @ Red Wings Season opener Friday Oct. 5 6 p.m. 7 p.m. Blue Jackets Live pregame CBJ vs. Capitals Special hour-long pregame show Home Opener https://theathletic.com/530008/2018/09/17/powerful-pedigrees-ryan-macinnis-dillon-simpson-among- blue-jackets-hopefuls-in-training-camp/?source=rss

Powerful pedigrees: Ryan MacInnis, Dillon Simpson among Blue Jackets’ hopefuls in training camp By Aaron Portzline – September 17, 2018

COLUMBUS, Ohio — President of hockey operations John Davidson remembers when Ryan MacInnis, only a tike, used to run around the halls outside the St. Louis Blues’ dressing room, while his father, the legendary defenseman Al MacInnis, finished his work. Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella might not recall Dillon Simpson, but Simpson was just a baby when Tortorella coached his father, forward , while an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres. Funny how time flies. “I’m not so sure it’s funny,” said Tortorella, who turned 60 earlier this year. The Blue Jackets have 61 players in training camp as they open the exhibition schedule Monday night against Buffalo. Like Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, whose father, Mike Foligno, was a standout player a generation ago, two of them have famous fathers. Craig Simpson won two Stanley Cups with the Oilers, had a 56-goal season in 1987-88 and has been a fixture on telecasts. Al MacInnis is one of the game’s all-time greats, with a Stanley Cup, a Norris Trophy and a Conn Smythe Trophy on his resume. For two decades, his ankle-snapping slapshot was the most-feared in the NHL. “We were talking about Al (on Sunday),” Tortorella said, “because (AHL Cleveland coach) John Madden played against him. So, yeah, (he was) talking about getting in front of that shot. “Then (during the afternoon scrimmage on Sunday), MacInnis scored on that wrist shot about 10 minutes after we had that conversation.” MacInnis was a second-round pick (No. 43 overall) by the in 2014. But after two underwhelming seasons in the minors, he was traded to the Blue Jackets on July 18 for Jacob Graves and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2019. (The condition: If MacInnis plays 20 or more games with the Blue Jackets this season, it becomes a fifth- round pick in 2019.) “It’s nice to see familiar faces,” MacInnis said. “When I was a kid (in St. Louis), I knew their faces but I didn’t know what they did, who they were, really. I was pretty young.” Davidson, who was president of hockey operations in St. Louis from 2006-2012, is called “Mr. Davidson,” by Ryan MacInnis. Blue Jackets assistant coach Brad Shaw, whose family lived close to the MacInnises in suburban St. Louis, is known as “Mr. Shaw.” “I have to show them what I can do now, and hopefully they like what they see,” MacInnis said. “I’m really excited. This organization has been unreal the last couple of years, so it’s cool to be a part of it.” MacInnis, 22, said he had too much fun playing forward as a child to follow in his father’s steps on the blue line. He’s a 6-foot-4, 191-pound center, who could give AHL Cleveland a towering trio down the middle, along with 6-foot-5 Sam Vigneault and 6-foot-4 Kevin Stenlund. But he’s opened eyes early in camp with Columbus. Yes, the goal he scored on Sunday came during a camp scrimmage, but it was the kind of goal — wrister, bar-down, from 50 feet — that brought an audible gasp from the hundred or so fans watching. “That’s a hell of a shot,” Davidson said. The Blue Jackets believe there’s some offensive ability in MacInnis that hasn’t been tapped yet at the pro level. He had just 14 goals in 127 AHL games the past two seasons. “(Ryan) didn’t seem to get a whole lot of traction his first two years in (AHL Tucson),” Al MacInnis told The Athletic. “For whatever reason, it didn’t seem to be working there for him. “He gets a fresh start now in Columbus. It’s a new opportunity. It’s up to the player to do something with it.” While Al MacInnis’ kid plays forward, Craig Simpson’s kid plays defense. Go figure. Dillon Simpson, 25, was a fourth-round pick (No. 92 overall) by Edmonton in 2011 but played just three games for the Oilers since he turned pro four seasons ago. The Oilers did not extend a qualifying offer to Simpson this summer, making him an unrestricted free agent. He signed with the Blue Jackets on July 1. “It’s been great so far,” Simpson said. “It’s been a hard-working camp, a great camp. I’m excited to be here.” Craig Simpson had nothing but good things to say about his brief time (1993-95) playing under Tortorella, he told The Athletic. “I really got along well with him,” Simpson said. “I thought we connected really well. And we’ve stayed in touch. I texted him after he won his last (Jack Adams Trophy).” Still, he gave Dillon a heads-up before training camp opened. “As a player, you have to know what to expect when you go into any camp,” he said. “With John, if you’re willing to put the work in and do the right things, you’re going to have an ally.” Dillon Simpson said he switched to defense in his early teens, when Craig Simpson was coaching his youth team. “My mental side of the game was growing faster than my physical side, and he wanted to tests it out,” Dillon Simpson said. “I’ve been back there ever since. “My dad was a great resource growing up. He was my minor hockey coach a lot of the time. And even though he’s a forward, being able to talk about the game and learn from him has been great.” Simpson seems targeted for AHL Cleveland, but he’s among a cluster of players who will be on the shortlist for a recall this season. “He was very excited to get drafted to Edmonton (back in 2011),” Craig Simpson said, “but I think a fresh start is great. “It’s always good to see what it’s like somewhere else and to have a fresh set of eyes on you, picking things out. I was very excited for him (when he signed with Columbus).” Notebook • The Blue Jackets announced on Monday that they’ve hired Jared Boll as an assistant development coach and Fedor Tyutin as a pro scout, bringing two longtime, now-retired Jackets back into the fold. Tyutin might be the NHL’s highest-paid scout. The Jackets are paying him $1,458,333 this season and next as part of his contract buyout on June 29, 2016. • Expect a batch of cuts on Wednesday after the club gets through Monday-Tuesday exhibition games. Some of the cuts might be known after Tuesday’s game vs. Chicago. • Tortorella will watch tonight’s game from press level, a bird’s-eye view. Assistant coach Brad Larsen and Brad Shaw ran the bench. • Forward Artemi Panarin is skating on the side with assistant coach Kenny McCudden, but is “day to day” in terms of joining the masses for practice, Tortorella said. • Here’s Tom Reed’s look at Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard, and his need to form a new partnership this season. • Our Alison Lukan has joined The Athletic’s fantasy hockey coverage. Here’s a look at which forwards could see an increase, or a decrease, in production. https://theathletic.com/529387/2018/09/17/with-a-wedding-behind-him-blue-jackets-need-adaptable- david-savard-to-form-another-successful-partnership/

With a wedding behind him, Blue Jackets need adaptable David Savard to form another successful partnership By Tom Reed – September 17, 2018

COLUMBUS, Ohio — David Savard sanctified one successful partnership in the offseason while watching two others dissolve. The Blue Jackets defenseman married his longtime girlfriend, Valerie Lachance, in their native Quebec, marking the highlight of a summer of significant change for Savard. Jack Johnson, who worked alongside him to form one of the NHL’s better shutdown pairings in the 2016- 17 season, signed with the rival Penguins. Ian Cole, who developed terrific chemistry late last season with Savard, also departed via free agency joining the Avalanche. “I had some great seasons with Jack and, obviously, at the end of (last season) with Colesy played really well,” Savard said. “We liked playing together. I wish (Cole) was still here, but that’s the way the business goes. … It will be an adjustment.” Changing defensive partners represents yet another challenge for one of the longest-tenured Blue Jackets. Perhaps no player on their roster has proved more adaptable than Savard, who turns 28 next month. • He transformed himself from an offensive-minded player into a shot-blocking, lane-clearing, lumber- laying defenseman. • He transitioned from someone with bad conditioning and nutritional habits into a fit minutes eater. • He morphed into his nickname, “Savvy,” learning the ideal way to play for a slow-footed defenseman in a league growing faster by the season. “He’s really good positionally,” John Tortorella said of Savard. “That’s really important for a defenseman whether you are slow or fast. … It takes a while for players to understand positioning — to make the game come to them instead of chasing the game.” Savard will test drive a new defensive partner Monday night in the Blue Jackets’ preseason opener at Nationwide Arena against the Sabres. He’s likely to be paired with Markus Nutivaara, who skated with him during weekend scrimmage sessions in training camp. It doesn’t mean the pairing will last more than a few days as the coaching staff attempts to sort out which duos work best together. Assuming his surgically repaired shoulder is ready for the regular-season opener, Zach Werenski probably reunites with Seth Jones. After that, it’s anyone’s guess. While training-camp chatter focuses on the uncertain futures of Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky, the loss of Cole’s swagger and calming influence is substantial. His arrival in a trade deadline deal helped revitalize Savard, whose partnership with Johnson had grown stale and ineffective. Johnson’s struggles continued and resulted in him being a healthy scratch for the playoffs. Meanwhile, Savard registered a plus-9 and five assists in 20 regular-season games with Cole. The pairing played a key role in enabling the Blue Jackets to reach the playoffs for a second consecutive year. It’s not just that Savard must adjust to a new partner this autumn, but one with a different style. Both Johnson and Cole were full-bodied defenders who, like Savard, played with bite in their game. It will be interesting to see how Savard and Nutivaara mesh. The young Finn is a mobile defenseman who plays with some risk. Savard knows there could be times Monday night when Nutivaara is up ice, trying to make a play, and the puck gets turned over. The affable French-Canadian says he enjoys defending the occasional odd- man breaks. Assistant coach Brad Shaw believes one of Savard’s strengths is reading and anticipating plays. Think of how many times we have seen him drop to his belly in recent years to deny a dangerous pass down low. “For me, it’s always trying to think the game quicker than everybody else,” Savard said. “Just trying to see where the puck is going to go and kind of be in good position.” Savard is known for sacrificing his body — and his free time. Shaw said the defenseman’s leadership qualities are underrated whether it’s encouraging an exhausted teammate to grind through a training camp skate-a-thon or welcoming a rookie into his home for a year. Pierre-Luc Dubois lived almost all of last season with the Savards, who have two small children. In December, the center moved into a temporary apartment as his family came to visit for the holidays. The Savards thought once Dubois got a taste for bachelor life, he’d prefer it to dealing with kids. “On Jan. 1, he came walking back through the door,” the defenseman said. Dubois has his own place this season, but the man-child whom the Savard kids call “Lu Lu” still makes visits. “It’s probably the main reason I improved during the year and that I felt so comfortable,” said Dubois of living with the Savards. “I didn’t have to worry about what I was eating or if there was anything in the fridge. “And, Savvy was there to answer any question. If I made a mistake at the rink, Savvy was there to talk about it that night. That meant a lot.” The newlyweds enjoyed some time away from kids large and small this summer. Valerie placed the winning bid for a fly-fishing trip to Montana at a charity auction benefiting the Blue Jackets Foundation. “It was great, the first time either one of us had done it,” Savard said. “It was nice to get away.” With a wedding behind him, the Blue Jackets need the adaptable Savard to form another stable partnership. https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/hockey/only-groups-that-can-block-keyarena-and--deals-now- are-those-wanting-them-most/

Only groups standing between Seattle and NHL, new KeyArena are those that want them most By Geoff Baker – September 17, 2018

Inside the NHL The most important vote in getting a $700 million KeyArena renovation and a $650 million expansion franchise approved has already taken place. Sure, there’s a remaining Seattle City Council vote Sept. 24 on ratifying the renovation deal, then an NHL executive-committee meeting Oct. 2 followed by a potential league board of governors vote in December on awarding the hockey franchise. But make no mistake: The biggest vote in favor of both the renovation and future team was the one decided last Thursday by nobody casting a ballot. That was the final day for anybody to appeal an environmental study of the proposed arena renovation. And the silent abstention that greeted the appeal deadline as it passed effectively eliminates any chance of the KeyArena plan or NHL bid being quashed by opponents. Instead, any torpedoing of either plan now would be from friendly fire alone. Both the Seattle City Council and NHL have long fought to get these respective arena and team deals on the table. And they alone now control their fates. It has taken a long time to get here. The Los Angeles-based Oak View Group (OVG), in beating back a bid by the Seattle Partners last year to gain the KeyArena renovation selection, also fought off a prolonged public-relations campaign by a group looking to build a new arena in the city’s Sodo District. You could sense the relief Friday at a meeting of the city council’s Select Committee on Civic Arenas. All along, there’d been a fear somebody would appeal and block the KeyArena project at least three months until the City Examiner’s Office determined whether the protest was frivolous. OVG built a three-month contingency into construction plans to deal with a frivolous appeal, start work in December and still finalize the renovation by the October 2020 start of that year’s NHL season. But a more serious appeal – involving issues directly impacting local stakeholders – could have delayed things longer and the NHL launch until at least October 2021. That would have been a tougher sell to the NHL executive committee in a couple of weeks. So, OVG and the NHL Seattle group – which has applied for the hockey franchise – spent the past few months mitigating issues directly with stakeholders to ward off serious appeals. “I worked on it intensely and our hard work paid off,’’ NHL Seattle president and CEO Tod Leiweke told me moments after Friday’s meeting ended. Leiweke said the lack of appeals means years of local arena frustration are about to end. Seven of nine council members attended Friday’s meeting and unanimously pushed the project forward, meaning any chance of the Sept. 24 vote going against it seems nonexistent. “We’d heard a lot of ‘Good luck with the city’ when we started out,’’ Leiweke said. “But we’ve rolled up our sleeves and we’ve worked with them. And they should be proud of the deal they’ve struck on behalf of taxpayers.’’ The council, having commissioned a study four years ago on KeyArena’s future, has found a partner willing to privately renovate the city-owned building – saving taxpayers at least $150 million on alternative uses — import major pro teams and share revenues. And the NHL, having long prodded this city to get an arena – with commissioner Gary Bettman meeting personally with elected officials here in 2014 – will finally have its desired U.S.-based, Pacific Northwest gateway franchise. Given our region’s years of underfinanced arena plans, unfulfilled promises of teams and vanishing investors, both the NHL and council are understandably still leery. The league wants to see KeyArena dirt moving before granting a team and the council won’t allow construction work until the franchise is awarded. But make no mistake: Both want an NHL team in a remodeled KeyArena by October 2020. The council is protecting itself in case the NHL gets cold feet over a potential lockout in 2019 and delays awarding the franchise. But that won’t happen. Even an NHL owner preparing for a lockout would prefer their $23 million cut of Seattle’s $650 million expansion fee right now to help ride out any future work stoppage. And if you’re the city, knowing a December launch of KeyArena construction is tight, you’ll grant waivers to start sooner as long as the NHL executive committee gives a favorable nod in two weeks. Not once has the league’s board of governors voted down an expansion recommendation by the executive committee. City council member Sally Bagshaw told me after Friday’s meeting there’s flexibility in the construction restrictions if the NHL sends the right signals. The council, she said, wants this renovation and a revenue- generating NHL team as quickly as OVG does. “We’re partners now,’’ she said. “So, we aren’t going to do something that goes against our own best interest.’’ The council requiring a team before allowing construction – even as a soft restriction – also could head off future attempts by entrepreneur Chris Hansen to obtain part of Occidental Avenue South from the city for his stalled Sodo project. Hansen’s prior deal collapsed largely because he failed to demonstrate he could land NHL or NBA teams. Forcing Hansen to show proof of a team before the council would consider “vacating” Occidental and reviving his Sodo plan would likely eliminate years of unnecessary political squabbling. If Hansen proves he can bring a team in – with a commitment from either league – that’s different, and his street application could be revisited. But given this city is about to approve the equivalent of a new arena under the existing KeyArena roof, the onus is now on Hansen and his supporters to demonstrate either league would side with him at a different venue. Up to now, they haven’t. Right now, there’s one arena plan with money to start construction and owners willing to pay for a team as soon as the NHL agrees. And after last Thursday’s no-show by opponents, the only people who can stop it are the ones most wanting it to happen. https://theathletic.com/529651/2018/09/17/down-goes-brown-the-bizarro-meter-evaluates-the- offseason-moves-of-the-western-conference-teams/

The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: The Bizarro-meter evaluates the offseason moves of the Western Conference teams By Sean McIndoe – September 17, 2018

The offseason is over. Let’s get weird. Or more specifically, let’s remember all the various ways that NHL teams got weird over the last few months. It’s time to fire up the Bizarro-meter, a feature I debuted back in 2013 in an attempt to understand whatever it was the Maple Leafs thought they were doing, and have been using since 2014 to round up every team in the league. It’s a high-tech system which evaluates each team’s offseason oddity index by, uh, giving it a score out of ten. Look, we never said this was complicated. Before we get started, an important annual reminder: “bizarre” doesn’t necessarily mean “bad.” In last season’s list, some of the highest rankings went to the Capitals and Golden Knights, who ended up meeting in the final, as well as to the Avalanche, who shocked everyone by going from dead last to the playoffs. Sometimes, a little bit of chaos can work out well for a team. And maybe more importantly, sometimes a conservative, uninspired, paint-by-numbers offseason is the absolute last thing a team needs. So with that caveat in mind, let’s dig in. As always, a team’s offseason begins the moment its season ends and stretches until last weekend. We’ll start today with the 15 Western Conference teams; we’ll be back to finish up with the Eastern Conference Tuesday. Central Division The offseason so far: They locked down on a long-term deal, and got future starter Juuse Saros signed at a very manageable number. Mike Fisher retired again, Dan Hamhuis will slot in for Alexei Emelin, and Auston Watson will miss a third of the season pending an appeal of his suspension for domestic assault. But otherwise, last year’s Presidents’ Trophy winners will bring back mostly the same roster. But their strangest story was: Signing Zac Rinaldo always raises a few eyebrows, even when it’s a two- way deal. But the strangest moment of their offseason probably came when Ryan Johansen and Ryan Kesler appeared to arrange a street fight over Twitter. Bizarro-meter ranking: 2.2/10. At this point, not being a jerk on Twitter is basically a terms of service violation, so even the Kesler/Johansen spat doesn’t earn many points. We’re not used to seeing a whole offseason go by without a major trade or two from David Poile, but for now it probably makes sense to stay the course with a top Cup contender. The offseason so far: It started early, with the firing of GM Chuck Fletcher in April. But other than that, it’s been strangely quiet; the biggest headlines were the signing of Matt Dumba to a $30-million extension and a buyout for Tyler Ennis. But their strangest story was: Not making many moves. The Wild have been spinning their wheels for years now, always good enough to make the playoffs but never quite good enough to feel like a real contender. At some point, they’re going to need to move forward or take a step back. For now, they seem content to plod ahead with the status quo. Bizarro-meter ranking: 3.7/10. New GM Paul Fenton appears to be taking a wait-and-see approach. Sometimes that works out well. Sometimes it just means another lost season. Winnipeg Jets The offseason so far: It’s been largely a case of maintaining the status quo, which makes sense given the season they’re coming off. The only major departure was deadline rental Paul Stastny, and they didn’t add anything major. Instead, the big headlines were around extension for existing players, including an intriguingly long one for Connor Hellebuyck, a disappointingly short one for Jacob Trouba, and an impressively cheap one for Josh Morrissey. But their strangest story was: Signing captain Blake Wheeler to an extension that will carry an $8.25 million cap hit until he’s 37. That deal was mostly well-received in Winnipeg, although other reviews haven’t been as kind. Bizarro-meter ranking: 4.2/10. The Wheeler deal may well turn out to be a mistake. But bizarre? Not really. Wheeler is enormously popular in Winnipeg, is coming off a career year, and is the team’s captain. NHL teams almost never play hardball with those sort of guys, even if there’s some evidence that they should. The offseason so far: Ian Cole was a nice addition, although an extension for Mikko Rantanen would have been nice and the Matt Calvert deal was odd. All told, they’re yet another Central team that’s been mostly quiet. Then again, considering some of the offseason stories we’ve had in Colorado over the last few years – like the coach quitting or star players demanding trades – Avs fans will probably take it. But their strangest story was: The creative trade that Joe Sakic worked with the Capitals for Philipp Grubauer. Sakic basically got a new starter at a discount by agreeing to buy out Brooks Orpik for Washington. That’s the kind of outside-the-box thinking that should be more common in the league. Bizarro-meter ranking: 4.5/10. After last season’s renaissance, it still feels a little like the Avs are playing with house money. Getting back to the playoffs in the Central will be tough, but the addition of Grubauer is an intriguing one. The offseason so far: The roster moves were mostly about tinkering around the edges; they signed guys like Roman Polak and Blake Comeau, and brought back Valeri Nichushkin from the KHL. That’s not much, but for a team that missed the playoffs by three points, it could be enough. And while it took them long enough, they did get the Tyler Seguin extension sorted out before camp. But their strangest story was: Hiring a college coach. Jim Montgomery is highly regarded and was reportedly the Rangers’ top candidate at one point. Still, college coaches have a mixed track record at the NHL, making this a somewhat gutsy choice for a team that would seem to need a playoff appearance this year. Bizarro-meter ranking: 5.2/10. We’ll award a bonus point for this, which was undeniably bizarre. Chicago Blackhawks The offseason so far: Stan Bowman hasn’t done much. Put differently, maybe Stan Bowman couldn’t do that much. Chicago’s cap situation limits his options, although he continues to find creative ways around the problem. The team did add Cam Ward, who could end up being a key piece given we’re still not exactly sure what’s happening with Corey Crawford. They also added veteran Chris Kunitz, who goes deep into the playoffs pretty much every year. But their strangest story was: Trading Marian Hossa to the Coyotes. Sure, we should be used to these sorts of moves by now. But it’s still always a little jarring when a team swings in a deal built around somebody who isn’t an active player any more, while the league just averts its eyes and assures us the salary cap is working as designed. Bizarro-meter ranking: 5.5/10. There’s been some impatience in Chicago, and given Bowman’s track record for big moves you can understand why. St. Louis Blues The offseason so far: Doug Armstrong has been busy, signing Tyler Bozak, David Perron and Patrick Maroon as he reshapes a roster coming off a disappointing season. That has some declaring the Blues as the biggest winners of the offseason. Time will tell, but at the very least Armstrong has sent a message: The last few years haven’t been good enough, and it’s time for this team to take the next step toward contending in the Central. But their strangest story was: Trading for Ryan O’Reilly, which was really only strange in the sense that it was the kind of blockbuster offseason move that so many teams tend to shy away from these days. The Blues gave up plenty, but the general consensus is that they didn’t overpay for a player who could help transform the offense. Bizarro-meter ranking: 5.7/10. They also get a point or two for parting ways with Martin Brodeur, if only because the fact that they had Brodeur in the first place remains weird. That makes their offseason just strange enough to take top spot in a surprisingly straightforward Central. (Don’t worry, the other three divisions pick up the slack.) Pacific Division The offseason so far: Mostly quiet. They brought in some depth pieces like Andrej Sustr, Carter Rowney and Luke Schenn, said goodbye to some veterans you’d forgot they still had, and re-signed Adam Henrique and Ondrej Kase. But their strangest story was: They went for the eight-year max on John Gibson’s extension, which is a major gamble because he’s a goaltender. A very good one, granted, and he’s been trending toward the elite tier. If he gets there, then he’s going to be a bargain for a long time. But there are no guarantees because he’s a goaltender which means [flashing neon shrug emoji]. Bizarro-meter ranking: 3.8/10. Almost entirely for the Gibson deal, although they get a nudge for mostly tinkering with a roster that seemed like it might need more than that. Arizona Coyotes The offseason so far: They were active, pulling off two of the offseason’s biggest trades. We already covered the Hossa deal, which saw them land a decent prospect in exchange for renting out their cap space. They made an even bigger move with Montreal, trading Max Domi for Alex Galchenyuk in a swap that just about everyone seemed to view as an upgrade. But despite those two moves, the biggest trade was probably the one they won’t be making… But their strangest story was: Re-signing Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who agreed to an eight-year deal. That put an end to the near-constant trade rumors and suggestions that the defenseman would surely want to bolt from the losing Coyotes and go somewhere he could win. Given how the roster is shaping up, he might get the chance to do it in Arizona soon. Not now, maybe, but soon. Bizarro-meter ranking: 4.6/10. They generated plenty of headlines, and the Hossa deal earns them a few weird points. But overall, the Coyotes seem more like a team executing on a plan than one doing anything especially confusing. The offseason so far: They basically stayed the course. Hey, don’t mess with what’s working, right? But their strangest story was: The lack of a major story. Heading into the offseason, there was all sorts of talk of major shakeups in Edmonton. After last season’s disaster, surely somebody was getting fired or traded or set out on an ice floe. But none of that happened. No firings, no panic moves, no Oscar Klefbom-for-somebody-way-worse-than-Oscar Klefbom trades. It was basically a Kyle Brodziak signing here and a Ryan Strome extension there, and that’s it. And for the most part, Oiler fans seem fine with it. Given Peter Chiarelli’s recent track record, they probably should be. Bizarro-meter ranking: 5.1/10. There’s something to be said for trusting the process in the face of adversity. But you get the sense that’s a card this Oilers’ group is only going to get to play once. If they have a bad year – heck, if they have a bad October – then all bets are off, because it’s going to be cover- your-eyes time in Edmonton. Los Angeles Kings The offseason so far: They did the one thing they absolutely needed to do: getting Drew Doughty locked down for the long-term. There was also the mildly odd departure of “offensive coordinator” Pierre Turgeon, and the hiring of stats guru Rob Vollman. They even traded for Max Pacioretty at the draft, sort of, only to have the move fall through when they couldn’t agree on an extension. But their strangest story was: Signing Ilya Kovalchuk. The deal wasn’t cheap, and signing a 35-year-old who hasn’t been in the NHL in five years carries all sorts of risk. But you have to respect the willingness to gamble. If it works, Kovalchuk could be good enough to get the Kings back within range of contending. If not, man is this team going to be old and expensive very soon. Bizarro-meter ranking: 6.3/10. In today’s timid, risk-averse NHL, it’s nice to see a team swing for the fences. Why yes, that may be a bit of foreshadowing for a certain other California team, thanks for noticing. Vegas Golden Knights The offseason so far: The defending Western champs had plenty of decisions to make on key pieces, getting new deals done for William Karlsson and Marc-Andre Fleury while parting ways with and David Perron. They also added one of the biggest free agents in Stastny, and one of the biggest trade targets in Pacioretty. They’ve existed for one year, by the way. But their strangest story was: The Nate Schmidt suspension, along with his vociferous denial that he did anything wrong. This isn’t quite uncharted territory for the NHL, but PED suspensions are rare enough that nobody’s quite sure what to make of it. Bizarro-meter ranking: 7.3/10. The good news is that Pacioretty brings plenty of experience in the one area that’s most critical to success in Vegas: enduring long and overwrought opening ceremonies. The offseason so far: The pulled off a true blockbuster, shipping Dougie Hamilton to Carolina. They signed Neal for the top six, and Derek Ryan for some nice center depth. They said goodbye to Troy Bouwer and (more importantly) Troy Bouwer’s contract, as well as to Brian Burke. For a talented team coming off a season that saw them underachieve badly, you certainly can’t accuse them of standing pat. But their strangest story was: The coaching change. Glen Gulutzan’s exit wasn’t a surprise, but the circumstances around it were unusual, as the team made a play for Hurricanes’ coach Bill Peters. They got him, with Peters’ exercising an unusual out-clause in his deal to shake loose from Carolina. The local- kid-comes-home story is always nice, but Peters has spent four years missing the playoffs and racking up a sub-.500 record in a league where nobody finishes under.500. That’s the guy you want to pin your make-or-break playoff push on? Bizarro-meter ranking: 7.4/10. The Peters hiring is fascinating, and it’s absolutely possible that it works out and makes people like me look silly. But given how the last few years have played out in Calgary, you have to assume that one way or another, this will be the last Flames coaching hire that Brad Treliving gets the chance to make for a long while. The offseason so far: The biggest story was the one we all knew was coming, as the Sedins announced their retirement. That opened up a big chunk of cap room, which the Canucks went to work spending on, um, fourth-liners. Nobody outside of the front office seemed to think that was a good idea. But their strangest story was: The departure of Trevor Linden, who left the organization in July in what was framed as a mutual decision. That was probably true to some extent, but it led to plenty of rumors that Linden wasn’t on the same page as ownership in terms of the rebuild, or may even have been pushed out by GM Jim Benning. We don’t know the full story yet, and maybe we never will, but it’s an unfortunate end for one of the franchise’s most beloved former players. Bizarro-meter ranking: 7.5/10. Drama and fourth-line obsession aside, the Canucks continue to build one of the league’s better prospect pipelines, so it’s not like the news is all bad. Things seem to be going according to plan… whoever’s plan it is. The offseason so far: They kept the roster together, re-signing pending UFAs Joe Thornton and Evander Kane and extending Tomas Hertl and Logan Couture. All of that still left enough room to make a serious bid for John Tavares, but they failed. Then they took a late run at Erik Karlsson. As you may have heard, they did not fail. But their strangest story was: Getting Karlsson out of Ottawa without giving up all that much of consequence. In one sense, taking advantage of an opportunity to trade for one of the best players in the league isn’t really all that strange – any team should do it. But any team had all summer to try, and only the Sharks got it done. And they did it without giving up anyone who was crucial to either the present or the future. Given what we thought Karlsson could fetch, that qualifies as bizarre. Bizarro-meter ranking: 8.1/10. They also get bonus points for the whole Mike Hoffman era, which we’ll get into when we head east. But Doug Wilson has made things crystal clear: the window is open now, and he’s going all-in. That’s the right move, even if it’s frustratingly rare among GMs around the league. It will be fascinating to see if it pays off – and what the Sharks might look like in a few years if it doesn’t. https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/teammates-need-stay-others-contract-negotiations/

Sportsnet.ca / Teammates need to stay out of each others' contract negotiations

Jeff Blair – September 17, 2018

It comes from covering Major League Baseball, I guess, but it still seems odd to hear teammates stick their noses in other teammates financial affairs. It still seems odd for guys who will tell you that playing professional sports is a business become turncoats and help management put the squeeze on teammates.

I’m thinking of the way some of the Pittsburgh Steelers have helped ownership in the Le’Veon Bell dispute, providing succor to those who would pay them less if given the chance. And I’m thinking about what could be the one thing that sums up the works when it comes to William Nylander and his contract negotiations with the .

Two words for any Leafs player asked about it? ‘Shut’ and ‘up.’

There is, frankly, the only way this spirals out of control – the only way it becomes anything more than business being business. And that’s if one of Nylander’s teammates drops his guard and suggests he ought to be a good little Leaf and come join the rest of the fellas in getting ready for the regular-season. Reports suggest that Nylander and his agent have over-clubbed in their demands, certainly not following the lead of some of the other Leafs who have taken less for the betterment of the group as a while. Good: that’s what they’re supposed to do, and then let the system run its course. This is a matter of delicacy because Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are next up and my guess is they’re relatively happy that Nylander aimed high instead of low at a time when there’s all this chatter about ‘hometown discounts.’

It’s true that you can’t legislate against somebody taking less to play where and with whom they want to play. It’s equally true that a rising tide of salaries doesn’t necessarily lift all boats in a league where there’s a salary cap. But it’s quite another thing when you help management and by extension ownership depress the amount of money a teammate is making. Hearing Ryan Johansen essentially say two weeks ago that hockey players owed blind loyalty to their team and if that meant cutting management a break, well, so be it, was shocking. That’s also the subtext to a lot of Lou Lamoriello’s digs at John Tavares but, again, he’s management, so fair play to him.

No, it’s these millennial athletes, man… they need some history lessons. I’d suggest they pull their noses out of ‘NHL 19′ and read ‘A Whole Different Ballgame’ by Marvin Miller or ‘Game Misconduct: Alan Eagleson and the Corruption of Hockey.’ Better yet, google Ted Lindsay.

In the meantime, let’s let the Leafs and Nylander work this out. I give it about three more days of absences before we start hearing head coach muse more and more about how the lost time is costing Nylander a prime position on the team. That’s fair, like Lamoriello, Babcock is management. But know this: if Nylander returns with a five-year contract it’s not going to do anybody any good if there’s an inclination to punish him regardless of the length of absence. It’s business, right?

Each week, Jeff Blair and Stephen Brunt tackle the most impactful stories in the world of sports and their intersection with popular culture. Come for the sports; stay for the storytelling and cigars.

NOW TWEET THIS

In which we check to be sure Donald Trump didn’t in fact buy the Bills… name-check Jerry Garvin… attempt to spell Marc Rzepczynski’s name… tell you how the Yankees can sign Bryce Harper and keep the faith with their youth movement… and remind the Rays once again that the concept of using a reliever to start a game is the silliest thing ever and will never, ever work.

• Red Sox’s manager Alex Cora became the fifth manager with 100-plus wins in his first season, joining Ralph Houk (109 with the 61 Yanks); Dusty Baker (103 with the 93 Giants); Sparky Anderson (102 with the 70 Reds) and Mickey Cochrane (101 with the 34 Tigers) #legends

• More on Blue Jays pitcher Sean Reid-Foley later, but his 32 strikeouts are the most ever for a Jay in his first five career starts, ahead of Marc Rzepczynski (30); Jerry Garvin (26); Kyle Drabek (24) and Ryan Borucki (23) #eclectic

• Vontae Davis retires at half-time; head coach Sean McDermott takes over the play-calling from defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier at half-time. Still sure the Pegulas and not Donald Trump ended up buying the Bills? #where’ssarah?

• Chelsea and Liverpool are both 5-0 and that’s only third time in 110 years of English top-flight soccer that two clubs have won their first five matches – the first time since 1908-09 #halleyscomet

• The Broncos’ Phillip Lindsay, who went to school at Colorado, had 107 yards in Sunday’s win over the Raiders, making him the first undrafted player in NFL history to rush for over 100 yards in each of his first two games #diamondintherough

• Friend Sweeny Murti of WFAN had an interesting response when asked if the Yankees youth movement mitigated against them pursuing big-name free agents this winter: Bryce Harper is actually six months younger than Aaron Judge #options

• While the Dodgers are in tough for a post-season berth, keep in mind they lead the NL in run differential and the last team to do so and fail to make the playoff was the 1990 Mets #precedence

• The Rays picked up their 40th win in 70 games started by a reliever Sunday, winning their series against the A’s and lowering to their AL-best first-inning ERA to 3.40 since debuting the ‘opener’ concept on May 19 #uncle

THE ENDGAME

Cover the Montreal Expos for 11 years and the Toronto Blue Jays for 18 more and you’ve hitched a ride on more September ‘learning curves’ than a human being should be subjected.

But there are those that resonate, and that was the case Saturday when Blue Jays starter Sean Reid- Foley responded to home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz’s, um, “free form” strike zone and stood on the Yankee Stadium mound for ejection of catcher Luke Maile and manager John Gibbons, yielded a bases- loading infield single six pitches later, then struck out Neil Walker, Luke Voit and Brett Gardner on 10 pitches, getting Gardner on three four-seam fastballs.

Here’s the thing: I still worry that the Blue Jays pitching staff is velocity-shy (I know, 95 m.p.h. isn’t slop especially with movement) and I need more pitches in the upper-90s before I believe this team is ready for the push and pull of the American League East. But as a potential No. 3 or 4, I’m ok with Reid-Foley.

Different moment, but to me Reid-Foley’s effort in Yankee Stadium reminded me a bit of Aaron Sanchez’s moment in Game 5 of the 2015 AL Division Series, when he came out of the bullpen in the seventh inning and stood on the mound as all hell was breaking loose around him following umpire Dale Scott’s ruling on that run-scoring error by Russell Martin, promptly struck out Shin Soo-Choo and got the Blue Jays back into the dugout where You-Know-Who flipped his bat and flipped the script. Sanchez’s career has been a mish-mash of odd stuff in the past two years but he was a beast as a starter in 2016 after growing up right in front of us that night.