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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 06/11/19 1146513 close to purchasing majority share of 1146549 Blues vs. Bruins going to Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Arizona Coyotes Final? That’s what our simulation predicted in April. 1146514 Businessman Alex Meruelo ‘interested’ in purchasing 1146550 NHL Prospect Profile Victor Soderstrom Arizona Coyotes 1146551 HL Prospect Profile Moritz Seider 1146515 Closing in on a deal: Alex Meruelo in advanced stages of purchasing majority share of Coyotes 1146552 Michael Arace | Stanley Cup Final goalies now under extreme pressure 1146516 Torey Krug awaits a special delivery 1146553 If the Blue Jackets trade from their defensive depth, who is 1146517 Bruins’ poise and experience were the difference in Game most likely to go? 6, and should be in Game 7 1146518 Bruce Cassidy says Bruins will ‘stick to our routine’ for Game 7 1146554 Detroit Red Wings mock draft: Trevor Zegras' creativity 1146519 Charlie McAvoy’s emotional roller coaster, and other could be key to future Bruins thoughts 1146555 $100K or bust: St. Louis Blues bettor all-in heading into 1146520 Stanley Cup Today: Back to Boston for Game 7 Game 7 1146521 The Bruins’ first line was first-rate, and they need more of 1146556 Red Wings draft prospect: combines skills that in Game 7 with competitiveness 1146522 Here’s how the Bruins turned the tables on the Blues in 1146557 2019 Stanley Cup Final: Bruins vs. Blues, Game 6 live Game 6 chat 1146523 Patrice Bergeron lit a fire with his pregame speech, and the Bruins forced a Game 7 Oilers 1146524 Charlie McAvoy, young Bruins one win from dream 1146558 Oilers new business boss Tom Anselmi brings a wealth of 1146525 Patrice Bergeron talked the talk prior to Bruins win over experience Blues in Game 6 1146559 JONES: New hire improves Oilers business, if not on-ice 1146526 Bruins’ pursuit of Stanley Cup bigger than Boston hat trick product 1146527 Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk may be heating up just in time 1146560 Lucic for Eriksson? Why does that make sense? 1146528 One more win for Tuukka Rask to lock down his legacy 1146561 Q&A with : On the draft, buyouts, free agency with the Bruins and how to have a successful offseason 1146529 Balanced scoring key to Bruins Stanley Cup Final run 1146530 Bruins ready for Game 7: 'It's the most exciting game in all Kings our lives' 1146562 Kings sign forward Johan Sodergran to entry-level deal 1146531 Red Sox move Wednesday start time vs. Rangers to 1146563 Loss of Dusty Imoo to KHL leaves big hole in Kings’ accommodate Bruins' Game 7 goaltending development 1146532 Bruce Cassidy, Bruins react to 'very unfortunate' David 1146564 REPORT: DUSTY IMOO JOINING KUNLUN RED STAR Ortiz shooting (KHL) 1146533 Bruins rookie Karson Kuhlman steps up in his big Game 6 1146565 KINGS SIGN JOHAN SODERGRAN TO THREE-YEAR, moment ENTRY-LEVEL CONTACT 1146534 Bruins ticket prices for Game 7 of Cup Final already at a record high 1146535 This stat bodes well for Bruins' odds of winning Stanley 1146566 Wild draft breakdown: 10 players who might be a fit at the Cup Game 7 No. 12 pick 1146536 Yes, Torey Krug and the Bruins saw St. Louis' premature Stanley Cup celebrations 1146537 Would Blues' Brayden Schenn be suspended if it weren't 1146567 What the Puck: Canadiens' 1993 Cup win was about Game 7? talent and inspiration 1146538 How Patrice Bergeron rallied Bruins with rousing Game 6 1146568 Bouchard: Why the Canadiens’ retool would be pregame speech accelerated by moving Max Domi back to the wing 1146539 Bruins takeaways: Yes, the Blues’ premature celebratory 1146569 The Canadiens should actively pursue Erik Karlsson ads lit a fire under their opponents because the time to strike is now 1146540 Buckley: Bruins can put a capstone on an incredible stretch for ‘Champ City’ 1146570 Predators: Did P.K. Subban outdo Drake with custom Raptors jacket at the NBA Finals? 1146541 Tuukka Rask is Bruins' rock in heading into Game 7 1146571 Q&A: Dan Lambert hopes to return the Predators’ power 1146542 Just like the Braves, Marc Stein left WNY — but it never play to respectability left him 1146543 Stimson: What kind of statistical output can we expect from Jeff Skinner over the course of his deal? 1146572 Devils sign prospect Jesper Boqvist to rookie deal | What it means 1146573 NJ Devils lock up top prospect Jesper Boqvist 1146544 In the face of a cap crunch, would a James Neal trade be worthwhile for the Flames? 1146574 Islanders’ free agency update: What’s taking so long with Blackhawks Anders Lee and Robin Lehner? 1146545 Hawks Talk Podcast: TSN's Craig Button explains final NHL Draft rankings and Blackhawks pick at No. 3 1146546 2019 NHL Draft Profile: RW Vasili Podkolzin 1146547 Dollars and sense: It won’t be like Lane’s Lounge, but gambling is coming to Chicago 1146548 Somebody’s got to go: Flush with cash but not roster spots, Blackhawks should be active in trade market Websites 1146575 Sean Avery ‘thanks’ Post for coverage of his criminal 1146607 The Athletic / Q&A with Ken Holland: On the draft, mischief trial buyouts, free agency and how to have a successful 1146576 Sean Avery in court for allegedly hitting car with scooter offseason 1146608 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Five hard questions the NHL NHL needs to ask before they expand replay review 1146577 Lots of fun Seattle Metropolitans stuff in the Hockey Hall of 1146609 The Athletic / Women’s hockey boycott showing cracks as Fame — if you know where to look players start to return to NWHL 1146610 .ca / Six teams that could emerge as Stanley Cup contenders in next three years 1146578 Senators sign free-agent defenceman Nick Ebert 1146611 Sportsnet.ca / Ville Nieminen has seen both sides of Game 7 in Stanley Cup Final 1146612 Sportsnet.ca / Unresolved contracts for Edler, Boeser 1146579 More mature, Flyers prospect Morgan Frost ready for that complicate Canucks' offseason plan next step, wherever he lands 1146613 Sportsnet.ca / Tom Anselmi hire opens doors beyond 1146580 Matthew Boldy on Flyers’ radar as they prepare for their hockey in Edmonton first-round pick 1146614 TSN.CA / Cassidy’s Game 7 playbook already written 1146581 Disappointed Blues fans were hoping to ‘Play Gloria’ at SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 South Philly Mummers club 1146582 5 Flyers takeaways: Kevin Hayes, 2019 NHL draft, trades, more 1146583 Flyers ‘hopeful’ they can sign Kevin Hayes, but nothing close yet 1146584 Echoes of Hextall: New Flyers brain trust lays out strikingly familiar approach to the draft 1146585 Flyers free agency: Pending UFAs the team should avoid 1146586 Mark Madden: 35 years later, Penguins’ drafting No. 1 was both easy, complicated 1146587 The forgotten story of the Penguins’ 2009 Stanley Cup- clinching win 1146588 Sharks organizational review: Center position could be big question mark St Louis Blues 1146589 Blues set rating record, drub Cardinals in television viewership 1146590 Tickets to Game 7 watch party at Enterprise Center sell out quickly 1146591 Bruins spoil the party in St. Louis, force Blues to hit the road for Game 7 1146592 BenFred: Blues' last shot at Cup comes where they are best — on the road, after a loss 1146593 Hochman: Bruins ruin Blues' chance at history by playing St. Louis style of hockey 1146594 Bergeron's speech, Rask's play in goal, send series back to Boston 1146595 Bruins spoil the party, beat Blues to force Game 7 1146596 Blue beards, vintage jerseys on display as 30,000 Blues fans fill downtown for rally 1146597 Blues’ season has lifted a city, but chance to win Stanley Cup will wait for Game 7 1146598 Bruins takeaways: Yes, the Blues’ premature celebratory ads lit a fire under their opponents 1146599 ‘Maybe that’s our story’: Blues stay optimistic after chance to clinch first Stanley Cup falls well short 1146605 Ben Kuzma: Canucks GM Benning wants physicality, but is Eriksson-Lucic swap the answer? 1146606 Canucks Under the Microscope: Brock Boeser 1146600 ‘Jeopardy!’ star James Holzhauer to present at NHL show in 1146601 SLS Las Vegas owner Alex Meruelo looking to buy Arizona Coyotes 1146602 Looking back at the Capitals’ 2009 NHL Draft: How Washington struck gold in the first round 1146603 Was 2019 a missed Stanley Cup opportunity for the Capitals? 1146604 Free Agency Bracket: Marcus Johansson vs. Joonas Donskoi 1146513 Arizona Coyotes deal was too highly leveraged and that he was asked to pay more than originally asked.

It appears that the Coyotes would be Meruelo's first sports-related Alex Meruelo close to purchasing majority share of Arizona Coyotes purchase since his terminated bid to buy the Hawks.

Meruelo is also the founder of Meruelo Group, which as a construction Richard Morin, Arizona Republic Published 12:13 p.m. MT June 10, 2019 and real estate development firm with a number of other assets, including | Updated 3:32 p.m. MT June 10, 2019 several in the American Southwest.

The Meruelo Group has no outside investors, which makes Meruelo the sole owner of his various companies. Alex Meruelo, who in 2011 attempted to buy the , now is negotiations to purchase a majority share of the Arizona Coyotes. Arizona Republic LOADED: 06.11.2019

New ownership for the Coyotes is on the horizon.

Billionaire entrepreneur Alex Meruelo is in advanced stages of purchasing a majority share of the Coyotes, league sources confirmed to The Arizona Republic.

The possible ownership change, first reported by The Athletic, would need to be approved by the NHL Board of Governors, and Meruelo's purchase is expected to be on the board's agenda for their June 19 meeting in Las Vegas, sources said.

If approved, a closing date for Meruelo's purchase could come at some point this summer.

Still, multiple sources indicated there are several steps that need to occur before the sale can be finalized. Several material issues have been worked out "in the past couple of days," one league source said, adding that the process has been moving steadily.

It is well-documented that current majority owner has been seeking creative ownership solutions over the past several months. Barroway became the team's majority owner in 2015 and bought out his partners in 2017 to become sole owner.

Although Meruelo is discussing the purchase of a majority share in the organization, the exact size of the share is unclear. It is expected that Barroway will retain a small minority share.

"What I can confirm right now is that Alex Meruelo is very interested in purchasing the Coyotes," Coyotes President and CEO Ahron Cohen said in a statement to The Republic. "Alex's track record of strong business success certainly precedes him and makes him a great candidate to help our team build upon the positive momentum we have established over the past year. We will keep all the members of Our Pack updated of important milestones moving forward."

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It is unclear whether Meruelo's purchase would have any immediate impact on the Coyotes' search for a new arena in the Valley, but league sources maintained that for the foreseeable future Meruelo's focus would be on making the team successful in Arizona.

The Coyotes finished with a 39-35-8 record last season and were the last team eliminated from postseason contention. The Coyotes finished the season with the sixth-fewest goals against (223) among all 31 clubs.

Andrew Barroway, current owner of the Arizona Coyotes, would take a lesser ownership role if an anticipated sale to billionaire entrepreneur Alex Meruelo is completed.

Who is Alex Meruelo?

Meruelo, 65, is a son of Cuban immigrants with a history of buying undervalued assets and holding onto them.

Should the deal go through, it is believed that Meruelo would be the first and only Latino owner in the NHL. Meruelo could unlock opportunities in a metro Phoenix market that has a Hispanic population of more than 42 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Meruelo began his business career working for his father's tuxedo company before purchasing a failing pizza restaurant. He rebranded it to cater to Latinos by offering toppings such as chorizo and jalapeños. The chain opened 12 locations and exceeded $10 million in sales within five years of Meruelo's takeover.

He was also involved in a bid to purchase the Atlanta Hawks in 2011, but the deal did not go through. Meruelo told the Los Angeles Times that the 1146514 Arizona Coyotes

Businessman Alex Meruelo ‘interested’ in purchasing Arizona Coyotes

BY MATT LAYMAN | JUNE 10, 2019 AT 10:56 AM

Reported billionaire and businessman Alex Meruelo is interested in purchasing the Arizona Coyotes, a source confirmed to 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station on Monday.

The talks are in advanced stages, and a deal could be complete later this summer, Arizona Sports has learned from an NHL source.

The matter was first reported by The Athletic’s Craig Morgan, who added that a deal could be on the agenda for a vote at the NHL Board of Governors meeting on June 19.

Meruelo would reportedly become the majority owner, a post currently held by Andrew Barroway, if the deal is completed. Barroway would retain a minority share, a source said.

Morgan also reported on how this potential sale could affect the team’s status in Arizona, writing, “league sources said that for the foreseeable future, Meruelo’s focus would be on making the team successful in Arizona.”

According to an LA Times article, Meruelo owns a chain of pizza restaurants in Los Angeles called La Pizza Loca; SLS Las Vegas, a casino on the Las Vegas Strip; the Grand Sierra Resort hotel and casino in Reno, ; and real estate, construction companies, a bank, two TV stations, hip hop radio stations and more.

Reports around the web that offer suggestions of Meruelo’s net worth fail to definitively nail down a figure, but an infusion of cash from new ownership, should a deal be completed, could help the team greatly.

The Coyotes franchise, which has historically been plagued by ownership instability and has also sought a new arena in the Valley in-part to be closer to its main ticket-buying audience, was bought out entirely by Barroway in June of 2017. Barroway was originally one of several investors that made up a group called IceArizona, which bought the team in 2013. He became majority owner in 2014.

The team’s financial well-being could also help the on-ice product, giving the team more money to spend on players to get the Coyotes into the playoffs for the first time since 2011-12.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146515 Arizona Coyotes Meruelo told the Times that he and former Hawks owner Bruce Levenson agreed to a price — but league officials demanded he pay more.

“The NBA wanted me to put up another $50 million, and I said, ‘No,’” he Closing in on a deal: Alex Meruelo in advanced stages of purchasing said. Just a few years later, the Hawks sold for a reported $850 million — majority share of Coyotes more than twice what Meruelo would have paid — to a group led by private equity investor Antony Ressler.

By Craig Morgan Jun 10, 2019 If his purchase of the Coyotes goes through, it would bring to an end the four-year ownership of Barroway, who became the team’s majority owner in 2015 and bought out his IceArizona partners in 2017. Barroway bought control of the Coyotes in early 2015 for $305 million. Billionaire entrepreneur Alex Meruelo is in the advanced stages of purchasing a majority share of the Arizona Coyotes, league sources Although the sale of the team may not be completed until later this confirmed. If approved by a vote of the NHL Board of Governors, the sale summer, a vote of approval by the Board of Governors could alter the would transfer a substantial majority stake in the team (percentage team’s budget and how much money president of hockey operations unknown) to Meruelo, with current owner Andrew Barroway retaining a John Chayka has to spend, both in free agency, which begins July 1, and small minority share. under the confines of the league’s salary cap.

With the two sides having ironed out several key material issues in the Meruelo Group does not have outside investors, making Alex Meruelo past two weeks, the vote is expected to be on the agenda at the NHL the sole owner of his portfolio of companies. Estimates of his net worth Board of Governors meeting on June 19 in Las Vegas, site of the annual vary, but when asked by the Times, he paraphrased oil tycoon J. Paul NHL Awards show. Even if the Board of Governors approves the sale, Getty: “If you have to count your money, you’re not a billionaire.” however, a closing date may not come until later this summer. The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 It is unclear how the organization’s desire for a new arena fits into the ongoing talks. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is on record as having said the team must have a new arena to survive in Arizona, but it’s unclear whether that attitude has changed. ’s Glendale location is not ideal because the vast majority of Coyotes season ticket holders and premium season ticket holders live on the east side of town, but league sources said that for the foreseeable future, Meruelo’s focus would be on making the team successful in Arizona.

Bettman has referred all recent questions regarding the sale of the team to Coyotes executives. When reached for comment, Coyotes president Ahron Cohen issued this statement without further comment: “What I can confirm right now is that Alex Meruelo is very interested in purchasing the Coyotes. Alex’s track record of strong business success certainly precedes him – and it makes him a great candidate to help our team build upon the positive momentum we have established over the past year. We will keep all the members of Our Pack updated on important milestones moving forward.”

If the sale is completed, it is believed that Meruelo, who is Cuban- American, would become the only majority Latino owner currently in the NHL. His ownership could open up possibilities in a Latino market that has gone largely untapped by the NHL. Meruelo’s knowledge of the media and gaming landscapes could also create opportunities to weave those areas of expertise into the team’s platform.

Meruelo, 55, has a wide-ranging array of construction, real estate and other holdings throughout the American Southwest, including the recently purchased SLS Las Vegas (formerly the Sahara Hotel and Casino), which also has a location challenge because it is well north of the better- known resorts along Las Vegas Strip. Meruelo also owns the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, and the Meruelo Group owns an Orange County, Calif., bank, stations KWHY-TV and KBEH-TV, and radio stations Power 106 (KPWR), KDAY and KDEY-FM under the Meruelo Media banner.

The son of Cuban immigrants, Meruelo began his entrepreneurial career by running a downtown Los Angeles tuxedo rental shop. He saved enough money to start investing in property, buying a small apartment building in Huntington Park and then a plot of land in Riverside that he eventually sold to , a deal he told the Los Angeles Times made him a millionaire in his early 20s. At age 23, he took over a failing pizza chain by another name and rebranded it La Pizza Loca. The chain caters to Latinos by, among other things, offering ethnic-specific toppings such as chorizo and jalapenos. La Pizza Loca now boasts more than 50 restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Meruelo has a history of buying troubled assets, improving them and then holding on to them, rather than selling or flipping them. The pizza chain and his two casinos are prime examples.

“I just look at opportunities and I buy at distressed values,” he told the Times. “I’m not much of a seller.”

In 2011, Meruelo ended his bid to buy the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Citing sources, the Los Angeles Times offered two reasons: The league worried that the deal was too highly leveraged, and NBA officials asked for additional financial considerations not included in the original agreement. 1146516 Boston Bruins Berube wasn’t sure why his team seemed to be less physical in Game 6, suggesting players may have held back in fear of a whistle.

Officiating has been an ongoing topic of discussion this series, as both Torey Krug awaits a special delivery coaches have issued their fair share of criticism.

Two Blues have been suspended, one for boarding and the other for an By Nicole Yang Boston.com Staff, Updated June 11, 2019, 12:04 a.m. illegal check to the head.

“Who knows what goes on, what goes through guys’ heads, things like that,” Berube said. “I think we can be more physical than we were last ST. LOUIS — The upcoming week has the potential to be quite a frenzy game.” for Bruins defenseman Torey Krug. Berube also said the team shuffled things around on the power play, Not only is his team competing in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on moving guys to different spots with hopes of generating more “dirty Wednesday night, Krug’s wife, Melanie, is also scheduled to give birth to goals.” the couple’s first child any day now. With the Bruins about to play their 24th game of the playoffs — 11 of which were on the road — the past The Blues have struggled mightily with a man-up advantage, converting two months have undoubtedly been rather busy. just 16.3 percent of their chances this postseason. In Game 6, they came up empty-handed on five tries. “She’s getting a little nervous here,” Krug said Monday at the Bruins’ hotel in St. Louis. Berube said he liked most of the looks his team got, but players need to create second and third opportunities as well. He credited the Bruins with The nerves are there for Krug, too, as is the excitement. He said during doing a good job collapsing to help out Rask. the conference semifinals that he’s doing his best to “enjoy every second” of the parenthood journey amid Boston’s push for the Cup. “It’s going to take a couple dirty goals, better net presence, screens, [and] finding rebounds,” Berube said. “We need to outnumber them at the Although he admitted he gets anxious, experiencing the full spectrum of net a little bit more, so we can try to get a couple dirty goals.” emotions that come with an expectant wife, Krug noted that he’s able to do his job “without too much stress.” Starting with his helmetless hit on Boston Globe LOADED: 06.11.2019 St. Louis Blues rookie Robert Thomas, the 28-year-old stalwart has strung together an impressive postseason.

“It’s been fun,” he said. “Family is the most important thing in this world, for sure. It’s kind of allowed me to relax and just play hockey.”

Over the next couple of days in Boston, Krug plans to lie low ahead of his two potentially life-changing events.

“My wife won’t be moving around too much,” he said.

If all goes according to plan, the celebrations will be plentiful.

As the only member of the roster who was on the team in 2013 but not 2011, Krug said he utilizes that loss as a motivator and is eager to do his part so that he can avoid watching an opposing team hoist the Cup at TD Garden for the second time.

“For myself, personally, that feeling after losing in 2013 was crushing,” he said. “I never want to feel that again, to be honest.”

Grzelcyk not cleared

Defenseman Matt Grzelcyk remains in concussion protocol and has not yet been cleared, coach Bruce Cassidy announced.

“Who knows how that’ll play out Wednesday,” Cassidy said.

Even if Grzelcyk is cleared in time for Game 7, Cassidy was not dead set on re-inserting him into the lineup. Grzelcyk has not played since exiting Game 2 with a head injury and has since practiced twice in a red noncontact sweater.

“He’s missed some games now,” Cassidy said. “Do you want to mess with the back end?”

If Grzelcyk is unable to go — or if Cassidy elects to sit him — John Moore will probably continue to skate in his place.

Forward Karson Kuhlman, who made his Stanley Cup Final debut in Game 6, will also stay in the lineup, Cassidy said.

Replacing veteran David Backes in the second line, Kuhlman scored Boston’s third goal Sunday night. The 23-year-old rookie became the 21st player to score a goal from the Bruins this postseason, leaving Moore and netminder Tuukka Rask as the only ones who have suited up but not scored.

It’s go time for Blues

Blues coach Craig Berube is asking his players to up their physicality in Game 7.

“We got to be aggressive,” Berube said before his team departed for Boston. “That’s our style. That’s the way we have success.” 1146517 Boston Bruins line. If you’re going to make an argument for Andre Iguodala or Chauncey Billups as basketball Hall of Famers, you’d better be making Max’s case first.

Bruins’ poise and experience were the difference in Game 6, and should I suspect the banner captain Wednesday will be No. 12 from the Patriots be in Game 7 wearing a No. 34 Red Sox jersey, and it can’t get much better than that. But Max would be a worthy, if much subtler, choice. The man showed up in Game 7s. By Chad Finn Globe Staff,June 10, 2019, 4:44 p.m. The Blues, who went all goon squad in the final moments of Sunday’s 5- 1 loss, have won a Game 7 during this journey (against the Stars in double-overtime in Round 2). But they did not act like they had been here Tuukka Rask foiled the Blues time and again Sunday night. before in Game 6, and with a rookie goalie in Binnington in net against a I’ve seen the origins of the maxim applied to various people — Vince Bruins core that knows what it takes in these moments, the Blues had Lombardi, Barry Sanders, maybe even Michael Scott on “The Office.” better score first in Game 7, or they’ll be finished long before the final horn. Act like you’ve been there before. I suspect they are anyway, and that congrats-on-the-Cup letter that Maybe it’s trite. Maybe it’s a cliché at this point. Heck, it’s almost certainly popped up on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website is going to live on as a way for grouchy old men (and apparently Madison Bumgarner) to do all-time case of premature exultation. I’m not big on jinxes, but that, the back-in-my-day routine when modern athletes enjoy their friends, is a jinx. accomplishments in real time. The Bruins, of course, are paying that no mind. They’re putting their But like most clichés, it was a fresh, insightful truth at one point. And it heads down and getting ready for work. happens to be one now that explains why the Bruins are a great bet to hoist the Stanley Cup Wednesday night. “We just want to try to focus and do what we’ve done all year, which is prepare and try to play the same game,’’ Marchand said after Game 6. They have been here before, at least several members of the core, and “We’re not going to get caught up on the excitement of it. We’re just they prevailed under far more challenging circumstances than these. going to prepare and focus like we did tonight.”

Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, and David Krejci were If they do that with similar results, you’re going to have to set aside a few all front and center eight years ago when the Bruins marched into hours for a parade in the coming days. But you knew that. You’ve seen it Vancouver and won the franchise’s first Stanley Cup in 39 years. a dozen times this decade. We’ve all been here before, again and again, Marchand and Bergeron each had two goals in the Bruins’ 4-0 Game 7 and darned if it never gets old. victory. Boston Globe LOADED: 06.11.2019 Tuukka Rask, who should snag the Conn Smythe Trophy this postseason whether or not the Bruins prevail Wednesday, also was on that team, of course, but as the understudy/bystander while Tim Thomas put on a performance for the ages in net.

Rask is matching that performance now, and should he play in Game 7 the way he played in Game 6, there’s an argument to be made that he surpassed it. He was downright extraordinary in Game 6, especially in the first period, when he fended off a supercharged Blues team feeding off the energy of the home crowd.

“We tried to get a good start, but obviously the home team is trying to get a push and get that early lead,” said Rask. “I think that kill was excellent. Killing that penalty was huge.

“The last time we were here [Game 4], they scored, what, 30 seconds in [55, actually], so obviously you don’t want that to happen again. I think we weathered the storm pretty good and got the lead. So that was pretty good.”

The Blues did everything they could to score first. Rask would not allow it, and when Marchand rocketed a one-timer past Blues goalie Jordan Binnington for a 1-0 lead at the 8:40 mark of the first period, the Bruins were on their way to a textbook road victory under the most tense circumstances.

They got a spectacular performance by their goalie, while Marchand, Krejci, and David Pastrnak played their best game of the series, lineup addition Karson Kuhlman made coach Bruce Cassidy’s hunch pay off with a goal, and they came through in every way a Bruins fan would have hoped.

They looked like they had been there before. And of course they have, not just in 2011, but in these playoffs, too. They rallied from a 3-2 deficit in the first round to beat a talented Toronto team, did not get overconfident against the Blue Jackets or Hurricanes when their path to the Final opened up, and save for a frustrating loss here or there (over the long playoff grind, it happens, even to pending champions), they have done everything necessary to get to where they are right now, and one joyous step beyond.

The Bruins will host Game 7 at TD Garden, and it’s amazing given the dozen championships Boston sports teams have hoarded since 2001, but it is the first championship-round Game 7 here since the Celtics hosted the Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals.

Maybe you require the history lesson, maybe you don’t, but here it is anyway: The Celtics won, 111-104, with Cedric Maxwell posting a 24-8-8 1146518 Boston Bruins think that’s one of the areas that you’ve got to be able to deal with if it’s not your team [that scored].

“Then discipline in those little battles, discipline in your forecheck routes. Bruce Cassidy says Bruins will ‘stick to our routine’ for Game 7 There’s discipline all over the ice, not just the physical part of it, but how you play the game, how you approach it.

By Frank Dell’Apa Globe Correspondent, June 10, 2019, 4:10 p.m. “So, I think we have a good group in there. That’s part of [Bergeron], what he talked about. How do you approach the game without getting too far ahead of yourself, without getting in your own way? Just play hockey.

BEDFORD — During a long break after the Eastern Conference finals, Boston Globe LOADED: 06.11.2019 Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy consulted with local teams about dealing with playoff pressure. But Cassidy and the Bruins are on their own now; few of their colleagues can relate to the situation the team is in, preparing for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

“Excited, the whole hockey world is,” Cassidy said. “So, Stanley Cup Final, Game 7, looking forward to it. Like I said last night, may the best team win.

“You’ve got to put your best foot forward. Try to stick to our routine. We’re off today, practice tomorrow. We’ll say a few things, I’m sure our leadership will have a few things to say to the younger guys — everybody, really — and be ready to go.”

Several current Bruins played in the seventh game of the 2011 Final and in the 2013 Final, including Patrice Bergeron, who delivered a pregame motivation talk before a 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues Sunday night, setting up Wednesday’s decider at the TD Garden.

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“Well, to me, it matters a lot because I haven’t been through it in a Stanley Cup Final,” Cassidy said upon arriving at Hanscom Field Monday afternoon.

“So, the core from Vancouver [2011] and from Chicago [2013], for that matter, they didn’t want to go through that again last night. And it showed.

“Who were the guys that stepped up? Tuukka [Rask], March [Brad Marchand], these guys, they’ve been through it. So, I think it matters a lot in our room.

“I do believe once the puck drops, listen, guys want to win. They’re not overthinking it, generally. I just think it’s sometimes in the preparation. If you’re not ready to go, that’s where the leadership helps the guys a lot. Settle you down a lot an hour and a half before the game, a day before the game, sometimes in-game.

“But I do believe the players, they’re used to playing, that’s when they’re comfortable, that’s when some of that stuff just goes out the window. You just play hockey and the team that executes the best generally wins.”

Even the less experienced Bruins do not seem overwhelmed by the stakes.

“It’s a lot of emotions, and I can’t even imagine what it’s going to be like going on the ice,” Marcus Johansson said. “You dream about it. There’s nothing bigger, and you know you’ve worked for a chance like this your whole life, so I can’t wait.”

Said Karson Kuhlman, who scored his first playoff goal Sunday: “I’ve never been in a situation like this, but you just go out and play. It’s still hockey. It’s a big game, but we’ve got to go out and keep doing what we’ve been doing, and yesterday was not that different to us.

“We had to win. We had no choice but to win, and it’s going to be the same Wednesday. We’ll have to do the same thing.”

The Bruins are unbeaten in close-out and elimination games during this postseason. Johansson scored the game-winner in a 5-1 win over Toronto in a first-round Game 7 at the Garden.

“The guys just step up,” Johansson said. “Everyone knows what’s at stake, and even if we have our backs against the wall, or not, we come out and we play and we move forward together.

“We have such a good group of guys that we push each other and we’re positive and I think that’s a big part of it.”

Cassidy said the veterans should help the team maintain focus.

“Our composure I’m sure will be there,” Cassidy said. “I think it’s dealing with the adversity, as well. Who scores first, how do you react to that? I 1146519 Boston Bruins ■ If Boston wins the Cup, Tuukka Rask would be the obvious choice to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as postseason MVP. Even if St. Louis wins, Rask might have a case. He would be the first Finn, fifth player from Charlie McAvoy’s emotional roller coaster, and other Bruins thoughts outside North America, and first goalie since Tim Thomas and Jonathan Quick went back-to-back in 2011-12.

“He’s our best player,” McAvoy said. “He has been all playoffs and all By Matt Porter Globe Staff,June 10, 2019, 2:07 p.m. regular season.”

The winningest regular-season Bruins goalie (265-150-58) won his 50th postseason game Sunday (50-38), becoming the 19th goalie in league ST. LOUIS — Serving up a few toasted raviolis while wondering who will history to hit the mark. represent the Bruins here at next year’s All-Star Game . . . Game 7 will be Rask’s 89th playoff game, passing Gerry Cheevers for ■ Charlie McAvoy, still six months shy of his 22nd birthday, will play in most among Bruins. Cheevers was 53-34, but his playoff save his 41st playoff game Wednesday. That is significant postseason percentage and goals-against (.902 and 2.70) fall short of Rask’s (.928 experience for such a young player. and 2.17). Being this close to the prize, however, has him wide-eyed. Question for you, dear reader: If Bergeron and Chara are slam-dunk “Man, I’m going through this and this is my first Stanley Cup and it’s just choices to have their numbers in the Garden rafters one day, where does a lot,” he said after the Bruins shipped the Cup to Boston with a 5-1 Rask rate (and for that matter, what about Brad Marchand)? victory in Game 6. “I’ll just be honest with you. The emotions . . . like, ■ Based on the set regulations, 24 Boston players would automatically crap, it’s a lot. qualify to get their names on the Stanley Cup. The latest is Karson “Our backs are against the wall, and you have so many mixed emotions. Kuhlman, who scored in his Cup Final debut in Game 6. You do whatever it takes. This is your dream to win this thing, and when “Yeah, that had been talked about,” he said. “Obviously that would be your backs are against the wall and you know they’re one away, it hurts a awesome.” little bit.” The Bruins would likely petition for Miller, who fell short of the inscription McAvoy said he was calmed after hearing the words of Patrice Bergeron benchmarks for the regular season (41 games; he played 39) and and other Bruins veterans unshaken by these situations. postseason (one game in the Final). “We’re a family,” he said. “We believe in each other, and we all love each ■ Ticket prices for Wednesday are sky high. VividSeats says its other. average price as of Monday morning was a cool $2,056. “Just the thought of it being over tonight was terrifying. We’d come all this Boston Globe LOADED: 06.11.2019 way. We come together when it matters, and I think tonight was just a good example of that.

“We’re thankful. We’re blessed with a chance to play in Game 7 now. It’s going to be the same thing. It’s a lot. It’s a roller coaster, and you’ve just got to ride it.”

■ The bulk of the Bruins’ roster traveled more than 16,000 miles via air alone during the 10-day preseason trip to China (Boston to Shenzhen to Beijing and back), with hours of bus travel. Here they are playing in the last game of the season, after 82 games and two months of next-level intense playoff hockey. How much energy will they have for Game No. 106?

“Lots,” coach Bruce Cassidy said.

Why?

“We had lots of energy last night, do-or-die game,” Cassidy said Monday. “I don’t think it was all emotion or adrenaline. Some of it is what’s at stake, and Wednesday there’ll be some more of that. But we’re OK.”

Other than Matt Grzelcyk (“a wild card” for Wednesday) and Zdeno Chara (jaw), and players lost earlier (Kevan Miller to a knee injury April 4, Chris Wagner to a shot off his arm in Game 3 of the Carolina series), the Bruins are “relatively healthy for this point of the season,” according to the coach.

■ Miller, whose snarl on the back end would be a help in this rugged series, has stayed involved with the team “through text chains and different things like that,” Torey Krug said. “We obviously see him when we’re at home.” Wagner has been able to travel of late.

“We’re all pulling for one another, we love each other, and what Kevan has done for this team has not gone unnoticed,” Krug said. “When you care about someone so much and they’re not able to perform at the level they want and be here with us, you feel for them. So he’s a big part of this team like everyone else.”

Wagner’s linemate, Sean Kuraly, said his pal “does a good job of keeping himself in the mix. He’s kind of that type of guy who, he’s around now and he skates, comes out to skate after and hangs out with the guys in the suite, in the meal room and stuff.

“You just try to keep him involved, talk about the game with him, in front of him, see what he sees from upstairs. But yeah, it’s got to be tough for him. You realize that, too, and he’s a big part of this team and made a sacrifice for the good of the team, like we’ve had so many guys do this year.” 1146520 Boston Bruins ■ Yang on the Blues’ missed chance for glory in Game 6

■ Marcus Johansson, one of the best Bruins in the postseason, is a free agent at season’s end Stanley Cup Today: Back to Boston for Game 7 ■ With playoff beards required, this deep run has become a hairy situation for the Bruins

By Scott Thurston Globe Staff,June 10, 2019, 12:35 p.m. Boston Globe LOADED: 06.11.2019

ST. LOUIS — Game 7.

Is there anything better in sports, especially with a Stanley Cup up for hoisting? The anticipation will build to a fever pitch over the next 48 hours as the Bruins and Blues prepare for a Final showdown at TD Garden Wednesday.

It’s hard to believe it’s been 35 years since a championship Game 7 was held in Boston. The last time? The Celtics beat the Lakers at Boston Garden for the 1984 NBA title. And if you believe in good omens, the date was June 12.

Bruins-Blues Game 7 is Wednesday, June 12. So it will be 35 years to the day.

Cedric Maxwell scored 24 points in the 111-102 victory, and Larry Bird, of course, was the Finals MVP, averaging 27 points and 14 rebounds during the series.

Maybe No. 33 should be seen waving a banner Wednesday night.

Things to know

The Bruins are 25-1 all-time in the playoffs when Brad Marchand scores . . . The Bruins are the sixth team to win on the road to force a Game 7 in the Cup Final. That team hoisted the Cup in four of the previous five instances . . . The Bruins are 15-12 all-time in Game 7s, the most wins in NHL history. They’re 14-8 at home . . . This will be the sixth Game 7 of the playoffs, one shy of the record for a year . . . Torey Krug has recorded 6 points in the Final, tied for the most among all players; he also has 18 points in the playoffs, the most by a Bruins defenseman since Ray Bourque had 25 in 1991 . . . Karson Kuhlman is the 21st different Bruin to score in this year’s postseason, which ties the NHL record (1987 Flyers) . . . Brandon Carlo is the fourth player in the last 32 years to have his first two career playoff goals come in the Final . . . The Bruins are now 13-0 in the playoffs when leading after two periods; the Blues are 2-7.

Today’s schedule

1 p.m. ET – Bruce Cassidy and select players address the media (Hanscom, Bedford)

3:30 p.m. CT – Blues coach Craig Berube and select players address the media (St. Louis Airport)

Coverage plan

■ Matt Porter catches up with an emotional Charlie McAvoy after Game 6

■ Nicole Yang catches up with Krug, whose wife is expecting a baby any day

■ Chad Finn on the Bruins’ tremendous resiliency

■ Frank Dell’Apa on the team’s thoughts about playing in Game 7

Latest content on the Stanley Cup

■ Porter on Patrice Bergeron’s pregame speech that lit a fire

■ Christopher L. Gasper writes on the Bruins’ top linecoming alive when it was needed the most

■ Dan Shaughnessy on the Bruins’ opportunity to give Boston a third championship this sports season

■ Tara Sullivan on the terrific performance by Tuukka Rask, his best of the series

■ Kevin Paul Dupont’s instant analysis focuses on the Bruins’ ability to shake out from under relentless pressure.

■ Porter’s notebook has the insertion of Karson Kuhlman on the second line paying dividends 1146521 Boston Bruins elimination games this postseason. He’s the Julian Edelman of the Bruins, a little guy who finds a way to be clutch when it matters most.

You have to love the Little Ball of Hate. He backs up his bravado. The Bruins’ first line was first-rate, and they need more of that in Game 7 “I think it’s always been who he is, his makeup, the way he plays the game,” said Bergeron. “He’s always got that edge, and that’s when he’s By By Christopher L. Gasper Globe Staff,June 10, 2019 at his best. He always steps up in big moments because of that energy that he brings, and the edge that he always wants to get that puck.”

Pretty much all of it went Boston’s way during this evening on the edge. ST. LOUIS — In the lead-up to the Bruins’ staving off Stanley Cup Rask, with an assist from Charlie McAvoy, made a behind-the-back save extinction, coach Bruce Cassidy preached that his team could win of a puck that hit the post and went behind him in the second period. without its first line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Carlo’s throwaway shot in the third bounced for Boston, breaking the Pastrnak producing points. Fortunately for Cassidy and the Bruins, they back of Binnington and the hearts of the Blues faithful. Cassidy inserted didn’t have to test that theory. The Bruins might have been able to win Karson Kuhlman into the lineup, and Kuhlman scored his first playoff Game 6 without contribution from their top line, but they didn’t have to. goal. Zdeno Chara, playing through a busted jaw, scored an empty-net goal. On Friday, Cassidy hedged his bets on his top line, stating he believed the Bruins could prevail without it producing. But he also acknowledged “Well, we’re fighting for our lives,” Marchand said. “When you play “we could use a big goal from them” and “usually your best players at desperate, normally you see everyone’s best game. I think that’s what we some point have to come through.” They did. had tonight.”

They all contributed to a season-saving 5-1 win Sunday at Enterprise The Bruins’ best players helped extend their season. Now they have an Center that silenced St. Louis Blues fans and a city that had been waiting opportunity to skate the Cup around Causeway Street, as the Spoked-B’s for exultation and the appearance of the Stanley Cup, which is shipping host a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in the franchise’s up to Boston for a decisive Game 7 Wednesday. Hockey season in storied history. Boston is extended, and so is this series of Hard Rock and hard-luck hockey. Secondary scoring is nice and necessary, but being able to rely “The whole hockey world loves a Game 7,” said Cassidy. “It should be a on your hockey headliners when it matters most is part of the DNA of great night in Boston, and may the best team win.” championship teams. Cassidy is clearly adopting a psychological approach of not putting The Bruins’ big guns got the job done. Brad Marchand (a goal and an pressure on his top guys. The Bruins faltered in the playoffs last year assist) opened the scoring by whistling a five-on-three power-play strike because they were too reliant on their top line. They didn’t have enough past Blues goalie Jordan Binnington at 8:40 of the first period. David secondary scoring. They have it this time. Pastrnak, who entered the game a team-worst minus-5 in the series, But it’s a complement to, not a replacement for, your best players being extinguished any hopes of a St. Louis comeback with a brilliant finish for your best players. Boston’s fourth goal at 14:06 of the third. You won’t find Patrice Bergeron’s name on the score sheet, but the classy conscience of the “We believe this is the year that we’ve got secondary scoring,” said franchise made perhaps the biggest contribution of all: an impassioned Cassidy. “That’s why we’re still playing. You need it in the playoffs. speech that got his teammates going. “There are different guys that have to come through, and we’ve been What is it about St. Louis that brings out inspirational oration from Boston able to do it. I hope [Bergeron, Marchand, and Pastrnak] come through athletes? Six years ago, about a half mile away at Busch Stadium, former for us, and they’re our best offensive players, on Wednesday. But I don’t Red Sox slugger David Ortiz delivered a dugout address before the sixth want to put that pressure on them. Just play your game, and maybe inning of Game 4 of the 2013 World Series against the St. Louis tonight’s game will ease them a little bit into relaxing, and it will work for Cardinals, spurring the Sox to victory. them.”

“Obviously, it’s unbelievable leadership,” said Pastrnak, who finished with The Bruins are the better team, especially when the members of the a goal and an assist. “It’s insane what these guys can bring to the team Perfection Line are clicking and contributing — whether it be with points, every single day and every practice. Obviously, sharing moments like he puck possession, or artful words. did, it’s inspirational and it’s touching for every single guy. Obviously, it got us going.” But if they’re to be the best team in hockey this season, they’ll need more of what they got on Sunday night in St. Louis. Their best players Moments like this and performances like this are why it would be a delivering when it matters most. shame if Lord Stanley’s chalice slipped through the Bruins’ grasp. This is a team deserving of carting the Cup around the ice. It’s a team with Boston Globe LOADED: 06.11.2019 determination, heart, and resolve, starting with its Big Three forwards.

The Bruins were really good and a little lucky in Game 6. It started with their best players getting them off on the right foot. There was no playing of the Blues’ insipid victory anthem, “Gloria.” To paraphrase a lyric from the song, the Bruins had the Blues’ number, and it was five-on-three.

With 58 seconds left on the Bruins’ first power play, Blues series hero Ryan O’Reilly sent the puck over the glass while trying to clear it. That was enough to reignite the Bruins’ dormant power play. Just 21 seconds later, Marchand announced his presence.

It was a good omen. The Bruins entered the game 24-1 all-time in the postseason — including 7-0 this postseason — when Marchand has scored. The Blues were doomed.

The Bruins’ 1-0 lead subdued a St. Louis crowd yearning for the Cup and yearning to exorcise 50-plus years of demons. Tuukka Rask (28 saves) took care of the rest, until Binnington cracked, turning into a human colander. He allowed a bouncing-puck goal to Brandon Carlo just 2:31 into the third period that doubled Boston’s advantage.

Maybe it was the Hockey Gods balancing the scales from the egregious noncall that created St. Louis’s second goal in Game 5.

Marchand, who had the primary helper on Pastrnak’s nifty goal, now has seven goals and nine assists in 16 elimination games. He’s 3-2—5 in 1146522 Boston Bruins punishing hits. The Bruins opt to use quick sticks, and few hits, in the offensive zone. They can survive and win with that finesse game. The Blues prefer power. One or the other will walk out of the Garden with the Here’s how the Bruins turned the tables on the Blues in Game 6 Cup.

■ The hometown crowd, ready to celebrate the first Cup in franchise history, lost its edge considerably when Marchand ripped home the David By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff,June 10, 2019, 1:06 a.m. Pastrnak pass for the 1-0 lead. The energy drain was obvious . . . and understandable. They were in full party mode, and the party went out of

town. David Krejci (middle) backhands a pass to Karson Kuhlman (83), who ■ Ryan O’Reilly came out snortin’, and won five of his six faceoffs in the beat Jordan Binnington with the Bruins’ third goal of the game. It was the first period. He also nearly connected on a shorthanded attempt only second of three even-strength goals in the third period for a 4-1 lead. seconds after the Bruins were awarded their first power play — a David Krejci (middle) backhands a pass to Karson Kuhlman (83), who boarding call on Brayden Schenn vs. Joakim Nordstrom. Not a good first beat Jordan Binnington with the Bruins’ third goal of the game. It was the period for Patrice Bergeron at the dot. Patrice The Thief lost all but one of second of three even-strength goals in the third period for a 4-1 lead. his seven drops. When the night finished, Bergeron was a tepid 8 for 18 (JIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFF) (44 percent) and O’Reilly 14 for 21 (67 percent).

ST. LOUIS — Relentless with their forechecking pressure throughout the ■ Brett Hull, a huge star here in his Golden Brett days, was a constant series, the Blues on Sunday night were able only sporadically to keep the presence as a cheerleader, seen numerous times on the vid board Bruins pinned and hogtied in their own end in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup ginning up the crowd. Just a guess, but it looked like Adam Oates’s old Final. linemate put in some serious pregame preparation to get ready for his role. Free of much of that suffocating pressure, which limited their goal scoring to but three goals over the previous two games, the Bruins finally ■ David Perron continued in his role of lead pest. Once again, he got up rediscovered their scoring touch. in Tuukka Rask’s grill, this time as the first period ended. Rare for a guy with his offensive skill to be that kind of agitator. Not that Marchand lacks Simple formula: Shake the forecheck, gain some oxygen, light up the anything in the skill-and-agitation department, but the Li’l Ball o’ Hate is a scoreboard. And now head home to Boston with a 5-1 win and a chance li’l more subtle about it than Perron. The Bruins had Perron on their Wednesday night to waltz the Cup around the Garden in an historic acquisition radar back when then-GM Peter Chiarelli was shopping for Game 7. swaps on Phil Kessel.

“I didn’t think we dumped pucks in very well,” said Blues coach Craig ■ One way to break the Blues pressure: home run passes. Charlie Berube. “I thought we kinda put pucks to bad areas. Whether our McAvoy threw a beauty to Danton Heinen with 4:17 gone in the second, forwards didn’t soft chip it enough to get it to good areas — or be and Heinen closed to the top of the crease with a great chance, only to physical enough with our forwards. I didn’t think we got in their quick have Alex Pietrangelo reach in with his stick at last second and enough to win enough battles with our forecheck. disruptHeinen’s shot.

“There were a lot of battles there — but we lost them.” ■ Marchand was tossed in the box for tripping Pietrangelo with a nasty trip at 9:11 of the second. Right call. But it was precisely the same play, The Bruins’ first goal, a power-play snipe by Brad Marchand during a 5- Tyler Bozak on Noel Acciari, that was not penalized in Game 5 at the on-3 advantage, had them playing with a lead again, after going 0:00 with Garden, leading to a 2-0 St. Louis lead. When the Lords of the Boards the lead in Games 4 and 5. Playing with the lead, or “downhill” in coach debate refereeing inconsistency, that vid comparison should be Exhibit A. Bruce Cassidy’s terms, has been a key for the Bruins this playoff season. ■ Brandon Carlo’s shot that provided the 2-0 lead was a 58-foot wrister Boston’s forwards also were key in breaking that relentless Blues energy. that bounced some 10-12 feet in front of Jordan Binnington and beat the Playing slightly tighter to their defensemen in their own end, the forwards goaltender to the paddle side. Best knuckler throw by anyone in a Boston made themselves available for passes and retrievals. They weren’t guilty uniform since Tim Wakefield. of blowing the zone — leaving too early — in prior games, but they were more attentive in their own end of the ice. Boston Globe LOADED: 06.11.2019 Cassidy felt the adjustment began in Game 5 — when the Bruins had 65 shot attempts to the Blues’ 41 — and rightly credited the Blues showing good pressure for the start on Sunday. But it began to break down in the second.

“If that trend continued, I thought, ‘It’s really going to be tough for us tonight,’ ” said Cassidy, the traction really beginning to change once Brad Marchand nailed in the 1-0 lead. “I thought in the second period we did a much better job handling it. Numbers at the puck. Get our feet moving. When the defensemen do recover the puck, you’ve got to make sure you take a couple of steps and live to fight another day by either pitching it out to the neutral zone — or just back them off. We were able to do that better.”

The Blues fired 59 shots attempts, and the Bruins only 47. Part of that imbalance was because the Blues were awarded four power plays (double the Boston chances). In the first 40 minutes, the Blues landed 19 shots on net — 12 of which were on the power play.

The Bruins scored three times at 5 on 5, and finally showed they can get inside the stout, punishing Blues defensemen.

“They’re big guys — if you don’t get positioned, you have no chance on their D to keep it alive,” said Cassidy. “We did better on the walls. That’s where this series is tilted in their favor. We’re not strong on the walls in our own end [under the forecheck], they keep pucks alive, we get fatigued. As a result, we get worked down low and they score their goals.”

■ The Bruins again were reluctant to land hits in their offensive end. The Blues again used their forecheck to keep the Bruins pinned in their end in spurts in the first period. They establish that forecheck with 1146523 Boston Bruins The Blues, ferocious on the forecheck, had 43 shot attempts through two periods, but the Bruins blocked 12. It was as if the players were told they couldn’t have their name etched on the Cup unless they laid in front of a Patrice Bergeron lit a fire with his pregame speech, and the Bruins forced slap shot. They finished with 16 stuffs, a major reason St. Louis dropped a Game 7 to 1 for 18 on the PP in the series.

When shots did get through, Rask was massive, stopping tips, deflections, and anything straight on. The only goal he allowed was a By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated June 10, 2019, 1:03 a.m. Ryan O’Reilly stuff-in that was shown via replay to be just over the line.

Quiet for most of the series, the top line (two goals) and second line (one goal, on the ice for another) showed up when the Bruins needed them ST. LOUIS — Patrice Bergeron spoke in the locker room, as he often most. Pastrnak scored his first even-strength goal of the series. Kuhlman does before games. But this was not a typical pregame speech. had his first career playoff goal. One of the greatest Bruins poured his heart onto the floor in front of his When Carlo’s bouncer struck gold, the Bruins could taste it. teammates, with the Stanley Cup in the building, as they prepared to keep their season alive. When Kulhman’s snap shot went off the post and in — making him the 21st Bruin to score this postseason — they knew. Bergeron didn’t produce a point in Boston’s 5-1 trouncing of St. Louis in Game 6 Sunday, but his teammates turned his words into furious action, When Pastrnak put one under the bar with 5:54 left and Chara, the playing their best game of the series at the most critical time. captain playing with a busted jaw, sailed home an empty-netter from his zone, it was well in the bag. “He’s a legend,” Jake DeBrusk said after the Bruins forced a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, to be played Wednesday night in Boston. “To see The fans chanting “We Want the Cup” in the final minute were thinking him set the tone that way, it made us want to run through a wall.” wishfully.

David Pastrnak called Bergeron’s message “unbelievable leadership. It’s The Cup is on its way to Boston. Someone will win it Wednesday night. insane what this guy brings to the team every single day,” he said. “Sharing moments like he did . . . it touched every single one of us and “It’s going to be exciting,” Marchand said. “We’re not going to get caught got us going.” up in the excitement of it. We’re going to prepare the same way.”

It is unusual that teammates won’t say what Bergeron’s words were. If they play the same way, they’ll have all summer to celebrate. They would only relay the gist of it. Coach Bruce Cassidy called it Boston Globe LOADED: 06.11.2019 “tremendous.” Bergeron himself told a French reporter that he stressed that, “We are in a situation that is everyone’s childhood dream here and we must realize it.”

Charlie McAvoy said more, and with reverence.

“It was an element of what the dream is,” McAvoy said. “Growing up, every one of us shares the same dream.

“We were all a little kid once and we all wanted this bad. And I think it was just an element of savoring this moment and not letting it end tonight. It was exactly what we needed. He stepped up. When he talks, you listen.”

And the Bruins silenced these Blues, whose fans had swarmed into downtown on a warm, sunny afternoon long before Bergeron, who has been quiet, put his stamp on this series. An estimated 40,000 filled Market Street, hoping to experience hockey heaven for the first time in their team’s 52-year history.

They left cursing the name of Tuukka Rask, the ace netminder who stopped 28 shots, 12 of them on Boston’s perfect penalty kill (4 for 4).

While St. Louis waits for its first Cup, the Bruins will try for their first Game 7 Cup win at home. A Cup Final has never before come to Causeway Street tied, 3-3. It will be the first Game 7 for a championship in Boston since the Celtics defeated the Lakers in 1984.

Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, Karson Kuhlman, David Pastrnak, and Zdeno Chara scored for Boston, but there was Rask, with the opponent poised to clinch the Cup, and he looked 10 feet tall to a frustrated group of St. Louis shooters.

“Good for Tuukka,” Cassidy said. “He’s allowed us an opportunity to play in a Game 7. I think the whole hockey world loves a Game 7, so it should be a great night in Boston and may the best team win.”

In the other net, Jordan Binnington came up small.

The rookie let a one-hop wrister from Carlo skip past him at 2:31 of the third period, a backbreaker that gave Boston a 2-0 lead. The knuckling try from 58 feet went through traffic, skipped about 10 feet in front of the net, and squirted under Binnington’s arm. Carlo, who had a shorthanded goal in Game 5, has his first two career playoff goals at the most critical time.

Binnington didn’t have much of a chance to stop Marchand’s 5-on-3 one- timer, which gave Boston a 1-0 lead at 8:40 of the first. Binnington was beat by a killer shot from Kuhlman, who sent a rocket far side at 10:15 of the third. The Bruins, for the first time this series, carried 5-on-5 play. They outshot the Blues, 26-16, and outscored them, 3-1. 1146524 Boston Bruins

Charlie McAvoy, young Bruins one win from dream

By MARISA INGEMI

ST. LOUIS — With Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final on the horizon, the Bruins are staying in the moment, a moment just happens to be a collective dream.

There’s one hockey game left for the entire season, and at the end of it, a team will raise the Cup. Game 7 of the championship series is Boston for the first time in the storied Original Six franchise’s history, and even with all the pressure on the Bruins, they’re not overlooking their appreciation for the moment.

For some, they’re allowing themselves to feel the full gauntlet of emotions.

“I’m going through this, and this is my first Stanley Cup, and it’s just a lot,” Charlie McAvoy said. “I’ll just be honest with you. The emotions … it’s a lot. Our backs are against the wall, and you have so many mixed emotions. You do whatever it takes. This is your dream to win this thing, and when your backs are against the wall and you know they’re one away, it hurts a little bit.”

McAvoy, in only his second full season but his third go-around in the playoffs, hasn’t been a passenger. In Game 6 alone he made a save behind Tuukka Rask to keep the Blues off the board as the Bruins weathered a storm.

He, like several of the Bruins’ young players, has elevated his game while some of the team’s stars have tried to find theirs. The intense stage of the postseason has been motivation enough.

“Just the thought of it being over (in Game 6) was terrifying,” McAvoy said. “We’d come all this way. We come together when it matters, and I think tonight was just a good example of that. We’re thankful. We’re blessed with a chance to play in Game 7 now. It’s going to be the same thing. It’s a lot. It’s a roller coaster, and you’ve just got to ride it.”

Karson Kuhlman has been on the sidelines for nearly the entire postseason but jumped in with a goal in Game 6, taking another step toward realizing his dream.

“That’s something you dream about as a little kid,” he said. “Obviously that’s something that everybody’s going to definitely get up for.”

Young players are close to realizing their dream for the first time — along with some veterans — but they aren’t wandering into the unknown alone. Veterans like Patrice Bergeron, who helped spark the Bruins with a pre- Game 6 speech, have guided the way.

“It was exactly what we needed,” McAvoy said. “It was. It was an element of what the dream is. Growing up, every one of us shares the same dream and kind of just bringing us all to a point where we can all be on the same field. We were all a little kid once, and we all wanted this bad. And I think it was just an element of savoring this moment and not letting it end tonight. It was exactly what we needed. He stepped up. When he talks, you listen.”

The Bruins would have plenty of reason to show up with energy in the first-ever Stanley Cup Final Game 7 in Boston without any outside factors, but hearing someone like Bergeron remind them why they’re here seems to have been the spark they needed.

“He said some words that, I don’t know if he wants me to necessarily repeat them,” Jake DeBrusk said. “They weren’t bad words. I mean, it was just what we all dream about doing. We’re here for a reason, and everyone who plays hockey grows up and dreams of playing in this moment, and it was pretty much something around those lines. To see him kind of set the tone that way made us want to run through a wall.”

Boston Herald LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146525 Boston Bruins against the Columbus Blue Jackets, scored his first playoff goal against the Blues.

Boston Herald LOADED: 06.11.2019 Patrice Bergeron talked the talk prior to Bruins win over Blues in Game 6

By RICH THOMPSON

Bruce Cassidy didn’t make his presence felt in the Bruins dressing room before Sunday night’s 5-1 victory over the Blues in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in St. Louis.

Cassidy considers the locker room the players’ space and he allows them to set the pregame agenda. Center Patrice Bergeron took the floor and delivered a motivational discourse that inspired the Bruins victory in an elimination game. The win forced Wednesday night’s Game 7 at the Garden.

“It’s their room and we have a structured time,” Cassidy said following the team’s touch down Monday at Hanscom Field. “The coaches go in if it’s a 7 (p.m.) game at 5:30 and we are not spending more than five or seven minutes with them ever.

“They have the floor and lots of time and they didn’t have to declare anything with me. It’s their room.”

Bergeron is participating in his third Stanley Cup Final and will compete in his second such Game 7. Bergeron centered the Bruins’ second line with then-rookie Brad Marchand and Hall of Fame right wing Mark Recchi when the Bruins won Game 7 in Vancouver in 2011.

Bergeron felt the sting of defeat when the eliminated the Bruins in six games in 2013. The specifics of Bergeron’s remarks remain private, but it invoked a positive response from the Bruins in a negative hostile environment.

“That was just something special,” Bruins left wing Marcus Johansson said. “What he talked about hit everyone in that room.

“We all knew what he was talking about and it was something I will remember for the rest of my life. It got us all together and put us all in the moment and for him to step up and do that just shows what kind of a leader and teammate he is.

“I didn’t know it was coming.”

Boston strong

The news of the shooting of former Red Sox All-Star and World Series hero David Ortiz hit like a thunderbolt in the Bruins’ celebratory locker room after Game 6.

Ortiz was at a popular nightspot in the Dominican Republic capital of Santo Domingo when he was shot in the back. He was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent surgery.

“It is very unfortunate, I don’t know a lot about the circumstances other than I wish him well and a speedy recovery,” Cassidy said. “Hopefully he is back to health in a hurry.”

Ortiz became the symbolic leader of the Boston Strong movement following the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 and remains among the pantheon of local sports celebrities.

“I saw that obviously last night after the game, that’s terrible,” Bruins rookie center Karson Kuhlman said. “I mean, he’s been a huge role model for a lot of people, especially in Boston, but just in the sporting community as well.

“It’s a tough thing to see.”

Grzelcyk not cleared

Cassidy said injured defenseman Matt Grzelcyk remains in the concussion protocol but has not been ruled out for Game 7. Grzelcyk sustained a head injury when he was slammed into the end boards by Blues center Oskar Sundqvist in Game 2 at the Garden. Sundqvist received a one-game suspension. Grzelcyk has been replaced on the third unit by John Moore.

Cassidy said he will likely keep Kuhlman on the second line with Jake DeBrusk and David Krejci. Kuhlman, who hadn’t played since April 30 1146526 Boston Bruins “When he talks, everyone listens,” Krug said. “He shows up in big moments, and he’s able to perform with the best of them. He’s an elite hockey player and an unbelievable person, a great friend and an Bruins’ pursuit of Stanley Cup bigger than Boston hat trick unbelievable teammate, so any time a guy like that speaks up, you listen.”

The Bruins have done a good job of listening to each other and tuning By TOM KEEGAN out the noise. The same can be said for the Blues. The waiting is not the hardest part for either side. Defeating a very tough opponent is the

hardest part, and both clubs are charged with that task. ST. LOUIS — Making the next couple days all about the third leg of a Boston Herald LOADED: 06.11.2019 Boston championship hat trick doesn’t do justice to the enormity of winning a Stanley Cup.

For the Bruins, nothing is bigger than winning the Cup. Reducing them to one-third of a “bigger” story does them a grave injustice. The Red Sox won the World Series, the Patriots the Super Bowl. That’s nice, but all they share is Boston as home, and since the teams play different sports and the leagues have nothing to do with each other, it’s really nothing more than a nice coincidence.

Sure it’s a feat so rare that no city has pulled it off since Detroit in 1935, but again, what exactly does that have to do with the Bruins?

At this point, all the B’s are thinking about is one game, and the same goes for the Blues, such a tough out.

Carrying the torch for the city doesn’t need to enter the thinking of the participants.

“It’s one game, winner take all,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Monday morning before the team headed for the airport. “I think both teams will be in a good place mentally, ready to go.”

History’s numbers won’t have much to say about which team wins. The home team has won Game 7 12 of the 16 times the Stanley Cup Final has gone the distance. None of those games was played in Boston. On the other hand, the Blues are 9-3 on the road during these Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Blues won’t carry the disappointment of not clinching on home ice into the Garden on Wednesday night because that’s not what winners do.

Blues coach Craig Berube, hired while the season was in progress, didn’t leave his Sunday night press conference hanging his head. His team had the fewest points in the NHL through Jan. 2, so reaching the ultimate game in the ultimate series already ranks among the more stunning miracles on ice.

“Listen, if you told me four months ago we were going to be in the Final in Game 7, I think I’d take it,” Berube said. “We’ve been a good road team. We’ve won twice up there in this series, so we’re a confident group.”

Bruins defenseman Torey Krug has had a terrific postseason. His wife’s due date for the couple’s first child is a week away.

“Family is the most important thing in this world, for sure, and it’s kind of allowed me to relax and just play hockey,” Krug said Monday morning. “I’m obviously worried and excited and nervous with all that comes with your first kid, so getting ready to go at home with that, and I’ve just been able to show up to the rink and do my job and play hockey with not too much stress.”

Distractions are inevitable on any stage so big, and the Blues ended up on the wrong end of one in the hours leading up to Game 6.

The Blues had purchased an ad in St. Louis Post-Dispatch thanking fans, and it was ready to go in the event they won the Stanley Cup on Sunday night. Somebody time-stamped it wrong or hit the wrong button, and the story went out to the paper’s e-edition readers on Sunday, well before the puck dropped. Naturally, it ended up on Twitter, caught fire and became a must-read for the Bruins.

This quote from Blues owner Tom Stillman appeared in it: “Winning the Stanley Cup was a dream come true for so many of you. All of us will remember where we were, what we did, and how we felt when the Blues brought the Cup home. Each of us will have a library of memories to pass down for generations. Each of us will forever think of that person in our lives for whom this time meant so much.”

Krug said he read it: “It was everywhere.”

It added to the Bruins’ already strong motivational fuel, and so did Patrice Bergeron’s pregame pep talk. 1146527 Boston Bruins

Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk may be heating up just in time

By STEVE CONROY

Jake DeBrusk will not be on anyone’s Conn Smythe ballot. The 2018-19 playoff season has served mostly as an education for the young DeBrusk, teaching him that scoring goals in the postseason is not supposed to be as easy as it seemed for him in his rookie season when he scored six goals in 12 games. So far, DeBrusk has managed just four goals in 23 games, one in each series.

But with a Game 7 for the ages on tap for Wednesday at the Garden, DeBrusk still has a chance to put an indelible mark on this remarkable playoff run. And it appears he just may be trending in the right direction.

In the B’s 5-1 win in Sunday’s Game 6 in St. Louis, DeBrusk didn’t score a goal but he was as involved as he’s been all series. He landed four shots on net, threw a couple of hits, blocked a couple of shots on a memorable defensive shift and won a board battle that resulted in Brandon Carlo’s fluky goal that turned out to be the game-winner.

DeBrusk scored his lone goal of the series in a losing effort in Game 5 and, though he hadn’t been able to build off his limited success through these playoffs before, this time it seemed that something clicked. He had his legs moving after the goal and was heavily involved in the B’s failed comeback attempt. Then he followed it up with his solid performance in Game 6.

“It feels better to see the puck go in,” DeBrusk said after the game. “We didn’t win the game and at this time of year, it doesn’t matter if you score and you lose. But to feel it going in the net was definitely huge for me. It was definitely something I needed personally. That was my focus. I was trying to lead from it. I think a couple of shifts after that I thought I played my style. I just tried to keep it going in any way. It’s just a matter of playing my overall best.”

The injection of Karson Kuhlman’s young, fresh legs to DeBrusk’s line with David Krejci also seemed to have a profound effect. Kuhlman not only scored a beautiful goal on a perfect wrist shot, he used his speed to win pucks and create more offensive zone time for line.

“He was good,” DeBrusk said of Kuhlman. “He’s fast and he’s been practicing hard with us for a good amount of time. He’s been out since the Columbus series. He’s very eager to get back in there. For a young guy like that (actually a year older than DeBrusk), especially his first game in the Finals, coming in in Game 6, it’s not easy to do. We just tried to talk to him and I thought we read off each other well. He’s obviously good on the forecheck and that was a snipe. That was a big goal for us, too. It was great to see him contribute.”

DeBrusk himself was powered in Game 6 by the realization that it could have been his last game of the season.

“There’s lots of different factors in each game,” said DeBrusk. “It depends on lots of different things. You try to control what you can control but desperation was definitely there tonight. My linemates did a great job as well. They were playing unreal. Krech (David Krejci) was being Krech and Karson did his thing, too. I was trying to read off those guys and felt we had a decent amount of success. But every game is different. We understand that it’s going to be a matter of will the next game and we’re looking forward to it.”

Being a card-carrying member of the millennial generation, DeBrusk is always connected. Thanks to being tagged in a few tweets, he was well aware of some folks in St. Louis believing they had already won the Cup. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch had even mistakenly sent out a digital congratulations to the Blues. Oops.

“It gives you motivation, any time you see things like that,” said DeBrusk. “It happens. Things like that go down. You see that and it just gives you another motivating thing to use.”

But on Wednesday, the Cup will be in the house again, and this time, the B’s have a chance to grab it for themselves. That should be all the motivation DeBrusk and the B’s need.

Boston Herald LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146528 Boston Bruins All that’s standing between Rask and the answer to every question that’s ever been asked of him is one more 60-minute effort of postseason brilliance with all the trends pointing toward the B’s goaltender ready to One more win for Tuukka Rask to lock down his legacy with the Bruins take over in Boston on Wednesday night. But he’s got to close the deal and finish with the Cup triumphantly raised over his head if he wants to forever vanquish the criticism and the doubters, and fully realize the massive talent that’s always been there with Rask just waiting to be fully By Joe Haggerty June 10, 2019 10:16 PM realized as it’s been this spring.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 Tuukka Rask is one game away from permanently changing his reputation that of a big game goaltender and Stanley Cup winner.

Rask is also one game away from perhaps earning the rare distinction of being a Conn Smythe winner whether his teams win or loses the Stanley Cup Final. He’s been that good and that dominant throughout the postseason, he’s outplayed his counterpart Jordan Binnington to this point in the Cup Final series and he had a signature “in the zone” performance in Boston’s 5-1 win over the St. Louis Blues at the Enterprise Center on Sunday night.

“Good for Tuukka,” said Bruce Cassidy. "[Rask] has allowed us an opportunity to play in a Game 7. I think the whole hockey world loves a Game 7, so it should be a great night in Boston, and may the best team win.”

Certainly, Rask has his iconic Stanley Cup Final save after an Alex Pietrangelo backhander deflected off the post, forced the B’s goaltender into a behind-the-back save and then Charlie McAvoy swatted the puck away from harm in the second period with the B’s holding a slim 1-0 lead.

Bergeron rallied B's for Game 6 with pregame speech

"I think [McAvoy] hit it with his stick and I kind of heard it," said Rask. "I didn't know where it was and I figured it might be somewhere behind me, so I just tried to corral it with my hand behind my back, and then it stuck in my pants and then it fell somewhere. But I think [McAvoy] made a great play to keep it out of the net."

But it’s about much more than a single game when you start stacking up the numbers for the B’s No. 1 goaltender. Rask is 5-0 with a .973 save percentage in elimination games during these playoffs where a team’s hockey life is on the line and did it again while stopping 28-of-29 shots in the Sunday night road win that got Boston to a winner-take-all Game 7 on Wednesday night.

Rask was excellent in Game 7 against the Maple Leafs in the first round, he outplayed the outstanding Sergei Bobrovsky in the second round vs. Columbus and he singlehandedly destroyed Carolina’s will to compete when he made 20 saves in the first period of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final.

The stage is set for him to be otherworldly one more time because he was so good in a do-or-die situation Sunday night.

Rask was at his best in the first couple of periods when the Blues were still exerting heavy pressure on the Bruins and seemed to control puck possession for long stretches of time despite the B’s holding the slim 1-0 lead. Then Jordan Binnington cracked in the third period with the B’s scoring three goals on 11 shots to send things out of reach, and once again left little doubt which goalie is better in this Stanley Cup Final series.

Tuukka Rask elevated his game to a new level in Game 6

There’s no doubt in the mind of his Bruins teammates after watching him post a .938 save percentage in this postseason while sitting just a single win away from being a Cup champ, a Conn Smythe winner and whatever he wants to be for the rest of his career with the Black and Gold.

“He’s our best player,” said McAvoy. “He’s been our best player all through the playoffs, and in the regular season. When we know that he’s playing to the best of his ability like this and we go to help him out, that he is going to be there [at the end]. He steps up when it matters and we have all the faith in the world in him. We believe in him so much. He’s our rock.”

Now all Rask needs to do is close the deal just like his former tandem partner Tim Thomas did back in 2011 when he locked down the Canucks with a 38-save shutout. Thomas was brilliant in the last handful of games in the 2011 Cup Final and Rask is on his way to doing the exact same thing while penning the most important chapter in his professional hockey career. 1146529 Boston Bruins

Balanced scoring key to Bruins Stanley Cup Final run

By NBC Sports Boston Staff June 10, 2019 5:52 PM

Balanced offensive attacks are in vogue for the 's elite teams.

On Sunday night, the Bruins tied the NHL record for most players with a playoff goal when Karson Kuhlman notched a third-period goal. Kuhlman became the 21st Bruin to score in the postseason, which ties the record set by the 1987 Philadelphia Flyers. To break the record, defenseman John Moore (or Tuukka Rask) would have to score, but Moore may not play depending on Matt Grzelcyk's injury status.

Bruins ready for Game 7: 'It's the most exciting game in all our lives'

On the other side, 19 St. Louis Blues players have scored in the postseason. Zach Sanford and Jay Bouwmeester are the two remaining scoreless Blues.

The #NHLBruins tied the record for most playoff goal-scorers.

Check out all 21 goals  pic.twitter.com/DTwAps3X6N

— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) June 10, 2019

But the Blues rely on their top line as much as their depth to score. Center Ryan O'Reilly's hot streak puts him at 21 postseason points, tying a Blues franchise record.

Rookie Karson Kuhlman steps up in big Game 6 moment

For the Bruins, Brad Marchand, Charlie Coyle, David Pastrnak and Patrice Bergeron have each scored nine goals in the playoffs. Though the "perfection line" of Bergeron, Marchand and Pastrnak has come through when Boston's needed it, the Bruins have trusted their third and fourth lines to score timely goals. The scoring balance is a big shift from last year, when the Bruins relied too heavily on their top line to produce.

“We believe this is the year that we’ve got secondary scoring,” head coach Bruce Cassidy said after Game 6. “That’s why we’re still playing. You need it in the playoffs.

Karson Kuhlman is the 21st different @NHLBruins player to score at least one goal in the 2019 #StanleyCup Playoffs, which tied the NHL record for most unique goal scorers by one team in a playoff year (w/ 1987 Flyers). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/RLinG94JBt

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 10, 2019

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Bruins ready for Game 7: 'It's the most exciting game in all our lives'

By Joe Haggerty June 10, 2019 4:38 PM

It’s hard to believe that there’s never been a Stanley Cup Final Game 7 on home ice for the Bruins in their long and storied Original Six history.

For the City of Champions there hasn’t been a Game 7 at all in the city of Boston since the Boston Celtics were in the middle of their Larry Bird Era in 1984, so there is going to be a frenzy and an excitement in the air pretty much all day on Wednesday. Both the Bruins and the Blues have battled through six intense games where both sides have enjoyed their advantages at times, and now it comes down to a final 60 minutes of battle to decide a Stanley Cup winner.

It’s as it should be, and ironically enough it will be the first Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final since the Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks back in 2011 in a road win that stunned an entire hockey-crazed city. Needless to say, the Bruins players are ready for the challenge with plenty of Stanley Cup Final experience coursing their veins.

Krug, B's were aware of Blues' celebratory plans

“There's never been a Game 7 in Boston in the Final, right? I would say lean on past experience with that, but there is none. There is experience from guys that have played in Game 7 in Vancouver. It's tough,” said Torey Krug. “It's the most exciting game in all of our lives. I think whoever maintains their composure and discipline within their system, how they play, how they approach the game, is probably going to prevail. I think we have a really disciplined group, led by some great people. We're all pulling for each other. I think that's how we do it.”

Certainly if there’s any momentum at all the Bruins will be riding it after a massive 5-1 win in Game 6 at the Enterprise Center on Sunday night, but it doesn’t feel like momentum has really carried over much at all in a highly entertaining, back-and-forth playoff series.

Hopefully the players will decide the outcome rather than the officials and it will leave everybody in Boston with a home Game 7 to talk about for the ages.

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Red Sox move Wednesday start time vs. Rangers to accommodate Bruins' Game 7

By Nick Goss June 10, 2019 4:28 PM

The Boston Red Sox, as they have done multiple times in the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, have changed the start time of a game to avoid conflicting with the Boston Bruins' postseason run.

The Red Sox were originally scheduled to play the Texas Rangers at 7:10 p.m. ET on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, but first pitch has been moved to 4:05 p.m. because the Bruins are playing the St. Louis Blues at 8 p.m. in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

This was the right move by the Sox. Fans now can watch/attend the Red Sox game and still be able to watch the entirety of the Bruins game. The Red Sox also don't have to compete with the Cup Final for television viewers.

The Bruins vs. Blues showdown is the first Game 7 of a championship series played in Boston since the Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals.

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Bruce Cassidy, Bruins react to 'very unfortunate' David Ortiz shooting

By Darren Hartwell June 10, 2019 2:55 PM

The Boston Bruins were busy when news first broke that David Ortiz had been shot in the Dominican Republic on Sunday night.

But after digesting the latest reports following their win over the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, the B's appear relieved Ortiz is alive.

"It got brought up. It's very unfortunate," Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters Monday upon landing back in Boston when asked about Ortiz.

"I don't know a whole lot about the circumstances, other than I wish him well and a speedy recovery. Hopefully he’s back to health in a hurry."

Pedro, other Boston stars send Big Papi love

Ortiz was rushed to a local hospital after a gunman shot the former Boston Red Sox slugger in the back outside a bar in the Dominican Republic. He had parts of his colon and intestines removed in a six-hour surgery late Sunday night in Santo Domingo but was in stable condition as of Monday morning.

The Red Sox reportedly sent a team plane to the D.R. to transport him back to Boston.

Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask apparently heard this news and offered his support to Ortiz on Twitter.

Glad to hear you’re in stable condition @davidortiz Wishing you a quick recovery.

— Tuukka Rask (@tuukkarask) June 10, 2019

Rask and his Bruins teammates were at Fenway Park for Ortiz's final regular season game in 2016. The B's will host Game 7 of the Cup Final at TD Garden on Wednesday night, and it's likely they'll have some sort of tribute to one of Boston's most beloved sports figures.

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Bruins rookie Karson Kuhlman steps up in his big Game 6 moment

By Joe Haggerty June 10, 2019 2:14 PM

ST. LOUIS – It was unexpected that rookie winger Karson Kuhlman was going to be injected into the Bruins lineup for Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final after not having played since all the way back in the second round on April 30.

Bruce Cassidy had a hunch that the rookie’s skating speed and two-way ability would play in the series against a big, physical Blues group, and the B’s bench boss’s hunch proved correct. Kuhlman scored a goal in the B’s 5-1 win over the Blues at the Enterprise Center to even the best-of- seven series at three games apiece, and he helped speed up a Bruins second line that hadn’t done much in the previous five games in the Cup Final.

For the even-keeled Kuhlman it was a dream come true getting to parachute in to the Stanley Cup Final after staying ready over the last six weeks while not getting in the lineup. Once it was decided on Sunday morning that the B’s were going with the quick Kuhlman over the big, powerful David Backes, it was laser focus on the task at hand.

How Bergeron rallied team with speech before Game 6

“It was just taking it day-by-day and staying mentally engaged. [I was] waking up every morning thinking I would be in even if it I was out, and that helped [ahead of Game 6] with my routine,” said the 23-year-old Minnesota-born Kuhlman, who has a goal and three points along with a plus-2 rating in seven games during these playoffs. “It’s awesome. At the end of the day you’re playing in the Stanley Cup Final with an excellent team. I’m just trying to come to the rink every day and contribute whatever I can.

“It was awesome to see it go in the net. It had been a little bit. I just come into every game working hard and it was great to see one go in.”

Cassidy wasn’t going to hog up the credit after the game was concluded and the B’s Cup hopes were still alive, but once again he pushed the right button and pulled the right lever for the Bruins team in the postseason. Kuhlman became the 21st Bruins player to score in this Stanley Cup playoff run, which ties the all-time record set by the Philadelphia Flyers way back in 1987 and speaks to the depth that Boston brought to the table in this postseason.

Want to go to Game 7? Get ready to pay up...

It was Kuhlman that really put the game out of reach in Boston’s favor when he snapped a wrist shot past Jordan Binnington on his blocker ride, a sight that the B’s coach has seen a few times already in his Bruins career.

“He gets in on the forecheck with his footspeed,” said Cassidy. “[Kuhlman] can make some plays as well. That shot is sneaky, his wrister. He’s scored a couple times that way, across the body. Most righties want to go glove side, he’s able to go blocker side.”

The Bruins will get to see even more as Cassidy has already said that Kuhlman is expected to be in the lineup for Game 7 on Wednesday night, and he’ll get another chance to flash the speed and assertive style of play that was so effective in a do-or-die Game 6 for the Black and Gold.

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Bruins ticket prices for Game 7 of Cup Final already at a record high

By Darren Hartwell June 10, 2019 1:52 PM

It doesn't get any bigger -- or more expensive -- than this.

The 2019 Stanley Cup Final has come down to a winner-take-all Game 7 at TD Garden on Wednesday night, where either the Boston Bruins or St. Louis Blues will be crowned as NHL champions.

It's the first Cup Final Game 7 the Bruins have ever hosted, and the first championship series Game 7 in Boston since the Celtics hosted the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1984 NBA Finals.

How the Bruins have fared all-time in Game 7s

So ... let's just say ticket demand is high.

Here are the cheapest tickets for Wednesday's Game 7 listed on secondary-market vendors as of Monday morning:

Vivid Seats: $1,441

TicketIQ: $1,528

StubHub: $1,644

That's quite the chunk of change.

Those are the lowest-priced tickets, mind you, as the average ticket price for Game 7 is well north of $3,000 on TicketIQ.

Bergeron rallied B's for Game 6 with pregame speech

Here's some context on that number: Per TicketIQ, Wednesday's game will be the second-most expensive potential title-clinching game in Boston sports history, trailing only the New England Patriots' Super Bowl LIII victory and more than double the Boston Red Sox's 2013 World Series victory in Game 6 at Fenway Park.

Bruins are hosting the first Game 7 in #Boston since 1984. Check out where #StanleyCup Final Game 7 ranks amongst a sample of clinching games in recent Boston sports history  Low Price Guarantees from $1,584 🎟️ https://t.co/dU9hCr3wyW pic.twitter.com/HDjlIB2cLE

— TicketIQ (@Ticket_IQ) June 10, 2019

This Game 7 also should be pricier than pretty much every other series- clinching Cup Final game in recent history, according to Vivid Seats, which compiled the average ticket price of series clinchers dating to 2012.

- 2019: $2056 (as of Monday)

- 2018: $1126 (home team lost)

- 2017: $1785 (home team lost)

- 2016: $749 (home team lost)

- 2015: $1359 (home team won)

- 2014: $1007 (home team won)

- 2013: $811 (home team lost; Bruins' last appearance in Cup Final)

- 2012: $992 (home team won)

As of now, tickets for Wednesday's Game 7 are more than twice as expensive than Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, which Boston lost to the Chicago Blackhawks.

Ticket prices should fluctuate over the next few days and may drop slightly, but if you're planning to witness history Wednesday night, be prepared to empty your wallet.

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This stat bodes well for Bruins' odds of winning Stanley Cup Game 7

By Nick Goss June 10, 2019 11:14 AM

The Boston Bruins are aiming to become the ninth team in NHL history (and fifth since 2000) to win a Stanley Cup Final despite trailing 3-2 in the series.

They already accomplished the feat against the Vancouver Canucks in 2011 by winning Game 6 at home and Game 7 on the road. This time, the decisive Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues will be played in Boston at TD Garden.

The amount of teams trailing 3-2 in a Cup Final that have forced a Game 7 by winning Game 6 on the road -- which the B's did Sunday night -- is even smaller. However, four of the last five teams to do it went on to win the Stanley Cup.

The @NHLBruins are the sixth team to win on the road to force #Game7 in the #StanleyCup Final. That team hoisted the Cup in four of the previous five instances:

2004 Lightning (won)

2001 Avalanche (won)

1964 Maple Leafs (won)

1945 Red Wings (lost)

1942 Maple Leafs (won)#NHLStats pic.twitter.com/4oqgXdUPZ4

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 10, 2019

Oddsmakers have pegged the Bruins as the betting favorites for Wednesday night's showdown, which makes a lot of sense. The Bruins' veteran core has Cup Final Game 7 experience, they are at home, and they have the better goaltender.

The Bruins also have shown to be a pretty resilient team. They trailed 3-2 in their first-round series against the and won the last two games. Boston also trailed 2-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets after winning the opening game of its second-round series, then won three consecutive games to reach the Eastern Conference Final.

The B's have lost two games at TD Garden in this series, but given how well they played in Game 6 and the fact that their crowd will be all fired up Wednesday night, it's hard to imagine Boston losing the Stanley Cup on its home ice.

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Yes, Torey Krug and the Bruins saw St. Louis' premature Stanley Cup celebrations

By Darren Hartwell June 10, 2019 11:30 AM

It appears the Bruins had plenty of motivation to send the Stanley Cup Final back to Boston on Sunday night.

Patrice Bergeron did his part with a rousing speech in the B's dressing room prior to Game 6 against the Blues. But St. Louis also offered some bulletin board material: The team reportedly rented out a bar in the city to host a Stanley Cup celebration, while the St. Louis Post-Dispatch even ran a headline for its subscribers congratulating the Blues for a championship they had yet to win.

Tuukka Rask elevates his game to help B's force Game 7

After the Bruins romped to a 5-1 win at Enterprise Center that assured there would be no Cup celebration in St. Louis on Sunday night, defenseman Torey Krug admitted he and his teammates didn't turn a blind eye to St. Louis' premature championship planning.

Torey Krug said Bruins were aware of accidental Blues Stanley Cup champions ad and letter. “It’s been everywhere.” pic.twitter.com/IGU6KdnwVL

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) June 10, 2019

Defenseman Charlie McAvoy wasn't as forthcoming as Krug when asked the same question, but his non-answer said it all.

SILENT TREATMENT: Charlie McAvoy's response to premature celebration planning and newspaper ads in St. Louis is priceless: #NHLBruins #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/adqfz4CzXv

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) June 10, 2019

The Bruins certainly skated like a team that wasn't ready to end its season, and now are 3-0 in elimination games this postseason after winning Games 6 and 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round.

Sunday's victory set up a winner-take-all Game 7 in Boston on Wednesday, as it's up to the Blues to save their city from eating (more) crow.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146537 Boston Bruins

Would Blues' Brayden Schenn be suspended if it weren't Game 7?

By DJ Bean June 10, 2019 9:32 AM

It would take a hell of a lot to get suspended for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

That's why Brayden Schenn probably won't be, even if guys have gotten banned for less.

The Blues center threw Joakim Nordstrom into the boards from behind in the first period of Game 6 Sunday, earning him a minor for boarding on which Brad Marchand scored Boston's first goal.

The Blues? Dirty? No way!

This time it’s Brayden Schenn on Joakim Nordstrom. pic.twitter.com/cTYQcAqYjk

— Evan Marinofsky (@emarinofsky) June 10, 2019

That the infraction was called is a pleasant surprise given how much the officials have missed this postseason. It also yielded a goal, and with different circumstances, maybe it would have been the Blues' third suspension of the series.

How Bergeron rallied B's with pregame speech

While Schenn's hit didn't have the speed or the end result (read: injury) of Oscar Sundqvist's Game 2 hit on Matt Grzelcyk, it actually has it beat from a seeing-the-numbers-the-whole-way standpoint. It was an avoidable hit that a Blues player threw anyway, an ongoing trend this postseason.

Oskar Sundqvist hits #Bruins' Matt Grzelcyk from behind late in the 1st and gets two minutes for boarding.

Do you think 2 minutes was enough? 樂 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/byrlK1nv8n

— Hockey Night in Canada (@hockeynight) May 30, 2019

Grzelcyk's concussion factored into Sundqvist's one-game suspension. That Nordstrom wasn't injured also helps Schenn.

So the Bruins shouldn't expect to see another Blues suspension, but they could still see another lineup move swing in their favor if Grzelcyk is cleared to return for Game 7.

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How Patrice Bergeron rallied Bruins with rousing Game 6 pregame speech

By Joe Haggerty June 10, 2019 8:55 AM

ST LOUIS – The big-game experience and Stanley Cup Final pedigree of the Boston Bruins was always considered an advantage in their matchup with the relatively inexperienced St. Louis Blues.

At times it has certainly worked in their favor, and at others it’s been difficult to distinguish as a difference-maker for the Black and Gold. But it felt like the wealth of experience on the Bruins' roster worked fully to Boston's advantage in Sunday night’s Game 6, as the B’s came away with a 5-1 win over the Blues at the Enterprise Center to force the franchise's first-ever home Stanley Cup Final Game 7 at TD Garden on Wednesday night.

Tuukka Rask elevated his game to a new level in Game 6

Every Bruins player must have felt the importance of surviving Game 6 going into Sunday night’s matchup, but Patrice Bergeron hammered the point home with a rare pregame speech that got his teammates ready for battle.

“It made us all want to run through a wall,” said Jake DeBrusk.

Bergeron said his speech centered around the chance the Bruins players had to fulfill their childhood dreams, and that they needed to win Game 6 in order to realize it. It very clearly clicked with many of his younger teammates, who heeded the words of the Bruins' spiritual leader while participating in their first Cup Final.

"Patrice stepped up big time tonight. It’s within us, the gist of [what he said]. But it was exactly what we needed," said Charlie McAvoy. "It was an element of what the dream is. Growing up every one of us shares the same dream, and it was kind of bringing us all to where we were all little kids once and we all wanted this so badly. I think it was just an element of savoring this moment and not letting it end. It was exactly what we needed. He stepped up. I mean, when he talks everybody listens. That’s the presence that he has. It was when he needed to say it."

“He was everything that you want in a leader tonight. He is every night, but especially tonight. He rallied us in a way that was needed. He has a knack for saying the right thing at exactly the right time, and that’s a leadership ability. It’s something that you grow over time and he obviously has it.”

It stands to reason that the Bruins' experience and leadership will play a large role in the decisive Game 7 on Wednesday night, and that Bergeron will again be at the forefront of everything for a hockey club that’s just 60 minutes away from Stanley Cup immortality.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146539 Boston Bruins The Bruins held a 1-0 lead after the first period of Game 6. It was misleading. The Blues’ forecheck was all over the Bruins. Tuukka Rask cleaned up the Bruins’ mistakes.

Bruins takeaways: Yes, the Blues’ premature celebratory ads lit a fire “Even though we came out with the lead, I thought we got stuck there a under their opponents lot,” Bruce Cassidy said after the win. “If that trend continued, I thought it would be tough for us tonight where we would really rely on our goaltender. I thought the second period, we did a much better job of By Fluto Shinzawa Jun 10, 2019 handling it.”

As usual, it was a team effort.

ST. LOUIS — Before Game 6, just about every Bruin had seen the It started with the forwards. They knew the Blues wanted to place their screenshots. dumps in advantageous areas — away from Rask, behind the defensemen and on the walls where they could swarm the puck. So the “Winning the Stanley Cup was a dream come true for so many of you,” forwards pressured the Blues to rush their dumps and buy their wrote Blues owner Tom Stillman. “All of us will remember where we defensemen a few spare seconds. were, what we did, and how we felt when the Blues brought the Cup home. Each of us will have a library of memories to pass down for “Sometimes when it sits on the yellow back there and you have guys generations. Each of us will forever think of that person in our lives for coming in at each angle, you can’t really get going,” Cassidy said of well- whom this time meant so much.” positioned dumps along the yellow kick plate at the bottom of the boards. “That’s part of it sometimes. You get fortunate with some of the puck They were words in an ad the Blues purchased in the St. Louis Post- placement. That’s probably a credit to our forwards, taking away some of Dispatch. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the title sponsor of the Blues’ rink, also the time and space for them to not have time, that extra second.” purchased an ad. They were meant to run after the Blues won the Cup. A technological blunder allowed most of the Bruins, through shares and The defensemen took advantage. Instead of firing blind rims under heat retweets and forwards, to glimpse what was meant to stay undisclosed. or eating the glass immediately after retrieval, the defensemen had time to skate pucks out of trouble and initiate the breakout. The forwards PER @ROBHEATON & @STLTODAY, THESE ADS WERE IN retreated hard enough to receive passes or win wall battles. TODAY’S SUBSCRIBER-ONLY E-EDITION OF THE ST. LOUIS POST- DISPATCH. Sean Kuraly might have been the sharpest at executing solo escapes. Kuraly handles the puck well. He can skate it out of danger. Several JUST COULDN’T WAIT, I GUESS.#STANLEYCUP #BLUES #BRUINS times, the fourth-liner completed one-man breakouts. PIC.TWITTER.COM/MCTLIR559P “A lot of it’s communication,” Kuraly said. “Maybe that’s the first step of it. — RANDY SCOTT (@RANDYSCOTTESPN) JUNE 9, 2019 I make that read all the time, but you hope you can. Coach is trying to get “Yeah,” Torey Krug said when asked if he had seen the material. us to trust our feet and our speed. Take a couple hard strides and see “Because it was everywhere.” where it takes you. If you get your head up and see that you can’t, maybe you take the next best option. But we’re trying to play with speed and The Bruins ensured that even the social media abstainers saw the pace and trust our first couple steps.” inflammatory material. Before Game 6, printouts of the ads were made available for the players to read. They didn’t like it. The Bruins recorded a 52.38 Corsi For rating (11 shot attempts for, 10 against) at 5-on-5 when Kuraly was on the ice in Game 6, according to BRANDON CARLO – THE SNIPER!!@ROCHIEWBZ GOES ONE-ON- Natural Stat Trick. It was a significant improvement from the 15.0 CF% ONE WITH #NHLBRUINS @1996_CARLO WHO SCORED HIS (17-3 attempts advantage for St. Louis) Kuraly carried in Game 5. SECOND GOAL OF #STANLEYCUPFINALS VS #STLBLUES #WBZ #NHLPLAYOFFS #BOSVSSTL PIC.TWITTER.COM/A9SYML1XGK Improvement for Chara-McAvoy

— SCOTT SULLIVAN (@SLICEOFSULLY) JUNE 10, 2019 In Game 5, Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy were caught behind the goal line when Zach Sanford hit Ryan O’Reilly for a net-front strike. The “We saw it,” Brandon Carlo told WBZ after the 5-1 Game 6 win. “Put a No. 1 pairing was more thorough in Game 6, even if O’Reilly struck again fire in us for sure. We don’t like that kind of stuff. We don’t want that to for a third-period goal when they were on the ice. happen in Boston by any means. We’re focused on the next shift and going from there, not focused on winning or losing. Just focused on the Chara was more comfortable dealing with his broken jaw and the next shift and working our asses off.” protector he has to wear. He was positioned well and wielded his stick efficiently to negate chances. McAvoy led all Bruins with 25:22 of ice Cup-winning contingency plans are required. Merchandise crowning the time, jumping on loose pucks and moving them swiftly. Bruins as champions has already been produced. Celebratory ads have been purchased. “With Zdeno, it’s obvious, right? He had a tough adjustment to make,” Cassidy said. “He’s in a lot of pain. He’s playing with a face shield that They don’t usually see the light of day before the Cup is hoisted. In St. probably limits some of his vision. The moment, he’s been there. Louis, the ads ran in a subscriber-only e-edition on Sunday. The ads Charlie’s a guy that rises up quite a bit for a younger player. That wasn’t were not published in the Post-Dispatch’s print version. Once the ads going to bother him. Just the fact they’re good players, they settled went viral, the Post-Dispatch explained its error via social media. down.”

“In preparation for the outcome of the Stanley Cup Final, some of our Chara and McAvoy played mostly against the St. Louis 2nd line of readers got a sneak peek at what our advertisers are hoping to say to the Sanford, O’Reilly and David Perron at even strength. Blues, the fans and St. Louis,” the Post-Dispatch responded on Twitter. “We apologize for the sneak peek and hope to share their message with Grzelcyk is a ‘wild card’ everyone very soon!” Matt Grzelcyk missed his fourth straight game Sunday. It is unknown It is not the first time premature plans have been released. In 2011, the whether he will be cleared for Game 7. Even if Grzelcyk receives the Bruins learned the Vancouver Canucks were making plans to televise green light, it might be risky for the Bruins to take out John Moore. their championship parade. They used it as motivation. Eight years later, “Grzelcyk is a wild card,” Cassidy said. “We’ll have to make a decision if the Bruins were similarly antagonized. he’s cleared. He’s missed some games now. Do you want to mess with “You never want to get too far ahead of yourself, right?” Krug said with a the back end?” smile on Monday. “You want to stay in the moment. All you control is that Moore played 17:06 in Game 6, including 4:13 on the penalty kill, game right in front of you. If you don’t win, you don’t get to have any of second-most behind Carlo (4:25). that. I remember … obviously, that’s my motivation right there. But we have another job to do. So I don’t want to speak too much about that.” Uncharted territory Breaking the forecheck Wednesday will be the first time the Bruins host a Game 7 in the final. Their last Game 7 was in Vancouver in 2011. This will be the 17th Stanley Cup Game 7 in NHL history. Home teams are 12-4.

“I would say lean on past experience, but there is none,” Krug said. “There is experience from guys who have played Game 7 in Vancouver. It’s tough. But it’s the most exciting game in all of our lives. I think whoever maintains their composure and discipline within their system and how they play and how they approach the game is probably going to prevail. I think we have a really disciplined group led by some great people. We’re all pulling for each other. I think that’s how we’re going to do it.”

This will be Chara’s 14th postseason Game 7, which would make him the all-time leader. He is currently tied with Patrick Roy and Scott Stevens.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146540 Boston Bruins getting too wrapped up in what everyone else in town will be getting wrapped up in.

“When someone’s winning you’ve got a lot of new friends all of a sudden, Buckley: Bruins can put a capstone on an incredible stretch for ‘Champ and old ones are coming out of the woodwork,” the coach said. “And the City’ message, and they’ve been good at that, is stay in your bubble. Take care of your immediate family, but catch up with your friends Thursday, that kind of thing. I’m not trying to be disrespectful, but you’ve really got By Steve Buckley Jun 9, 2019 to be dialed in.

“I don’t know if St. Louis dealt with that or not,” he said. “I’m just saying there is a danger there. I think that’s what Bergy, and Z and Kretch, these “The whole hockey world loves a Game 7, so it should be a great night in guys who have been there are able to get that message out. Boston.” “Once the puck drops, you play. You execute or you don’t.” — Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. Marchand and Rask, among others, sounded this alarm. ST. LOUIS — Great night in Boston, Coach? How about First Night in Boston — and we’re not talking about the annual New Year’s Eve “It’s going to be exciting and there’s going to be a lot of energy around it, celebration. but we just want to try and focus and do what we’ve done all year, which is prepare and try to play the same game,” Marchand said. “We’re not What we are talking about is something Milt Schmidt and Johnny Bucyk going to get caught up in the excitement about it.” never talked about. It’s something Dit Clapper, Gerry Cheevers and Raymond Bourque never talked about. Rask: “Yeah, it’s very exciting, a lot of us have been in the final several times … the city will be behind us and very excited. But like Brad said, It’s something even the sainted Bobby Orr never talked about. we’re going to just focus or our game.” We’re talking about a Stanley Cup Game 7 being played on Causeway Of course. Street — and, nope that’s never happened in either the long-gone original Boston Garden or its replacement, TD Garden. But we did mention the non-stop playoff whirl that has rocked Boston since last October. Let’s call it “Championship Mode,” a period in time Game 7. Stanley Cup final. that exists from the end of the regular season through the end of their That’s what’s going to happen on Wednesday night, June 12, thanks to title run. the Bruins taking care of business with their 5-1 victory over the St. Louis For the Red Sox last fall, “Championship Mode” lasted from the day after Blues on Sunday night at Enterprise Center. the Sept 30 regular-season finale until Oct. 28, when Chris Sale Boston is going to be rocking, of course, and not just because it’s a submitted his hold-my-beer moment in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the Game 7 with a championship on the line at home, something that hasn’t World Series, slew-footing Manny Machado for the final out in Boston’s happened to any Boston team since the 1983-84 Celtics defeated the 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lakers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals at the old Garden — on June 12, “Championship Mode” for the Patriots began following their regular- 1984. season-ending 38-3 victory over the Jets on Dec. 30 at Gillette Stadium. Memo to the people who assign the fan banner captains: When the It ended with their 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl Bruins and Blues hit the ice Wednesday night, it’ll be exactly 35 years LIII on Feb. 3 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. That’s 35 days in since the Celtics topped the Lakers in that Game 7. Anyone got the cell Championship Mode. number for ’84 NBA Finals MVP Larry Bird? The Bruins ended their regular season on April 6 with a 6-3 loss to the As if to add even more sizzle to what’s going to happen at the Garden on (remember them?) at the Garden. And we know for Wednesday night, it will be the continuation — OK, it will seem like the sure the Bruins’ postseason will end on Wednesday, June 12 at the continuation — of a non-stop Boston postseason that began with the Red Garden. By the time it’s over, the Bruins and Boston sports fans will have Sox last October, continued with the Patriots in the early winter and will been in Championship Mode for 67 days. culminate with Bruins vs. Blues, Game 7, Stanley Cup final, Wednesday (In case you’re wondering, the Celtics’ entire playoff run, such as it was, night, TD Garden. fell entirely inside the Bruins’ playoff run and is thus not relevant to this As it was put so well by Boston sports fanboy David Pastrnak, who goes discussion. That’s also the last time you’ll see the words “Celtics” and to everyone’s games, “It’s Boston … it’s Boston, I guess. It’s Champ City, “relevant” in the same sentence for several months.) and we try to do our best.” Put it all together — the Red Sox, the Patriots, the Bruins — and that’s We’ll return in a moment to how the Red Sox, Patriots and now the 130 days of Championship Mode since the beginning of last October. Bruins have turned Boston into one great, big, non-stop playoff series. What was that David Pastrnak said? But first, it should be noted that Cassidy, along with several veteran Bruins, went to great lengths Sunday night to at least take a stab at doing “It’s Boston.” something about the championship meteors that have been denting the door to their dressing room since this series started. Cassidy’s correct to want to keep his players in their bubble.

Are they thrilled to be hosting a Stanley Cup final Game 7 on Wednesday Everyone else is going to be nuts. night? Yes. Cassidy already said that. Do they want to join the Red Sox Again. and Patriots as champions of their sport? Of course. The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 But the Bruins were just as revved up going into Game 6 on Sunday night and yet were outplayed by the Blues for much of the first period — even though they took a 1-0 lead when Brad Marchand fired a shot past Jordan Binnington for a power-play goal at 8:40 of the first period.

But the Blues enjoyed a power play just 2:42 into the game when Sean Kuraly went off for flipping the puck into the stands, and, said Cassidy, “It’s a kick in the rear … if you don’t get through that kill it’s a tough way to start.”

Cassidy’s job between now and Wednesday is to see to it that his players don’t get too cozy with the customers. He had help doing his job: Such old-timey, been-there, done-that Bruins as Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara and David Krejci counseled the younger players on the evils of 1146541 Buffalo Sabres “I didn’t know where it was, and I figured it might be somewhere behind me, so I just tried to corral it with my hand behind my back, and then it stuck in my pants, and then it fell somewhere,” Rask told reporters. “I Tuukka Rask is Bruins' rock in goal heading into Game 7 think Chucky made a great play to keep it out of the net originally, and, it’s never a good thing for a goalie to kinda be facing the play with your back, but luckily it stayed out.”

By Mike Harrington|Published Mon, Jun 10, 2019|Updated Mon, Jun 10, Rask broke through as a playoff goaltender in 2010, beating the favored 2019 Sabres and Vezina winner Ryan Miller as a rookie in a six-game first- round series. His win Sunday made him the 19th goalie to record 50

career playoff wins. BOSTON — When it comes to goaltending during the run to the Stanley "Good for Tuukka,” said Boston coach Bruce Cassidy. “He’s allowed us Cup, Jordan Binnington is getting the bulk of the notoriety. an opportunity to play in a Game 7." But Tuukka Rask could end up with all the hardware. Patrice Bergeron's words stir Bruins to Game 6 win You can make a solid case that Rask has been the better goalie in five of NET RESULTS the six games played in the Cup final, and his strong play might give the Bruins a key advantage when the series comes to a climax Wednesday Comparing the stats for goalies Tuukka Rask and Jordan Binnington night in Game 7 at TD Garden. during the Stanley Cup final and the entire 2019 postseason:

Rask made 28 saves in Game 6 — including 12 when St. Louis was on Cup final W-L GA Saves GAA Save% the power play — as Boston extended the series with a 5-1 win. The game turned for good early in the third period when Binnington couldn't Rask 3-3 13 160 2.15 .925 handle Brandon Carlo's bouncing 60-footer from the right point, giving Binnington 3-3 17 155 3.07 901 Boston a 2-0 lead that proved insurmountable. Playoffs W-L GA Saves GAA Save% Rask, 32, is easily Boston's No. 1 candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs if the Bruins win the Cup. But if the Blues win, it's Rask 15-8 45 677 1.93 .938 possible he could be the fifth goalie in history to win it while playing for the losing team. That's a feat last pulled by Anaheim's J.S. Giguere in Binnington 15-10 63 636 2.52 .911 2003 against New Jersey. Buffalo News LOADED: 06.11.2019 Rask was Tim Thomas' backup when the Bruins won Game 7 at Vancouver in 2011. He's in the thick of the action this time as the Bruins will host the first Game 7 of a Cup final in their 95-year history. They haven't won a Cup at home since Bobby Orr's iconic overtime goal beat the Blues in 1970.

"It's very exciting. A lot of us have been in the finals a couple of times, but we haven't had a chance to have a clinching game at home," Rask said Sunday. "So, obviously, the city will be behind us and very excited. … At the end of the day, it's just a hockey game. You try to go out there and play your game. Play your best and see what happens."

Rask has a 2.15 goals-against average and .925 save percentage in the finals, dramatically better than Binnington's figures of 3.07 and .901. Over the entire playoffs, Rask has been similarly superior (1.93/.938 to 2.52/.911).

"He's our best player. He has been all playoffs and all regular season," said Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy. "We know that when he plays like that, to the best of his ability, and when we do our jobs in front of him, we've got to help him out. He's going to be there. He's going to be in that zone. ... We just believe in him so much and we know the kind of person and player he is. He's our rock."

Tuukka Rask is on a mission to bring the #StanleyCup back to Boston.

Quest for the Cup presented by @dunkindonuts. pic.twitter.com/5fRuQO3A29

— #StanleyCup Game 7 on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) June 10, 2019

Binnington made 38 saves in Game 5 to thwart the Bruins in a 2-1 St. Louis victory. It's the only game of the series where he's made the kind of difference for the Blues than he has in earlier rounds. If the Blues win Game 7, Binnington will become the first rookie goalie in NHL history to win 16 games in one playoff year.

“Every game is important,” Binnington, 25, said after Game 6. "It was a big game tonight, and you want to do it for the fans and the city here, but unfortunately it didn’t work out, and we’ve got to pick ourselves back up and regroup and prepare the same way.”

The Blues' power play is 1 for 18 in the series and Rask, of course, is the Bruins' top penalty killer. At one point in Game 6, the Blues had 19 shots on goal — and 12 of them had come on four power plays. Rask stopped every shot.

McAvoy was involved in the weirdest play during a second-period power play, knocking the puck out of midair in the crease after an Alex Pietrangelo backhand hit the post and Rask's back. Rask tried to pin it to his back but didn't know where it was. 1146542 Buffalo Sabres Diego, where they became the Clippers. They kept that name when they moved again, this time to Los Angeles.

Stein got a job at the Los Angeles Daily News right out of college at Cal Just like the Braves, Marc Stein left WNY — but it never left him State Fullerton. At age 24, he earned a beat covering an NBA team. Guess which one?

By Erik Brady|Published Mon, Jun 10, 2019|Updated Mon, Jun 10, 2019 “I never viewed the Clippers as an extension of the Braves,” Stein says, “even though technically they are, according to the way the NBA does its record-keeping.”

Marc Stein loved the Buffalo Braves as a boy. Lots of kids in Western He went on to cover the Mavericks in Dallas, where he still lives with his New York did in the 1970s. Stein’s story is different, though. wife and kids. He bitterly recalls when the beat the Sabres in the No Goal series. He parlayed his love into a career. “The only nice thing I can say about the ’99 Stanley Cup Final, when our “No reaction whatsoever,” he says by email. “Not a single person said a uniforms were that awful black and red and the outcome was even more word.” diabolical,” he says, “was that I was too busy with the NBA playoffs to Stein says he typically wears a Sabres hat when he’s in Toronto, which see any of the games in Dallas.” often elicits reaction from Maple Leafs loyalists. Stein was in Los Angeles on an NBA assignment in 2017 when the NHL “I guess I’m still a little kid in a lot ways,” he says. All-Star Game was played in LA. He wore Sabres gear all weekend.

Stein was a little kid — just 3 — when his family moved to Olean. They “I was on the phone in the elevator when a very nice man pointed to the left in 1978, when he was 9. As fate would have it, his family traded Sabres crest on my shirt and just smiled,” Stein says. “I hung up in a Western New York for the West Coast in the same year that the Braves panic on my dear friend Brian Windhorst of ESPN as the elevator did the same. reached the lobby when I realized the very nice man was Gilbert Perreault. Marc Stein and his father, Reuven “I chased after him out the front of the hotel and shook his hand but didn’t “I left the area when I was so young and never lived in Buffalo proper,” have the guts to ask No. 11 for a selfie. And I’ve regretted it ever since." Stein says. “But I am a romantic — and an even bigger sports romantic. All of my domestic sporting allegiances were cemented before we left Buffalo News LOADED: 06.11.2019 Western New York.”

You’ll find proof of this atop his Twitter feed — @TheSteinLine — where a color photo shows Braves legends Randy Smith and Bob McAdoo hustling up the court at Memorial Auditorium.

“Believe it or not," Stein says, “I never made it to the Aud even once. Crushing!”

Stein says the only lasting quarrel he had with his late father was not getting to a game at the Aud. The family was offered tickets occasionally, but some of those offers came in bad weather — the Blizzard of ’77 comes to mind — when driving roundtrip from the Southern Tier to the Buffalo waterfront would’ve been tough sledding.

“So the whole notion of what a Braves or Sabres game feels like is essentially what I can imagine and what I’ve seen on YouTube,” Stein says. “The Aud, by the way, is a palace in those visions.”

The family moved to Olean when Stein’s Romanian-born father, Reuven, was recruited to work as an engineer at Dresser Clark. He’d been at Philadelphia Gear.

“My dad liked sports a lot, but he was from Europe and relatively new to America,” Stein says. “I was an alien in our family. I was obsessed with sports from the minute I discovered the Yankees on WPIX at roughly age 5 or 6, and my undying support for the Braves, Sabres and Bills soon followed.”

His obsession with the Bills has lessened with time, as he doesn’t follow the NFL much anymore, but in those days he adored all the Buffalo teams.

"I loved Joe Ferguson, man,” he says. “But most of all those were the days of McAdoo, Perreault and, of course, O.J. Who knew Buffalo was a ‘small market?’ We had legends everywhere you looked.”

This is a selfie Marc took with the glove worn by Sabres' goalie Don Edwards’ at the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame display in KeyBank Center in 2018. (Note the homage to home on his cap.)

His family left Olean when his father found a job in — “in a marginally more favorable climate” — at the urging of his mother, Ruth.

“This all happened shortly after the Braves played their final game in Buffalo,” he says, “but I was too young to fully grasp the complexities of the whole franchise swap with the Celtics.”

That convoluted three-way deal involved owners of the Braves and the Boston Celtics trading franchises and the Braves winding up in San 1146543 Buffalo Sabres curves that goal-scorers tend to see their production drop to about 80 percent of their scoring rate by age 30 and then see it fall to 50 percent by age 35, which is what Skinner will be when this deal ends.

Stimson: What kind of statistical output can we expect from Jeff Skinner However, having two exceptional playmakers may slow Skinner’s goal- over the course of his deal? scoring prowess. Let’s say for the next three seasons he averages 35 goals, then we see a small dip to an average of 30 over years four and five of the deal, and then to 25 for year six and then 20 goals for years By Ryan Stimson Jun 10, 2019 seven and eight. Maybe that’s optimistic, as Skinner’s shot rate in 2019 was the lowest it’s been (over two shots per 60 minutes fewer than the

2018 season) over the last six seasons. Skinner is a player you want Now that Jeff Skinner has re-signed in Buffalo through 2026-27, there will shooting close to 19 or 20 times per 60 minutes, not the 16 he put up last be lots of questions about what type of output we can expect from him season. Part of that is Eichel is a bit of a puck hog and doesn’t always moving forward. One way to predict that is through a projection called shoot from ideal locations. But I think that’s a best case scenario for his expected primary points. scoring if he’s playing with Eichel and/or Reinhart on a regular basis.

Until I started analyzing passing data back in 2014, we had nothing to One detriment to Skinner is that he hasn’t been a dual threat (passer and measure passing ability except assists. This article I wrote when I shooter) in his career. He falls into the 34th percentile for expected introduced expected primary points goes into the details, but the primary assists based on roughly 1700 5v5 minutes since 2015. I looked conclusion was that including detailed data on the sequence prior to a at how passing may age better than shooting last summer, so unless he shot improves predictive power. It’s a simple way to combine basic can reinvent part of his game, he likely won’t be able to provide value in passing data into an expected goals model, which wasn’t something that fashion as he approaches the back end of that deal. available at the time. Thanks to EvolvingWild, we know that a player’s ability to draw penalties Providing a baseline expectation for goal and assist output allows us to is largely “age-proof.” So, that is value Skinner will likely continue to better check our projections for future production. Skinner, for example, provide throughout his career. As for his offensive and defensive was expected to score a primary point rate of 1.3 per 60 minutes last contributions, let us take a look at his isolated impact chart from season, when he scored 1.9. Jack Eichel was expected to score 1.6 and HockeyViz. scored 1.8. Skinner drives play 12 percent more than an average NHL forward, yet Eichel had a hell of a season in 2018 and I imagine continued big things he gives back five percent of that due to his defensive deficiencies. from him. His offensive talent isn’t in question and Sabres fans have to Altogether that’s a net positive of seven percent impact when he’s on the be excited that he and Skinner will be together for a large part of their ice. Add in the elevated shooting threat he carries with him and his careers now. penalty-drawing ability and there is a valuable player here.

The Skinner Signing I think given the young talent in Eichel that Skinner will most likely be paired with throughout this deal, Skinner is in a situation that offers him a Now let’s talk about Skinner and his new contract. John Vogl chance to have a slower decline on the back end of that deal, but I’m still summarized lots of the pros and cons about the Skinner deal after it was wary. If something happens to Eichel or Reinhart or there’s no elite signed. I’m going to dive into it a little bit more. passer on the team in a few years, Skinner’s value will likely plummet. It’s dangerous to sign long term deals with one eye towards guaranteed The optics of the Sabres signing Skinner after a career shooting teammates, but from a long term roster construction standpoint, I do see percentage year aren’t great. But we can’t ignore the fact that teammates what Botterill is going for. Teams generally get into more trouble handing matter, and if Skinner is now riding shotgun with Jack Eichel for the next out sizable deals to bad players (Rasmus Ristolainen) than overpaying eight years, we would expect him to shoot at a higher percentage good players by $2 Million AAV. considering that Eichel has been above the 95th percentile in pass volume and pass quality since he entered the league (about 1400 5v5 There are reasons to like this deal and reasons not to like it, but minutes of data on Eichel since 2015). Will Skinner always have career overpaying for skill is a far more forgivable offense than overpaying for years in shooting percentage and score 40 goals? No, but had he shot replacement-level talent. However, knowing the Skinner will only be in his his career average last year he would have scored 29 goals. If he shoots prime for a few more years does mean that the Sabres need to get a little above his career average, is it unreasonable to expect 35 goals on competitive in a hurry. an annual basis for the foreseeable future? Botterill checked off one important item for the summer. If he can win the I think too often people look at roster construction in a vacuum and Risto trade at the draft and sign Donskoi, re-sign Jason Pominville, and ignore the additive effects teammates can have over the long term. move out Vladimir Sobotka, then the Sabres may have a chance to not Ideally, the Sabres would be able to use cheap players like Conor Sheary be terrible next season. But, Botterill isn’t out of the woods yet – this is a to provide scoring next to $10.5 Million AAV players like Eichel, but the hugely important summer. Sabres seem to have decided on Skinner and Eichel being a fixture. Jason Botterill can add a player I’ve talked about before on the right wing The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 to that top line and likely get similar output to last year’s top line, but this would free up Sam Reinhart to anchor the second line.

Donskoi was on a great trajectory before a down year. He’s a player with solid shot impacts and you can usually get good value buying low on players off of down years. He also draws penalties really well, which is a skill teams should try and hoard when they can. I’d expect him to be a solid player next season with Eichel and Skinner and it wouldn’t break the bank to do it.

But back to Skinner. We know Botterill had little to no leverage here given how the season fell apart. Personally, I wouldn’t have signed Skinner for longer than six years and around $7 – $7.5 Million AAV max, but the year Skinner had and the nature of paying top dollar in free agency meant it was going to be an overpay. $9 Million AAV doesn’t cripple the Sabres salary cap. The unfortunate truth is that Botterill was under heavy scrutiny after the ROR debacle and needed a win for the fans.

I’m never a fan of signing eight-year contracts to players in the middle of their prime, because you know the last couple of seasons have a chance to be quite ugly. Eichel and Reinhart are excellent playmakers and will be around for a long time (Reinhart better be), but we know from aging 1146544 Calgary Flames right-handed pivot flourished as a quality second line center for years, but his impacts across the board fell off the map last season:

Turris is closer to an above average season than all the guys on this list, In the face of a cap crunch, would a James Neal trade be worthwhile for but he’s also got the longest contract, stretching all the way to 2024. the Flames? The bad money swap is the most unlikely solution for Calgary. Not only does it not solve any present cap issues for the Flames, but it also By Kent Wilson Jun 10, 2019 saddles them with a different bad contract/problem on the roster (unless some sort of miracle occurs). The team may want to get bigger and meaner in the wake of their first-round exit, but there are better ways to add truculence to the roster. As is obvious at this point, the Calgary Flames have a cap crunch. To solve it, Brad Treliving is going to have to get creative to manage his In addition, Treliving would also have to find a willing partner to make a budget this summer. trade of this kind. Like Calgary, many of these clubs would probably prefer to clear up their bad contracts, rather than just swap them for One option is to trade useful guys like TJ Brodie, Travis Hamonic and/or another one. Michael Frolik to free up some dollars. The retained salary deal Another appealing option would be to ditch bad bets like Michael Stone and James Neal. In Stone’s case, the team can buy out his contract this More realistic would be a retained salary trade, with the Flames offseason will only minor consequences. Neal, on the other hand, is only absorbing some percentage of Neal’s current deal. Under the CBA, the one year into a five-year contract worth $5.75-million per year, meaning maximum amount Calgary can retain is 50 percent or $2.875-million. his buyout would result in almost $2-million in dead cap room until 2027. Neal may be a more palatable gamble at this price tag. The nine-time With a buyout almost certainly off the table, Calgary will have to go the 20+ goal scorer suffered through a career-worst personal shooting trade route to convert Neal’s cap space into something more useful this percentage last year (five percent), and some GM’s might feel the player year. While it won’t be easy to move a player of Neal’s price and age could be in line for a rebound given the right circumstances. That’s a big given his performance last season, here are some routes Treliving may bet to take at nearly $6-million per year, but much more interesting at go try to make it happen. less than $3-million (or just 3.5 percent of the cap ceiling). That’s about the price of the average, veteran, third or fourth liner in the league these The bad money swap days. Instead of freeing up cap space, the Flames may try to shift it to a player Obviously, this sort of move would cost Calgary $2.875-million per year they think could be a better fit. The NHL is cluttered with underperforming just to make Neal go away, but it would free up a roster spot and mean players like Neal whom teams would love to try to move. It’s possible that the Flames wouldn’t have to take on anyone else’s problem as well. Calgary could find a trade partner who is interested in swapping problems in the hope that the change of scenery will help everyone The bribe deal involved. This is a classic dump-the-cap-hit trade. If Flames want someone to Some options: swallow all (or most) of the Neal contract, they’ll need to add a heaping spoon of sugar. Neal for Milan Lucic ($6-million per year until 2023) For this to happen, Treliving has to find a team with a lot of cap space, a Milan Lucic’s AAV is $250,000 more than Neal’s and he scored just one general disinterest in Neal’s performance level (ie; they aren’t competing more point than the Flames’ winger last year in 16 more games played. any time soon) and are looking for futures as they rebuild. Bonus points The big, heavy winger can still drop the gloves and dish out punishment, to a team that may need some dollars just to make the cap floor. but his foot speed and even strength scoring rate have been declining steadily since he arrived in Edmonton. These types of teams are rare, but they do exist. The New Jersey Devils ($35.6-million) and Ottawa Senators ($35.1-million) for example, who will Neal for Loui Eriksson ($6-million per year until 2022) need to spend dollars just to make the $61-million minimum budget. They Another former Bruin, Loui Eriksson is two years older than Neal and he would also be very interested in garnering some valuable future assets. hasn’t scored more than 24 points in a season over the last three years. A recent example is the Bryan Bickell trade. In order to rid themselves of Formerly an excellent two-way player/play driver, Eriksson’s underlying Bickell’ls $4.5-million deal in the face off an offseason cap crunch, the results have also eroded during his time in Vancouver. The one “good” Chicago Blackhawks bribed the to take Bickell by aspect of his deal is it one year shorter than Neal’s. including Teuvo Teravainen in the deal. Three years later and Neal for David Backes ($6-million per year until 2021) Teravainen scored 76 points as Carolina’s top line left winger.

David Backes is three years into a six-year deal with the Bruins and Bickell’s contract of $4.5 million was 6.2 percent of the cap at the time. things have started to go downhill for the 33-year old right winger. His 20 Neal’s is 6.9 percent of the current cap. The big difference, however, is points this year were the lowest of his career and there was talk during Bickell only had one year left on his deal, whereas Neal still has another the season of the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder moving into a checker/enforcer four. role in order to stay in the lineup. If the Flames do find an interested party, they will have to sacrifice at Neal for Kyle Okposo ($6-million per year until 2023) least one of their best young players to make it happen. The conversation would start at Andrew Mangiapane or better, meaning: Like Neal, Kyle Okposo was signed by his team to plug a big hole in their Juuso Valimaki, Dillon Dube, Rasmus Andersson and Oliver Kylington right side attack. Unlike Neal, Okposo actually put together a few decent would be part of the discussion. seasons before falling into “toxic asset” territory, scoring 45 and 44 points in his first two seasons in Buffalo. The mixed option

Okposo managed just 14 goals and 29 points last year, placing him None of the above tactics are mutually exclusive, of course. A hybrid eighth on the team in scoring. Though he’s only 31 years old, the player deal, featuring a mix of retained salary, bribery, and/or taking back bad has clearly been slowing since he left the Islanders, with his offensive money could potentially be struck. impacts gradually sliding into below average territory. This is how the Maple Leafs found a way to dump Dion Phaneuf in 2016. Neal for Kyle Turris ($6-million per year until 2024) At the time, he still had five years left on a deal that saw him earn $7- million per year. To get rid of Phaneuf, the Leafs sent him to Ottawa with The $6-million AAV seems to be something of a cursed number. a mix of roster players and prospects. In return, they accepted some of Ottawa’s problem contracts, including Colin Greening ($2.65 million), Nashville grabbed Kyle Turris last year and the 29-year old finished with Milan Michalek ($4 million), and Jared Cowan ($3.1 million). Cowan was a solid 51 points in 76 games. He took a big step backward this year, immediately bought out, Greening played out his contract in the minors however, managing just seven goals and 23 points in 55 games. The and Michalek spent most of his time in Toronto on injured reserve. Since then, Phaneuf has been traded again to the , this time with the Senators retaining $1.75 million.

The rebound gamble

In the end, Treliving may go with the “keep James Neal” option, hoping the player can rebound after a career-worst season. All of the mentioned trade tactics come with clear negative consequences – from having to accept another team’s bad deal, to potentially having to sacrifice a high- end prospect.

If Neal bounces back, it could rejuvenate his stock around the league, making a potential future trade more likely. If he has a repeat performance, however, Neal’s contract will become even more toxic than it is currently.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146545 Chicago Blackhawks

Hawks Talk Podcast: TSN's Craig Button explains final NHL Draft rankings and Blackhawks pick at No. 3

By Charlie Roumeliotis June 10, 2019 3:30 PM

On the latest Hawks Talk Podcast, TSN's Craig Button joins the show to explain his final NHL Draft rankings, why there was fluctuation in his list and who the Blackhawks should take at No. 3 overall.

Pat Boyle, Slavko Bekovic and Charlie Roumeliotis then offer their biggest takeaways from the Button interview and how much the latest rankings have changed their view of who the Blackhawks may select.

0:35 – Craig Button describes his ranking methodology

3:35 – Bowen Byram still a lock to be a No. 1 defenseman

5:30 – How adding Byram to Blackhawks prospect group would look

8:00 – Is there any debate Byram is the third-ranked prospect?

8:50 – Cole Caufield checking all the pre-draft boxes

12:05 – Is there an edge to Caufield’s game?

13:30 – Could Caufield fit in the Blackhawks top-6?

17:00 – Why Craig is so high on Matthew Boldy

19:20 – Does Trevor Zegras have any downside?

20:50 – Why Vasili Podkolzin’s stock is dropping

22:25 – Concerns about Alex Turcotte’s ceiling

23:45 – Concerns about Dylan Cozens’ NHL position

25:10 – The Blackhawks will select...

27:05 – Why the Blackhawks can’t go wrong with the third pick

29:45 – Bowen Byram’s fit with the Blackhawks

32:15 – Question marks about some of the top other prospects?

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146546 Chicago Blackhawks

2019 NHL Draft Profile: RW Vasili Podkolzin

By Charlie Roumeliotis June 10, 2019 10:00 AM

From June 10-20, Charlie Roumeliotis will profile one top prospect per day — 11 total — leading up to the 2019 NHL Draft as the Blackhawks prepare to pick third overall.

Vasili Podkolzin

Position: Right wing

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 190 pounds

Shoots: Left

Scouting report from Blackhawks vice president of amateur scouting Mark Kelley:

"Strong, two-way player. Strong on his skates and strong in traffic."

NHL player comparable: Alexander Radulov

Fit for Blackhawks:

When the Blackhawks moved up from No. 12 to 3 on NHL lottery night, early mock drafts pegged Podkolzin into the three spot. Since then, his stock has slowly started to drop.

Podkolzin had only two points (both assists) in the first six games at the 2019 IIHF Under-18s before scoring a goal and adding an assist in Russia's 4-3 overtime loss to Sweden in the gold medal game. But the real concern is his contract status in the KHL. Podkolzin is adamant that he will come to the NHL after his deal expires, but it wouldn’t be until the 2021-22 season at the earliest.

That timeline simply doesn't add up with the Blackhawks', and the only way you consider taking him at No. 3 is if he's a can't-miss winger. And we're not sure he falls into that category.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146547 Chicago Blackhawks in Mingo Junction, Ohio, as well as the apartment of an old bookie named “Stinky Fred,” I could appreciate Maddon’s recollections. (Man, I loved Lane’s Lounge. You should’ve been there.)

Dollars and sense: It won’t be like Lane’s Lounge, but gambling is What will legalized gambling do for American sports? Mostly it takes coming to Chicago away unnecessary red tape. And don’t forget, there was a time, not that long ago actually, when the NFL didn’t endorse fantasy football. Now the NFL recognizes its benefit. By Jon Greenberg Jun 10, 2019 Are there downsides? Of course. Plenty of people suffer from gambling addictions or predilections. But it’s already easy to gamble online, now it will just be easier to collect. (The easiest way to bet for many hardcore Dollars and sense is a regular column about Chicago sports media and gamblers will still be their local bookies.) business. Famed local gambling writer/broadcaster Joe Ostrowski (who In the days after the legislature set the table for Gov. J.B. Pritzker moonlighted as a gambling writer for us last football season) has been all to officially welcome in legal sports gambling to Illinois, I reached out to over this story and decamped to Springfield for the final days of the our five major sports teams for comment. I wanted to talk to owners or legislative session. top executives about their excitement (or even their reticence) about a near-future where fans can not only legally bet on sporting events, but You should listen to his podcast here, where he outlined some answers place the bets at the actual stadium they’re watching a game in. to FAQs, like whether existing racetracks, casinos and professional sports venues (of a predetermined size) can get sports book licenses. There will be a lot of pie to be divvied up in the coming years, as people love to lose money gambling on sports. Trust me, I know from Mobile betting is the key to making serious money for the state (and less experience. importantly, the sports book owners), but the wrinkle there is you have to register for a mobile account at an actual sports book. That’s an Years ago, my creative writing professor at the University of Chicago, a inconvenience that will surely limit participation. wonderful writer named Dan Raeburn (buy his memoir here), shared some cribbed wisdom with me that many gamblers (the common joes, To put that in perspective, when I went to cover the Bears game at the not the pros) really chase the feeling of losing more than they do winning. Giants last winter, I downloaded one of the apps (FanDuel or DraftKings, It’s a difficult concept to square — because winning a bet is awesome — I honestly can’t remember which) in advance and when I landed in but he’s not wrong. Newark, I put money in the account and placed some bets. This was all for research purposes, of course. I never had to set foot at the FanDuel With that in mind, you know Chicago’s sports teams are dying to make sports book at the Meadowlands and I got money out easily (though it more money off their fans. They’re already getting them drunk at (at took a week to process). least) $10 a pour, why not get a little more through gambling? Several teams had representatives in Springfield, Ill., and sports leagues made One thing I learned from Ostrowski’s show was that there’s also going to their presence known as well. While there isn’t any outrageous cut going be a sports wagering program available at licensed lottery retailers, like to the leagues, they’ll make their money by doing business with sports 7-11. Essentially you’ll only be able to bet parlays there, but that’s still books. very fun. Growing up we had parlay cards at convenience stores. They benefitted local sports leagues. Or so we were told. Alas, no one from the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls, Blackhawks or Bears wanted to talk on the record about the gambling bill. Not until everything Illinois will be the first state to allow sports books inside stadiums and was official. I did chat with one team representative on background and arenas, so you have to imagine that you’ll see them pop up at the United he assured me of the obvious: yes, his team would be interested in Center and both baseball stadiums by 2020, at least. Soldier Field will be making more money. With a cut from an onsite sports book and an an interesting story because it’s not owned by the Bears and the NFL expected influx of advertising, each team should make a little coin from runs itself differently than the other leagues. the new law. Plus, as we know, gambling keeps fans engaged during otherwise less-meaningful games. No one is sure when the sports books will go up. Ostrowski said people in the know are guessing either before football season or around Super Last Tuesday, Cubs manager Joe Maddon was asked about legalized Bowl time. sports betting, and said he was a little “surprised” by the decision, considering the history of gambling and sports, particularly baseball. While this new law will give a little sugar to the pro teams, it should be a Obviously, Chicago was at the epicenter of the most famous gambling godsend to struggling race tracks in lllinois that have been fighting for scandal in sports 100 years ago. table games for years. One would hope it will increase the small purses at horse races that are hurting the tracks. That might be bad news for But with legalized gambling, big bets would be monitored, thus reducing Johnny Morris, who likes his space at Arlington Park. the chance for game-fixing and corruption. Though there will always be an exploitable black market for gambling, and given that the new law In interviews with The Score and The Athletic before the bill was passed, won’t include in-state college athletes, that’s an area to still watch. Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney talked about a complementary gambling-focused broadcast for Cubs games. Maddon and I hail from similar hometowns. He’s from coal country in eastern Pennsylvania and I grew up across the western Pennsylvania “That’s out there,” Kenney said of his Score interview during a border in Eastern Ohio. subsequent sitdown with The Athletic. “It was just legalized in Iowa, which is a part of our territory, and I believe it happens here. (With an) Gambling was prevalent in my hometown, going way back. Arguably the audience that really cares about gambling, you have a chance to serve two most famous people from my hometown are Jimmy “The Greek” them in a different way. You’re seeing doing this with the Snyder and Dean Martin, if that says anything. Caps and the Wizards in Washington.

Maddon’s face brightened when I asked him what the gambling scene in “Even in our national games, you’re seeing it’s not a gambling feed, but Hazleton was like. it’s more data and probabilities, stolen-base probability, more information as a starter gets later in the game, second time through the order, third “Tremendous,” he said. “Bellhops backroom, anything you wanted. time through the order, how the probabilities are all changing. They’re not Actually, Uncle Carly’s Third Base Luncheonette on Saturday night, that actually doing that to try and entice a gambler to make a wager because would be the big poker game. And even Monsignor Rosario would be it’s not legal in most states. But you can already see how the game there like at 5 or 6 o’clock in the morning. So you would go up there on a production has changed a little bit to be more stat-driven. Sunday morning after church and they’d still be playing in the backroom and it would be smoky. Little room, as big as my office, maybe, with one “I think the question was asked to me: ‘Could you ever see a feed that’s of those round tables with a nice leather top to it. Action everywhere, really dedicated to the gambler?’ And my answer is ‘yes.’ I think man. They had the daily number, you could get it anywhere in town. It somewhere – I don’t know when – but somewhere down the road there’s was awesome. Awesome.” the same trucks, same production, with maybe a different booth and a different conversation with a group of fans. As someone who regularly bet $11 parlays (the $1 was the juice) as a high schooler at Lane’s Lounge, a cigar store that didn’t sell many cigars “To reach some of those younger fans that may have a different ear for that they don’t win enough to win over average sports fans. (They’ve also the game and are looking for a different type of production – I think you moved buildings three times, play in the summer in a city with two could probably see that down the road.” baseball teams, play in a league that underpays its talented players so bad they have to play year-round, etc.) One thing the Sky should do right If I could go back and time and tell a teenage Jon Greenberg that he’d be now is make more of a push to get their players on more local TV and a sportswriter in Chicago and gambling and weed were being legalized, radio shows. Running commercials for games is meaningless when fans he would, well, hopefully take a look at his older self and start working don’t know the players. Why not have Stefanie Dolson on SportsTalk out more. Live? Or Diamond DeShields on The Score? The Sky had a real star in He’ll show us Elena Delle Donne, but never capitalized on it in terms of interest (I think they got their most social media attention when Dan “Barstool Big Cat” I reviewed “Pooh,” the Derrick Rose movie, of which Derrick Rose is Katz would go to games in a tight jersey) and now she’s gone. They listed as a producer, a few months ago, and now it’s time for another should be more proactive in getting their best players in front of fans. … I Derrick Rose piece of journalism, an autobiography titled “I’ll Show You,” was going to write a whole thing on this, but it’s too dumb. Still, my 8- written in his words by the great Sam Smith. year-old son reminded me again this weekend of the time I got scammed on Craigslist for tickets. In the months since, when I’ve told him we’re Smith, who had a good rapport with Rose during his Bulls career, told me going to a game, he always goes, “Are you sure you have tickets?” It was he’s not done editing it yet and I gave him some suggestions (mostly a Bulls game this past winter, a Sunday day game, and I was in a rush organization-related) after quickly reading the slim book, but as someone and I made the mistake of being too thrifty and looking for a deal on 200- who has interviewed Rose many times over the years, I really felt like level tickets. I actually got scammed twice in a period of 15 minutes, Rose was talking to me. That meant some funny stories and some head- sending money to people who then went dark. I did get my money back scratching logic. I both learned a lot about Rose and had some of my on the PayPal transaction, but not from the CashApp one. The seller observations confirmed. Derrick Rose fans will love this book and his deleted his account and the company dodged my emails. My lesson to critics probably won’t read it. you: Don’t use CashApp unless it’s with your friends. And don’t be an I’ll write about the book in more detail before it is released in September. idiot and use Craigslist for tickets.

Hey, I wrote a book too The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019

If you haven’t muted me yet on Twitter, you know that I wrote a book about the Cubs. It’s out now and you should definitely buy multiple copies. This book was a bit of a rush job (I didn’t agree to do it until late June 2018), though I hope it doesn’t show in the prose.

It goes from the 2003 offseason through the early months of 2019. It does not contain the Craig Kimbrel signing, alas.

During one of my TV interviews for the book, WCIU’s Jon Hansen said he thinks it’s a perfect primer for new Cubs fans to catch up on recent history. I agree.

THANKS TO @THEJAMTVSHOW FOR HAVING ME ON! HTTPS://T.CO/GQVO8IFH2E

— JON GREENBERG (@JON_GREENBERG) JUNE 6, 2019

Writing a book in short order (I turned in my manuscript in late December and we edited throughout the next couple months) was a challenging but rewarding experience. And now I’m thinking of what my second book should be about.

Come catch me on my book tour this summer. This is how it looks so far.

June 10: Barbara’s Bookstore 111 N. State St., Chicago, 5 p.m.

June 26: Midway Lit Fest at Midway Airport from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

July 11: The Book Stall, 811 Elm St., Winnetka, 6:30 p.m.

July 25: The History Center of Lake Forest/Lake Bluff, 509 E Deerpath Rd., Lake Forest, 7 p.m.

Aug. 7: Barnes & Noble, 728 N. Waukegan Rd., Deerfield, 6 p.m.

Aug. 21: Standard Club, 320 S Plymouth Ct, Chicago from 12 to 2 p.m. (part of a lunch series)

News and notes

I’ll never be able to do a quick hits section quite like the Daily Herald’s Jim O’Donnell, but I have a few things from my notebook. … If you read about ESPN 1000 protesting Nielsen’s ratings and being proven correct, with a small overall gain, I got some numbers from that recent April do- over and they show WMVP’s David Kaplan easily beating The Score’s Dan Bernstein and Connor McKnight in the major demos, among other gains. What do those numbers really mean? Who knows? I don’t trust them, corrected or otherwise, and too many people use these opaque ratings as a scoreboard. Both stations are worth listening to, in my opinion, and some shows are better than others depending on the day and the guests. And the numbers will probably reverse themselves in June. … I’m told that picture of Kapper’s “company” on his streaming link is about to become a little more outdated. And isn’t it past time to superimpose Pat Boyle on there? Who else should join Kap’s coterie of co-hosts? … We’re covering the Chicago Sky now and you should definitely be following ace writer Maggie Hendricks. The Sky have struggled to gain a foothold in Chicago for a variety of reasons, mostly 1146548 Chicago Blackhawks everyone knew defenseman Nick Leddy was the only logical option to trade. So Bowman had little negotiating power, and was only able to net defensemen prospects Ville Pokka and T.J. Brennan, along with goalie Somebody’s got to go: Flush with cash but not roster spots, Blackhawks prospect Anders Nilsson, from the Islanders for Leddy. None of them should be active in trade market panned out for the Blackhawks. It was a salary dump, not a hockey trade.

“That was a different circumstance, that was all cap-related,” Bowman said of the Leddy trade. “We didn’t want to trade players in those years, By Mark Lazerus Jun 10, 2019 from 2010-15. But it was necessitated. This would be different. If we have more players than we need come training camp, we’re not going to be

trying to shed somebody because of the cap.” You couldn’t swing Cole Caufield’s hockey stick around the city of Buffalo In other words, the Blackhawks could target lesser players to deal away, last week without hitting an NHL executive. And the general managers, in while holding on to their top guys regardless of salary. No offense to town for the draft combine, weren’t just getting a read on prospects, they Hayden, but it’s easier to stomach trading a fourth-liner to make the were getting a read on each other. roster math work than trading a top guy to make the salary cap work. “There are a lot of possibilities that are starting to be talked about,” “Or, if it’s a more prominent player,” Bowman said, “it’s somebody that Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman told The Athletic. “But most of what we there’s a demand for. There’s no question that in those years, everyone talk about never goes anywhere. You kind of throw some ideas out and knew that we were in a tough spot. So the trades you could make in they respond, and then one of you will say, ‘I don’t know if that’s going to those situations are usually not really favorable. You’re just trying to get work, so we’re going to look elsewhere.’” down under a cap. It wouldn’t be that way for us.” For years, Bowman pretty much dreaded these conversations. It seemed The other possibility is that the Blackhawks go the trade route in the next that every summer, the Blackhawks were victims of their own success, few weeks to land their big summer acquisitions, because the free-agent forced to trade players they didn’t want to trade, simply because of their market isn’t terribly appetizing. Other than Erik Karlsson, there are no salary-cap situation. There were Dustin Byfuglien, Kris Versteeg and stud unrestricted defensemen out there. And the top free-agent forwards Andrew Ladd in 2010; Brian Campbell and Troy Brouwer in 2011; Dave — Panarin, Matt Duchene, Joe Pavelski — are going to come at a very Bolland and Michael Frolik in 2013; Patrick Sharp in 2015; Teuvo high cost, with Jeff Skinner’s eight-year, $72-million contract with the Teravainen, Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw in 2016. Even the Artemi Sabres setting the bar. Perhaps RFA Jacob Trouba could be pried from Panarin and Niklas Hjalmarsson trades in 2017, while neutral in terms of Winnipeg with the right deal (a long shot, but certainly one worth at least cap space, were done in the name of “cost certainty” over the long haul. pursuing), or perhaps another top-four blue-liner could be found. Well, the cap crunch is coming again. But not for Chicago. In his trade board, The Athletic’s Craig Custance listed Saad at No. 16, “There are other teams facing that challenge even now,” Bowman said. “I and the two-way standout would be appealing to any number of teams. talked to some of them just the other day. ‘I’ve gotta sign so-and-so, and The Blackhawks don’t particularly want to trade Saad (again) and they’re we’ve gotta find some room, so I’ll probably have to move this guy, even certainly a better and deeper team when he’s beefing up the third line, though I don’t want to move him.’ For us, it’ll be different.” but he’s the most attractive trade piece they have. They’d rather move Anisimov or one of their many bottom-six types instead, but Saad would The Blackhawks should be active in the trade market once again, but this fetch a bigger prize, for sure. time it will be from a position of strength, not with a knife at their throat. The feeling-out process between GMs is just getting started. But The Blackhawks probably will have $15-17 million in cap space this Bowman has made it clear he’s not bringing back the exact same lineup summer, and Bowman is hoping to make a big splash in free agency. as last year. And the only way to do that is to get rid of some of these The question is, where will these hypothetical signings fit? The roster is players that are under contract. Whether it’s in the next three weeks or a pretty much full. few days before training camp, somebody’s getting traded.

Assuming the Blackhawks re-sign restricted free agents Brendan Perlini “It’s just trying to find the right mix of guys that fit together,” Bowman and David Kampf, there are 12 forwards locked into the NHL roster next said. “And we’re a long way from knowing what that is right now.” season: Artem Anisimov, Drake Caggiula, Alex DeBrincat, Dominik Kahun, Kampf, Patrick Kane, Dominik Kubalik, Perlini, Brandon Saad, The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 Dylan Sikura, Dylan Strome and Jonathan Toews. That doesn’t even count John Hayden, who is signed and who would have to clear waivers to be sent to Rockford. So that’s 13 probables.

The defense is just as crowded. Carl Dahlstrom, Erik Gustafsson, Henri Jokiharju, Duncan Keith, Slater Koekkoek, Connor Murphy and Brent Seabrook are all signed, and restricted free agent Gustav Forsling is likely to be qualified. Throw in Corey Crawford and (presumably) Collin Delia in goal, and the Blackhawks already have a full roster for next season.

Somebody’s got to go. Perhaps a few somebodies.

But it doesn’t have to happen at the annual trade-frenzy that is the draft (June 21-22 in Vancouver) or even before free agency opens on July 1. Teams are allowed to exceed the salary cap by 10 percent in the offseason. Bowman said he’d be perfectly comfortable doing just that.

“That’s not a concern of mine,” Bowman said. “I would rather have an over-full roster and then try to sort through it in training camp. We may have a lot of guys signed now, but some of them might be traded. Or if they don’t (get traded), and we add free agents, we’ll have to figure out the guys that are the right mix and then pare it down later. The focus is not trying to set your roster in June, when you don’t have to really set it until October. I think those things have a way of working themselves out. I’d rather have an over-full roster, and if we make some signings or if we make some trades, there’s certainly some players we could move out in trade discussions.”

Bowman has taken it down to the wire before. In the summer of 2014, the Blackhawks were over the cap. And everyone knew they had to make a move by opening night to get under it. Unfortunately for Bowman, 1146549 Colorado Avalanche

Blues vs. Bruins going to Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final? That’s what our simulation predicted in April.

By JOE NGUYEN |June 10, 2019 at 11:00 am

Raise your hand if you had the Blues vs. the Bruins going seven games in the Stanley Cup Final when the NHL playoffs started.

Apparently, the simulation we did in Electronic Arts’ NHL 19 back in April did.

That’s right, a video game predicted this unlikely pairing for the championship. Not only that, it also predicted all four top seeds getting knocked out in the first round by wild-card teams. Of the 14 series prior to the finals, 12 were correct — the Vegas Golden Knights giving up a 3-0 lead to lose in overtime to the Sharks in Game 7 ruined our perfect bracket. The Sharks subsequently beat the Avs, who advanced to the Western Conference finals in the simulation.

So what did the simulation predict in Game 7? Sorry, St. Louis fans, but it’s a Boston victory.

Now about our simulation in NBA 2K19 for the NBA playoffs? That didn’t fare as well.

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NHL Prospect Profile Victor Soderstrom

BY AJ HAEFELE JUNE 10, 2019

An uber competitive two-way defenceman that thinks the game at the highest level, Victor Söderström is the complete package. A naturally gifted skater, his ability to traverse all three zones is best described as smooth and effortless. He never looks disinterested and it’s always apparent just how badly he wants to win. His vision and awareness is outstanding, allowing him to play a responsible yet dynamic brand of hockey.

He’s a dangerous puck-carrier with a great shot. Defensively, he makes good decisions quickly and consistently, never looking out of place when pitted up against the other team’s top players. He pressures the opposition and limits options, never getting in the way of his goalie. All-in- all, Söderström’s competitive instincts allow him to take full advantage of his offensive ability and defensive prowess. He’s a game-changer.

AJ’s Thoughts

For my money, Soderstrom is the second-best defenseman in the draft. He’s a really good two-way player whose biggest question mark might be how effective he’ll be at his size. While 5’11” defenders don’t carry the stigma they did just five years ago, they still aren’t exactly taking over the NHL and dominating, you know? Soderstrom fits the modern defender though in that he’s very mobile with a polished offensive game but his defense is a work in progress.

One thing I love about Soderstrom in the defensive end that isn’t found in all the guys his size is his competitiveness. He loves battling for the puck and his smarts allow him to get into position to seamlessly lift pucks from the opposition and then his offensive ability kicks in. He’s a great transition player already and is tailor-made for the way the game is changing in the NHL.

Soderstrom has already produced in big minutes in Sweden’s top pro league and he looks like another in a long line of Swedish defenders to come across the pond and chew up big minutes in the NHL.

Highlights

Avalanche Fit

If Soderstrom made it to 16, he’d be a great fit. Right-handed and with a good two-way game, it’s tough to complain about the Avs potentially getting what might be the second-best defenseman in this year’s draft. What would come next for Soderstrom is a little murkier but he’d be eligible to play in the AHL right away if Colorado wanted.

I’d be more apt to letting him spend a year in Sweden and then bring him over to North America after that and see where he fits but Colorado’s depth on defense and the proximity of Meloche and Timmins to the NHL means the Avs could afford patience. I expect him to be gone by 16 but should he fall, there are no real downsides to Colorado selecting him.

Rankings

Ranked #17 by TSN/McKenzie

Ranked #3 by NHL Central Scouting (EU Skaters)

Ranked #11 by Future Considerations

BSN DENVER LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146551 Colorado Avalanche defensive pipeline with more quality young talent because all of their best prospects are in the AHL or higher. Seider would be a player who needs significant development though and it’s a real question whether Colorado HL Prospect Profile Moritz Seider can help him with that. They’ve not developed much defensively outside offensive defensemen in recent years. Seider would present a unique challenge outside of their normal comfort zone but if it pays off, he could be one of the steals of the draft. BY AJ HAEFELE JUNE 9, 2019 Rankings

Ranked #21 by TSN/McKenzie Scout Quotes Ranked #6 by NHL Central Scouting (EU skaters) The Draft Analyst Ranked #16 by Future Considerations A big, smooth-skating German blueliner with physicality, sound instincts and leadership qualities, Seider, when given the opportunity, has handled BSN DENVER LOADED: 06.11.2019 a top-four role against adult-age competition with aplomb. His dominant play in all three zones at the IIHF’s first division under-20 world juniors not only led Germany to the title that vaulted them into the top bracket for next year’s tournament, but also reinforced his standing as a first-round quality prospect with legitimate top-pairing potential at the highest level. One of Seider’s most noticeable qualities is how smart he is with or without the puck. Blessed with an acute sense to predict the opponent’s intentions, Seider quickly transitions from standing up at the blue line like a brick wall, to a quick poke and pass that leads his mates to a counterattack. His physicality, reach and quick feet combine to make the majority of 1-on-1 attempts die quickly above the circles. Additionally, Seider will fix a puck carrier into the corner for either a low-percentage centering attempt or a smothering check into the boards. Cross-ice passes originating from the strong side get broken up with regularity, and you can make a strong case for Seider being the best in his draft class at owning and maintaining positioning in the low slot.

Seider’s offensive prowess appears limited, although he has shown confidence and reliability with his puck carrying. You rarely see him painted into a corner, and he uses smart dump-ins or lobs to buy additional time. He likes to join the rush and will venture well into the circles or slot as a trailer. He owns an excellent shot, both for its velocity and accuracy. He isn’t your classic power-play quarterback, but he has soft hands to handle crisp, cross-ice passes and hammer one-timers on net. One thing to keep an eye on are injuries, as Seider missed two sizeable chunks of the schedule due to issues with his shoulder, and also suffered a concussion after being hit from behind at the men’s world championship in May.

AJ’s Thoughts

Seider is a raw defender whose tools make him an intriguing player overall. He combines great size with good mobility and enough untapped offensive potential that it’s easy to dream on his potential as a future top- pairing defenseman. I think that’s a bit much for me but when watching him it’s not hard to see tantalizing potential.

Given the relatively weak competition he’s played against, his strong performance at the U-18s was vital to not only ensuring his place in the first round but potentially the top 15. It should serve as a launch pad for Seider to get firmly into the conversation as potentially the second-best defenseman in this year’s draft class.

I like his game and think there’s some real potential there. I question how high the offensive upside really is because while there’s been some flashes, it looks pretty inconsistent to me and none of it is high-end stuff. His shot is legit and it should translate to the NHL just fine. He’s a rock solid defenseman, however, and he uses his size well and embraces the physical side of the game. Multiple shoulder injuries are a concern because it’s only going to get more physical moving forward.

Highlights

Avalanche Fit

Lots of talk from Avs fans in recent years about finding a long-term replacement for Erik Johnson. This guy could be it because it’s going to take some time for him to get to the NHL. What his development path is going forward is a legitimate question mark. Does he stay in the DEL? Does he come over in the CHL Import Draft? Does he follow Martin Kaut and Mikko Rantanen and come to the AHL immediately after being drafted? The plan for Seider’s development is going to be a key component of what comes next for the raw German defenseman.

If the Avs are comfortable with a plan and he’s there at 16, it would be hard to go against that decision. They absolutely need to infuse their 1146552 Columbus Blue Jackets

Michael Arace | Stanley Cup Final goalies now under extreme pressure

Michael Arace The Columbus Dispatch

Arturs Irbe, who played 568 games in goal for four NHL teams, described his position this way: “The goalie is like the guy on the minefield. He discovers mines and destroys them. If you make mistakes, somebody gets blown up.”

Artur Boruc, a Polish national goalkeeper who has played in some of Europe’s top soccer leagues, described his position this way: “Being a goalkeeper is like being the guy in the military who makes the bombs. One mistake and everyone gets blown up.”

It’s difficult to tell who is poaching from whom, but the guess here is that Irbe, 52, originated the idea of goalies getting everyone blown up and Boruc, 39, put his own spin on the carnage. In any case, the idea remains the same: Without a good netminder, annihilation is a looming possibility.

Wednesday night, the St. Louis Blues will play the Boston Bruins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. “Game 7” is a magical phrase, isn’t it? This Game 7 will be in the new Garden, and you have to like the Bruins at home, with Tuukka Rask in net. The man can, and has, handled serious ordinance.

Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington is bidding to become the fifth rookie goalie to lead his team to a Stanley Cup after Ken Dryden (Montreal, 1971), Patrick Roy (Montreal, 1986), Cam Ward (Carolina, 2006) and Matt Murray (Pittsburgh, 2016). Murray is the only one of them who didn’t win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Another rookie goalie, Ron Hextall (Philadelphia, 1987), won the Conn Smythe after he and the Flyers lost Game 7 to Grant Fuhr and the .

Three non-rookie goalies have won the Conn Smythe and lost in the Cup Final: Roger Crozier (Detroit, 1966), Glenn Hall (St. Louis, 1968) and J.S. Giguere (Anaheim, 2003). The winning goalies in these cases were Montreal’s Gump Worsley (twice) and New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur.

You can pick through that pile and find the Hall of Famers — Dryden, Roy, Fuhr, Hall, Worsley and Brodeur. You can argue about the relative merit of the others. The point here is that games with the biggest stakes are often about defusing and, this spring, Rask has been cooler than any of his peers.

In the 2013 playoffs, Rask was 14-8 with a 1.88 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. He would have won the Conn Smythe had not the Bruins lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games. In Game 6, Rask gave up the game-tying goal (the Hawks had an extra attacker on the ice) and the series-winning goal (Dave Bolland, left all alone on the doorstep) in the last 76 seconds of regulation. In Boston.

Six years later, Rask’s playoff numbers (15-8, 1.93, .938) are almost identical. But it was Binnington who had a Rask-like moment in Game 6 on Sunday, when the Blues had a chance to clinch the Cup but lost 5-1 at home. The goal that put the Bruins up 2-0 early in the third period — defenseman Brandon Carlo, from the blue line, bounced one under Binnington’s right arm — was the land mine that exploded.

It has been a terrific series. As good as Binnington has been, he needs to be epic Wednesday night. And as good as the Blues have been on the road during these playoffs (9-3), the game they probably needed to win was Game 6 at home.

The Cup Final has seen 16 previous Game 7s; home teams are 12-4. Wednesday will mark the first time the Bruins have hosted a Game 7 with the Cup on the line. How’s that for a time bomb? The Bruins lost their past two home games. Can you see them losing three home games in a row? I can’t.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146553 Columbus Blue Jackets significant player off the roster would likely demand immediate help in return.

Markus Nutivaara: Nutivaara was a seventh-round pick (No. 189 overall) If the Blue Jackets trade from their defensive depth, who is most likely to in 2015, but he’s quickly elevated to the point where he deserves to be a go? fixture in an NHL top four.

With his manageable salary cap hit of $2.7 million, Nutivaara could be of By Aaron Portzline Jun 10, 2019 significant interest to teams looking for puck-moving skill on the blue line. He may be a well-kept secret among fans, but scouts have taken notice.

The Blue Jackets would be loath to trade their diamond in the rough. COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Blue Jackets are expected to endure a mass They still think there’s enormous growth potential in his game, something exodus of free agents this summer, dramatically changing the look of the that could bloom with increased ice time. club at goaltender (goodbye, Sergei Bobrovsky) and at forward (adios, Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel). Like Savard, Nutivaara seems more likely to bring a roster player in return than a draft pick. But there are many moving parts to an NHL off- But the deepest position on the roster — the Blue Jackets’ defense — season, especially this one in Columbus. will remain untouched by free agency, other than the loss of veteran UFA Adam McQuaid, who has a mysterious injury or malady that could force Trading low, but … him to take a year off from hockey or perhaps even retire. Ryan Murray: The 2018-19 season was shaping up to be one of the best It should surprise exactly no one if the Blue Jackets use their depth on of Murray’s career. He assumed a spot on the No. 1 pair when Werenski the blue line as a commodity this summer, either to add picks at the struggled and was playing like the two-way star he’s always been … upcoming draft in Vancouver or to fortify their forward ranks. when healthy.

The Blue Jackets believe they have eight defensemen who are bona fide Then he went down with another long-term injury, a bulging disc for the top-six players in the NHL: Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, Ryan Murray, second straight season. He missed the final 26 games of the regular Markus Nutivaara, David Savard, Scott Harrington, Dean Kukan and season and all 10 games in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Vladislav Gavrikov. Now what?

Who could be on the move in the next few weeks? Let’s take a look: If the Blue Jackets trade him, they’d be trading at a low point for Murray’s Untouchable value. His injury history makes him damaged goods, which means the return they’d get — likely a draft pick or two — would be far below his Seth Jones: Other GMs know better than to even ask if Jones is available potential value. It’s unlikely the Jackets could acquire a difference- via trade. making forward for Murray, given the situation.

OK, let’s be honest: Everyone is available for the right price. But it would The Chicago Blackhawks are said to be interested, but they aren’t alone. take an outrageous offer to pry Jones away from the Blue Jackets, Murray’s a restricted free agent, but he can probably be signed for his especially when he’s just reaching his prime. qualifying offer ($2.825 million) in 2019-20, his last year as an RFA.

After an up-and-down regular season (by his standards), Jones was That’s a palatable sum if he can stay healthy. But then that phrase — “if next-level in the postseason, dominating on both ends of the ice. He he can stay healthy” — seems to follow Murray everywhere. seems likely to win the Norris Trophy soon and is perhaps a future captain of the Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets, with Nutivaara and Gavrikov poised to play on the left side, have the depth to make Murray expendable, and it’s starting to feel Those types of players don’t often change addresses. as though a parting of ways could be best for both sides.

Almost untouchable Better value to keep

Zach Werenski: Werenski’s early-season defensive woes drew a lot of Dean Kukan: The Blue Jackets were finally rewarded for their confidence attention, but he was a markedly better two-way player in the final in Kukan late in the season when Murray’s injury helped him join the months of the season and he was very good in the playoffs. lineup and his puck-moving and patience helped him earn a bigger role.

A restricted free agent on July 1, Werenski is due a significant raise, It’s a reach to say Kukan looks like a top-four player just yet, but he’s perhaps to $6.5 million per season or more. Even at that price point, he’ll absolutely worthy of a spot on the third pair and seems to have potential still be a bargain, because very few blue-liners provide the offensive to climb higher. punch he can provide. The Blue Jackets should listen to any offer. But Kukan, at $725,000 in If contract talks drag on and get ugly and personal — that’s happened in the final year of his contract, seems like a player they’d want to keep. Columbus before, you know — maybe something crazy happens, but it would be many months until it reaches that point. Vladislav Gavrikov: It was only two games, but Gavrikov stepped into a heated second-round series with Boston and looked perfectly Another way to view this summer: If it goes as expected, Werenski and comfortable, even though he’s barely had time to acclimate to the NHL the previous name on this list are going to be the star attractions on the style of play or the NHL size of ice. roster. The Blue Jackets are extremely high on Gavrikov — and they should be. Tough call It’s hard to find physical defensemen who have the skating ability and/or puck moving ability to thrive in today’s NHL, but Gavrikov has that look David Savard: Until this spring, Savard was a regional act. He went about him. national with his playoff performance, not just his physical play in the defensive zone against Tampa Bay and Boston — you expect that — but His entry-level deal ($1.35 million, including potential bonuses) runs his highlight-reel goal in the Game 1 comeback against the Lightning. through 2019-20, so he’ll be relatively cheap for the next few seasons, too. It would be difficult for the Blue Jackets to part with Savard, but the 28- year-old’s value has never been higher. Clubs are always looking for Scott Harrington: After waiting his turn — and waiting, and waiting — right-shot defensemen who can play in the top four, and Savard fits that Harrington finally became a regular last season, playing in 73 regular- bill. season games and all 10 playoff games, both career highs.

If they traded him, the Jackets could move Nutivaara or possibly The Blue Jackets were convinced Harrington would be claimed on Gavrikov to the right side, but they’d have only one right-shot waivers, which is why they kept him parked in Columbus with little defenseman (Jones) on the NHL roster. playing time in previous seasons.

It’s unlikely the Blue Jackets would trade Savard for a draft pick, although It’s unlikely there’s a huge market for Harrington even now — a mid- they’re desperately low on picks heading into Vancouver. Taking such a round draft pick, perhaps — but the Jackets may prefer to hold on to a cheap, reliable player. He’s a restricted free agent due a $735,000 qualifying offer.

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Detroit Red Wings mock draft: Trevor Zegras' creativity could be key to future

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 6:00 a.m. ET June 10, 2019

In the lead-up to the 2019 NHL draft, Free Press sports writer Helene St James will be looking at draft fits for the Detroit Red Wings.

The Wings hold the sixth overall pick in the June 21-22 event in Vancouver, British Columbia. I wrote about the benefit of drafting Cole Caufield at the NHL combine, and in the first mock draft, the Wings selected center Dylan Cozens.

In this edition, I have the Wings selecting center Trevor Zegras, a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program based out of Plymouth. He came in at sixth on the NHL Central Scouting final draft prospect rankings.

Zegras is 6-feet, 173 pounds and shoots left. He posted 26 goals and 61 assists in 60 games with the U18 team last season. Zegras draws comparisons to Chicago’s Patrick Kane, and models his game after Arizona’s Clayton Keller (Zegras has 100 career assists in 116 games split between the U18 and U17 NTDP teams; Keller had 118 in his NTDP career).

Zegras appeals as a two-way forward with a creative streak, the kind who, like Thomas Vanek, makes plays other players don’t even think of.

Zegras isn’t considered a great skater, but he spoke at the combine of how hard he’s worked to improve in this area.

“People get caught up in creativity, but I think my edge work is really good,” Zegras said.

Zegras can play both center and wing. He’d be a nice addition to the Wings’ rebuild because of his creativity and versatility.

Here are my picks for the teams ahead of the Wings.

1. New Jersey Devils

Center Jack Hughes, U.S. U18 National Team Development Program: He’s been projected to go first overall for the last year. He’s an elite combination of skating, passing and hockey sense.

2. New York Rangers

Right wing Kaapo Kakko, TPS Finland: He’s a 6-foot-2, 194-pound teenager who stood out playing against men at the 2019 World Championship, where he had six goals in 10 games as Finland won gold.

3. Chicago Blackhawks

Center Alex Turcotte, U.S. U18 NTDP: He’s high-end skater and thinker with a knack for making plays small spaces. Has great explosiveness in his stride.

4. Colorado Avalanche

Winger Cole Caufield, U.S. U18 NTDP: He’s arguably the best scorer outside the top two picks, a guy who has practiced shooting to the point it’s already muscle memory. He’s only 5-7 but he’s deceptive and knows how to get open.

5. Los Angeles Kings

Defenseman Bowen Byram, Vancouver, WHL: He’s the highest-ranked defense prospect, an offensive threat with the moxie to make plays under pressure. Logs big minutes and can run a power play.

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$100K or bust: St. Louis Blues bettor all-in heading into Game 7

By Josh Slagter

Apparently you can’t put a price on Scott Berry’s fandom.

Because the man who is holding a $100,000 futures ticket on the St. Louis Blues is refusing to hedge, even though the Boston Bruins tied up the Stanley Cup finals on Sunday night and now will host Game 7.

Berry, who placed a $400 bet on his beloved Blues back in January at 500-to-1 odds, is riding this out with his team.

“I feel like I’m in this with the team, and I don’t want to lay any of it off,” Berry told ESPN. “I put the bet down in January for $400 to win $100,000. That was the bet. ... I’m very superstitious and don’t want to ruin any juju.”

Berry has had offers throughout the playoffs to sell off his potential winning bet slip through a third-party marketplace, and has turned them all down. Including a high of $75,000 before Game 6.

Here are the highest bids on @PropSwap for Blues bettor Scott Berry's $100K ticket):

Before Gm 1: $41,000 (Blues lose Gm 1)

Before Gm 2: $28,000 (win Gm 2)

Before Gm 3: $48,000 (lose Gm 3)

Before Gm 4: $26,420 (win Gm 4)

Before Gm 5: $38,615 (win Gm 5)

Current: $75,000

— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkesESPN) June 7, 2019

Technically, Berry only has his original $400 at stake. But he has had the opportunity to either bet on the Bruins himself, ensuring a win either way, or sell off his ticket for a massive profit and still wave his St. Louis pom- poms to the end.

“The fate of the Blues will be the fate of me,” Berry told ESPN.

Good luck, sir.

Game 7 is Wednesday night.

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146556 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings draft prospect: Alex Turcotte combines skills with competitiveness

By Ansar Khan

(Another in a series looking at potential selections for the Detroit Red Wings with the No. 6 pick in the June 21 draft)

Alex Turcotte

Position: Center

Height/Weight: 5-11/186

Shoots: Left

2018-19 team: U.S. National Team Development Program Under 18

2018-19 stats: 37 games, 27 goals, 35 assists, 62 points, 22 penalty minutes.

Why Red Wings would be interested: While defense is the main area that needs to be bolstered in their system, they also could use more depth at center. Turcotte combines skills with a high compete level and makes players around him better.

NHL Central Scouting ranking: No. 4 among North American skaters.

Notable: Committed to University of Wisconsin. … Helped U.S. capture gold medal at the 2017 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, silver at the 2018 Under-19 World Championship and bronze at the 2019 Under-18 World Championship. … Elk Grove native certain to become the sixth Illinois-born NHL player selected in the first round of the draft, joining Lee Fogolin Jr. (No. 11 in 1974), Eddie Olcyzk (No. 3 in 1984), Nikos Tselios (No. 22 in 1997), John Moore (No. 21 in 2009) and Stefan Matteau (No. 29 in 2012). … Father, Alfie Turcotte, was selected 17th overall by Montreal in 1983 and collected 46 points in 112 games with Canadiens, Jets and Capitals from 1983 to 1991.

Red Line Report says: Shifty playmaker with elite skill level. Really imaginative and sees the ice beautifully; makes all manner of passes, even short saucers off the backhand through traffic and drops them on linemates’ blade. Also a sniper who has a feel for getting to open ice at just the right moment, and doesn’t need many quality chances to score. Can score with a lightning fast release in the slot, by elevating a backhand quickly in tight, or by making a deflection in front on the power play. Excellent skater with speed and a deceptive change of pace. Impressive first steps and top-end gear allows him to separate from defenders with ease. Stays in constant motion away from the puck, making him a headache to contain. Terrific anticipation and instinctively supports the puck well. Plays with a high motor and compete level. Defensively sound and active with a tenacious stick. Also strong on the PK and backcheck.

Dobber Hockey says: Already an accomplished two-way player, Turcotte blends across-the-board talent with a smart and efficient style. Great offensive instincts, quick acceleration and a mind for the game. Battles constantly. Has underrated puck skills. Injuries stole the first portion of last season, but he dominated upon returning. Can be effective via the shot or the pass. A coach’s dream.

Summary: Assuming top defensive prospect Bowen Byram is off the board, the Red Wings’ next area of focus would be at center. They could have several options with Turcotte, Kirby Dach, Dylan Cozens and Trevor Zegras potentially available.

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146557 Detroit Red Wings

2019 Stanley Cup Final: Bruins vs. Blues, Game 6 live chat

By Ansar Khan

The St. Louis Blues can win the first Stanley Cup in the franchise’s 52- year history tonight when they face the Boston Bruins in Game 6 of the Final at Enterprise Center (8 p.m., NBC).

It would be one of the most remarkable championships in NHL history. The Blues were last overall on Jan. 2 before rallying the second half of the season. St. Louis hadn’t reached the Cup Final since 1970.

The Blues, behind the stellar goaltending of rookie Jordan Binnington, lead the series 3-2 following victories in Games 4 and 5. The Bruins scored only three goals in those two games, after winning 7-2 in Game 3.

St. Louis will be without forward Ivan Barbashev, who was suspended one game for an illegal check on Marcus Johansson in Game 5. Rookie Robert Thomas might return from his wrist injury.

The Bruins’ top forwards have struggled in this series. Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak have just one goal each while David Krejci has no points.

Boston also was in a 3-2 hole in the 2011 Cup Final against Vancouver, coming back to win the series.

Bruins vs. Blues

* What: Stanley Cup Final, Game 6

* Where: Enterprise Center in St. Louis

* When: 8 p.m. tonight

* TV: NBC

Michigan Live LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146558 Edmonton Oilers especially for a population of a million people. We have to keep giving people a reason to renew every year and that’s what Bob and Ken are working on.”

Oilers new business boss Tom Anselmi brings a wealth of experience A big part of the reason Anselmi wanted the job, he admitted, was the hockey team itself.

Terry Jones “You have the best player in the game. You have a handful of players who rank in the top of the game for sure. You have one of the best buildings in the world, a hockey market that is in the cradle of the game where it is important to everybody.” Tom Anselmi talked a lot about trust Monday. And Truth. In one word he summarized it, with ‘potential.’ “Trust is really about doing what you say you are going to do,” said the Edmonton Oilers new president of business operations and COO. “I’ve opened four of these buildings in my life now and it takes a while to figure everything out and it takes another three or four years to become a “Trust is about doing the right things that leave a fan feeling that you really efficient business and grow the business organically. have their interest at heart. “When you’ve just gone though the metamorphosis that this organization “Most of my career, that’s generally not been that difficult to do. It’s about has gone through from building an arena like this and the ambitious Ice having the right people and saying the right things. Say what you mean District project and everything, you’re just not there yet. You first learn to and tell them the truth. If you do that, you have trust. survive. Then you figure it out. Then you learn to thrive. “Then, just deliver the goods,” said the 63-year-old. “With a little bit of luck and a little bit of what Bob and Kenny are doing, It’s called straight talk and good old common sense. when these planets, moons and stars start to come together, people are going to have a lot of fun here.” Anselmi may have spent 17-years of his career dealing with Bay Street corporate clients as COO of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment in PARK BUILDER Toronto, but he can relate to a blue-collar community, too. If you are building a Jurassic Park, you might was to consult with John And he related up a storm at his introductory press conference Monday. Hammond. OK, he was a fictional character. Next best option: Tom Anselmi. The man who played a prime role in giving the world sports stage Jurassic Park that has been such a focus in the Toronto Raptors run to “I remember when we first conceived the whole the NBA Final, began earning a living coming out of the University of concept,” responded new Edmonton Oilers president of business Saskatchewan with an engineering degree. He worked as a coal miner in operations and COO Anselmi. Hinton, and as a potash and uranium miner in Saskatchewan. “It was really about expanding our footprint. We’re in the business of A key member of the team that launched MLSE, Anselmi was inventory. How do we engage a broader audience in a bunch of different responsible for the development of the Air Canada Centre. Prior to his ways? This really was started to sell a 10,000-square-foot sports bar, MLSE years, Anselmi was VP and GM of arena operations for Canucks then the square,” that was his brainchild. Sports & Entertainment in Vancouver and led SkyDome’s development “Did we ever imagine what’s going on there now? Not a chance. But it’s and initial operation phase in Toronto. He was most recently the great to see it happening now. It’s become a really important part of the president and CEO of the Ottawa Senators under . sports experience. And so here in Edmonton, where we’ve got an Oops. enclosed room that has the best of both worlds, I think it’s a really interesting opportunity.” Anselmi definitely got off on the right foot with the Edmonton fan base that demanded many of the changes they’re now starting to see Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.11.2019 becoming reality this spring, by essentially speaking to them like he was talking over the fence with common sense.

“I’ve been around long enough to know that if you don’t make the playoffs, they’re usually telling you that you suck and if you do make the playoffs, they’re telling you that they’re happy. We’ll start with that premise.

“This isn’t a multiple-choice test. You have to check all of the boxes. We have to get the team right and we have to do a great job with our fans. And if you do, it’s magic.

“It’s like the old saying goes. The hot dog doesn’t taste as good if you don’t win. That’s the engine that drives everything and makes everybody’s job a lot easier. Then we have to have very well trained people who are experts in hospitality.

“I talked to the staff this morning. This has to be the place where everybody wants to work in the NHL. This has to be the place where everybody wants to play in the NHL. If you get it right with your people happy people equals happy customers. That’s been proven hundreds of times with great businesses.

“At the end of the day, this business is pretty straightforward. It’s tickets. It’s sponsors. It’s broadcast rights. It’s merchandise. It’s food and beverage. And it’s making sure the experience of all those things is a great experience for your fan. When the team is not going that well, season ticket sales are tougher.

“I think we’re at 80-some per cent right now. I’m not really sure. I’m not sure if we normally publish that sort of thing. I screwed up, eh?” he laughed when he picked up an expression from the back of the room where the staff stood.

“At the end of the day we’re going to convince a lot more people that they want to be on board. This team has a very robust ticket business, 1146559 Edmonton Oilers “I’m really excited today and it’s because of people. I think this is a real good day for the organization.”

Nicholson was vague went it came to the OEG Global projects. JONES: New hire improves Oilers business, if not on-ice product “We’re certainly going to look at different hockey opportunities globally. We’re also going to look at other sports. None of it is in stone yet, but Terry Jones we’re going to work on it.”

WINDS OF CHANGE

If the proclamation by owner to Oilers fans to “build an elite The winds of change are definitely blowing in the Edmonton Oilers organization in all aspects of what we do” sounded hollow at the time, it organization but they’re not going to affect and Kevin didn’t three weeks later. Lowe.

The Oilers owner, after missing the playoffs for the 12th time in the last “Wayne Gretzky and Kevin Lowe are staying in this organization. Wayne 13 years, guaranteed major organizational change at the Ken Holland is an ambassador globally for the game and everyone knows what Kevin press conference in the same room three weeks earlier. means to this city,” said chairman Bob Nicholson.

“Yes, change is certainly here,” were the first words out of the mouth of “They will not be involved on decisions in hockey. But I know Tom can’t Bob Nicholson’s mouth in the morning press conference Monday. wait to utilize them. But they won’t be making decisions on either the Oilers or Oil Kings but will certainly continue to have an impact on this “Daryl Katz wants this organization to grow. This has been something organization.” that’s been in the works for quite a while.” New president of business operations and COO Tom Anselmi said he The Oilers didn’t become a better hockey club Monday. But they damn wanted it no other way. sure became a better business. “When I was in Toronto I had Wendel Clark and Darryl Sittler doing the Nicholson gained the new title of chairman of the hockey team but lost a exact same thing. When you have players like that, the organization has significant part of his portfolio as CEO of the Oilers Entertainment Group. to have a relationship with them.

Nicholson introduced Tom Anselmi as president of business operations “Do they run the business? No. and COO responsible for all aspects of OEG’s day-to-day business operations and the new . “Do they run the hockey team? No.

Nicholson said he’s all hockey side now. “But are they an important asset and an important connection with your fan base? Absolutely! “Ken has full authority on the Edmonton Oilers. Ken will report to myself. All the hockey components will report to myself. Tom will look after all of “Why wouldn’t you want that attached to you?” the business. Tom and I will work together … but before I had all the Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.11.2019 executives report to me.”

Nicholson will now divorce himself from the business side which took a bit of a hit at the end of last season with tickets available at well under original cost on the secondary market and something bordering on crisis conditions at the end of the season as the Oilers organization met heavy renewal resistance from the expiring three-year premium seating and regular season ticket customers based on the combination of economy and performance.

“I’ve had 11 executives reporting to me before. Now I’ll be working in the hockey side supporting Tom on the business side. So it really gives us a lot more strength and power as we go forward. I know Tom is going to have a huge impact on this organization right away,” said Nicholson.

It was Nicholson who bottom-lined it for Anselmi.

“Tom is going to bring an experience that we don’t have at this organization.

“I love the two things he talked about. He talked about how we are going to grow the staff. If the staff grows, the organization gets better. The other thing he talked about was guest experience. When the people come to the building, how do we make sure they have a ‘I remember’ moment all the time.’

“He’s going to bring a lot of new ideas to that whole business side and that’s how we’re going to make sure that’s how we’re going to make sure we get the fans, the community and Oil Country re-engaged to hopefully a level, hopefully, that we’ve never seen before.”

By his new job definition, Nicholson will head up all of OEG’s sports properties including Oilers, Oil Kings and and take the lead on an undefined global sports initiative. Nicholson is currently Vice President of the International Federation.

Asked what excites him most going forward, Nicholson said it was an easy answer.

“I get to focus on the sports side of it and a lot on hockey. And I get to work with two great people — Ken Holland and Tom.

“I’ll be able to be a lot more focused and that will give me a lot more energy and a lot clearer vision of where we can take this whole organization. 1146560 Edmonton Oilers “As for the toughness part of this trade, toughness these days is how hard you compete. There’s hardly any fighting anymore, it’s become a dinosaur thing.”

Lucic for Eriksson? Why does that make sense? “I don’t know how either team would be ahead of the game on the cap with $6 million each, except one has four years left and the other, three … Eriksson for me is a vanilla-type player and Lucic is overrated. The Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal Oilers would be doing Lucic a favour, trading him home,” he said.

GETZLAF-LIKE QUALITIES

People have been banging the Milan Lucic for Loui Eriksson trade drum Several scouts see some of Ryan Getzlaf in Kirby Dach, the possible around here for the last year — as a scout said, “Flotsam for jetsam,” Oilers pick at No. 8. Both are big bodies but Dach skates better and can because they’re two wingers making $6 million who aren’t giving their lug it up the ice, where Getzlaf was more often looking to pass when he teams bang for their statistical buck. was with the junior Calgary Hitmen. As Larry Fisher, who did a fine job with his mock draft for The Hockey Writers says, Dach opened a lot of Let’s face it, both could use a change of scenery. scouts’ eyes with a dazzling rush for his Saskatoon Blades against “But are we talking about this only because Milan would be going to his Prince Albert in the playoffs. hometown and Loui once played for (new Edmonton coach) Dave This ’n that: Defenceman Jakub Jerabek, an ill-fated free-agent signing Tippett. You’re just changing deck chairs,” said a long-time pro scout who last Aug. 20 before being traded by the Oilers to the Blues for a sixth- has watched Lucic with the Edmonton Oilers and Eriksson with the round 2020 draft pick, is now on the Vityaz roster in the KHL. If Jerabek Vancouver Canucks on a lot of nights. had played 50 games for St. Louis this season the sixth would have “Right now, they’re both no better than the 10th forward on their teams. become a fifth-rounder in 2020, but he got into just one Blues’ game … But if I had to pick a poison I would take Milan, for sure. If the Oilers were Farmhand Patrick Russell is UFA July 1 but the Oilers may try and sign to win some games, maybe Milan could find it again. He gives you an him. He had 40 points in 51 games and, in the AHL playoffs, seven in 10 element that Loui doesn’t have … for me I don’t see what the endearing games. He’s a good call-up winger … Craig MacTavish will be leaning on quality would be with Loui at this stage of the game.” ex-Oilers centre Anton Lander for help in his first gig as a KHL coach. Lander signed in Yaroslavl after playing for AK Bars Kazan. “Craig is a “From a hockey standpoint, it’s just a lateral move.” good guy. He helped with a family situation when I was in Edmonton,” Lander told the Lokomotiv website. But any thought that Oilers GM Ken Holland should sweeten the pot by throwing in, say, a draft pick to Vancouver to move Lucic to where he Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.11.2019 grew up doesn’t seem perfectly right, even if Lucic has a no-move clause which would mean they would have to protect him in the expansion draft for Seattle in two years. Buyouts are always a possibility before then. The Canucks, who definitely want some muscle for probable rookie of the year Elias Pettersson and winger Brock Boeser, would seem to need Lucic’s physical bearing more than the Oilers would with Eriksson, who played and average of 14:04 a game last year — 1:16 on the power play — and had 11 goals.

Eriksson is a solid pro but seems a shadow of his old scoring self with 32 goals the past three years. He started the season on right wing, playing seven games with Pettersson and Nikolay Goldobin, but that didn’t pan out and he was moved onto a shutdown line with Brandon Sutter and Antoine Roussel.

The Oilers, who would still have Zack Kassian and Darnell Nurse to protect people if Lucic left, would be getting out from under one season of his deal, so advantage Edmonton. But, Lucic has out-scored Eriksson 39-32 over the past three seasons. Lucic has 104 points as an Oiler; Eriksson 76 as a Canucks forward. Eriksson is a good penalty killer but a $6 million PK specialist? He did play three years for Tippett in Dallas so there’s the familiarity angle and maybe Eriksson would be re-energized and Tippett could find spots for the Swede, but the last season for those two was 10 years ago, in 2008-2009 before Tippett went to Arizona.

Why people automatically feel the Oilers would have to give some candy to deal Lucic seems crazy. The Canucks want Lucic’s particular skill-set even if there is almost no fighting any longer, while the Oilers, who know they have to get faster, would be taking on Eriksson whose foot speed is average. Where would he fit, maybe third-line RW? But isn’t that where Alex Chiasson would be if signed again?

Maybe the Canucks should be giving the Oilers that draft pick.

Then again, how does moving one $6-million player for another $6- million cap hit player help here?

It doesn’t, because the Oilers need to find some cap room to sign some UFAs July 1.

Lucic is banging his head against the wall here and Eriksson was quoted in a Swedish publication saying he and coach Travis Green don’t get along as well as they could, which must have stung because Green has been his biggest booster.

“It’s a bad contract for a bad contract and whichever team has less left, they’re the winner,” said a veteran pro scout.

“Loui doesn’t skate well enough or apply himself enough for me … The only thing that might motivate him would be playing with McDavid and Draisaitl. That might work for a year.” 1146561 Edmonton Oilers I am considering. I haven’t made any final decisions. You have to look at all your options. I am looking at our roster to figure out how we can best use the summer, the cap space, to build the best team possible.

Q&A with Ken Holland: On the draft, buyouts, free agency and how to Editor’s note: The Oilers have currently committed almost USD$73.2 have a successful offseason million to 18 players.

Jesse Puljujarvi’s name has come up quite a bit recently. What’s your By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Jun 10, 2019 assessment of him? It seems like he’s gone through a lot in the last few years. Are you confident he’ll be re-signed and back with the Oilers next season?

Ken Holland has been with the Oilers for a month now and to say things I don’t know a lot about Jesse Puljujarvi. I do know he was picked fourth have been hectic would be an understatement. overall. To be picked that high in the draft, he was a talented, young player in his draft class. I like that he’s a big guy. He’s got skill. He’s still After spending 22 seasons as the Red Wings’ GM, Holland has had his relatively young. He’s 21 years of age. hands full in his new job in a new city. In terms of re-signing (him), I’ve had one conversation with his agent. I In Edmonton, he’s been tasked with remaking a floundering franchise. So haven’t talked to him since. Am I confident that we’re going to get him far, he’s shipped out members of the old guard, most notably vice- signed? I’m going to do everything I can to get him signed. Certainly, it president of player personnel Duane Sutter. Longtime Oiler Craig takes two to tango. MacTavish also left to coach in Russia. He’s brought in new faces, namely head coach . I know it’s been a tough go for a variety of reasons. Last year was a tough year. It was a tough year for everybody in the Oilers organization. And there are more changes to come. Holland has been working closely You fire the coach. You fire the manager. That’s tough. It’s tough on the with Tippett to round out his coaching staff after Trent Yawney and fans. It’s tough on the players – especially younger players. Older, Manny Viveiros were fired. veteran players can probably handle the situation a lot better. But for Throw in a draft combine, scouting meetings, preparing for the draft itself young players that are trying to make a name for themselves, it’s much and free agency, and Holland’s plate’s been full. more difficult. They don’t have the confidence.

The surroundings may be different now, but a least he’s been through He’s still a good, young, talented player. I’m hoping that myself and Dave this all before. Tippett can provide some stability. I hope he wants to be an Oiler. When I get curveballs thrown at me, then I’ve gotta deal with the curveballs. Amid a frantic month, Holland took some time to speak to The Athletic What would the curveball be? If he doesn’t really wanna be an Oiler. I about his superstar players, roster construction, the status of some haven’t really dug that deep. I know it’s been a tough go for him. colleagues, his draft plan and his blueprint to fix the ailing Oilers. Darnell Nurse is coming off his best season and can be signed to an Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. extension in July. Would your preference be to determine his future – either by signing or moving him – this summer or would you be more Connor McDavid took part in a recent charity event in Toronto but didn’t comfortable letting this season play out and then re-evaluating things? address his health. Is there any concern with his progress or potential readiness for training camp? He’s got a contract for ’19-20, so that’s great. For me to come in and start doing extensions for players that have got a year to go … I don’t really I’m expecting him to be on the ice for training camp in the fall. That’s my know their talent (or) who they are. Who are they? I’ve gotta get to know expectation. I had a lunch with Jeff Jackson, his agent, in Buffalo last the person. Do they go to the gym? How much do they sacrifice? How week. I’ve talked to our team doctor (Dhiren) Naidu. I’ve talked to T.D. committed are they to fitness? How much to they compete on an every- Forss, the athletic trainer. They’ve kept me updated. They’ve been in night basis? Those are the things I look at when I’m making assessments contact with the Connor McDavid camp. He’s around the Toronto area and determinations on contract extensions. and he’s got some people there that are helping him on rehab. Everything that I’ve been told is we’re on schedule. With a new guy in charge, if you’ve gotta contract for the ’19-20 season, the reality is you’re probably gonna start out and I’m gonna wanna watch In Dave Tippett’s press conference, he talked about the potential of you play. I wanna watch the team play. I wanna watch the players play. I playing McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together. I’m curious about your wanna assess the team. He’s not like he’s a UFA at the end. We retain thoughts. Is it important to have them together or anchoring their own his rights. It’s about getting the season started and watching the team lines? play, watching the players play. Then I can start to formulate a plan. My feeling’s always been to put power in the coach. Certainly, as the How are you approaching the draft and who’s running the draft and manager, I’m gonna be around the coaches’ room. I’m gonna be on the making the calls for the team? plane. Lots of nights they’ll play together. Other nights they’ll play apart. Going into training camp, I think Dave Tippett’s expectation is to play For the most part, the chief scouts run the draft. The managers can them together. As the year wears on, you see how things go and you’ve weigh in philosophically or the managers can weigh in (directly). I have gotta react to injuries – not to those guys but the other people – and you seen lots of those players in the top 10, living in Detroit. I live two miles have to break them up. Sometimes they’re really humming and you’ve away from the (U.S. National Development Program) team and a lot of gotta have them together. But I really leave it up to the coach. those players are gonna go in the top 10. I went to the world under-18s. We’ve got pick No. 8. We’re gonna get a good player. But I’m around on a regular basis and I’m gonna voice my opinion; we’re gonna have those conversations. But ultimately, I think the coach needs In terms of position, there’s two ways to look at it: We’ve got all these to have the authority to coach the team. good, young defencemen and you could go the forward route. Or, if you add one more really young defenceman, you could say, “Boy, we’re in How does that flexibility impact how you construct your lineup? By that, great shape now.” I’m referring to Draisaitl’s ability to play wing and centre. We’ve got the guy at pick eight; we’ve got (Evan) Bouchard; we’ve got Certainly, in Leon Draisaitl’s and (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins’s case, both of (Dmitri) Samorukov; we’ve got (Ethan) Bear; we’ve got Caleb Jones; them have played centre and both of them have played left wing. we’ve got (William) Lagesson; we’ve got Darnell Nurse. We’ve got some Between Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, we defencemen for the here and now and we’ve got some for a couple years have three top-six forwards. Even though they’re all centre-icemen … it’s from now. Everybody’s always on the lookout for NHL defencemen. Or, hard to have guys that have 70 points like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins does we can say, “We’ve got lots of good defencemen. We’re gonna pick a and put him on the third line. I think you’re wasting somebody there. forward.” There will be a good forward on the board. They’re interchangeable parts. I start out with that foundation. Between I don’t know that either philosophy is more right than the other. If you’re now and September, I work off that. gonna be good in the NHL, you’ve gotta draft good and you’ve gotta June is a busy time of the year and next the buy-out period is develop good. And we’ve got an early second-round pick (38th overall). approaching. Are you considering buying out any players on the roster? The draft is critical to long-term success. You’ve gotta hit on pick eight and then you’ve gotta find another player, maybe two, in the rest of the Going back to the draft discussion: You’ve never traded a first-round pick draft. That’s the most important way to build a team that’s gonna be built for immediate help on the draft floor in the cap era. Could you foresee a for the long haul. scenario where you would do that with the No. 8 pick?

It sounds like you’re going to rely on Bob Green and Keith Gretzky quite I don’t foresee a scenario, but if the phone rings and something intriguing a bit. Not much has been mentioned about Gretzky since you took over. is offered I have a responsibility to answer the phone and hear them out. Where does he stand within the organization? But there are no short-term fixes. The reality is a lot of the stuff that’s speculated isn’t real. Maybe it’s real in fantasy hockey, but not in the real Keith’s gonna stay. I want him to be the general manager of Bakersfield. National Hockey League. History suggests that most teams picking in the He really enjoys Bakersfield. It’s really important that we draft, and we top 10 don’t trade those players. There are very few top-10 picks that develop. Bakersfield is a big part of the development and we wanna real have been traded in the last decade. I’m not gonna go out shopping the good culture down there. , last year as the head coach in pick. Bakersfield and his coaching staff, the team that they put in with Craig MacTavish and Keith Gretzky and the players that they signed – they We’ve gotta build it. In the short term, I’m hoping that the stability of a made the playoffs for the first time in their (AHL) history. manager and the stability and structure of a coach like Tippett, the moves that we’re gonna try to make – we’re gonna try to make some moves In Detroit, in Grand Rapids, we developed players. It was a good over the next six weeks – that we can compete and be competitive in environment. They played in playoff games. Those are important things March and be competing for a playoff spot. On the longer look, the eighth in the development of players. Seeing Bouchard leave junior and play pick in the draft, all these players that we’ve talked about are a part of us eight Calder Cup playoff games and (Tyler) Benson play playoffs games building. The core up front is McDavid and Draisaitl. They’re 22 and 23. after being down there all year (and) those other players that I’ve Nurse is 24. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is 26 and has a couple years to go on mentioned, it was beneficial to them. his contract. We’ve gotta build it. There are some younger players. I don’t Keith’s got a good eye in the amateur draft. He’s run an amateur draft. think Bouchard’s that far away. I don’t think Samorukov’s that far away. I Once we get into the second half of the season … and once we see don’t think Benson’s that far away. Hopefully the player we pick at pick 8 where the Oilers might be fitting in the standings and the scouts are out isn’t that far away. Maybe he’s a couple years away. there and starting to get a bit of an idea of a list, I’d like Keith to get out The good teams build it and then they find players looking for on the amateur beat and go watch games. That way, when we have our opportunities and they make a trade or two. That’s the plan. The plan is end-of-year meetings as we head toward the entry draft, it’s another to build and add to the foundation of the core group. We’ve gotta find strong voice at the amateur level. Those are his strengths. He’s been some depth. The good teams find either entry-level players or cheaper evaluating players for a long time. players in the minors that are on other teams and they form the bottom of I think Keith is excited about the job. It’s a very important job. the roster. They play with grit and they work, and they compete, and they maybe kill some penalties. You mentioned Jay Woodcroft’s name. There’s been some speculation that he might leave the organization. Can you confirm that he’ll return to It’s a league where it’s gonna be rocky. It’s up and it’s down. But you’ve coach the Condors? gotta have a plan. The coach has to have a plan from Day 1 of training camp to the end of the season. The manager has to have a plan from the I’m confident he’s going to return. I’ve had two or three conversations start of the season but also a one-year plan, a two-year plan, a three- with him. But I’ve been in the business long enough to know that you year plan, a four-year plan. You’ve gotta have a plan and stick to your never know until it’s done. But certainly, I want him to stay. plan. We’re gonna stick to the plan.

The Detroit Red Wings were his first professional team. Mike Babcock I’m a big believer in stability. That’s one of the things we had in Detroit. hired him in ’05-06 (as video coach). I’ve got a relationship with Jay. He’s The last three years we missed the playoffs, but I’d like to think that the accomplished a lot as an assistant coach in San Jose and in Edmonton. team this year was competitive. It wasn’t quite good enough. It wasn’t He has a lot of experience. This was his first opportunity to be a head quite deep enough. It got decimated by injuries in the middle of the coach and he did a fabulous job in his first year. season. But you’ve gotta be steady on the rudder and you can’t be reacting to the pressures of the short term. I think he’s got a couple years remaining on his contract. But I want people to be here because they want to be here. I don’t wanna hold It takes time to build that. I can’t react every time we go on a three-game people against their will. If they think there’s better opportunity out there, losing streak and wheel out a draft pick and bring somebody here that’s and we can’t fulfill their needs, then you’re probably better off to part gonna make a difference – because they’re not gonna. We have to ways. I want them to be here because they believe they can be part of develop that internal depth where somebody comes up from the farm the solution and they want to be part of the program and part of the team. That’s where Jay Woodcroft comes in. That’s where the drafting process for us to build this team into a playoff team and better than that – comes in. That’s where the developing comes in. That’s the longer plan. a team that can go on a playoff run. I’ve got a shorter plan and a longer plan.

I’m expecting and anticipating he’s going to be the coach of Bakersfield. Going back to the draft pick. Although I asked about trading it, you’ve had I’ve talked to him enough over the last 10 days to feel comfortable saying a long track record of moving down. When is it a good idea to trade down that. at the draft and get another asset or two?

You had a chance to watch a little of his team, the Condors, play after Coming out of ’05-06, Jim Nill was my assistant general manager and he joining the Oilers. Were there any players that you felt were particularly was also running the draft. We had a chief scout of Joe McDonnell. We’d close to being NHL-ready? been a team that had been in the playoffs 15 years in a row and then it goes for another decade. When you’re a playoff team, you’re always I watched two games. The first game, (Joseph) Gambardella had five spending futures trying to prop up your team. You get to the trade points and had a massive night. deadline, (and) you trade a second; you trade a third; you trade this; you It’s hard to go in there and evaluate 20 guys. I was looking at seven, trade that. eight, nine guys. I was looking at some of those defencemen that we’ve We are trying to be a team that competes with the best teams in the talked about: Ethan Bear, but he played one game, got concussed and league, so you’ve gotta have draft picks. If you’re trading draft picks, missed the next game; I watched Caleb Jones; I watched Lagesson; you’re not trading players off your team. We felt that over a period of Evan Bouchard was there and he played good; Benson played really time, we would trade back and try to get some extra draft picks – which good. He’s had 66 points as a rookie in the American Hockey we did. League.That’s a tremendous year for a rookie in the . We traded back a few times. The one year with Mantha (2013) we traded from 18 to 20 and got an extra second. We used that pick on (Tyler) Jones played some games up in the NHL this year. I’m looking forward to Bertuzzi. We traded from 16 to 20 with Arizona (in 2016) in the (Pavel) getting to training camp to see some of those young players compete for Datsyuk deal. They took Datsyuk off our hands. They got (Jakob) spots in Edmonton. All the guys that I was looking at, they played good. Chychrun; we got (Dennis) Cholowski. We used the second-round pick But it’s two games. It’s a small sample size. on (Filip) Hronek. I think one year we had a first and traded back for three seconds. None of the seconds have really panned out, but it was a strategy. It was a three-, four-, five-year strategy. You can’t hit every time. But Hronek and Bertuzzi are gonna be two What did I learn from my time in Detroit? I learned that it’s a hard league. players that I think are gonna play for the Red Wings for 10 years. I believe that you’ve gotta have a plan. I believe that we’re gonna make They’re both really good players and great picks by our scouting staff. lots of good decisions. I believe that we’re gonna make some bad decisions. You hope that the bad decisions aren’t critical. I learned that If you wanna draft good, get lots of picks. the difference between the good teams and the bad teams is marginal.

Moving on to the summer here, what does your shopping list look like Finally, complete this sentence: I’ll consider this offseason a success if … from a positional standpoint? I won’t deem the offseason a success until we play the first 40 games I’ve gotta sign another goaltender to go with (Mikko) Koskinen. If you look and see how we look. When we make moves, we like them. We don’t at our defence, we have seven defencemen on one-way contracts make moves and don’t like the moves. We like all of them. We’re gonna (Nurse, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Kris Russell, Matt Benning, make some moves. We’re gonna sign some people. Then I’ve gotta go Andrej Sekera and Brandon Manning). So, I’m not looking to add out and watch all those moves. Do they have chemistry? anything on defence. I’m hoping that we can have a little better luck with injuries to our defence. There’s no use analyzing the offseason in August. You haven’t played a game yet. It looks great on paper or it doesn’t look great on paper. But When you look up front, I’ve gotta try to build the bottom six. We’ve gotta how do you really know? I guess my sentence would be: If we’re do some work up front on our forward lines. I don’t have a ton of cap legitimately competing for a playoff spot right to the finish line whether we space, but I’ve got some cap space. We signed (Joakim) Nygard out of make it or not. I look at the Montreal Canadiens, who competed right till Sweden. He was second in the league in goals. He fast and plays with the last game. I thought they had a great season. One more point and pace. We’re gonna continue to look to see if we can sign a player or two you’re in. If the Edmonton Oilers can legitimately compete – be in thick of here. the race, not chasing the race – then I think that we’ve had a really good We’ve gotta find some cheaper players that contribute whether it’s offseason. Ultimately, it’s about the results. through entry level or they’re free agents that have been playing pro and The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 bouncing around or are Europeans like Nygard.

How much help does the team need on the wings?

Oh, we need help. We have to make some decisions. You need eight wingers.

Between Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins, that’s one winger. I don’t know which one, but one of them’s a winger. You’ve got (Zack) Kassian. You’ve got (Jujhar) Khaira. You’ve got (Sam) Gagner. You’ve got (Milan) Lucic. I might have missed one or two. I think (Colby) Cave can play wing or centre. Nygard’s a winger. Certainly, I’m exploring the marketplace for forwards. We’ve gotta build up the forwards.

The only prominent UFA on the roster is winger Alex Chiasson. Have there been any serious talks to re-sign him?

I’ve talked to his agent a couple times briefly. We’ve had some initial conversations, but nothing more than that at this stage of the game. I’ve got a couple weeks here and then the interview period. We’ll see. I’ll be in touch.

How much will you consider aging curves when considering how much term to offer a free agent in his late 20s? I know Justin Abdelkader, for instance, was a player you had within your organization, but did you learn anything from the contract you gave him?

I would say if you’re in the business and you think every contract is gonna be team-friendly, you should find another business. You’re dreaming.

You have to decide if you wanna let the player go. Easy to sit on the sidelines and have all the answers and second-guess and criticize. But come on in and get into the big chair and then make decisions.

Not every contract that I signed in Detroit worked out. Some were fabulous contracts for the team. You’re gonna have some bad ones. These guys are people. They’re human beings. There’s probably gonna be some contracts signed in the industry this year, this offseason, that down the road they don’t look so good. But in the short term, they look awful good. You’re dreaming to think you’re gonna get a player that the day he’s no longer playing at that level his contract expires. It happens occasionally, but not that often.

What I learned from my time in Detroit is you’ve gotta do more good than bad. You’re gonna do some things that don’t work out. It’s easy to not get criticized. Just do nothing. Don’t sign anybody. If you wanna be in the NHL, you’ve gotta get in the game. You’ve gotta decide when to pay term. That’s how you’re gonna land players. If you ask me about the Edmonton Oilers and free agency but you don’t wanna give any term, we might as well just go fishing.

I’m gonna sign a contract going forward that probably isn’t gonna pan out. But I’m hoping that I’m gonna sign more that do pan out to offset the one that doesn’t pan out. All 31 general managers, if you’re gonna be involved in free agency – I’m not just talking about this summer, I’m talking about every summer – and even if you’re signing your own players, you’re gonna have the odd contract where the player doesn’t perform to the level they’re paid at. 1146562 Los Angeles Kings

Kings sign forward Johan Sodergran to entry-level deal

By Robert Morales

The Kings on Monday announced they have signed forward Johan Sodergran to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Sodergran, 19, was drafted 165th overall by the Kings in the sixth round in 2018. Sodergran, out of Sweden, played this past season for Linkopings HC of the Swedish Hockey League. There he had 13 points (8 goals, 5 assists) and four penalty minutes in 42 games.

Sodergran recently competed for Team Sweden in the World Junior Championship, going without a point in four games.

Sodergran is 6-foot-3, 205 pounds.

Dusty Imoo reportedly leaving

According to a tweet by a reporter from The Athletic, goaltending development coach Dusty Imoo has left his position with the Kings to take a job in the Kontinental Hockey League, which is comprised of 25 clubs based in Russia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Finland, Belarus and China.

Imoo, 48, began working for the Kings in 2015.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146563 Los Angeles Kings This is why the question of Imoo’s No. 1 accomplishment with the organization was a difficult one to answer.

“(Budaj) was huge,” Imoo said. “What I was most proud or happy about Loss of Dusty Imoo to KHL leaves big hole in Kings’ goaltending was each one of them had their success. (Budaj) and Cal were very development strong individuals even before I met them. Soupy was not like that. To see where he is now in his life … that would be the biggest one.”

By Lisa Dillman Jun 10, 2019 Imoo’s technical ability and knack for relating to younger players also will help him in his new assignment. In addition to working for Red Star, Imoo said he has agreed to develop the Chinese Olympic men’s and women’s goalies in the offseason. LOS ANGELES – At first glance, it may not seem like major news that goalie development guru Dusty Imoo is taking his talents to China, telling Imoo played goal for Japan in the 1998 Olympics, and China will host the The Athletic on Monday that he is leaving the Los Angeles Kings to work Olympics in 2022. for Kunlun Red Star of the KHL. “I’ve done exactly what these young guys are going to be trying to do,” But it is. Imoo said. “I played in the Olympics for a team that hosted and was a severe underdog. I did that in ’98 in Japan with an Asian team. It was an People on the inside, particularly in the goaltending community, realize it original situation and it can be a huge thing for me to build off the way I is a big deal. The Kings had a formidable one-two punch with highly coach. respected goaltending coach Bill Ranford and Imoo. That will be quite difficult to replicate. “To be able to say I did the exact same thing you are trying to do is right in my wheelhouse and what I love to do. It’s going to be a lot of fun.” Imoo’s picture and job description — goaltending development — are in the Kings’ media guide along with the other members of the hockey- Kunlun’s coach is Curt Fraser, a former NHLer. Fraser was the first operations staff. A much deeper look is required to know about his coach of the Atlanta Thrashers and has been an assistant with the New meaningful impact on the organization the past four seasons, as he York Islanders, St. Louis Blues and Stars. Imoo chuckled at the new road helped resurrect the careers of goaltenders Peter Budaj and Jack about to be taken, saying, “I’ve known him since I was 8 years old. He Campbell and nurture the considerable talent of AHL prospect Cal was my uncle’s best man, a family friend and I bought my first Harley Petersen in Ontario. from him.”

Imoo filled the big shoes of longtime goaltending development coach Kim The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 Dillabaugh, who became the Philadelphia Flyers’ goaltending coach in 2015 after eight seasons with the Kings. The Athletic colleague and goaltending coach Cat Silverman noted that there are a “lot of smart, exciting coaches that are up and coming in the goaltending world, so there are options to replace Imoo,” but noted it’s a “big blow to LAK nonetheless.”

A THOUGHT ON THE KINGS: LOT OF REALLY SMART, EXCITING COACHES THAT ARE UP-AND-COMING IN THE GOALTENDING WORLD, SO THERE ARE SOME REALLY INTERESTING OPTIONS TO REPLACE IMOO. BUT WHILE HIS DEPARTURE (REPORTED BY @REALLISA) IS A GREAT STEP FOR HIM, IT'S A BLOW TO LAK NONETHELESS.

— CATHERINE SILVERMAN (@CATMSILVERMAN) JUNE 10, 2019

An executive from another NHL team described it as a big loss for the Kings.

The departure of Imoo comes with the Kings, who finished 30th in the NHL last season, in period of transition. Development, while always important, is more imperative than ever. No. 1 goalie Jonathan Quick is 33 and coming off a season plagued by injuries, and when he was healthy, he wasn’t very sharp. Campbell and Petersen were especially close with Imoo, and Campbell noted in a recent testimonial for Imoo “…that for three years, Dusty mentored me into not only enjoying hockey again but enjoying my life. Loving myself was something Dusty always preached to me, and it took lots of good days and bad days, but he was always there during each of them.”

The Ranford/Imoo duo and track record of success were among the reasons Petersen decided to sign with the Kings in 2017 after three years at Notre Dame. He was originally drafted by Buffalo in 2013 in the fifth round and opted not to sign with the Sabres.

Budaj, Campbell and Petersen all presented wildly different problems for Imoo to help solve.

Imoo, then a goaltending coach with the , had been with Budaj in St. John’s when Budaj went an entire season without a win in 2014-15. He worked his way back from rock bottom and had 42 wins the next season with the Ontario Reign. Petersen played well with the Kings this past season when pushed into action when Quick and Campbell were out with knee injuries, which required surgery.

Last summer, Imoo told The Athletic that he felt Campbell was capable of becoming the next Martin Jones. Campbell, a 2010 first-round draft pick (No. 11) by the Dallas Stars, was a special project for Imoo when the Kings traded for the goalie in 2016. This past season, Campbell had a goals-against average of 2.30 and a .928 save percentage, which, given the Kings’ considerable struggles, are impressive numbers. 1146564 Los Angeles Kings just huge. It’s easy to feel like you’re getting better if you see someone once a month but the thing about this game is you really need to work on it every day to really see a difference and that’s what we’re doing. Even REPORT: DUSTY IMOO JOINING KUNLUN RED STAR (KHL) with our schedule, with how intense it can get where we don’t practice a ton, just some of the things Dusty and I talk about mentally have just made such a big difference. Just so grateful for that.

ZACH DOOLEY JUNE 10, 2019 LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.11.2019

HOCKEY OPERATIONS

As reported by Lisa Dillman of The Athletic, Dusty Imoo, head of Goaltending Development for the Kings, will be leaving the organization for the KHL, joining the team’s lone Chinese franchise, Kunlun Red Star.

Kings news: Dusty Imoo leaving the organization for KHL. Great move for him.

— lisa dillman (@reallisa) June 10, 2019

People on the inside will realize this is a big deal. Imoo will also be helping on the goalie development front for the Olympic program in China. Great move by them.

— lisa dillman (@reallisa) June 10, 2019

As Lisa also noted, Imoo will also be helping the Chinese Olympic Hockey program, with the men’s team slated to participate in their first ever Olympic Games in 2022 as the host nation.

Imoo has been with the Kings organization since 2015, when he moved from the St. John’s IceCaps, then AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets, where he served as the team’s goaltending coach for two seasons. Imoo specifically had an influence with regards to the development, or resurgence, that Jack Campbell and Peter Budaj both experienced with Los Angeles/Ontario, and the development of Cal Petersen. Imoo is the de facto goalie coach for the Reign and worked with all three netminders throughout their time with Ontario, as well as the younger prospects within the system. Imoo’s approach and presence resonated with the aforementioned goaltenders, helping them to develop throughout their time in the organization – Read more from all three below on their time spent with Imoo.

Joshua Lavallee/Icon Sportswire

Perhaps Imoo’s most memorable moment with the Reign came early in the franchise’s second season in the AHL. In October 2016, with injuries forcing Campbell to the NHL, Dusty’s son Jonah made his first AHL start with the Reign, with Dusty himself serving as the emergency backup goaltender.

Peter Budaj on his relationship with Dusty Imoo

Dusty’s a great human being, starting there he’s a great guy and a very good coach, a hard-working coach. Being a coach doesn’t just mean you don’t work hard, you have to work hard, you have to do the film, you have to try to improve your goaltenders and dusty does everything. He’s definitely trying to help Cal and me improve our game and ultimately help the team to have better and better goaltender. He’s got a great personality, he’s very easy going, easy to understand. He’s firm, he tells you when you do something wrong, which is great because he tells you the truth, he tells you in a way that doesn’t make you feel bad. He just say that certain things need to be better and I appreciate that about him. He’s a big reason why I was able to play the way I was playing when I came [to the Kings organization], I’m definitely very thankful I met a person like that and I have a good friendship with him.

Cal Petersen on working with Dusty Imoo

It felt like I played some of my best hockey this year and Dusty really helped me to make sure that even when we weren’t getting the results on the scoreboard and the statistics weren’t there…he just knows my game so well and being able to concentrate on the things that are going to help me get to the next level. I think we were able to have that opportunity for growth in a somewhat lost season with the results, but I think, like you said, it was one thing that helped me to spin it into a positive season.

Jack Campbell on Dusty Imoo’s impact on his game

It’s huge to have a full-time goalie coach. I had some great coaches along the way but to have somebody here as knowledgeable as Dusty, on and off the ice, physically and mentally, the things that Dusty brings to my game and just to me as a person, that we can work on every day is 1146565 Los Angeles Kings

KINGS SIGN JOHAN SODERGRAN TO THREE-YEAR, ENTRY-LEVEL CONTACT

ZACH DOOLEY JUNE 10, 2019

For the second time in five days, we have Johan Sodergran news! The LA Kings announced this morning that they have signed the 19-year-old forward to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Sodergran, selected by Los Angeles in the sixth round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, is the third member of the Kings’ 2018 draft class to sign an entry-level contract with the team, joining first-round selection Rasmus Kupari and second-round selection Akil Thomas. The Kings have also inked defenseman Sean Durzi, a second-round selection who was taken the pick after Thomas, after he was acquired via trade from Toronto.

As reported last week, Sodergran is expected to be in El Segundo later this month for Kings Development Camp, attending the event for the second consecutive season. Sodergran drew some attention at 2018 Development Camp as his combination of size, skating and skill was on display for those in attendance. As was also previously reported, Sodergran is expected to return to Sweden for the 2019-20 season to fulfill the second-year of his contract with Linköping – Look for Sodergran’s arrival to Southern California to potentially come on a full- time basis during the 2020-21 season as a 20-year-old. A season ago, the 6-3 forward ranked inside the Top-10 in SHL in scoring among under- 20 players, finishing tied for fourth with eight goals and alone in ninth with 13 points. Sodergran also featured for Sweden at the 2019 World Juniors, going scoreless from four tournament games with an appearance in the quarterfinals, though he did tally shorthanded in a pre- tournament win over Russia (below).

Johan Sodergran scores a shortie! 4-2 Sweden! pic.twitter.com/U78CQvXQjl

— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) December 19, 2018

From the team’s official release:

LOS ANGELES – The LA Kings have signed forward Johan Sodergran to a three-year entry-level contract, Kings Vice President and General Manager Rob Blake announced today.

The 19-year-old Sodergran (born on Nov. 20, 1999) is a 6-3, 205-pound native of Stockholm, Sweden, who appeared in 42 games this season with Linkoping HC (SHL), posting 13 points (8-5=13) and four penalty minutes. He also appeared in two regular-season games with Linkoping HC J20, the teams’ under-20 team in the SuperElit League, posting one point (0-1=1). During six postseason games with the J20 team, he tallied three points (2-1=3).

Selected by the Kings in the sixth round (165th overall) during the 2018 NHL Draft, Sodergran has appeared in 63 career regular-season SHL games, where he recorded 13 points (8-5=13) four penalty minutes and has gone scoreless in four postseason games. He has also played in 72 regular-season games at the SuperElit level, where he registered 46 points (20-26=46), a plus-11 rating and 18 penalty minutes along with seven points (5-2=7) and a plus-6 rating in 11 postseason games.

Internationally, Sodergran recently appeared for Team Sweden in the 2019 World Junior Championship, going scoreless in four games before the Swedes were upset in the quarterfinal round by Team Switzerland.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146566 Minnesota Wild – COLE CAUFIELD | #NHLCOMBINE PIC.TWITTER.COM/1K991XPXZC

— DETROIT RED WINGS (@DETROITREDWINGS) JUNE 1, 2019 Wild draft breakdown: 10 players who might be a fit at the No. 12 pick Bobby Brink, RW, Sioux Falls, USHL

Height: 5-8 By Tony Abbott Jun 10, 2019 Weight: 165

2018-19 stats: 43 GP, 35G-33A-68P Minnesota Wild fans didn’t have much to cheer for this past season. Key injuries dragged down the on-ice product, players once considered core Pronman’s rank: 23 to the team were traded, and punchless performances in St. Paul left the team with the fewest home wins in the league. It all added up to the Wild Wheeler’s rank: 14 sitting at home for the playoffs for the first time in seven years. Pronman mock: No. 23 to the New York Islanders

But next week, the State of Hockey will see a small reward for the lost Why the Wild might draft him: If the Wild aren’t able to snap up Caufield year — the 12th pick in the NHL Draft. Back in April, we took a look at but still want a dynamic right-shot forward in their organization, then good what level of player Minnesota could expect from the pick. Today, we’re news — they can probably still grab Minnesota native Bobby Brink. going to look at 12 players that could be available for the Wild to choose and how they would fit into the Wild’s prospect pool. Caufield and Brink are both skilled, undersized right wings, but they are different players. Caufield’s got his shot as a calling card, whereas Brink For more on the draft, please check out The Athletic’s draft rankings from dazzles you with his playmaking. That’s not to say Brink didn’t find the both Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler, both of which were invaluable net a fair amount himself, though. With 35 goals in 43 USHL games, he for this article. I’ll include their rankings here, as well each player’s slot in scored at a higher rate in his draft year than Burnsville native Brock Pronman’s latest mock draft. Boeser. And we all know what happened when the Wild passed on Let’s begin. Boeser.

Cole Caufield, RW, USDP Why the Wild might not draft him: Some have questions on Brink’s skating, particularly for such a small player. If Minnesota’s scouts don’t Height: 5-7 feel like he’ll be able to find the space in the NHL to maximize his offensive gifts, they could look elsewhere. There’s also the matter of his Weight: 163 lbs position. If the Wild organization has prospect/young NHL depth 2018-19 stats: 64 GP, 72G-28A-100P anywhere, it’s at wing. Unless they feel Brink is head-and-shoulders above the rest of their options, they could aim for a player at a position of Pronman’s rank: 5 need.

Wheeler’s rank: 10 Read Wheeler’s recent feature on Brink.

Pronman mock: No. 10 to Vancouver Philip Broberg, D, AIK, Allsvenskan

Why the Wild might draft him: A problem with Minnesota dating back to Height: 6-3 2001 has been an allergy to tanking. Something would always stop Minnesota from hitting rock bottom, even when they were bad. In the Weight: 201 early years, it was Jacques Lemaire’s well-implemented trap. After 2018-19 stats: 41 GP, 2G-7A-9P Marian Gaborik’s departure left Minnesota with almost nothing, Mikko Koivu and Nicklas Backstrom did enough goal prevention to keep the Pronman’s rank: 9 Wild from 30th in the standings. Wheeler’s rank: 19 That’s good, in theory, to never hit dead last. But it leaves Minnesota outside the range of the draft where they can easily find the kinds of Pronman mock: No. 8 to Edmonton snipers needed to elevate the franchise. Why the Wild might draft him: Minnesota could really use a succession Caufield is that sniper. His video-game-stat production speaks for itself, plan for Jonas Brodin. but in case you needed confirmation from scouts and coaches — yeah, Brodin, the smooth-skating Swede, has two years left on his deal. If Caufield’s (right-handed) shot is legit. He’s also pretty fast and isn’t afraid Minnesota and/or Brodin decide to move on, the Wild could do a lot to get to the net. worse than grooming Broberg to replace him. Like Brodin, Broberg is His size could scare the Wild off, but it shouldn’t. As Minnesota knows, also a fantastic skater. He not only excelled against his peers in elite snipers are pretty tough to find — you could argue they haven’t had tournaments this year, but he also held his own in Sweden’s second- one since Gaborik. At No. 12, Minnesota should do backflips to land a highest league. Unlike Brodin, Broberg uses that speed as an offensive shot as good as Caufield’s. weapon, pushing the puck up the ice. His skating ability serves him well on the defensive end, as well. If Minnesota sees a faster-paced Brodin in Why the Wild might not draft him: The NHL is getting faster, more skilled, Broberg, that’s a solid pick. and yes, smaller. And as such, players are showing that you don’t have to crack 6-foot to succeed in today’s game. Why the Wild might not draft him: Fans may not love the optics of Minnesota drafting another low-scoring Swedish defenseman with a first- The question, though: Is 5-7 too small for scouts to take a risk on with a round pick, but that shouldn’t factor into their decision making. Broberg top-10 pick? In previous years, that would have absolutely been the appears to have a higher ceiling than 2018 first-rounder Filip Johansson. case. But every year we get more evidence that not taking skilled players In fact, Broberg out-produced Johansson in Allsvenskan despite being a because they’re small is just as big of a risk. year younger. They play the same position in the same league, but are different players, and should be treated as such. Look at 5-7 Alex DeBrincat. Like Caufield, DeBrincat had absurd production at a young age, putting together three consecutive 50-goal The question with Broberg is what his upside is. If Broberg can be better seasons in the OHL before entering the draft. Scouts shied away, and he than Brodin, then he’s more than worthy of being a high first-round pick. slipped to Chicago in the second round. He scored 41 goals in his But what if the Wild see his future as being equal to Brodin? A solid top-4 sophomore season. If scouts are kicking themselves over DeBrincat, the defenseman isn’t a bad outcome with the 12th pick in the draft, but Wild may not get a shot at Caufield, who both Pronman and Wheeler Minnesota might want to target more of a home run if they don’t believe rank among the top 10 prospects. Broberg can develop into a top-pair guy.

Read Pronman’s complete breakdown of Caufield’s game. Read Pronman’s complete breakdown of Broberg’s game.

"I THINK I'VE PROVED A LOT THIS YEAR." Matthew Boldy, LW, USDP Height: 6-2 2018-19 stats: 33 GP, .913 Sv%

Weight: 190 Pronman’s rank: 1 (among goalies)

2018-19 stats: 64 GP, 33G-48A-81P Wheeler’s rank: 45 (overall)

Pronman’s rank: 8 Pronman’s mock: No. 16 to Colorado

Wheeler’s rank: 7 Why the Wild might draft him: The goalie pipeline in Minnesota has been in desperate need of solidifying for years. Devan Dubnyk will be in his Pronman mock: No. 11 to Philadelphia age-33 season next year, trying to rebound from a down 2018-19. Why the Wild might draft him: Boldy certainly fits a type of player the Wild There’s not much in the way of a succession plan, either. Alex Stalock have targeted in recent years — Americans who love to get to the net. will be 32 next year. Minnesota signed both Kaapo Kähkönen and Mat Boldy has a pretty complete game, able to shoot, pass, and maintain Robson over the past year, but neither are considered sure-fire bets to possession at a high level. He has the size scouts are looking for and the be an NHL starter. production to back up what the scouts see. Knight would be. By all accounts, he has the size, mobility, and mentality Perhaps it’s colored by the fact that Boldy will also be attending Boston to be an NHL starter. The addition of Knight would arguably give College, but Boldy feels a bit like a left-shot Alex Tuch. Big, strong, but Minnesota their first true Goalie of the Future since Josh Harding, and with immense skill. You have to think that the Wild would do anything to maybe their best goalie prospect ever. bring that skill set into the organization and protect it at all costs if he falls One could consider taking Knight with the 12th pick would be reaching to No. 12. for positional need, given that teams have often waited until the late-first Why the Wild might not draft him: Part of it might be a positional logjam. or early-second round to start drafting goalies. But if the Wild are Minnesota just traded a Boldy-like player in Nino Niederreiter because confident that Knight is a top-tier goalie in waiting, they may have to they couldn’t find room for him, and seem likely to trade another left-wing ignore that trend and get their player. in Jason Zucker. With Kevin Fiala, Ryan Donato, and Jordan Greenway Why the Wild might not draft him: Goaltending prospects can be volatile, competing for a top-6 wing slot behind Zach Parise, Boldy’s arrival might which is why so few goalies are drafted in the first round nowadays. And squeeze yet another talented winger out of Minnesota. never with the kind of draft position Minnesota has. Knight would be the But the more likely reason Minnesota won’t draft him is that he may not highest goalie taken since Jack Campbell in 2010. Given that Campbell be available. Boldy is projected by many for the back end of the top-10, didn’t take a significant NHL role until last year, when he was 26, he but it wouldn’t take that many teams picking premium positions like stands as a pretty good example of why to not take a goalie that high. center or defense for Boldy to slip down to 12. He’s just one slot away in There’s also the development curve with goalies. A high-end forward or Pronman’s mock. Maybe keep an eye on that. defense prospect could possibly play immediately, may play at age 19, Read Pronman’s complete breakdown of Boldy’s game. and is probably breaking into the NHL by age 20 or 21. Goalies tend to take longer to earn significant minutes. It might be changing a bit in MATTHEW BOLDY SHOWS PATIENCE AFTER TAKING A PASS recent years, with players like John Gibson, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Matt FROM @BOBBYBRINK19 AND GIVES #TEAMUSA A 6-1 LEAD. Murray, and Carter Hart getting into the NHL in their very early 20s, but is #U18WORLDS PIC.TWITTER.COM/GDSC7KCMUD that the exception or the rule? And does the Wild front office want to go three, four, or five years — if ever — without seeing a significant return — USA HOCKEY (@USAHOCKEY) APRIL 23, 2019 on the 12th overall pick? It should make for an interesting decision from Arthur Kaliyev, LW, Hamilton, OHL the scouting department.

Height: 6-2 Read Pronman’s complete breakdown of Knight’s game.

Weight: 194 TOP-RANKED GOALTENDER SPENCER KNIGHT TALKS ABOUT BEING COMPARED TO CAREY PRICE AND PLAYING ALONGSIDE 2018-19 stats: 67 GP, 51G-51A-102P JACK HUGHES. PIC.TWITTER.COM/MSHYXKBLEN

Pronman’s rank: 14 — NEW JERSEY DEVILS (@NJDEVILS) JUNE 1, 2019

Wheeler’s rank: 13 Alex Newhook, C, Victoria, BCHL

Pronman’s mock: No. 12 to Minnesota Height: 5-10

Why the Wild might draft him: Kaliyev destroyed the OHL this season, Weight: 192 finishing fourth in goals, tied for sixth in points and second in shots on goal. Kaliyev also didn’t benefit from having an elite teammate, as he led 2018-19 stats: 53 GP, 38G-64A-102P Hamilton in scoring by over 20 points. In Minnesota’s perpetual quest to Pronman’s rank: 11 land that fabled goal-scorer, Kaliyev stands out as a player who could give them that. Wheeler’s rank: 11

The icing on the cake is that he’s considered to be a top-tier playmaker, Pronman’s mock: No. 17 to Vegas as well, able to run a power play from the wing. Until this spring, this was a role that was reserved for Mikael Granlund. Since then, no one has Why the Wild might draft him: Even in the best of times, Minnesota has stepped up to fill that void. Kaliyev has the potential to do that in a few had precious few players who could break a game open with speed. If years. It’s hard to find that kind of skill and production outside the top 10, they want their organization to get faster, they could do a lot worse than and even harder to find it with a 6-2 frame to work with. take Newhook at 12.

Why the Wild might not draft him: There’s a lot to like with Kaliyev’s skill, Newhook can be a one-man breakout machine, which would be a pretty but his skating and commitment to defense are criticisms that come up unique trait among the Wild’s under-25 crop. Not only does he use his frequently. It’s not impossible for someone with Kaliyev’s flaws to speed to get the puck up the ice, he has the skills to take advantage of succeed in the NHL, but it does mean that he either needs to get better that speed and generate quality scoring chances for himself and his at them or max out his offensive potential in order to be a net positive in teammates. If Minnesota is looking to add a high-end center at No. 12, the NHL. there’s a good chance Newhook will be the best option.

Read Pronman’s complete breakdown of Kaliyev’s game. Why the Wild might not draft him: There are questions about Newhook’s size. Will he be able to stick to the center position? Minnesota recently Spencer Knight, G, USDP drafted Luke Kunin with the intention of playing him down the middle, but since being drafted, he appears destined for the wing. Height: 6-3 It’s possible that Minnesota sees the same career path for Newhook. Like Weight: 193 Kunin, Newhook could be worth a first-round pick as a wing prospect — his combination of speed and skill should wreak havoc on NHL defenses. Read Arpon Basu’s recent Q&A with Suzuki. But if Minnesota is putting a premium on centers, Newhook might not get the extra edge that lifts him above the field of options at No. 12. Cam York, D, USDP

Read Pronman’s complete breakdown of Newhook’s game. Height: 5-11

Vasili Podkolzin, RW, SKA-Neva St. Petersburg, VHL Weight: 172

Height: 6-1 2018-19 stats: 63 GP, 14G-51A-65P

Weight: 196 Pronman’s rank: 16

2018-19 stats: 14 GP, 2G-3A-5P Wheeler’s rank: 9

Pronman’s rank: 12 Pronman mock: No. 15 to Montreal

Wheeler’s rank: 17 Why the Wild might draft him: With the Wild’s ceiling being limited by the lack of a dynamic, star offensive player, fans may wonder why the Wild Pronman mock: No. 14 to Arizona would consider a defenseman at No. 12. It’s a fair question, but when you look at recent draft history, you’ll find that Minnesota has no prospect Why the Wild might draft him: Podkolzin has all the makings of a power that’s projected to be a top-4 defenseman. The last one that came forward. He’s a freight train of a skater that will find, procure, and protect through Minnesota’s system was Matt Dumba. This has left the Wild in a the puck. Far from merely a potential possession powerhouse, though, spot where they have no backup plan once a top-4 defenseman gets hurt Podkolzin has a lot of skill at his disposal. His passing ability, vision, and — it arguably cost them a playoff spot last year. shot all impress, and when every piece of his game comes together, he looks like the No. 3 overall pick in this draft. So don’t be too surprised if the Wild call York’s name at the draft. And it would be a worthy pick, as York would be their best defense prospect The issue is that his results haven’t quite matched his talent, and that drafted in seven years. He’s a disciple of Jared Spurgeon, whether the might slide him down into the Wild’s range. The question there is whether left-shot York knows it or not. York makes up for not being the biggest or the Wild see red flags or an opportunity. If they have a chance to land fastest by being good on offense, defense, and in transition. He’s able to third-overall-caliber talent at No. 12, do they take that risk? find lanes to skate the puck into the offensive zone, and has the passing Why the Wild might not draft him: Podkolzin’s lack of production for SKA ability and hockey IQ to set up chances once he gets there. And he rarely might not scare Minnesota off, but could his contract situation do that? does the wrong thing on the ice. He’s a strong defender without being Podkolzin has two years remaining on his deal with SKA, which means particularly physical, and he doesn’t get criticized for being careless with his arrival to St. Paul won’t happen until the 2021-22 season at the the puck. If Minnesota wants more Jared Spurgeons, York is a good bet earliest. Does Minnesota want to play the waiting game when they’re still to follow in those footsteps. waiting for Kirill Kaprizov (drafted in 2015) to show up? Why the Wild might not draft him: There’s not too many knocks on York. Podkolzin’s talent is undeniable, but owner and general Maybe his size could be an issue, but if any team should be free from the manager Paul Fenton want to accelerate their rebuild-on-the-fly and get stereotype that smaller defensemen can’t succeed, it’s the Wild. the Wild back into the playoffs. If they have Podkolzin rated closely to Perhaps the one legitimate criticism with picking him at No. 12 is that he another available player they think could play in a year, then waiting two doesn’t have that game-breaking ceiling that others in this range might years for Podkolzin might seem too long, even if he doesn’t re-sign in the have. York seems to be a perfectly good and safe option, but if the KHL like Kaprizov. scouting staff feels someone who can take over and dominate a game is Read Pronman’s complete breakdown of Podkolzin’s game. on the board, they might have to pass on York.

RUSSIA'S VASILI PODKOLZIN LEADS THE #HLINKAGRETZKYCUP IN PROSPECT CAM YORK TALKS GROWING UP IN THE ANAHEIM GOALS AND IS CONSIDERED A TOP PROSPECT FOR THE AREA AND BEING MENTORED BY SCOTT NIEDERMAYER. #2019NHLDRAFT. PIC.TWITTER.COM/ALNSOGJJL3 PIC.TWITTER.COM/XJF3JDEQFL

— TSN (@TSN_SPORTS) AUGUST 11, 2018 — NEW JERSEY DEVILS (@NJDEVILS) JUNE 1, 2019

Ryan Suzuki, C, Barrie, OHL However the draft is going to shake out, Minnesota is going to have plenty of talented prospects from which to select. After years of picking in Height: 6-0 the later half of the first round, or trading their picks altogether, Minnesota is going to get a needed boost to their prospect pool. Weight: 180 So be excited — your reward for a rough season is coming soon. 2018-19 stats: 65 GP, 25G-50A-75P The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 Pronman’s rank: 15

Wheeler’s rank: 16

Pronman mock: No. 19 to Ottawa

Why the Wild might draft him: Since Gaborik’s departure, the only player the Wild have had for a sustained period of time that fit the mold of a true playmaking forward is Mikael Granlund. So maybe they’ll want to find a center with exceptional passing chops to pair with the likes of Donato, Fiala, Greenway, and Kunin. If so, Suzuki might be just the right person to take at No. 12.

Suzuki isn’t the biggest, strongest, or fastest, but he’s a brilliant passer and has the smarts that we know the Wild brass loves. He can find his way into the offensive zone, create space for his linemates, then hit them with a tape-to-tape pass. It’s a Granlund-type skill set, perfect for replacing the Granlund-shaped hole left in the organization this spring.

Why the Wild might not draft him: Suzuki was just fourth on Barrie with 152 shots. The good news is that he scored 25 goals on those shots, but you would like to see him be more assertive and shoot more. Some players don’t ever develop that tendency to shoot, however. If the Wild aren’t convinced Suzuki can take that next step, they may decide to draft someone with a more well-rounded game. 1146567 Montreal Canadiens as you have in the game who also has the gritty leadership to inspire the team.

That’s what Roy had and it was a big part of the reason the Habs won What the Puck: Canadiens' 1993 Cup win was about talent and those last two Cups, in ’86 and ’93. But his drive didn’t fit with the inspiration Canadiens’ corporate culture and it still doesn’t today, which is why you’ll never see him behind the Canadiens’ bench.

BRENDAN KELLY, MONTREAL GAZETTE Updated: June 10, 2019 Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.11.2019

Twenty-six years!!! Please add your own favourite swear word. That’s right, Sunday marked the 26th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens’ 4- 1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings at the Forum, giving them their 24th Stanley Cup. Oh yeah, did you know they haven’t won another one of those Cups since that fateful day?

That week, legendary Gazette hockey scribe Red Fisher wrote: “Now that No. 24 has come home to Montreal, can No. 25 be far behind? Do the Canadiens build on what they have? Is this the start of something big? The answer: no.”

Fisher was, for the millionth time, right on the money. Here we are just over a quarter century later and it’s abundantly clear that Cup win was the start of something small and oh-so-mediocre. I know, the see-no-evil Habs fans are going to trot out the usual line about how hard it is to win Cups in the modern era and they’re right, it is.

But I have three words for those folks — The Boston Bruins. Our archrivals are one game away from potentially winning their second championship in eight years and even if the all-heart St. Louis Blues end up winning this war of attrition, that’ll still be one Cup victory and two Stanley Cup Final berths for the Bruins in an eight-year span and keep in mind they came mighty close to winning it all in that series against the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013.

The 1993 Cup win is often attributed entirely to Patrick Roy and that’s not fair. Roy was unbelievable that post-season and his record of 10 straight overtime wins will never be equalled. Roy was one of the all-time great playoff goalies, the ultimate money player, and it’s best not to compare him to the current $10.5-million man between the pipes for the Canadiens. Yes Carey Price is an extraordinary goalie, but the fact remains he has never stolen a playoff series, never won a conference final (or even come close to doing that) and never even dressed for a Cup final game.

But it wasn’t just Roy in ’93. That team had loads of talent and grit, both of which you need if you want to go the distance. Speaking of grit and talent, their captain was Guy Carbonneau. They had a genuine scoring star in Vincent Damphousse, who collected a career-high 97 points that season. The support staff included Kirk Muller, Brian Bellows, Éric Desjardins, the criminally underrated Mike Keane, and a fellow named John LeClair — who scored two overtime winners in that final.

So what happened after ’93? Good question. The culture of mediocrity set in quickly, fostered by president Ronald Corey. In a way, the emblematic moment that set the tone for the decline and fall of the Habs happened in the summer of ’94 when Carbo appeared on the front page of Le Journal de Montréal giving the photographer the finger.

A couple of months later, GM Serge Savard shipped his captain to St. Louis in return for Jim Montgomery. This was the beginning of the 21st century Canadiens — image had become more important than what happened on the ice. Of course, the insane Patrick Roy trade took that misguided notion to another level, with Corey and his incompetent GM Réjean Houle dumping the greatest goalie of his generation because he wouldn’t bow down to his incompetent coach Mario Tremblay.

The suits had taken over and it was no longer first and foremost about winning championships. In the spring of 1995, the Canadiens missed the playoffs for the first time in 25 years. Let that fact sink in: Montreal enjoyed 24 straight playoff appearances. They have missed the post- season 10 times since that Cup win and under the “guidance” of Marc Bergevin, they have won a grand total of one playoff series in the past five years.

That win in 1993 was about great talent mixed with great inspiration. It was Roy saying: “Just get me to overtime and I won’t let a puck get past me.” It was the kind of heart that guys like Muller and Carbo brought to crucial games. The talk in the hockey world Monday was the pregame speech Patrice Bergeron gave in the Bruins dressing room before Game 6 Sunday night and that’s exactly what you need — as talented a forward 1146568 Montreal Canadiens year, the expected goal models have underestimated the guys who line up alongside him.

Over four seasons, those players have combined to produce 1.27 goals Bouchard: Why the Canadiens’ retool would be accelerated by moving for every expected goal. That’s massive. And more than that, it’s a Max Domi back to the wing recurring theme. We’re not talking about an outcome that’s goosed by an outlying season or two.

By Olivier Bouchard Jun 10, 2019 These comparisons are fun to note on an individual level, but they become substantially more eloquent when Domi is stacked up against the rest of the league. Over the past four years, he’s been one of the most used players in the NHL at even strength. And within that context, If the Canadiens’ future has suddenly become a bit brighter over the past he’s also one of the players whose presence on the ice coincides with 12 months, it’s at least partly a function of Max Domi’s excellent showing the highest overperformance relative to expected goals. The list is a bit of as the club’s second line centre. a who’s who of top-echelon talent (and, uh, Jannik Hansen): That said, it’s still worth pondering whether there’s a way to get him back The table above only lists the top 20 players who played at least 2,000 to the wing, his natural position. Sure, his play at even strength helped minutes over the past four seasons. If one were to plot a graph that make the Canadiens one of the absolute top 5-on-5 teams in the NHL, includes everyone who cleared that usage bar, it would result in a and the most obvious prescription is probably this: leave well enough vaguely mountain-shaped data cloud: at the summit, you have those who alone and keep him in the middle. But what if by moving Domi to the wing logged the most ice time, on the right, the players whose teammates in order to provide more room and ice time for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Tie’s have most clearly surpassed expectation in terms of actual goals scored. boy contributed to further increasing his team’s offensive potential? Ideally, a player would be at or near the top of the distribution, and as far Domi exploded offensively last season, there’s no other way to describe to the right as possible. And lo, that’s exactly where you’ll find Domi. it. Relatedly, it’s impossible to discount the notion his spike in production was largely the product of playing within a team and system that allow So we’re dealing with a forward who, whether he’s on the wing or at him to express his somewhat unique talents. centre, watches pucks go into the opposing net at an uncommonly high rate whenever he puts a skate on the ice. It’s a fairly singular talent, and That nuance is key: Domi’s significant increase in offensive output, which maximizing it necessarily implies putting him alongside players who are a can seem eye-catching in terms of raw point totals, becomes much less good complement to that talent. Sure, it’s possible to plug in more limited surprising when one considers advanced metrics, notably expected offensive players to cover up the holes in the floor, but ideally Domi goals. would work with natural scorers and they’d turn their gaze to the ceiling Moreover, the trend hasn’t really changed since he switched from left instead. wing to centre last season; in other words, what Domi provided to the That’s more or less what happened with Andrew Shaw, who despite Canadiens in the 2018-19 season almost certainly wasn’t position missing 20 or so games through injury managed to post a new career dependent. Moving him back to the wing in favour of another player who high for goals at even strength last season. is more efficient at carrying out the specific tasks required of an NHL centre (i.e., faceoffs, defensive coverage) could thus provide an Jonathan Drouin, who is a natural playmaker, also racked up an opportunity to maximize his already considerable impact on play at even impressive number of points alongside his good friend early in the strength. season, but that was mostly the result of Domi’s shooting percentage bonanza early in the year. Given Drouin doesn’t shoot very often, I don’t But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. What is Domi’s impact, exactly? think it was a good long-term play to keep him on Domi’s left side. With I alluded to it this past season in one of my columns in French, but Drouin shifted elsewhere we sometimes saw Artturi Lehkonen, and Domi’s main distinguishing trait is the puck finds itself in the opposing net sometimes Paul Byron. Neither is a terrible choice but Byron tends to get at an atypically, if not abnormally, high rate when he is playing at 5-0n-5. his goals no matter where he lines up, whereas as Lehkonen . . . let’s just say we’re still waiting for the breakthrough. If you separate the shots he creates for himself from the shots his teammates take when he’s on the ice, the trend line since he entered the This being the case, how might the Canadiens go about squeezing every NHL becomes even more sharply defined. Domi is an inconsistent drop out of Domi’s impressive skillset? If the Canadiens were able to shooter, he alternates between great and mediocre stretches. acquire Zucker, to name just one player, there would be no need to pursue their inquiries further. It’s not clear that will happen under current The various expected goal models, which are based on the general cap conditions in Montreal, particularly since Bergevin could well decide context in which a shot is taken (the area of the ice, the action that to use his financial flexibility to swallow a bad contract in order to further preceded it, etc.), suggest he should have scored 15 even-strength goals bolster the prospect pipeline. in 2018-19. He scored 22. On the one hand, Domi’s offensive surge last season was partly the Some shooters (like Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews or Mark Stone) result of a goal explosion he shouldn’t be counted on to repeat in future. regularly defy the models. Not Domi. Historically speaking, he’s not an On the other, the offensive kickstart his former teammates in Arizona exceptional goal scorer. He has notched 45 goals at even strength since were gifted evidently travelled with him to Montreal. the beginning of his career, the models predicted 42. But the results can vary wildly from one season to the next. Over the past four seasons, he’s Putting these two observations together leads me to this thought: the significantly outperformed the models twice, and also underperformed Canadiens should think seriously about bringing Domi back to the wing appreciably twice. next season and have him play with Kotkaniemi.

Check out the result when we divide the number of actual goals scored The young Finn demonstrated this season hat he knows his way around by the number of expected goals predicted by the algorithms. The ratio a defensive game plan and that he excels in the art of keeping the puck jumps around. at the end farthest away from his own goal. When he was cajoled into using his shot more often, it rapidly became obvious he’s got a terrific I might point out here that Marc Bergevin went out and acquired Domi release. after a season where, from a goal-scoring standpoint, he was cruelly unfortunate. It’s never a bad gamble with a player who is in his prime If the Canadiens wish to qualify for the playoffs and then make some (apropos of nothing Jason Zucker just had that kind of season). noise when they get there, much will depend on the progression of their 18-year-old centreman’s offensive game. The coaches tried lining him up Domi, then, is something of an erratic shooter. He can give you elite, he with Drouin last year, a couple of times. They never clicked. In fact, can also dip down to replacement level. Last year we saw the former, it’s Drouin seemed to find his best fit with Jordan Weal. possible we’ll see the latter next season. So here’s my (ham-fisted) argument: by moving Domi to the wing, you It’s not a huge problem, because Domi has a bunch of other arrows in his give Kotkaniemi the chance to establish his bona fides as a number two quiver. Since his rookie season the players fortunate enough to play with centre next year rather than in some non-specific future. When you look Domi have always bagged an unusually high number of goals. Year after at how he grabbed the three slot by the scruff of the neck last year, it doesn’t feel like an unreasonable wager. Thus, the Canadiens could kill two birds with one stone. In addition to turbo-boosting Kotkaniemi’s development, it would create a lane to let a young centre like Ryan Poehling or, who knows, Nick Suzuki to win the third line job in training camp. If either of the two is ready to begin his apprenticeship in the NHL, that’s where he must play — sorry, Rocket fans. The days of populating the fourth line with cement-mitted grinders are over, and there’s every chance the Canadiens’ fourth unit could include players like Byron and Joel Armia next year. If that’s the route that opens for Poehling, fine.

The Canadiens made major strides last year because the coaches didn’t hesitate to hand key responsibilities to younger players and give them the opportunity to acclimatize. Yes, it’s important to get to the postseason, but Montreal shouldn’t tumble into the familiar Therrien-era traps, that’s to say by building a roster that gets off to a jackrabbit start but has little room to grow as the season wears on. The Canadiens mustn’t hesitate to bet on the idea that an established forward like Domi can switch positions again without seeing his contribution dwindle as a result. Can Domi hasten Kotkaniemi’s offensive development as the kid’s left winger? It’s worth testing the affirmative hypothesis, at the very least. The answer may well be no, he can’t, but it should be up to the players to puzzle it out.

I mean, is the risk really that great? If it doesn’t work out, they could always go back to last year’s formula. After all, it works.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146569 Montreal Canadiens Joel Armia and Artturi Lehkonen, the total will rise to 25, and if we add Mike Reilly and Charles Hudon to the mix, the Canadiens will have 27 players under contract.

The Canadiens should actively pursue Erik Karlsson because the time to If we assign Karl Alzner and Dale Weise to the Rocket, the Canadiens strike is now save $2.15 million in cap space. That number goes up to $6.6 million if they figure out a way to offload both to a team that’s trying to reach the cap floor (looking at you, Ottawa). By Marc Dumont Jun 10, 2019 But even if the Canadiens don’t secure a trade for those two players, finding the money for Karlsson isn’t difficult.

With the NHL Draft quickly approaching, the winds of speculation are in In this scenario, I placed Alzner and Weise in the AHL, put Ryan full force, and they’re approaching Montreal at a mad pace. Poehling on the fourth line and traded Paul Byron for picks or prospects. The Canadiens don’t necessarily have to move Byron — it could be Historically, this is Marc Bergevin’s busiest time of the year. Not only is Armia, Lehkonen, Andrew Shaw or even Jonathan Drouin — but the scouting department hard at work, but free agency is also around the regardless of whether they offer Karlsson a contract, the Canadiens have corner. And he hasn’t even finalized his traditional June trade … yet. no choice but to make some moves before the start of next season. As you may have heard, a certain defenceman has been linked to the If they really want to get creative and add another free agent in addition Canadiens over the course of the past week: Erik Karlsson. to Karlsson, they can entertain the idea of trading either Petry or Weber, Before we get into the analysis side of things, we need to clear the air on seeing as Karlsson is younger and better than either. That would free up a few issues and pressing questions. ample cap space to keep improving the roster, but for the time being, they can easily afford to ice a roster with all three defencemen present. First, is Karlsson really interested in playing for the Canadiens? There’s some concern about all three being right-shot defencemen, but Only Karlsson, his wife, his agent and his dog know the answer to that as long as one of them has the ability to receive a pass on his backhand, question. As they say, where there’s smoke, there’s fire. He may very it’s not a major problem. Having all three excellent defencemen in the well be using the Canadiens and Senators as a means to create interest lineup should trump any worries about handedness. and drive up his salary request, but we’re talking about one of the best defencemen of this generation. He doesn’t need to create interest. All 31 Of course, adding a massive long-term contract would complicate future general managers should be interested in his services. salary cap plans, especially once Gallagher, Kotkaniemi and others are due for a raise in the summer of 2021. By then, Petry, Phillip Danault, However, there’s not a lot of smoke on the horizon, and we should Tomas Tatar and Jordan Weal will be free agents, which will offer a fair probably temper our expectations when it comes to a star unrestricted amount of cap relief. Ideally, they’ll be replaced by the current crop of free agent signing with the Canadiens. For a team that’s rarely at the top prospects, a luxury the Canadiens have rarely had in the past decade. of any free agent’s list, it’s an encouraging first step that the Canadiens But with Joël Bouchard at the helm of the Rocket, things on the farm are being mentioned as a possible landing spot for a few big names. But finally seem to be on the right track. If they’re still desperate for cap relief, until those stars put pen to paper, it’s just that — a first step. the team can, and probably should, look into buying out Alzner’s contract next summer, which would add $2.66 million in cap space in 2021. Should the Canadiens be interested in Karlsson’s services? It’s also worth noting that the salary cap has risen by an average of $3.2 If a general manager is not interested in one of the best players in the million per season since 2012-13. If the trend continues, it will go up by league, he should not be a general manager. $22.4 million over the duration of a seven-year deal. There are mitigating circumstances as to the appropriate amount of Is Karlsson still one of the best players in the league? interest generated from each franchise, but the ultimate goal of every team is to improve the roster, and few players in the history of the NHL All good things come to an end, and Karlsson’s reign as the NHL’s best have made more of an impact than Karlsson has. defenceman will eventually bear this out.

As Geoff Molson previously mentioned, the Canadiens are trying to But that time has not come yet. decide whether to bolster their roster or rely on the young core of forwards and prospects to blossom. It’s a familiar conundrum for general When Karlsson was on the ice, the Sharks enjoyed a 59.2 percent managers, and without the benefit of hindsight, it’s impossible to make a advantage in shot share, a 53.4 percent advantage in goal share and a perfect decision. 56.4 percent advantage in high-danger chances.

But given that Jeff Petry will be 31, Carey Price will be 32 and Shea Overall, the Sharks held a 54.9 percent advantage in shot share over the Weber will be 34 by the start of the season, it stands to reason that the course of the season, but if you remove Karlsson’s numbers, it drops to time to strike is now. All three players are still quite good, but from here 53.3 percent. That may not sound like a huge drop, but we’re dealing to the end of their careers, they won’t get any better; they can only with thousands of shots, which means it’s fairly tough to move the maintain their level play or, eventually, get worse. needle. The change in percentage really doesn’t do Karlsson justice.

Unlike the defence, the Canadiens’ forward core is among the youngest A better way of looking at it: The Sharks took 734 more shots than their in the NHL. Several of them are about to hit their prime, while many are opponents did last year, including Karlsson’s totals. But without Karlsson, in the midst of their prime, which usually runs until about age 26 for NHL the number drops to 376. forwards. Several players provide the Canadiens with great value on their Here’s what the heat map in the offensive zone looks like without deals, such as Brendan Gallagher’s pittance of $3.75 million per season Karlsson: and Max Domi’s $3.15 million per season. Pretty good! But we already knew the Sharks were a pretty good team. In Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Ryan Poehling and Nick Suzuki, the Canadiens The key is to find out what kind of impact he made on a team that’s, well, have three talented players on their entry-level deals. They’ll never get not the Ottawa Senators. better value for those three than they will in the upcoming years. Those controlled contracts give the Canadiens an opportunity to use some of And now, the view with Karlsson, hockey’s heat map volcanologist: their disposable cap space on an established star. It should come as no surprise that along with Kris Letang, Karlsson was Do they have the cap space? the only defenceman in the league to finish in the top 12 when it came to shot share relative to his teammates. The Canadiens currently have a little more than $11.7 million in projected space for the upcoming season, but their situation is much healthier than And while many will point to Karlsson’s defensive shortcomings, it’s only it seems at first glance. fair to point out that his offensive impact is so immense that when he was on the ice, the Sharks allowed fewer shots than average. Due to his Most teams have 17 or 18 skaters signed, with the Colorado Avalanche presence, the puck spends so much time in the offensive zone that it trailing the rest of the league with only 13 NHL contracts. The Canadiens automatically lowers the number of scoring chances allowed. already have 23 players signed, the most in the league. Once they sign To drive home the point: Karlsson finished fifth among defencemen this numbers with the Sharks, he elevated the play of an already good team season (minimum of 500 minutes on the ice) when it came to shots and made it a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. allowed per 60. The Canadiens find themselves in the middle, though they’re closer to Karlsson’s ability to drive offence makes up for whatever perceived San Jose than Ottawa in every category but geography. I have absolutely defensive shortcomings he might have. And it’s not a close race, either. no doubt that his presence would be one of the most significant additions in team history. Consider this: Although Karlsson played only 53 regular- Having lived in Ottawa, I had the pleasure of watching Karlsson closely season games last year, he had the same number of power-play points over the years, and I won’t deny that he’s not exactly the league’s most as every Canadiens defenceman combined. He also fits in the ardent defender, but I would suggest that his defence is actually Canadiens’ system perfectly, due to his ability to control the flow of the underrated. His speed, combined with surgical stickwork, leads to a lot of game and his up-tempo style of play. plays broken up in the defensive zone. He won’t provide great value throughout the entirety of his contract, he’s Because of his aggressive nature, he’ll get burned in some memorable not a left-handed defenceman, and there are question marks regarding plays, but it would be inaccurate to say he’s a poor defender. He simply his health. Nonetheless, an opportunity like this comes around only once doesn’t spend a lot of time defending because he’s usually busy at the in a general manager’s tenure, if that executive is lucky. other end of the ice. It’s a different kind of defence, one that his goalies surely appreciate. If Karlsson really is interested in playing for the Canadiens, Bergevin must shift his focus in accordance. Now that we’ve established that Karlsson is still a ridiculously great hockey player, the question shifts to his possible contract demands. You don’t say no to Erik Karlsson, health risk and all.

Evolving-Hockey projects that Karlsson will command a $9.9 million The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 salary cap hit on a long-term contract. It’s one of the few projections from the good people at Evolving-Hockey that seems a little low, though they’re factoring in an extra year in case of a contract extension with the Sharks.

Regardless, we know Karlsson is probably seeking around $10 million or more on a deal that is likely to be in the six- to seven-year range.

In relation to the salary cap, a $10 million ask would be quite reasonable. It would account for a little more than 12 percent of the salary cap, which is actually less than Shea Weber’s contract back in 2012 (13.1 percent).

The worry shouldn’t be focused on his salary demands but rather on his longevity.

Last season, Karlsson failed to exceed 70 regular-season games for the first time in his career, though he did appear in 19 playoff games, pushing his total games played to 72.

Karlsson is still a dominant force in the NHL, but there’s no ignoring his recent health issues, not to mention his past health issues, which include an injured Achilles. We’ve already seen the consequence of that injury; he’s still an amazing defenceman, but he’s not quite as dominant as he once was.

He recently underwent surgery to repair his groin, though most athletes who endure groin surgery have a quick and painless recovery. Karlsson has already started his rehabilitation, which indicates he’s well on his way to being ready for the upcoming season.

It’s impossible to determine whether he will maintain his current health, or worse, deteriorate at a rapid rate. Karlsson’s situation is unique, with no historical equivalent in the NHL, but a few defencemen have managed to bounce back after having surgeries to address issues that limited their mobility.

Scott Niedermeyer, for example, suffered a knee injury in 2006 at age 32 but went on to play another five excellent season in the NHL. Chris Chelios underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in 2000 at age 38 and somehow managed to play until he was 47. A little closer to home, Andrei Markov underwent surgery to repair a lacerated tendon in his left ankle back in 2009, and though the recovery was longer than expected due to additional surgery on his knee, he was still the Canadiens’ best defender five years later at age 37.

Ultimately, it’s up to the Canadiens medical staff to determine whether Karlsson is fit to play in the NHL, though whichever team happens to sign him might want to look into managing his workload. It’s almost unheard of in hockey, but having a healthy Karlsson in the playoffs is probably worth taking preventive measures during the regular season, regardless of the salary cap implications. The risk involved in signing Karlsson comes with the need to use foresight in mitigating potential injuries.

But even an injured Karlsson can be a dominant force, as evidenced by his 16 points in 19 games this postseason with the Sharks.

Final word

Karlsson turned the lowly Senators into a team that was just one goal away from the Stanley Cup final, and thanks to his ridiculous underlying 1146570 Nashville Predators

Predators: Did P.K. Subban outdo Drake with custom Raptors jacket at the NBA Finals?

Nicklaus Gray, Nashville Tennessean Published 8:43 p.m. CT June 10, 2019 | Updated 8:49 p.m. CT June 10, 2019

P.K. Subban certainly would rather be preparing for a Stanley Cup Final game or celebrating a Stanley Cup championship with the Predators.

He made solid use of his time Monday regardless. Subban, wearing an extravagant Raptors jacket (look below) that appears to show a Raptor having the Warriors logo for a snack.

U already know! DRIPPIN https://t.co/TT6xhOxKU8

— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) June 11, 2019

Subban's Raptors were up 3-1 in the NBA Finals against the Warriors, who brought Kevin Durant back into the lineup for Game 5. The Raptors have never won an NBA championship.

That jacket is  , @PKSubban1.  #NBAFinals | #WeTheNorthpic.twitter.com/RKS98VD1Nw

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 11, 2019

Subban's swaggy jacket definitely topples the civil wardrobe that Drake wore to Game 5. Drake could have stepped his game up; this could be the title clincher for his Raptors.

Drake and @futuretheprince tonight at Game 5, Raptors vs. Warriors in Toronto. @_kishanmistrypic.twitter.com/rvSI1uNH3n

— Word On Road (@WordOnRd) June 11, 2019

Tennessean LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146571 Nashville Predators Josh Morrissey. This is the part when I tell you that the video ends before you finish the anecdote, but before it did, you said, “What we had to go back to was the basics.” What did you learn from that particular Q&A: Dan Lambert hopes to return the Predators’ power play to experience, and how can it help the Predators? respectability It’s funny. When you think of “power play” and you think of “penalty kill,” just in those words alone, one sounds a lot more desperate than the other. “Play” sounds like guys are going to go out there and try to be cute By Adam Vingan Jun 10, 201 and try to just pass the puck into the net, for lack of a better word. Then when you talk about “kill,” right away you’re talking about killing. You’re

talking about being aggressive. You’re talking about desperation. I think At the end of the season, Peter Laviolette bared his soul as he explained that good players at times fall (into) the trap of, “I just want to stand here, how the Predators tried everything to fix their dysfunctional, league-worst and I want to make the pretty plays.” You talked about the time in power play. Nothing worked. Only six teams in the salary-cap era (2005- Kelowna when we added Leon Draisaitl, I think that’s what crept into our present) have finished a season with a success rate lower than the power play until we were able to re-transform them into attacking mode. Predators’ 12.9 percent. It took a while.

In an attempt to tackle the problem and avoid the same fate next season, When I watched the Preds’ power play, it had some of that feel as well. I the Predators added to their staff by hiring Dan Lambert, most recently only focused on the playoff version. Throughout my summer, my job is the head coach of the ’s Spokane Chiefs, as an going to be to go further into the season and everything else. I have to assistant coach. find a way to get five players to buy into having that mode, having that mindset and then working with that. Lambert spoke to The Athletic last week, with much of the interview focused on how he intends to return the Predators’ power play to Based on what you saw of the Predators’ power play during the interview respectability. Some of his responses have been edited for clarity. process, how would you diagnose the problems that led to the team’s struggles? In announcing your hire, the Predators highlighted your power-play credentials, including the Chiefs leading the WHL last season at 29.1 Well, every power play starts with a faceoff. Even when the Preds did win percent. Why was the power play so effective? faceoffs, I found that they were under pressure right away. Often, it seemed like guys were rushing to their positions before truly winning the The personnel is always a key factor when you talk about the power play. faceoff. I just felt like they were always under pressure. It started that We had some concepts in place that we tried to use, and our players way, and it finished that way. And then their breakouts didn’t seem like really bought into it. It became a focal point for us to make sure that we they were in sync. I’m not blaming anybody. I’m just giving you the short had a positive effect on every power play. That doesn’t mean you’re version of what I saw. At the end of the day, all that does, (when) you going to score on every power play, but certainly, you take pride in the don’t have successful breakouts or as soon as you win the faceoff, you’re fact that you’re on it, (and) you try to create some sort of momentum for under pressure, it just creates frustration. It changes momentum for the your hockey club. opposition, which is the (last) thing you want to happen. They’re details of guys just maybe forgetting or losing focus of what truly they need to do More specifically, what is your philosophy on how a power play should be as soon as the puck is dropped. run, from breakouts to zone entries to offensive-zone setups? More than most teams in the NHL, the Predators utilize a 3F-2D For us, as far as our breakouts, we made sure that we had some configuration on the power play, which has become less common in different looks that we wanted to use. When we did use our different recent years. What is your stance on that particular setup versus 4F-1D? looks, we wanted them to be predictable to each other, but not to the opposition. The key for that is the timing, and the options have to be I know the numbers in the NHL seems to favor the four-forwards, one- there. Guys have to buy into doing and finishing their own routes and defense setup. In saying that, I really do believe your personnel will being specific when it comes to their own job. Once in the offensive zone, determine that. In Spokane this season, we had one unit that had one the offensive instincts have to take over. defenseman and four forwards. The other unit had two and three. Often, the 4-1 would start every power play, so that when the power play ended, One of our units was a 1-3-1, which I guess was our No. 1 unit, and then on the other unit, we would already have two defensemen out there. Is the other unit was a spread, so I do like to have different looks. That that going to happen in Nashville? Time will determine that (as well as) doesn’t mean that’s the way it’s going to be next season, but that’s what the personnel and what works. Sometimes, it’s not always your five best we did this year. And then having an aggressive mentality. When I think players that work. For some reason, one player may not work in one of Predators hockey, I think of aggressive, I think of relentless and I think situation, and you’ve just got to find ways to put players where they can that you have to keep that same mindset when it comes to (the) power have success and feel comfortable where they’re at. play. And that’s something that I feel we will need the players to buy (into), and then from there, there’s obviously all kinds of things that you Over the past three seasons, the Predators are the worst team in the can do. But attack mode is necessary. league in terms of generating “high-danger” attempts on the power play. What can be done to create more scoring chances from those areas of What should the strengths of the Predators’ power play be when you look the ice? at their personnel? I don’t have all the statistics, and I haven’t gone through all of them. I I think (on) every power play, you need a quarterback. Whether your know for us as a team, we’re going to try to focus on just the details of quarterback is on the half wall or up top, I think you need that. The pieces starting to have attack mode and trying to out-compete penalty kills. are there for the Predators, for sure, with the personnel that they have. From what I saw, I can only talk about the playoffs, I didn’t feel that was Obviously, (Roman) Josi and (P.K.) Subban and Ryan Ellis, these guys there. That’s not one individual. That’s everybody collectively. It’s a all have the ability to be that player. I think that’s a great asset that we mindset. You can tell that by then, they had already finished 31st in the have. Then you look at (Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen), these guys regular season, just the frustration, it was almost like you could tell (from) have the ability to run from the half wall, and they have the ability to the body language, “Oh my gosh, they look like they don’t even want to shoot. be out there.” That can’t be the mindset. It’s going to take some work. It’s But it’s amazing how things can go sideways, and frustration can set in. I going to take some buy-in. It’s going to take some belief. But at the end focused mostly on the playoff version of their power plays, and it didn’t of the day, when you look at the individual pieces, they’re all there. look comfortable out there. You could tell that frustration had set in. I There’s no reason why we can’t have success. think the belief of every individual is important. But I do believe the Colton Sissons served as captain of the Kelowna Rockets for two quarterbacks, whichever way you decide you’re going to run it through seasons under Dan Lambert. (Jerome Miron / USA Today) mostly, is the key ingredient. And that individual or those individuals have to buy into that. I’ve grilled you enough about the power play for now.

I saw a video of you speaking at a coaching symposium a few years ago. I have a feeling it’s going to happen a little bit. (Laughs) You were sharing a story about how the Kelowna Rockets’ successful power play unexpectedly suffered after trading for Leon Draisaitl and You have previous experience coaching Colton Sissons with the Rockets and Dante Fabbro in international competition. What’s impressed you about the steps they’ve made in their respective careers since you last worked with them?

When Colton came to Kelowna, he was 17. We got him out of Junior A. Right away, we could see this young man had leadership potential. The second year, we put him in a tough spot. We named him captain because everybody felt he was the right choice. Being a captain as an 18-year-old in the Western Hockey League is not easy, and it creates a lot of challenges. You’ve got some 20-year-olds that may not be too happy. They might think they should have it. Colton handled that really well, but where we really saw the difference was when he was 19. Then he felt this was his team.

I know he spent time in the minors, and he probably needed to just continue to develop those qualities that he had started in Kelowna. But just the maturity of him as a player, his character, we always felt that if the right team got ahold of him and developed him the right way that he was going to be a very valuable player to some organization in the NHL. I thought the Preds did a fantastic job of developing him and allowing him to grow and not rush him into things. To watch him now, it just seemed as an outsider that he’s a very, very valuable piece to that hockey club.

When I think of Dante Fabbro, when I had him at 16, he was part of our leadership group then. He’s a (high-character) young man and just a good person. For him to be able to do that, to step in the way he did (at the end of the regular season and in the playoffs), it just kind of solidifies the fact of his character because not everybody can handle that. The other thing with Dante is the one player that I’ve always (had) in my mind when I watch him play is, he reminds me of Brent Seabrook, that type of defenseman where he’s just going to make the right play, he’s going to be solid. He’s going to do that for the next 12 to 15 years at a high level. That’s just what I’ve always thought of him, and then you add the fact of coming right out of college and doing what he did. That’s not easy to do. I think it takes a special player, but also a special character. He’s obviously checked off all those boxes.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146572 New Jersey Devils

Devils sign prospect Jesper Boqvist to rookie deal | What it means

By Chris Ryan

The Devils signed forward prospect Jesper Boqvist to a three-year, entry level contract on Monday.

Boqvist was selected by the Devils 36th overall in the second round of the 2017 NHL Draft, becoming the team’s second pick in the draft behind Nico Hischier, who went No. 1 overall.

After being drafted, Boqvist stayed home to play in Sweden’s professional league, and he took big strides in 2018-19 after a wrist injury cost him part of 2017-18.

The Devils interviewed Jack Hughes at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, where they got to learn more about the person who could become the team's No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft on June 21 in Vancouver.

Boqvist finished with 13 goals and 22 assists for 35 points over 51 games, and he did so as a 20-year-old playing against men. He ranked in the top 20 in the league in goals scored and was tied for the second most points for a player under 21 years of age.

The Devils were happy with the strides Boqvist took in another season of development, and it gave them plenty of incentive to get him signed to an NHL deal to bring him to North America in 2019-20.

Buy Devils gear: Fanatics.com, NHL.com, Lids, Dick's Sporting Goods

"What he does, he’s a top-six type of player,” Devils director of amateur scouting Paul Castron said in April. “He would be a positive impact on the power play. That’s his specialty. On his current team, the power play runs through him. He’s the quarterback. They get him the puck, he makes the elite passes and he can shoot the puck as well. Again, we’re excited to hopefully get him over here, at least from my standpoint.”

If Boqvist does make the NHL team out of training camp in October, he would add another young, skilled option to the forward group. While Boqvist was drafted as a center, the 6-0, 179-pound forward might translate to a winger, at least early in his NHL career. He plays with speed and can create chances, and given the Devils’ depth at center with Hischier, potentially Jack Hughes, Travis Zajac and Pavel Zacha, Boqvist would be able to add scoring depth on the outside.

Star Ledger LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146573 New Jersey Devils

NJ Devils lock up top prospect Jesper Boqvist

Abbey Mastracco, June 10, 2019

The Devils inked one of their top forward prospects Monday, signing Jesper Boqvist to a three-year entry-level contract.

New Jersey’s second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Draft has been a heralded player throughout his time in the Swedish Hockey League.

The next step for the 20-year-old is to come stateside. Boqvist finished a standout career for Brynäs, the same club that produced NHL players Nicklas Backstrom, Jakob Silfverberg and Elias Lindholm, with 13 goals and 22 assists (35 points) in 51 games.

The smooth-skating center also spent time with the Swedish national team during training camp ahead of the IIHF World Championships but was ultimately cut.

The story continues below the Instagram post.

View this post on Instagram

Dream coming true signing my first NHL contract with @njdevils 

A post shared by Jesper Boqvist (@jesperboqvist) on Jun 10, 2019 at 11:52am PDT

In May, Boqvist signed a two-year contract extension with his Swedish club, securing a place to play should the Devils choose to keep him in Sweden. But he’s expected to report to Newark for training camp in the fall and compete for a roster spot.

The next step for Boqvist is to come stateside, and should he fail to make the roster out of training camp he could be assigned to the Devils’ American Hockey League affiliate in Binghamton.

The 6-0, 179-pound Boqvist is a speedy, skilled forward capable of creating offense. He was a prolific scorer as a junior player and found his scoring touch again this past season after a wrist injury limited him in 2017-18.

Boqvist gives the Devils some depth up the middle, something they lacked last season when Travis Zajac was forced to play top-line minutes.

Should New Jersey select Jack Hughes with their first overall pick in the upcoming draft, they would have six true centers in camp. Moving Boqvist out to the wing while he develops could be a possibility and a way to solve some of the Devils’ scoring problems and their power play issues, considering Boqvist is a power play specialist who runs his unit for Brynäs.

Bergen Record LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146574 New York Islanders almost-certain Masterton Trophy award in Las Vegas next week and he’s among the Vezina Trophy finalists. To be there without a deal from the Islanders may make for some awkward moments for Lehner, who has Islanders’ free agency update: What’s taking so long with Anders Lee overcome so much and would, like Lee, be very happy to commit to the and Robin Lehner? team for the right term and price. But clearly, the Islanders don’t feel there’s a right term and price on the table yet.

Trickier than Lee’s situation, though, is what the Islanders would do if By Arthur Staple Jun 10, 2019 Lehner leaves. Thomas Greiss has a year left on his deal; beyond that, Christopher Gibson is in the fold, but there isn’t anyone else close to the

NHL level in the organization. Lamoriello told us that the Isles are keenly We’re now down to two weeks, give or take a few hours, until pending interested in bringing Ilya Sorokin over from Russia, but that will wait until free agents can speak with other teams. Lou Lamoriello’s motto, “If you after the 2019-20 KHL season at the earliest. have time, use it,” is being put to the test as the last days for the There is a scenario the Islanders may be operating under in holding firm Islanders president/GM to have an exclusive negotiating window with his with Lehner so far. If Lamoriello feels Sorokin can be the true No. 1 own pending FAs are approaching. goaltender he’s always had in his prior stops, the Islanders could let Since Brock Nelson signed on May 23, there haven’t been any real Lehner go — almost certainly to a team like Edmonton or Carolina — and pronouncements or even hints at where things stand with Anders Lee, sign a veteran goalie for a one-year stopgap. That could be someone like Robin Lehner or Jordan Eberle. All Lamoriello would say during a chat Mike Smith, Brian Elliott or Cam Talbot, to work with Mitch Korn and with The Athletic 10 days ago is what he said on breakup day, that the Piero Greco and put their best foot forward. Isles still want to sign all of their free agents. Sergei Bobrovsky still looms over the entire UFA goalie list, so there’s “We just have to make sure all our decisions are not just for today — for always a chance Lamoriello feels he’s got a good shot there. tomorrow, as well, on the planning end of it,” Lamoriello said. “But we’re Lehner likely isn’t looking to break the bank with anyone, but if he’s in good shape with the ability to do things to get better. Right now, my available on July 1, it’s worth noting that Lehner’s even-strength save priority is the people who have been here.” percentage over the last three seasons is .924. Bobrovsky’s is .929. Let’s take a quick look at each pending UFA once again: Someone will commit to Lehner long-term.

Anders Lee Jordan Eberle

Talks continue and they aren’t acrimonious, but it’s still a bit of a surprise Definitely the least surprising of the three unsigned FAs, the sides are that the Islanders and their captain haven’t come to a deal. It’s believed still talking — Eberle and Lehner share an agent, Craig Oster of Newport, that term continues to be the sticking point: Lee is looking for something so it may be hard to completely cut off negotiations. But all indications in the 7-8 year range and the Islanders may be looking for something in are Eberle is headed for the open market unless he’s willing to take a the 5-6 year range, with the average annual value coming in somewhere short-term deal. around $6.5-$7 million. And he has no reason to do so, other than a desperate desire to stay an It would still be a surprise if Lee makes it to the contact window. He is the Islander. As mentioned with Lee/Skinner, the extreme lack of scoring Islanders captain and he’s scored 102 goals the last three seasons. An wingers available as free agents when the doors open on July 1 (or, intrepid fan snapped a picture recently of Lee and Barry Trotz having really, when contact is permitted on June 24) means that Eberle will get a coffee in Garden City, a reminder that coach and captain were very much decently long deal at a good price. There may even be some good teams on the same page this past season. in the mix as suitors, like the Hurricanes (provided they can’t pull off a trade for a top-six winger), the Sharks and the Avalanche, among others. As far as optics go, it would certainly be bad for the Islanders to see their This won’t be a situation where Eberle has to grab the cash from a team captain leave. The memories of John Tavares departing will rear up in disarray. again on July 1 regardless, but if this free-agency period opens with Lee leaving too, it would be a tough blow. With Lamoriello saying that the Islanders will qualify Josh Ho-Sang and he’ll be in training camp, there will be candidates to earn wing spots on Tavares got all he wanted from the Islanders before July 1 and still left the roster from inside the organization. But Lamoriello is almost certainly because he couldn’t see the team being a real contender. Lee wants looking for trades involving top-six wingers, particularly on the right side, desperately to stay and help build off last year, even though he’s not with Nick Leddy as the main bait. quite ready to give any discounts. The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 So, it’s not Tavares that this situation is similar to — it’s the Frans Nielsen negotiation from 2016. Nielsen, like Lee, was a loyal Isles soldier who wanted nothing more than to sign another deal with the team and retire an Islander. But then-GM Garth Snow and assistant coach/GM Doug Weight had their sights set on bigger fish, namely Steven Stamkos, who was flirting with free agency.

Nielsen’s desire to stay sent him to the back burner a bit as July 1 approached, and he found himself with some serious interest around the league. The Islanders offered him seven years at a little less than $5 million AAV, but Nielsen took the Wings’ six-year, $5.25-million AAV offer. Things went sideways for both team and player, of course, but the lesson remains: Don’t take guys for granted.

It certainly was noticed by Lee’s camp that Jeff Skinner, another winger about to hit the open market, signed for eight years at $9 million per with the Sabres last week. They are different players, but Skinner coming off the board is one fewer option for the Isles should they decide to let Lee walk.

Skinner is two years younger than Lee, but they’ve produced roughly the same. Skinner averages 0.37 goals per game over 661 NHL games, Lee is at 0.36 over 425. All the signs point to Lee staying, but the clock is ticking.

Robin Lehner

This is another negotiation that’s dragging on beyond the point most thought it would go. Lehner’s revival this season will be crowned with an 1146575 New York Rangers

Sean Avery ‘thanks’ Post for coverage of his criminal mischief trial

By Mara Siegler June 10, 2019 | 8:06PM

Former hockey player Sean Avery was in Manhattan court on Monday for allegedly bashing a car that was blocking a bike lane — and he’s now turned his infamous ire on the New York Post.

After the hotheaded ex-Rangers star appeared to answer a criminal mischief ticket for allegedly hitting a car door with his scooter, a Post reporter caught up with him outside the courthouse to ask some questions about the case.

While Avery answered politely — oddly likening himself to the “Braveheart” of city cyclists’ rights — he later seemed to resent the exchange.

He posted a video of the journalist to his Instagram account and said in a separate clip, “That bumbling [reporter] . . . I don’t even know what that was. That’s what they do to people.”

He added, “I’m going to make a circus out of this whole thing. I’m going to get so many Instagram followers off of this. I mean, thank you New York Post!”

Avery, 39, was arraigned on a desk appearance ticket on one count of criminal mischief for allegedly hitting a motorist’s side door with his scooter Feb. 23 at East Eighth Street and Broadway.

He showed up without a lawyer and was provided a free court-appointed attorney.

He’s due back in court July 5. If convicted, he faces up to one year in jail.

Avery is known for his temper: He was arrested days before his 2015 wedding for allegedly throwing rocks at cars, stormed off the set of an off- Broadway show in 2014 when he had a meltdown over an assistant offering him pizza, and threw a Twitter tantrum against a homeless advocate in 2016.

In 2017, he got into an argument with a pedestrian while riding his bike on the sidewalk, Page Six reported, calling the pedestrian a “little bitch” before riding off.

New York Post LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146576 New York Rangers

Sean Avery in court for allegedly hitting car with scooter

By Rebecca Rosenberg and Khristina Narizhnaya June 10, 2019 | 12:25PM

Former New York Rangers hothead Sean Avery was in Manhattan court Monday for bashing a car that was blocking a bike lane in Greenwich Village.

Avery, 38, was arraigned on a desk appearance ticket on one count of criminal mischief for allegedly hitting the driver’s side door with his scooter Feb. 23 at East Eighth Street and Broadway.

“If I need to be the poster boy for defending the bike lanes, I will absolutely do that,” the notorious scrapper told The Post. “We need to be able to just bike in freedom.”

“You should have played for the Islanders,” a court clerk quipped to Avery as he strolled into the courtroom. He played for the New York Rangers for roughly half his 10-year NHL career, before hanging up the skates with the Broadway Blues in 2012.

The former forward, known for his aggression and agitation on the ice, has been equally pugnacious about protecting bike lanes, frequently picking fights with drivers who block them and then posting Instagram video of the altercations.

Avery showed up without a lawyer and was provided a free court- appointed attorney.

The controversial ex-player, who is married to model Hilary Rhoda, was arrested for throwing rocks at cars just days before his 2015 wedding.

In 2008, he was suspended for six games from the Dallas Stars then let go after making an offensive comment about a player on an opposing team dating his ex, actress Elisha Cuthbert.

“It’s become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds,” he said at the press conference.

He’s due back in court July 5. If convicted, he faces up to one year in jail.

New York Post LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146577 NHL was clear as day as I imagined being a Seattle sports fan 104 years ago sitting in the arena waiting for the Metropolitans to take the ice.

The first thing that jumped out was an ad from the Piper & Taft Sporting Lots of fun Seattle Metropolitans stuff in the Hockey Hall of Fame — if Goods Store on Second Ave., selling suits and overcoats for $15 – and you know where to look noting that it was a deal because they had a retail value of $25. There was another ad for the “Washington Natatorium and Turkish Baths’’ inside the Moore theater building. By Geoff Baker Finally, a back page ad noted that the arena itself had been roofed with “The Philip Carey Co’s Built-up Asbestos roofing.’’

TORONTO – As the Stanley Cup Final was playing out last week, it Yes, times have certainly changed. seemed a good time to check in on memories from when that trophy was first awarded on U.S. soil. The program contained feature articles on the history of hockey’s Pacific Coast development, figure skating and photos of similar ice arenas in The Seattle Metropolitans, of course, defeated the Montreal Canadiens in New York, Boston, Cleveland and Vancouver. 1917 to win Lord Stanley’s mug for the only time. So, what does the Hockey Hall of Fame have to commemorate that franchise? Quite a bit, it On the same table was a smaller program from the 1916-17 Stanley Cup turns out. Final as well as original photographs of the Metropolitans and Canadiens posing together on the ice. Also, a 10-cent program from a 1940-41 And not all of it is at the Hall’s main display room in downtown Toronto. In game in which the Seattle Olympics – the only year they played under fact, once there you’ll currently see a game jersey worn by 1916-17 that name – played host to Vancouver and a 1949-50 program from a Pacific Coast Hockey Association MVP Frank Foyston of the Seattle Ironmen game against the Victoria Cougars. Metropolitans and that’s about it. I’d asked Westgate whether the Hall had Seattle Eskimos or Sea Hawks But head out of downtown farther west and you come to the Hall’s 18,000 files. We manually searched the climate-controlled, warehouse-style square-foot D.K. (Doc) Seaman Hockey Resource Centre, located in the archives rooms and found a Victoria Cubs program from 1928-29 in same building where the Toronto Maple Leafs have their training facility. which they played host to coach Pete Muldoon’s Eskimos. Somebody even pencil-marked a scorecard inside the program and it appears the The resource center also is where 75% to 80% of Hall of Fame Eskimos won 4-3. memorabilia has been stored since opening in 2009. Visits are by appointment – usually limited to hockey historians and researchers, with Small details like that are a reason having the original item is often the no photography allowed – though the Hall committee is considering best way of preserving history. The Hall has a video editing room where opening its doors to the public to raise needed operational funding. One they are looking to digitize row-upon-row of film canisters containing storage room contains up to 4,000 sticks donated by former players. game footage as far back as the 1930s.

“We used to store all of the archival stuff on a floor below the main Westgate figures the same digitizing will eventually replace the slowly- displays,’’ said Izak Westgate, assistant curator for the archives center. deteriorating newspapers taking up a sizeable archives space. The Hall “But we eventually realized we would need more space. Even now, the tries to keep clippings on every team, player and Stanley Cup win – way we keep accumulating things, we’re looking at ways to expand within some more recent than others. this current facility.’’ There’s a Seattle Sunday Times magazine section from Jan. 30, 1921 The center’s lobby was stacked with shipping crates when I visited. with its cover showing an illustration of the Metropolitans and Vancouver “Sorry for the mess,’’ a receptionist said. “They’re all going to Vegas this playing at the Seattle Arena. A referee in the background has a capital afternoon.’’ letter “R’’ sewn on his jersey as was then commonplace.

The crates contained the Hart, Calder, Vezina, Ross, Selke and other A file folder on the Metropolitans contained a 2017 feature by Times trophies to be handed out at the NHL Awards gala in Las Vegas later this columnist Larry Stone commemorating the 100thanniversary of the Cup month. The Hall safeguards the decades-old hardware as well as the victory. The Hall collects as many outside newspapers as possible when Stanley Cup. its limited staffers travel for events, but the bulk of clippings still come from Toronto’s four dailies. Westgate led me upstairs toward a table where he’d laid out Metropolitans memorabilia as well as some white gloves. I decided to test the archives’ completeness. I told Westgate about covering the “Stanley Cup riot’’ for the Montreal Gazette in June 1993 “Those are the one thing we insist upon,’’ he said. after fans went on a rampage following the Canadiens’ title victory over Once the gloves were on, he pointed to a plastic bag containing another Los Angeles – the last by a Canadian-based team. of Metropolitans star Foyston’s game-worn jerseys. Westgate quickly moved to a Stanley Cup newspaper cover portion of “You can take it out,’’ he said. the archives and within seconds was sorting downward. “Here’s 1998, 1996, ah, there we go…!’’ he said, plucking a plastic-covered Gazette The jersey looked and felt fragile, with small holes permeating the front page with a “Cup Comes Home’’ headline, a shot of goalie Patrick century-old wool. But once unfurled, it resembled the same jerseys Roy hoisting the championship trophy and my co-written riot story and shown in black and white photographs run in The Seattle Times for years byline off to the left, above the fold. – only now in full color. The Hall keeps a similar jersey worn by goalie Hap Holmes. “Congratulations,’’ Westgate said. “You’re in the Hall of Fame.’’

On the same table, Westgate had left Foyston’s MVP trophy from the And so are the Metropolitans. You just have to dig a little. Stanley Cup year and his skates. The trophy was something to behold Seattle Times LOADED: 06.11.2019 and lift, given its authentic silver bowl top adding to the weight.

I tried to envision Foyston holding it as it was presented to him. Though I couldn’t imagine using his skates to get anywhere fast, the blades appearing well worn with a century’s decay while the leather looked weak compared to today’s ankle supports.

But the really fascinating stuff on the table was the paperwork. The Hall keeps row upon row of old newspapers and game programs documenting the game’s history.

And one item on the table was a 1915 souvenir program from the old Seattle Ice Arena’s debut season. I removed it from its plastic storage pouch – gloves on, of course – and carefully flipped through its 28 pages. Some had already detached from the program’s spine, but the lettering 1146578 Ottawa Senators

Senators sign free-agent defenceman Nick Ebert

Ken Warren

Published:June 10, 2019

Updated:June 10, 2019 10:04 PM EDT

The Ottawa Senators added to their defensive depth Monday, signing 25- year-old Nick Ebert to a one-year, two-way contract.

Ebert, 25, led Orbero of the Swedish Hockey League in scoring last season with 11 goals and 22 assists.

If Ebert ends up with the Senators, he’ll earn $700,000. If he plays with Belleville of the American Hockey League, he’ll take home $300,000.

Ebert, 6-0 and 203 pounds, is originally from Livingston, N.J. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the seventh round of the 2011 National Hockey League draft, he has also played in the AHL with the Manchester Monarchs, Texas Stars and Ontario Reign.

He was a rookie with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires in 2010-11, when new Senators head coach D.J. Smith served as that club’s assistant coach.

Ebert is “coming off a really good year in the Swedish Elite League and we feel he can come in here and compete for a spot, and most likely give us NHL games this season,” Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said of Ebert.

“Nick’s a stronger skater with a big-time shot. He is really coming into his own in Europe. Also, he’s only 25 and we feel his best hockey is in front of him.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146579 Philadelphia Flyers

More mature, Flyers prospect Morgan Frost ready for that next step, wherever he lands

by Sam Donnellon,

It was late last October, and Morgan Frost’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds were making an early statement. Or so they thought. Down three goals after one period to Isaac Ratcliffe’s upstart Guelph Storm, the Hounds howled back, scoring once in the second and twice in the third to send the game to overtime.

Frost’s goal started the comeback, after Ratcliffe had given his team an early lead. The two Flyers prospects, at or near the top of a pool of talent that is still among the NHL’s best, had forged a friendship through rookie camps they had attended since the Flyers had picked them eight spots apart in the 2017 amateur draft.

And if there’s one thing about hockey friendships, it’s this:

It heightens chirping.

``Oh yeah, I remember that game,’’ Frost was saying the other day. ``And I remember that I definitely heard it from him.’’

Especially in overtime, when Frost’s attempt at a cross-ice pass was picked off, triggering an odd-man rush that ended the Ontario Hockey League game in the Storm’s favor.

``I might have said a few things,’’ Ratcliffe said.

``We like to give it to each other,’’ Frost said. ``We’re very good friends.’’

The Flyers hope that friendship begets a generation of on-ice productivity for both Frost, chosen 27th overall that year, and Ratcliffe, taken in the second round with the 35th pick.

The Frost pick was a no-brainer. Then-general manager Ron Hextall traded Brayden Schenn just to move ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks that year and pick the 5-foot-11½ center (``If someone wants to give me that 6-foot, I’ll take it,’’ Frost quipped).

Frost had great hands, was smart, and had almost a savant-like feel for the ice, nurtured by the hours he spent aside his father, Andy, a former public address announcer at Maple Leaf Gardens.

Chosen to play for the Greyhounds when he was just 16, he flourished on offense after the Flyers drafted him, amassing 112 points over 67 games on a team loaded with talent in 2017-18. He followed that up with a 109-point effort in 58 games this past season.

He also earned a spot on Canada’s World Junior Championships team. He scored three goals and had two assists in his first game in World Juniors, a 14-0 blowout of Denmark. He finished with eight points in Canada’s five games and, at least as important, a plus-8.

The previous summer, the Flyers had sent him back to Sault Ste. Marie with the mandate to play more responsibly in his own end. And he did, mostly. That gaffe against Ratcliffe was an outlier, and a painful reminder.

``I think I played more defensive this year,’’ he said. ``That’s one thing I’ve gotten feedback about, taking care of my own end. To make sure that I’m not cheating. That’s one thing I’m focused on for sure.’’

Will it be enough to skip some seasoning in Allentown and join the Flyers in the fall?

``I’m the kind of guy who tries to keep an open mind,’’ Frost said.

``I think anything is attainable. And it just takes hard work. I definitely have to prove myself, especially in front of a new staff. I don’t have any expectations. But I have goals.’’

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146580 Philadelphia Flyers

Matthew Boldy on Flyers’ radar as they prepare for their first-round pick

by Sam Carchidi,

If Matthew Boldy is still available at the No. 11 overall pick in the NHL draft on June 21, the Flyers figure to strongly consider the 6-foot-2, 196- pound left winger.

“When you’re picking at 11, you’re at the mercy of the teams in front of you,” said Brent Flahr, the assistant Flyers general manager who is in charge of amateur scouting. “But we’re going to get a good player. Someone is going to fall.”

Maybe even Boldy.

The Massachusetts native is one of eight first-round candidates from the ’ National Team Development Program. He was the team’s top-scoring winger, collecting 33 goals and 81 points in 64 games.

Scouts are enthralled with his ability, but they say he needs more consistency.

“He’s a skilled kid, and he’s going to get a lot stronger and his skating is going to come,” Flahr said. “But he’s got very good hands and he can really shoot the puck. He’s got a really good game that everybody is searching for.”

Boldy, 18, who is headed to Boston College, is a strong player down low and viewed as both a scorer and highly creative play-maker with great vision. He has a big shot, and scouts say his hockey IQ is off the charts.

He’s not the fastest skater, but his speed is acceptable and he is a persistent back-checker and a sound defensive player.

The Hockey News said that in a best-case scenario, Boldy would blossom into a James Neal, who has had 11 seasons with more than 20 goals, including 40 with Pittsburgh in 2011-12.

Neal, drafted in the second round by Dallas in 2005, has 270 career goals. Yes, the Flyers would happily take that from Boldy, who is ranked between fifth and 12th overall by most reputable scouting experts.

Because there is such an emphasis on selecting centers, Boldy might slip to the 11th spot in the draft. Jack Hughes, expected to be chosen No. 1 overall, and Dylan Cozens, Alex Turcotte, Kirby Dach, Trevor Zegras, Peyton Krebs, and Alex Newhook are regarded as the top six centers in the draft.

“Highly skilled centermen typically don’t fall very far,” Flahr said. “But there are about 10 or 11 guys [in the first round] you could say you’d be surprised if they dropped, but someone is going to have to.”

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146581 Philadelphia Flyers Blues players walked into the Jacks clubhouse and left with the anthem that has gripped St. Louis.

Ever since that Jan. 6 night, the Blues have mimicked the Jacks and Disappointed Blues fans were hoping to ‘Play Gloria’ at South Philly played the 1982 pop song “Gloria” in their locker room after victories. St. Mummers club Louis has gone from last place in early January to the very edge of a championship. But they’re not there yet. Wednesday will be the first Stanley Cup Final Game 7 in eight years. by Ed Barkowitz, “This was still the second-best place to be besides St. Louis,” said Zach Moss, an engineering student at SIU-Edwardsville. “We’re going to take it in seven. And we’re going to be in Boston. We just called a buddy to There were 300-plus Blues fans at the tiny Mummers clubhouse in South figure out tickets.” Philly on Sunday night to see whether their team could finally win a Stanley Cup. He and fellow St. Louis natives Ethan Sacco and Garrett Halbach made it to Philly in six hours from Cleveland, arriving 45 minutes before the start That didn’t happen. St. Louis was dumped, 5-1, and will now have to win of Sunday night’s game. They changed in the car and were running on in Boston on Wednesday in Game 7 if they want to hoist the Cup. These fumes by the time the Bruins had finished off the Blues. No regrets, they people have waited a half-century for a championship, what’s three more said. days? Eagles followers can empathize. “Everybody in St. Louis knows this place," Halbach said. “They might not But these fans, who formed the largest sea of blue outside of the Jacks know the name of the [club], but they know this is where ‘Gloria’ was New Years Brigade this spring, each took a different journey to 16th and born. We had to come see this.” Moyamensing, but the reason they were here was the same. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 06.11.2019 This is where the “Play Gloria” movement started and they just had to experience it for themselves. The cops, wisely anticipating a large crowd, even blocked off the street.

“Philly and St. Louis are a lot alike,” said Paul Fusco, who spent the weekend caddying for Sei Young Kim at the ShopRite LPGA Classic. “They live and die with their sports teams. I just had to come see this. This place is an urban legend in St. Louis.”

Kim, the 2015 LPGA rookie of the year, finished tied for 34th at the weekend tournament outside of Atlantic City. “She would love this place,” Fusco said.

Blues fans certainly have lived with their team during one of the most remarkable in-season turnarounds in recent sports history. Sunday’s loss didn’t kill them, but it did put them on the brink.

Matt Berblinger and Kevin Quinn used to work together in St. Louis, but now Berblinger is in Raleigh, N.C., while Quinn has relocated to Boynton Beach, Fla. They each took flights on Sunday morning to come to Philadelphia just to experience what was going on in South Philly.

“We thought about going to the game, but saw the ticket prices and said, ‘Bleep it, let’s go to Jacks,’ ” said Berblinger, a sales manager for Enterprise fleet management. The ticket aggregate site TicketIQ on Saturday said the average price on secondary markets for Bruins-Blues Game 6 was $4,299. It’s the third-highest price they’ve tracked for any sporting event since 2011.

(Monday’s Raptors-Warriors Game 5 in the NBA Finals, in which Toronto can win the franchise’s first championship, is tops as of Saturday, at $5,695. Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, when the Cubs ended a 108- year drought, was $5,300.)

It’s no wonder Berblinger didn’t mind paying $440 for his flight, while Quinn shelled out $330. They were scheduled to go right back home on Monday.

“You can tell we’re in sales,” Berblinger said, “because we talked to the wives and they said, ‘Go for it.’ ”

The @NHLBruins are the sixth team to win on the road to force #Game7 in the #StanleyCup Final. That team hoisted the Cup in four of the previous five instances:

2004 Lightning (won)

2001 Avalanche (won)

1964 Maple Leafs (won)

1945 Red Wings (lost)

1942 Maple Leafs (won)#NHLStats pic.twitter.com/4oqgXdUPZ4

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 10, 2019

There were three guys at Jacks on Sunday night who are on an impressive stadium tour that will take them to baseball ballparks in Chicago (Wrigley Field), Cleveland, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Boston, and New York. They started planning the trip in February not long after five 1146582 Philadelphia Flyers A ton can change, especially on draft night when talks heat up and teams have a clearer focus on what they want. Just think of the Brayden Schenn trade in 2017.

5 Flyers takeaways: Kevin Hayes, 2019 NHL draft, trades, more "If we keep our pick and stay at 11, we're going to get a really good player," Fletcher said. "It is a pretty good chip and in certain scenarios, I wouldn't hesitate to move it if it could really help our team." By Jordan Hall June 10, 2019 3:35 PM What does Flahr think of dealing the first-rounder?

"It always hurts for me," he said with a laugh. VOORHEES, N.J. — Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher and assistant general manager Brent Flahr addressed the media Monday "If we're going to trade 11, it's going to be for a significant piece and it morning ahead of the June 21-22 NHL entry draft. won't be a rental, it'll be a younger play realistically."

Much more than the draft was discussed. 4. Feeling restricted?

Let's get into five takeaways from the gathering: It sounds like it could take some time for the Flyers to sign their restricted free agents as there's a bit of a stalemate across the NHL. 1. What to say about Hayes "It's an interesting market, I will say that," Fletcher said. "In fact, even Fletcher said there was no update on the Flyers' negotiations with soon- looking around the league, there's been very few signings to date. It to-be unrestricted free agent Kevin Hayes, who they acquired in a trade seems that market is becoming … a little bit more aggressively priced, I last week (see story). Hayes has not visited Philadelphia yet but Fletcher guess is the way to put it, based on the last couple of years." said they're "hoping to get together here in the near future." The Flyers' RFAs are Scott Laughton, Travis Konecny, Ryan Hartman, "I've had some good preliminary conversations with Kevin and his Justin Bailey, Ivan Provorov and Travis Sanheim. Three of the most representation," Fletcher said. "This week, I expect to follow up with notables are Konecny, Provorov and Sanheim, younger players who Kevin and his camp and we'll see where it goes. I don't know how to could see bridge deals or longer-term contracts. That will all play into the characterize it other than we've had good conversations and we're length of negotiations and the Flyers' other avenues to improve. hopeful we can find a way to make something work." "We've had good conversations with the representations for all of those The Flyers are in a strong spot. They can present their sales pitch before players and we will meet with some agents at the draft in Vancouver a any other clubs have the chance to and they "have more cap space than couple of those days and try to get together and talk," Fletcher said. "My most teams," as Fletcher said. Hayes is a Northeast guy (he's from sense is everybody [around the league] is kind of waiting for somebody Dorchester, Massachusetts) and his former coach from 2014-18 with the else to do something. I don't think anything is going to happen quickly, Rangers is now the Flyers' bench boss. but we're hopeful we'll get everything done."

There's a lot to like and the Flyers know it. Now, they're ahead of the 5. Scout's honor game. With Fletcher's arrival, he has not made changes to the Flyers' scouting "I don't have a vibe other than he's certainly open-minded," Fletcher said. staff. After all, the club has impressively rebuilt the farm system behind "You have to remember, it's also two or three weeks away from getting to its efforts. July 1. That's a nice status to attain in this league. Certainly he's earned that right and we're respectful of that, but I think we have a lot to offer "I've been very, very impressed with the amateur scouting staff," Fletcher here in Philly. We'll continue to speak to him and he's open-minded to said. "It's a strong group, a lot of experience. We all recognize the way conversations, or at least that's what his camp has said to us and the game is going. obviously we have strong interest in him." "There are differing opinions, there's not group think, guys challenge 2. Draft philosophy each other in the room and we work hard at the list and we've worked very hard the last couple weeks at the list." With the 11th overall pick in the draft, the Flyers will take the best player available and the most upside. However, Flahr did mention the Flyers Flahr, who worked for Fletcher in Minnesota, has had a rather smooth would like to replenish at defensemen. transition given he's known the staff from working in the field and with some members in the past. When it comes to the draft, Fletcher puts his The 2019 draft is heavy with forwards, which could allow some of the trust in Flahr and the staff. crop's top blueliners to drop to the Flyers. This draft also has good depth and the Flyers have nine picks. "Chuck's been good, he lets me make our decisions," Flahr said. "He has some input, but he doesn't get a lot of time to spend out there watching. "We have some young defensemen that are in the NHL right now and a He'll go watch the top guys sometimes and watch on video. But we have couple coming, but we'd probably like to add defensemen depth to our a good staff, an experienced staff. organization going forward," Flahr said. "Whether that's at 11 or in the second or third rounds, we'll see. But if the best player is a left winger, "I was really happy with the meetings, you didn't have guys sitting on we'll address that. Centermen are hard to get and if they're there, their hands with the new group coming in. We had lots of tough typically they don't last very long in the first round, the top ones anyway. conversations and hopefully at the end of the day, we'll come to a list that We'll see how it plays out and we'll go from there." we're happy with. But Chuck always lets us do our job."

Some of the draft's best defensemen are Bowen Byram (not likely to fall Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 to the Flyers), Philip Broberg, Victor Soderstrom, Thomas Harley and Cam York.

"We have a couple of defensemen in our top 10 that we like," Flahr said.

"We've identified probably five or six guys that we think have a chance to be there at 11 and probably some of the other teams in front of us will dictate that. But we're really confident we're going to get a good player."

3. Trading No. 11?

Fletcher has a large focus on improving the Flyers now, so trading the No. 11 pick is definitely an option.

"It still may be a bit early," Fletcher said. "I've certainly mentioned it to teams that we're open to any concepts. There hasn't really been a big push for the pick at this point. As you get closer, things can change." 1146583 Philadelphia Flyers “It always hurts for me (when a first-round pick is traded),” said assistant GM Brent Flahr, who will run the Flyers’ draft table and did the same for Fletcher when both worked for the Minnesota Wild. “We’re not giving Flyers ‘hopeful’ they can sign Kevin Hayes, but nothing close yet away 11. If we’re gonna trade 11, it’s gonna be for a significant piece. It wouldn’t be for a rental. It would be for a younger player, realistically. At the same time, I try not to think about that. I like keeping my first-round picks.” David Isaac, NHL writer Published 1:40 p.m. ET June 10, 2019 | Updated 9:36 p.m. ET June 10, 2019 That pick may remain in play even if Hayes signs, because they’re looking for more experience on defense as well.

Meantime, the clock keeps ticking on the Flyers’ time to impress Hayes. VOORHEES — As the hockey world prepares to move West to They are certainly convinced they need him. Vancouver for the draft next week, the Flyers need to find answers back home first. “We have to have more players that play a strong, 200-foot game,” Fletcher said. “We’d like to improve the penalty kill and having depth It might even affect what who they take with the 11th-overall pick, or through the center of the ice would make us harder to play against. I whether they keep the selection at all. think he’s a guy who’s familiar with our coach and our coach is familiar The first order of business is trying to sign center Kevin Hayes, whose with him. If he signs, there shouldn’t be any learning curve. He should be rights the Flyers acquired last week. Both sides aren't close on a deal able to step in seamlessly if he signs.” and the team plans on bringing the 27-year-old pending free agent to Dave Isaac; town this week. Courier-Post LOADED: 06.11.2019 “I don’t have a vibe (of whether he signs or not) other than he’s certainly open minded,” Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said. “You have to remember he’s also three weeks away from getting to July 1, so that’s a nice status to attain in this league. Certainly he’s earned that right and we’re respectful of that, but I think we have a lot to offer here in Philly so we’ll continue to speak to him. I think he’s open minded to conversations, at least that’s what his camp has said to us, and obviously we have strong interest in him.”

Fletcher sent a fifth-round pick to the Winnipeg Jets to get three weeks of negotiating time with Hayes before June 23, when other teams can legally get in his ear about what they’d potentially offer him on July 1 when free agents can officially sign new contracts. Hayes could sign with the Flyers sooner than that because they already have his rights.

Getting a center was a big priority for Fletcher and when asked why, he pointed to the 280 goals against the Flyers had last season, third most in the league. Hayes, who may be even better defensively than he is offensively, would help a lot in that regard and the Flyers’ pro scouting meetings targeted him as the best one to improve the team.

“In this case there’s not a lot of centermen in the marketplace,” Fletcher said. “Kevin is a quality hockey player. He plays a strong, 200-foot game. He’s a guy that can play both specialty teams. He’s familiar with our coach and our coach is familiar with him. We just thought it made sense to try to get ahead of it. There’s no promises that it’s gonna work out, but certainly we felt if we had a couple extra weeks to speak to him and present our case that would be better than maybe just having a couple days at the end of the month.”

Hayes scored a career-high 25 goals two seasons ago with the New York Rangers under new Flyers bench boss Alain Vigneault. Fletcher said that Vigneault spoke highly of Hayes and in conversations with the player, Hayes reciprocated his respect for his former coach.

Because the top of the market for unrestricted free-agent centers is essentially Hayes, Matt Duchene and maybe Joe Pavelski, whoever pays Hayes will pay a lot. Fletcher knew that before trading for his rights and understands that Hayes may want to take it until at least June 23 when he can listen to what other offers might come his way.

“I don’t know how to characterize it other than we’ve had good conversations and we’re hopeful we can find a way to make something work,” Fletcher said.

And if it doesn’t?

Well then Fletcher could have a more stressful trip to Vancouver. At that point, everyone in the league would know he’s looking for a center and prices in a trade tend to go up at the draft. Fletcher has the 11th pick in the draft and has dangled it out there but said other general managers haven’t really bit much.

“As you get closer things can change,” Fletcher said. “If we keep our pick and stay at 11, we’re gonna get a really good player. It is a really good chip and there are scenarios where I wouldn’t hesitate to move it if it could really help our team. Most of our conversations haven’t really involved the pick at this point in speaking with teams. In a couple weeks we can speak to agents about free agents. We’ll get a better sense there.” 1146584 Philadelphia Flyers it’s at 11 or the second or third round, we will see. But again, if the best player is a left winger, we will address that.”

Flahr acknowledged that in the duo’s early days with the Minnesota Wild, Echoes of Hextall: New Flyers brain trust lays out strikingly familiar the equation was a bit different, but he implied their approach has shifted approach to the draft over time to lean more toward “BPA.”

“I would say, there was a couple drafts — especially early on (in By Charlie O'Connor Jun 10, 2019 Minnesota) — where we had no forwards coming (up through the system), we had some defensemen, so I think we targeted forwards,” he said. “But I think also that’s a danger where you make mistakes, where you’re just going for position. I think you’ve really got to go — especially When Ron Hextall and Chris Pryor were dismissed last year from their early in the draft — go with the list, go with the best player. Your needs respective positions atop the Philadelphia Flyers’ organizational food right now are sometimes different from when these guys are having an chain, it threw every aspect of the franchise’s future approaches into impact two, three years from now.” question. But perhaps more than any other branch of the club, the fate of the scouting department generated considerable conversation. Still, it’s not difficult to see Fletcher and Flahr’s view that the second tier of the draft (after consensus top-two selections Jack Hughes and Kaapo The consternation was understandable. While Hextall’s meticulous, long- Kakko) is a twelve-player group — in their minds, it appears the draft has term approach to team-building had yet to produce impressive on-ice a clear top 15. And within that top 15, they currently have at least two results at the NHL level, the drafts engineered by the former general defensemen in their top 10 — even though only one blueliner (Bowen manager and his right-hand man, Pryor, were universally praised. Even Byram) is viewed as a lock to be taken in that range. If No. 11 comes those critical of Hextall generally acknowledged that his regime had around and Byram is the only defenseman off the board, the Flyers will rapidly replenished the team’s once-barren farm system through shrewd have at least one player at that position who they rate as high-end staring draft picks. them in the face. Actions, of course, speak louder than words, which means there will be “We have a couple of defensemen in our top 10 that we like, and there’s heavy pressure on new general manager Chuck Fletcher and assistant forwards, too,” Flahr said. “We’ll see how it goes.” GM Brent Flahr to match the prior regime’s past draft successes. But during a pre-draft media availability Monday in Voorhees, N.J., the Then, of course, there’s the elephant in the room: Will the Flyers Flyers’ new duo-in-charge sounded a lot like the old bosses when it came ultimately choose to keep the No. 11 overall pick and make their to breaking down their preferred approach. selection, or could it be traded leading up to draft day?

“For me, hockey sense has always been a very important part of what “I’ve certainly mentioned it to teams, that we’re open to any concepts,” you look for in a hockey player,” Fletcher explained. “You obviously want Fletcher said about his willingness to move No. 11 in the right deal. the biggest, fastest, most-skilled player you can get. But the players with “There hasn’t really been a big push for the pick, I will admit at this point. those intangibles, with the hockey sense and the drive and the work ethic As you get closer, things can change. We’ll see. If we keep our pick and are extremely important, and I think that has been a priority here through stay at 11, we’re gonna get a really good player. But it is a pretty good the years.” chip, and in certain scenarios, I certainly would not hesitate to move it, if we can really help our team. Most of our conversations haven’t really That’s a line that could have come straight from the mouth of Ron Hextall involved the pick at this point in speaking to teams.” himself, to justify taking players such as Joel Farabee, German Rubtsov and Morgan Frost in recent seasons. Flahr made sure to note the No. 11 pick would only be moved for a talented young NHLer who would definitely help the Flyers in 2019-20, Joel Farabee poses with Ron Hextall, Bobby Clarke and the Flyers’ brass and beyond. after being selected at No. 14 in the 2018 NHL Draft. (Jerome Miron / USA Today) “We’re not giving away 11,” he bluntly said. “If we’re going to trade 11, it’s going to be for a significant piece, and it won’t be a rental. It’d be a For years, Philadelphia has prioritized players in the draft with two-way younger player realistically.” acumen and high character, over more “offense-first” types and prospects with high physical upside but concerns about their maturity. The new regime has been public with its desire to be aggressive in Based on Monday’s showing, those preferences do not appear likely to attempting to improve the NHL roster in the short-term, and the trade for change in the first draft of the Fletcher/Flahr era. Kevin Hayes’ rights provided concrete evidence that the Fletcher-run front office is preparing for an active next few weeks. But even as they The continuity in terms of approach should probably not come as a major continue discussions with Hayes’ camp and plot their next set of moves surprise. After all, while Hextall and Pryor were fired within days of each as the draft approaches, Fletcher and Flahr were careful to present other in the late November organizational shakeup, the core of the themselves as cognizant of the importance of building through the draft, scouting department remained intact. Yes, Hextall and his inner circle recognizing the value of a pick as high as No. 11. previously made the final call on draft picks — and Pryor in particular was very active in scouting circles — but those decisions were heavily driven “The draft in the cap era is huge. You need young players coming, you by the work of a staff that’s still in place. Fletcher and Flahr don’t seem to need the push from beneath,” Flahr said. “As you get your core positions be planning to freeze those voices out. solidified, you need younger players to contribute, hopefully on their entry-level deals, and be part of the future. This team has drafted well the “We have a good staff, we have an experienced staff,” Flahr said. “These last couple of years, we’ve got a number of players, but we still have aren’t new guys to me, I’ve known all of them from the field, I’ve worked holes to fill.” with a couple of them in the past. So I think the transition, although it was unique, it was pretty smooth. I think we have similar philosophies as far Both men seem confident this draft can go a long way toward filling some as the players we like to draft in certain areas.” of those holes, running counter to the perception that draft picks might now be viewed more as currency to pay for short-term fixes rather than In other words, prospects who jump out pre-draft as seemingly being integral parts of a long-term approach. “Hextall-type” picks? Expect them to remain on the table even with the former general manager no longer in the room. “I would say it’s a B-plus (draft),” Flahr said. “It’s a good draft. I think there’s good depth to it.” As for the question of whether the Fletcher regime would favor a “best player available” drafting strategy or lean more toward filling needs, on In less than two weeks, it will become clear if the Flyers will attempt to Monday the two men predictably laid out a hybrid approach that extract maximum value out of that B-plus draft in a Hextall-ian manner, or nonetheless favored the former. go down a different path.

“I think the way we look at it, we will take the best player at 11,” Flahr Scouting reports from Flahr began, before acknowledging that organizational needs would not be ignored. “I think as we go in the draft, we have some young defensemen Understandably, Fletcher and Flahr were not about to reveal their top that are in the NHL right now, and a couple coming, but we’d probably targets at No. 11. But in a post-news conference scrum, the assistant like to add defenseman depth to our organization going forward, whether general manager did share brief thoughts on a number of players who could be available when the Flyers step up to the podium in the first round. To be clear, if a player was not mentioned, it was simply because Flahr was not asked about him — it does not mean the Flyers lack interest in unmentioned prospects.

Here’s what he had to say:

Cole Caufield, wing, U.S. National Team Development Program: “As advertised. Undersized, you can pick him apart (scouting-wise) due to his size, but he’s pure goal scorer, competitive kid. Got a lot of intangibles that should allow him to play as a small player.”

Philip Broberg, defenseman, AIK (Sweden): “Good size, elite skater. Played with men all year, so I don’t think he had the best year statistically, but he had a real strong April tournament. He has a physical package that is really intriguing for a lot of teams. An NHL player for sure, whether he has the upside offensively as some of the others, maybe not, but he’s gonna be a terrific player.”

Moritz Seider, defenseman, Adler Mannheim (Germany): “A little raw, but he’s more intriguing just because of his upside. Battled some injuries but has the size, the shot, has an offensive dimension. Needs to work on some areas of the game, but he’s the type of kid where he probably won’t have to wait long this year (at the draft), just because of his physical package.”

Matthew Boldy, wing, U.S. National Team Development Program: “Unique guy, power forward with really good hands, can shoot. Played maybe a bit of a less role than he normally would on that team, due to the depth of that team. Talented guy that certainly we like, but other teams do as well.”

Trevor Zegras, center/wing, U.S. National Team Development Program: “Excellent vision, elite hands. He’s an offensive player, first and foremost. Really talented offensive (player), he’s got to come a long a ways physically, but a good player, good centerman.”

Raphaël Lavoie, center/wing, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL): “He’s a goal scorer, bigger body. Needs to round out his game a little bit, he had some consistency issues maybe, but was really good in the playoffs, when it matters most. He shouldn’t have to wait long.”

Peyton Krebs, center, Kootenay Ice (WHL): “(The Achilles injury) is unfortunate, but he’s an unbelievable kid character-wise, drive. He’ll miss some time, but he’s young and he’ll heal fully, it won’t be an issue. I don’t think it’s going to drop him too far in the draft. Based on what I’ve been told, he’s going to miss the summer. It’s not ideal, but at the same time, he’s going to get back to where he was.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146585 Philadelphia Flyers world — would carve out a place at the bottom of a contender’s lineup. The Flyers have more than enough players who fit that mold.

The ‘Please stay far, far away’ option: Dan Girardi Flyers free agency: Pending UFAs the team should avoid I actually don’t think Girardi is a terrible NHL defenseman, which is still the consensus from those with memories of him dragging down Ryan By Charlie O'Connor Jun 10, 2019 McDonagh for years in New York. Tampa Bay proved over the past two seasons that Girardi can provide positive value for a competitive NHL team, if given a limited, sheltered role with plenty of support from skilled teammates. In order to put together a list of recommended targets for the Philadelphia Flyers in the looming unrestricted free agency period — as we at The The problem is the Dan Girardi-Alain Vigneault history. Athletic Philadelphia published on Thursday — it’s necessary in turn to believe that certain players shouldn’t be targeted. After all, a good list is Vigneault, to be blunt, loved Girardi. He joined him at the hip to focused and finite. McDonagh for years at 5-on-5, despite Girardi’s declining skills and the fact that McDonagh performed dramatically better by every available But our 20-player breakdown left out quite a few intriguing names, even public metric when he happened to receive shifts away from the deflating some who might ultimately be pursued by general manager Chuck presence of Girardi. It became one of the Rangers’ most obvious roster Fletcher and the front office in the coming weeks. In the final installment flaws. of our Team Needs/Free Agency Preview series, it’s time to explain why those players failed to make the cut. If Girardi joined the Flyers, it’s possible that Vigneault would use him in the same manner as Tampa Bay — in a limited, low-minutes role, and Only players who appeared in at least 20 NHL games last season were only in certain matchups, to extract the most value out of him. But the evaluated, and any who have already committed to an overseas league thought of the Flyers’ head coach stapling Girardi to Ivan Provorov on the were removed from consideration. Finally, a previously noted disclaimer: top pairing in a redux of the McDonagh situation is frightening. Just because a player is not one of my preferred targets does not mean that the Flyers organization necessarily agrees. The ‘Likely overpays’ group

The ‘Good player, fit questionable’ group There are two types of players in this group: Those coming off unexpectedly strong contract years to increase their leverage in While none of these players made my “ideal targets” list for the Flyers, all negotiations, and those who hit free agency after down years and bring six could easily find their way onto a similar list for another NHL club the real concern that they might be finished as positive NHL contributors. looking to upgrade its roster. We’re talking about undeniably good, useful hockey players here. Ryan Dzingel, Jordie Benn, Alex Chiasson and Braydon Coburn all fit into the former group. Dzingel broke 50 points for the first time in his It’s just tough to see how any of them would be an intelligent allocation of career, Benn had his first positive-value season since 2015-16, Chiasson resources (i.e., cap space) for Philadelphia. cracked the 20-goal plateau and Coburn responded after a poor 2017-18 to deliver a bounce-back season at 34. All were useful players, but they Anders Lee is the best of the bunch, a left-handed winger who thrives in all are likely to see their contracts inflated due to 2018-19 results they the netfront area and is a surprisingly adept play-driver at 5-on-5. The seem unlikely to repeat. problem is the Flyers already have $7 million per year locked up in James van Riemsdyk — a left-handed winger who thrives in the netfront The second group — Wayne Simmonds, Derick Brassard, and Tyler area and, prior to last season, was a surprisingly adept play-driver at 5- Myers to an extent — look to be in decline. Particularly for the first two on-5. Lee won’t come cheap, and his role is already taken. The same players, there’s a scenario in which the market responds with skepticism goes for Patrick Maroon, though he’s obviously less effective than Lee. due to their recent struggles and they end up taking “prove-it” deals — cheap, one-year contracts. But considering the market’s desire for Marcus Johansson and Colin Wilson are what they are — good middle- centers and physical power forward-types, Brassard and Simmonds very six scoring forwards who don’t really drive play but aren’t major liabilities, well might get lucrative long-term contracts rooted in hopes of a bounce- either. But my preference for a depth forward would be a player who can back. Such a move would be a real risk. As for Myers, the perception is help his line to positive shot and chance differentials, since Oskar that he’s played quite well for Winnipeg, but the on-ice results don’t really Lindblom is the Flyers’ only projected middle-sixer with that skill set. back that up. Evolving Wild projects him to receive over $42 million on a Micheal Ferland also lacks a history of play-driving, and would be a seven-year term, and that’s far too much for a player who (at best) is lower-cost Wayne Simmonds replacement more than anything else. As probably a decent No. 4. for Brandon Tanev, he’s a very effective fourth liner who will get paid like a player expected to be a very effective fourth liner — but the Flyers will The ‘I could be convinced’ options: Jordie Benn, Wayne Simmonds likely have to compensate Scott Laughton and Ryan Hartman on that level this summer. I’m not sure they need another “super fourth-line” guy. Benn was legitimately impressive in 2018-19 — he drove play, scored at a solid rate at 5-on-5 and skated 18 minutes a night for a competitive The ‘I could be convinced’ option: Colin Wilson Montreal club. In the two years prior, however, he was quite poor, and since he’s 31, it seems unlikely that something randomly clicked for him Two things set Wilson apart from the rest of this group. First, last season and he turned back into a solid contributor. Still, it’s at least possible that was the first time he’d been in the negative by advanced metrics in quite he made measurable, sustainable changes to his game, and found a way a while; generally speaking, he’s been slightly positive due to his to turn a corner. consistent shot and chance suppression ability. Second, and more importantly, Wilson might actually come relatively cheap — Evolving Wild As for Simmonds, I believe he will deliver a bounce-back season in 2019- projects him to receive a $2.57 million cap hit over three years, which 20, a year removed from last summer’s surgical procedures, and he seems perfectly reasonable for someone with his talents. obviously has a place in both the Flyers’ locker room and the hearts of Philadelphia fans. That said, I still have serious worries about how he’ll I’d still prefer a player such as Joonas Donskoi or Carl Hagelin to fill the age into his mid-30s, even if a short-term rebound is in the cards (there’s open 3W spot, and Wilson wouldn’t be an exciting choice. But he no guarantee it is). But if the market doesn’t develop to Simmonds’ liking wouldn’t be a terrible one, either. and the only offers on the table are short-term, low-cost deals, I’m not The ‘Not a top-4 defenseman’ group opposed to the Flyers swinging back around to him a couple weeks into free agency (if they haven’t filled their middle-six wing hole with another It’s not difficult to envision any of these eight defensemen helping an player), to see if he’s open to a return. NHL team during the 2019-20 season. They’re all starting-caliber blueliners — in the right role. But most likely, that “right role” is third-pair The ‘Please stay far, far away’ option: Tyler Myers duties, which isn’t the type of upgrade the Flyers are looking to make. Myers isn’t a terrible defenseman. He’s more or less break-even from a After all, Philadelphia already has nine defensemen under team control play-driving standpoint, can be a useful PP2 option and has the added for next season, with as many as six of them who might be best suited for bonus of being a right-handed shot. But we’re still talking about a guy third-pair duties. The goal this offseason should be to improve the overall who probably is best suited to be the better player on a third pairing, or at talent on the blueline, not simply add another player who — in an ideal most, a passable No. 4. He’s not going to get paid like that, though. With very few established above still have to make that decision for themselves, and all could under-30 top-4 caliber defensemen hitting the market (it’s basically Erik ultimately choose to hang up their skates. Aside from Thornton (who Karlsson, Jake Gardiner and Myers), the circumstances are ripe for a clarified his future already), it’s not really worth the Flyers’ while to wait massive overpay based on the argument that Myers was granted on any of them. second-pair minutes in Winnipeg and the Jets have been a really good team, so he must be a good defenseman. It’s hard to imagine the deal The ‘Goalies who don’t fit’ group that Myers likely receives being anything other than a cap albatross for There are three subsections within this group: Goalies who won’t sign in his new team. Philadelphia because they won’t want to play second banana to Carter The ‘Do we really need another decent fourth liner?’ group Hart over the course of a long-term extension; goalies who won’t sign for other reasons; and goalies who I believe aren’t as good as Brian Elliott or If the Flyers can ultimately make additions both at center and wing this Cam Talbot, whose rights the Flyers hold until July 1. summer, they’re poised to ice a fourth line that, at least on paper, looks to be one of the league’s best. Michael Raffl, Laughton and Hartman may Sergei Bobrovsky is the obvious leader of the first group; he justifiably not be game-changers, but they’re all solid, useful NHLers with track wants a big-money, long-term deal, and even if the Flyers were foolish records of scoring points at solid rates and not being total liabilities when enough to give it to him, the idea of falling behind Hart in the pecking it comes to underlying metrics. order in the coming years wouldn’t be attractive to the veteran netminder. Semyon Varlamov and Robin Lehner would have similar trepidation, as The group of players above could find a fit on most NHL fourth lines, but both understandably want to maintain sizable workloads over the length probably would slot in behind the Flyers’ potential trio in terms of true of their next contracts. talent. In other words, for the Flyers, such an acquisition would either be for a 13th forward role (which risks an overpay) or would push down a Ryan Miller and Petr Mrazek headline the second group. Miller’s priority superior player. It just feels like an unnecessary addition — unless the seems to be staying on the West Coast for personal reasons, so even Flyers make only one other forward add this summer. Then, these names though he would be a solid fit as a 1B behind Hart, he’s out as a realistic make a bit more sense, even if they wouldn’t be my top choices. option. Mrazek is probably returning to Carolina after succeeding there in 2018-19, but even if he wanted to explore other options, it’s doubtful The ‘I could be convinced’ option: Brian Boyle Philadelphia would be one of them, considering the way his brief tenure with the Flyers played out in the second half of 2017-18. Boyle, however, is a solidly above-average 4C, and if the Flyers prefer to use Laughton on the wing rather than in the middle, they will need That leaves Keith Kinkaid, Cam Ward, Mike Smith and Curtis another bottom-six pivot. Yes, Boyle turns 35 in December, but he is McElhinney. Kinkaid isn’t a terrible netminder, but he’s coming off an coming off an 18-goal season and is projected by Evolving Wild to even worse season than Talbot in 2018-19, and his track record before receive a one-year, $1.28 million contract this summer. That’s doable. that down year pales in comparison to Talbot. Ward hasn’t delivered a truly impressive save percentage since 2010-11. Smith was fine in the The ‘We have enough lottery-ticket depth options already’ group playoffs but largely terrible in the 2018-19 regular season, and he just There are points in the team-building cycle when it makes sense for a turned 37. McElhinney, 36, has never been an NHL starter — the fact club to take fliers on players with promising signs in their statistical that his mid-30s resurgence back to respectability might make him the profiles, players who may have simply fallen through the cracks and not best candidate in this group for the Flyers speaks to the all-around received an opportunity to establish themselves in the NHL. It’s usually weakness of the free-agent netminding class. early in the rebuilding process when such strategies are logical; if your In my opinion, the Flyers’ best bet remains either Elliott or Talbot serving team lacks depth, why not take a chance on players with plausible as the 1B to Hart’s 1A. upside, knowing that they can be jettisoned if they don’t pan out? The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 The Flyers aren’t really in that position anymore. Not only is the offseason focus (justifiably) on adding proven talent to the roster, but Philadelphia also has a large number of lottery tickets in its deep farm system. Why give a 27-year-old who performed decently in about 30 NHL games a chance when that opportunity could be granted to a younger unknown with higher upside who was drafted and developed by the organization? After all, “prospects” like Samuel Morin and Nicolas Aubé- Kubel are still waiting for their shots with the Flyers.

All of the above players bring at least a degree of plausible upside to the table. None of them really fits the Flyers’ stated offseason needs, though.

The ‘Just not good enough at 5-on-5’ group

Some of these players were perfectly useful, or even impact players, at one time. Others are the type who end up in free agency each year and invariably find spots as the 13th or 14th forward on clubs. But what links them all in the here and now is that none has the proven ability to move the needle in a positive way — either by scoring or via on-ice differentials — at 5-on-5 at this stage in his career.

The ‘Please stay far, far away’ option: Deryk Engelland

Engelland is the only player on this list who seems like a remotely plausible candidate to be targeted by the Flyers — he’s a right-handed shot who has taken not-insignificant minutes for a very solid Golden Knights team over the past two seasons. But Engelland was a flat-out liability at 5-on-5 for Vegas last season, and he just turned 37. There just doesn’t seem to be much in the way of plausible upside here.

The ‘Are these guys going to keep playing?’ group

There is plausible upside with a few of these guys, though. Jason Pominville still drives play at 5-on-5 and scores at a decent rate, given his ice time; Thomas Vanek can still put up points even if he no longer can really do anything else; and Joe Thornton, well, is still Joe Thornton.

But the only player in this group who remains an impact-level talent is Thornton, and he’s said there are only two options for him heading into the offseason: retirement or return to the Sharks. The other players listed 1146586 Pittsburgh Penguins Schinkel, a former Penguins player and coach, reportedly preferred Kirk Muller, a forward projected to go second in the draft behind Lemieux. All the usual clichés applied: Tougher, grittier, a better two-way player, not Mark Madden: 35 years later, Penguins’ drafting Mario Lemieux No. 1 French, etc. was both easy, complicated Johnston ignored Schinkel. Muller went second to New Jersey and had a decent career: 959 points in 1,349 games. But his resume says minus- 147 while Lemieux’s says plus-114. So perhaps Muller wasn’t a MARK MADDEN | Monday, June 10, 2019 7:19 p.m. defensive wizard.

Johnston also ignored several in owner Edward J. DeBartolo’s organization who wanted to try a quick fix by dealing the pick. But, as Sunday was the 35th anniversary of the Penguins drafting Mario Johnston said, “Mr. DeBartolo was at Mario’s first practice and he said, Lemieux. ‘Thank God you didn’t listen to any of those people.’ ” That might sound like an easy decision to make. Ultimately, it was. Johnston selected Lemieux. But contract negotiations with the Penguins But there were a few complications. were at an impasse. At the draft, held at Montreal’s Forum, Lemieux refused to shake Johnston’s hand or don the Penguins sweater. General manager Eddie Johnston had to quietly maneuver the Penguins into finishing last overall in 1983-84. But Lemieux signed 10 days later. Once he put that Penguins jersey on, he never took it off. Good thing, too, or this column would appear in the OK, so maybe he didn’t do it so quietly. Kansas City Star.

For example, goalie Roberto Romano won a few starts, and got sent to Tribune Review LOADED: 06.11.2019 the minors. Replacing him was Vincent Tremblay, who went 0-4. His goals-against average was 6.02.

“We wanted to see what he can do,” Johnston said then.

Tremblay did exactly as expected. Nay, hoped for.

The Penguins finished with 38 points. New Jersey had 41. Mission accomplished.

Quebec, Minnesota and Montreal made huge bids for the Penguins’ pick.

The Nordiques offered all three Stastny brothers and their first-round pick (15th overall). Peter Stastny, the best of the trio, was 27 and had just compiled a 119-point season. He finished his career with 1,239 points in 977 games and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The North Stars dangled all 12 of their draft choices that year. Their top selection was 13th overall.

The Canadiens offered an impressive package of players and draft choices reportedly topped by center Guy Carbonneau, who would go on to win the Selke Trophy three times as the NHL’s top defensive forward.

But Johnston preferred the notion of a center who could score goals, not prevent them — and who could sell tickets, too.

Montreal’s bid also included the fifth pick overall. Canadiens management asked Johnston for a chance to better any offer made by another team.

But, Johnston said, “I went to watch him play (in the Quebec Major Junior league) a few times, and it was a very easy decision. Every time you went to watch him, if he didn’t get seven or eight points, it was an off night for Mario.”

The idea of the Penguins trading the first pick overall seems ludicrous, but it happened fairly often in that era. Good teams fleeced bad teams by offering them the chance for immediate upgrade via veterans.

Montreal won the Stanley Cup in 1971 and ‘79, yet had the first overall choice in those years. (The ’71 pick yielded Guy Lafleur courtesy of the Oakland Seals.) Philadelphia won the Stanley Cup in ’75, but selected first that year. They took Mel Bridgman (who?) and haven’t won a Cup since.

The Canadiens had known about Lemieux for several years. He demolished youth competition in his native Montreal almost from the moment he donned skates.

So, in 1981, they made a deal to get Hartford’s first-round pick in 1984. Hartford finished fourth-to-last the season before (1980-81). The Canadiens hoped the Whalers’ troubles would worsen and deliver Lemieux to Montreal. Hartford got Penguins great and future Lemieux confidant Pierre Larouche as the key component in that swap.

But the Whalers came in fifth worst in 1983-84. Their 66 points (there’s that number) dwarfed the Penguins’ 38.

So, Quebec, Minnesota and Montreal couldn’t make Johnston budge.

Neither could Ken Schinkel, the Penguins’ scouting director. 1146587 Pittsburgh Penguins

The forgotten story of the Penguins’ 2009 Stanley Cup-clinching win

STAFF

If you remember one thing about the Penguins’ Game 7 victory over the Detroit Red Wings to claim the Stanley Cup 10 years ago, it’s probably Max Talbot’s clutch performance. His two goals were the difference in a 2-1 game that night at Joe Louis Arena.

If you remember two things, the image of goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s sprawling save on Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom as time expired is probably seared into your mind.

If you remember three, one is almost certainly Penguin-turned-Red Wing Marian Hossa sipping stone-faced from his water bottle as the team he left in free agency for a better chance to win the Cup celebrated without him on the ice.

Other details have tended to fade into history in the years since, but one of them was certainly among the most impressive elements of the victory at the time: the Penguins played most of the final two periods without their best player and captain, Sidney Crosby.

His Game 7 effectively ended at about the 5:30 mark of the second period, when Detroit’s Johan Franzen crushed him with a check into the boards in the neutral zone.

He put barely any weight on his left leg as he skated off the ice before hobbling to the dressing room with the assistance of the training staff. Not the sight a fan wants to see when their team is nursing a 1-0 lead with the season coming to a climax.

There was no doubt on the Penguins’ bench, though.

“Sid has bailed us out a million times,” veteran winger Bill Guerin, now the team’s assistant general manager, told the Post-Gazette after the game. “It was our time to get the job done for him.

That’s exactly what they did. In fact, Talbot responded with a goal less than five minutes later to push the advantage to 2-0 and give his team some breathing room heading into the second intermission.

Crosby returned to the bench in the third period but his contributions were very limited. He finished Game 7 with 9:59 of ice time, more than just Pascal Dupuis and Miroslav Satan among forwards.

Fortunately, his team didn’t end up needing any more offense. Jonathan Ericsson’s goal at 13:53 was all the Red Wings managed before that wild barrage in the final few minutes, in which Fleury came up huge.

Time expired. The Penguins were champs. And Crosby? Well, let’s just say he looked OK skating that big trophy around the ice.

“It’s everything you dream of. It’s an amazing feeling,” he told the Post- Gazette before declaring himself “100 percent” for the championship parade a few days later.

The Penguins would struggle to deal with injuries to their captain in subsequent seasons. When it mattered most, though, they delivered one of the grittier playoff performances in team history to make him the youngest captain ever to lift the Cup.

Post Gazette LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146588 San Jose Sharks

Sharks organizational review: Center position could be big question mark

By Chelena Goldman

June 10, 2019 11:30 AM

SAN JOSE -- The center position was an ever-evolving area of the Sharks' game during the 2018-19 season, with its highs, lows and changes in personnel.

The team had added depth this past season with Joe Thornton moving to third-line center and with Tomas Hertl's successful transition to the pivot partway through the season. But San Jose also had difficulty finding a regular winning combination for its fourth line, and at the end of the regular season, it was ranked 15th in the NHL with a 50.3 faceoff win percentage -- and its four best skaters in the faceoff circle all spent the majority of their seasons playing on the wing.

Given the Sharks had some serious questions to answer involving the center position after Chris Tierney was sent to the Senators in the Erik Karlsson trade before the season started, San Jose ended the season with decent depth down the middle. Looking ahead to next season, however, there is room to grow -- and a couple more questions that need to be answered.

The Sharks' top lines are pretty much set, with Hertl and Logan Couture centering them. Couture has been a staple down the middle for San Jose for some time now, and his work over the past season with Timo Meier on his wing gave the Sharks an opportunity to score goals on a nightly basis.

Hertl's arrival as a key center for the team was more of a surprise, as he continued to build his game as a power forward after coach Peter DeBoer put him at the pivot before the turn of the new year. Hertl continued to grow in the position as the Sharks made a 20-game playoff run, taking over responsibilities with captain Joe Pavelski out of the lineup. Hertl went 56.2 percent in the faceoff circle during the playoffs, and played with a broken pinkie finger. Just imagine how much he can improve now that his finger is fixed.

San Jose's bottom lines are a bit of a different story, though, especially if Thornton doesn't return next season. Either way, there still will be an unofficial tryout to see who will best fill in that center role.

While Barclay Goodrow spent a chunk of the past season in that position, it seems very likely Dylan Gambrell will get a good look after spending last season bouncing between the AHL Barracuda and the NHL club. Of course, that's dependent on the Sharks signing the restricted free agent this summer, although that seems like a strong possibility.

If fellow center and RFA Antti Suomela still is around next season, he also could get a look, much like he did on the third line at the start of this past season. Another RFA on San Jose's long free agent list is Rourke Chartier, who began the season centering the fourth line while Thornton was dealing with complications involving his surgically repaired knee. However, injuries hampered Chartier's playing time at the AHL level this past season, and his future with the team remains a mystery.

One player we didn't see up at the NHL level over the 2018-19 season was Alexander True. The young Danish center is coming off a team- leading 55-point campaign with the Barracuda, and he could get a look with the big club when training camp gets underway.

Again, the Sharks might look to add another center to the mix if Thornton doesn't return next season -- and even more so if Pavelski goes to a different team. Even if San Jose makes a deal to keep gritty forward Micheal Haley, that still leaves the Sharks with a lack of skill down the center of their lineup.

In addition to centers from the Barracuda receiving a look, there's a chance the Sharks could make a trade for a more skilled player to help fill that void. San Jose also could add a center or two in this year's draft, although that likely wouldn't have an impact on the big club until after this next season.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146589 St Louis Blues

Blues set rating record, drub Cardinals in television viewership

BY dan caesar St. Louis Post-Dispatch 11 hrs ago

The second-biggest game in Blues history — No. 1 looms Wednesday night — drew the best television rating for a hockey game on record in St. Louis. And it pounded the figure the Cardinals drew on a competing network.

The Blues, playing for the first time in a game in which a victory would have given them the Stanley Cup, fell behind early then crumbled in the third period en route to a 5-1 loss to Boston. But 33 percent of homes in the market with a TV tuned to KSDK (Channel 5) for NBC’s telecast of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final on Sunday night. That’s according to Nielsen, which tabulates viewership.

Ratings in St. Louis have been kept on a daily basis dating to 1989, so figures for the Blues’ three other trips to the Finals (in 1968, ‘69 and ‘70) are not available. Thus their three highest-rated games on record have come in this series. Game 5 was at 30.1 and the opener at 29.0.

As expected, Game 6 crushed what normally would be a ratings Goliath in St. Louis — Cardinals-Cubs on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball.” That contest began at 6:05 p.m., an hour and 15 minutes before the hockey game, and drew just a 3.3 rating. It is believed to be the lowest rating for a Cards “Sunday Night Baseball” appearance.

The hockey rating Sunday undoubtedly would have been higher if Boston had not pulled away in the third period after leading just 1-0 when it began. From 9:15-9:30 p.m., the rating was 37.0. It dropped to 34.0 from 9:30-9:45 p.m., then to 29.5 for the final 15-minute block.

Game 7, on Wednesday night, figures to do even better provided the Blues are winning or at least close in the third period.

Despite the down third for Blues fans, St. Louis still generated a better rating than did Boston (27.6). And the contest produced a 4.7 rating nationally, which is the best NBC has had for a non-clinching Game 6 in the 14 seasons it has shown the Final. That has happened three other times.

BY THE NUMBERS

Ratings in St. Louis and Boston for the Stanley Cup Final games to date:

Notes: The rating is the percentage of homes with a TV tuning in. Games 2 and 3 on NBCSN, rest on NBC (KSDK, Channel 5 locally).

Source: Nielsen

Gm. StL Bos

1.Avg. 29.026.4 25.224.6

2. 22.0 22.9

3. 16.1 20.6

4. 28.0 26.0

5. 30.1 25.3

6. 33.0 27.6

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146590 St Louis Blues

Tickets to Game 7 watch party at Enterprise Center sell out quickly

By Erin Heffernan St. Louis Post-Dispatch 11 hrs ago

ST. LOUIS • Tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals Game 7 watch party at Enterprise Center on Wednesday night sold out quickly Monday afternoon, according to Ticketmaster.

The game will be held in Boston at 7 p.m. (St. Louis time), but St. Louis fans will again pack Enterprise Center to watch the game on the big screens.

Tickets went on sale to season ticket holders for $10 at 2 p.m. Monday and to the general public for $20 at 4 p.m. Monday, but by 4:10 p.m. Ticketmaster showed that the event completely sold out the Enterprise Center's 18,400 seats.

Third-party vendor Vivid Seats was re-selling tickets to the game Monday afternoon starting at $115.

Enterprise Center was also sold out for three previous away games during the finals.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and, according to the Blues, fans can expect:

Full in-game production including opening videos and goal celebrations

Intermission games

Celebrity appearances

Live music

Inflatables and lawn games

Happy hour specially-priced food and beverage items

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146591 St Louis Blues “Did you watch it?” Binnington asked a reporter.

(Yes, was the reply.)

Bruins spoil the party in St. Louis, force Blues to hit the road for Game 7 “Did it bounce?” Binnington asked.

(Yes, was the reply.)

By Jim Thomas St. Louis Post-Dispatch 10 hrs ago “Good eye,” Binnington said.

Midway through the third, it became 3-0 Boston when 23-year-old Karson Kuhlman beat Binnington far side. The moment was there. The bright and shiny Stanley Cup in the house. Anticipation high. The 52-year wait almost over. O’Reilly gave the Blues a pulse when his fourth goal in three games trimmed the lead to 3-1. But just two minutes later, with 5:54 left to play, It’s not over yet. David Pastrnak scored the first even-strength goal of the series for the The Boston Bruins spoiled the party Sunday night, defeating the Blues 5- Bruins’ top line — the “Perfection Line” it’s called. 1 at Enterprise Center. And that was it for Game 6, with Zdeno Chara adding an empty-netter The Bruins were opportunistic on offense and air-tight on defense. When with 2:19 left to close out the scoring. challenged by the Blues, goalie Tuukka Rask was up to the challenge. “It obviously wasn’t good enough,” O’Reilly said of the Blues’ So this Stanley Cup Final series is now tied 3-3 with a deciding Game 7 performance. “Obviously not the start that we wanted. Bad play by myself Wednesday at TD Garden in Boston. there to take the penalty there to take it to 5-on-3.

“Listen, if you told me four months ago we were going to be in the Finals “It took the wind out of our sails and it took too long for us to climb back in Game 7, I think I’d take it,” coach Craig Berube said. “We’ve been a in. Their second goal was a lucky bounce. Just kind of bounced up on good road team. We’ve won twice up there in this series, so we’re a Binner. Not much we could do there. We just didn’t respond the right confident group.” way.”

Nothing has come easy for the Blues this season, and that’s certainly the Given the potent Boston power play, the Blues have stressed all series case this postseason. The Blues were down two games to one in the the importance of staying out of the box and avoiding silly penalties. Well, Western Conference Final against San Jose after the Hand Pass game - Brayden Schenn was sent to the box for boarding at the 7:17 mark of the and won the next three. first, and then 62 seconds later O’Reilly joined him — sending the puck over the glass for a delay of game penalty. They were down 3-2 against Dallas in Round 2 and facing elimination in Game 6 at American Airlines Center. They won the next two to close out After just 21 seconds of 5-on-3 play, the Bruins were on the board on the series. Brad Marchand’s back-door one-timer.

Even in Round 1 against Winnipeg they were in danger of losing their Special teams have been a problem for the Blues throughout this series, third game in row, but rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period for a and Sunday was no different. The Blues went 0-for-4 on the power play, Game 5 win and then won the series in six. running their tally to 1-for-18 for the series. Meanwhile, the Bruins are 7- for-21 on the power play this series. Now they must win a Game 7 in Boston to win their first Stanley Cup ever. Without the special teams domination, this series would be over and the Blues would be Cup champions. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us and we’re confident,” said Ryan O’Reilly, who scored the Blues’ only goal in Game 6. “We’re a great road “We had 12 shots (on the power play),” Berube said. “We did have team. That’s our story. We gotta get it done on the road.” momentum, we had some good looks. We didn’t score. Rask made some good saves. Can it be better? Yeah, it has to be better. ... We’ve But for the seventh time in 13 postseason home games, the Blues definitely got to bury a couple.” couldn’t get it done at Enterprise. It certainly wasn’t for lack of fan support. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019

“It was crazy,” David Perron said. “We stayed at the hotel (near Enterprise) in the afternoon, and you could hear people honking and yelling, ‘Let’s Go Blues!’ You could see people walking up and down the street. It was a cool sighting. ...”

As the final seconds ticked down on Sunday, the crowd of 18,890 chanted “Let’s Go Blues!” and “We Want the Cup!” after the team’s final home game of the season.

Don’t confuse this game with the Blues’ 7-2 shellacking in Game 3 here June 1. The Blues had a good start, gave up a 5-on-3 power-play goal 8 minutes 40 seconds into play, but trailed only 1-0 entering the third period.

“I thought it was an even game, really,” Berube said. “Two periods, it’s tight hockey. There’s not a lot of room out there.

“I’ll credit Boston. They played well. They checked well. They didn’t give us a ton of room out there. I didn’t think we gave them much either. Can we play better? Yeah, we can play better. But I thought we handled the pressure (of the moment) pretty well.”

The game — and the Cup — were there for the taking as the third period began. But the Blues couldn’t take them.

Just 2½ minutes into the third, Bruins defenseman Brandon Carlo sent a knucklepuck toward Jordan Binnington from just inside the blueline. It took a bad hop as it approached Binnington and went in for a 2-0 lead.

It was a huge goal, especially considering how well Rask and the Boston defense were playing.

Binnington was testy when asked what happened on the goal. 1146592 St Louis Blues Binnington was no match for Rask on this night, no matter how much the Blues wanted to cite luck and the bounce of a puck. Binnington allowed four goals after holding the Bruins to three, combined, in his last two BenFred: Blues' last shot at Cup comes where they are best — on the games. road, after a loss If O’Reilly had buried his first-period breakaway, perhaps things would have changed. If Brayden Schenn had resisted the urge to draw an obvious boarding penalty on a senseless smash of Joakim Nordstrom in 13 hrs ago the first period, and O’Reilly had not followed it up with a delay-of-game penalty, then Marchand might not have beaten Binnington on a five-on- Ben Frederickson three power play.

If an attempt to clear the puck had not bounced off an on-ice official, For a team that is one win away from the biggest sports party this city perhaps the Bruins would not have gone ahead by two goals less than ever has known, the Blues sure can be a buzzkill. three minutes into the second. It was that kind of a game, one that prompted some fans to head for the exits when Karson Kuhlman beat Disappointing? Sure. Binnington high and to his left to give the Bruins a 3-0 lead with 9:45 left in the third period. Two more goals were on their way, one into an open Surprising? Goodness, no. net. Not to anyone who has been paying attention. Goals from Marchand and David Pastrnak, who had been quiet in this It never has been easy for the Blues, and even though this season’s series, are not encouraging signs for Game 7. remarkably resilient team has restored the spirits of the most hardened The Blues were blanked on all four of their power plays. It’s so hard to non-believers, coach Craig Berube’s guys have this dangerous habit of win when that happens. Change that, and a lopsided loss that was close waiting until they are backed deep into a corner before they run through a until the third could look a whole lot different. wall. And now? When they don’t have an inch of wiggle room, the Blues play like a team that is worthy of the Stanley Cup. When they do have that inch, they tend Flush it. to give it away as soon as they can. Especially when that game is played at home. For so many reasons.

Their 5-1 loss to the Bruins on Sunday night in Game 6 of the Stanley "We are a great team on the road," O'Reilly said. "We know if we play our Cup Final is the most painful example, but far from the first. This dates best game, we can take these guys. It’s go there and get it done." back to the dud of the regular-season home opener. It reminded of the He's right. Game 3 flop on June 1. So, again, no one should be surprised. And no one should be panicking. The Blues have lost back-to-back games in this postseason just twice. That’s twice in 25 games. And get this: The Blues have not lost back-to- The truth is the Blues tend to be at their best on the road, where they back postseason games in more than a month. They are 5-2 after a solidified their regular-season surge from last in the NHL standings on postseason loss, and 3-1 after a loss in which they allow five or more the morning of Jan. 3, to the first team in any of the four major North goals. American sports (NHL, NBA, MLB and NFL) to launch to the championship contest after touching the bottom of the standings after the Don’t forget their .750 road win percentage is the best of any team that season’s quarter mark. made the postseason. Remember that Binnington is a beast after losses. He has allowed four or more goals six times this postseason. Here are They also tend to be at their best coming off of a beating. his goals allowed in the starts that follow: 2, 2, 2, 1, 2. So, both boxes are checked for Wednesday’s Game 7 in Boston. Ivan Barbashev will be back for the next one. "You’re not going to win every game," Blues goalie Jordan Binnington Momentum in this series is nonexistent between games. said. "You’re not going to be perfect. We are going to regroup here and prepare and play our game, get back to our game, be disciplined, stay What we learned Sunday, we already knew. Big moments get to the composed and hopefully get a better outcome." Blues at home. It’s maddening. Oh well.

There’s a poetry to it, if you can look past the party that was spoiled Now their biggest moment ever comes on the road, after a loss. Sunday. They’re comfortable here. Backs in the corner. No wiggle room. Can you imagine the scene if the tens of thousands of fans who swarmed downtown and the thousands who spent thousands to get into the St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019 building would not have gone home downtrodden?

The Blues can’t win the Stanley Cup here. They can still bring it home. A parade down Market Street would make up for Game 6.

That’s if the Blues can continue to follow the bounce-back blueprint that led them this far. The Bruins were amazing in Games 1 and 3, and they might have been better at times in Game 6.

Super pest Brad Marchand, star goalie Tuukka Rask and a desperate bunch of buddies know what it takes to win and lose championships, and now the Blues’ cushion is gone.

The Blues didn’t blow it Sunday. Boston grabbed it and refused to let go.

The Blues still can take the series. More on that in a moment.

First, it’s worth mentioning the biggest obstacle standing in the Blues’ way of a broken curse.

He wears No. 40 and a mask of an animal possessed. Rask stopped 28 of 29 shots behind a stronger Bruins defense than the Blues have encountered in previous games. He blanketed the Blues before and after Ryan O’Reilly’s third-period goal chipped into the Bruins’ 3-0 lead. 1146593 St Louis Blues reads the plays really well. A lot of goalies do now, but he’s on another level with that. The cross-ice pass that another goalie might not see coming, he sees coming all the time.”

Hochman: Bruins ruin Blues' chance at history by playing St. Louis style Rask’s dedication and resilience permeates through the Bruins. of hockey Tuukka’s wrath? It used to be something of lore. Maybe not in a good way. In an AHL game in 2009, after a controversial loss, he chopped his 13 hrs ago stick against a post and then, after going into the locker room, returned with some crates and threw those on the ice, too. Benjamin Hochman “I think those days are past, I like to stay more calm,” Rask said from the locker room during this series. “It doesn’t do any good to get your blood pressure up.” Stanley … has left the building. Well, on Sunday in St. Louis, in one of the biggest games of his life, Rask “Game 6” still belongs solely to the Cardinals. was cool and calm. He stopped 28 of 29 shots, including one with his Sure, Boston played well. Whatever. The Blues – be it their crucial back (and a little help from friend Charlie McAvoy). turnovers, a lack of power-play execution or a couple surprising misses And so, we head to Boston. For the first time ever, in this city of by Jordan Binnington – blew it. champions, the Bruins will host a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. It’s Boston 5, St. Louis 1. There will be a Game 7. the 17th Cup Final to go to a final seventh game. The last one was won by Boston in 2011. To think of what opportunity they missed out on. It could have been the greatest sports moment this city has seen – or, at least, as Tony La This Bruins team is a team. With the goal Sunday by Karson Kuhlman, Russa used to say, “tied for first” with the David Freese Game 6. Instead, 21 Bruins have now scored in this postseason. A record. But the scary on the cusp of the Cup, the Blues couldn’t rise to the moment. This is a thing is that their top line started cooking on Sunday, too. painful sentence to type and surely to read: The Blues hosted Game 6 of You’ve heard this before – it’s going to be the biggest game in St. Louis the Stanley Cup Final with the Stanley Cup in the building – and lost. hockey history. Some team is going to meet Stanley. “We were just a little too loose there in the third,” forward Ryan O’Reilly St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019 said.

And they’re left with a smorgasbord of reasons why they’re going back to Boston.

The Bruins ruined the party by playing heavier hockey – precisely what was anticipated from the home team. The Blues just didn’t play their game. Asked if the Blues weren’t as physical as in previous wins, Jay Bouwmeester’s short answer actually spoke volumes: “Ah, I don’t know – hard to say,” and then looked to other reporters to ask new questions.

The Blues could have used Ivan Barbashev, the bulldozing fourth-liner who was suspended for Game 6 due to a hit in Game 5. Sure, Sammy Blais had four hits filling in on that line, but “Barbie” sometimes tallies twice that number. Oh, and Blais turned the puck over on the dagger-like fourth goal Sunday. And when the Blues tried to get aggressive, they were occasionally careless – such as Brayden Schenn’s boarding penalty that led to the first goal.

In other uncharacteristic performances, how about the forecheck? It wasn’t as good as it had been – even though the Blues had the matchups they wanted at home, as well as the return of Robert Thomas to the forechecking force that is the line with Pat Maroon and Tyler Bozak.

“I didn’t think we dumped pucks in very well,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “I thought we put pucks to bad areas, whether our forwards didn’t soft-chip it enough and get it to good areas where we could get on it and be physical. I didn’t think we got in there quick enough and won enough battles on our forecheck. There were a lot of battles there, but we lost too many of them.”

And then – the second goal by Boston was botched by Binnington.

After Jake DeBrusk battled hard to keep the puck in the Blues’ zone – with a little help from a convenient bounce off an official – Brandon Carlo’s bouncing shot suddenly shot up – and essentially through the goalie Binnington. After the game, Berube was steadfast that the bounce was “lucky.”

But after all of these reasons why the Blues couldn’t play up to the moment, one wonders if none of it matters, because the Bruins’ goalie was impervious and impenetrable.

With his .938 save percentage, Tuukka Rask is the best goalie in the postseason so far, and that’s saying something, considering St. Louis has experienced quite a run with Binnington. But the Bruins’ Rask has been resplendent. Not since 2012 has a goaltender won the Conn Smythe, but if the Bruins pull this off, Rask will likely win it.

“When he’s on, he’s really on,” said Blues forward Zach Sanford, a New England kid who was in high school when the Bruins won the Cup in 2011. “He’s super-athletic. He’s good at getting to different areas, and he 1146594 St Louis Blues “He certainly has this playoffs and so has their guy,” Cassidy said. “That’s why we’re going seven games. We’ve got two good teams that have gone toe to toe here. But good for Tuukka. He’s allowed us an Bergeron's speech, Rask's play in goal, send series back to Boston opportunity to play in a Game 7. I think the whole hockey world loves a Game 7, so it should be a great night in Boston and may the best team win.”

By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch 21 hrs ago St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019

Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final was awash in turning points. The Bruins' early penalty kill on the Blues. Boston getting a five-on-three power play and a goal to take the lead. A bouncing puck that got past Jordan Binnington to open the game up.

The biggest of them all may have happened before the game began.

That was when Patrice Bergeron spoke to his Bruins teammates and got them headed in the right direction in a do-or-die game.

“It was exactly what we needed,” Boston's Charlie McAvoy said. “It was. It was an element of what the dream is. Growing up, every one of us shares the same dream and kind of just bringing us all to a point where we can all be on the same field. We were all a little kid once and we all wanted this bad. And I think it was just an element of savoring this moment and not letting it end tonight. It was exactly what we needed. He stepped up. When he talks, you listen. … Patrice stepped up. He stepped up big-time tonight.”

And from that, everything flowed, all the other turning points. At the end, the series may have hit another turning point in Boston's 5-1 win in Game 6 that forced a Game 7 on Wednesday in Boston. One game, for the Stanley Cup.

It turned out to be the best script the Bruins could have written. Its power play, which had gone 0 for five in the past two games, got the Bruins on the board in the first period. Brad Marchand, who had just one empty-net goal to show for the first five games, scored that goal, and linemate David Pastrnak scored a goal in the third period, his first at even strength in the series, to put the game away. Many of the boxes the Bruins wanted to check got checked.

“Tremendous,” coach Bruce Cassidy said of Bergeron's words. “I believe those veteran guys come in handy before the game.”

Of course, even the most inspired speech doesn't do you any good if you don't have a goalie playing at the top of his game, and that's what the Bruins had in Tuukka Rask. Rask stopped 28 of 29 shots he faced, plus one off his back, and kept the Blues off the scoreboard until the Bruins' offense could kick in. Rask has had some excellent games in the postseason. He came into the game with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage, both the best in the postseason. This game might have been his best. It was certainly his most important.

“He’s been unbelievable all playoffs for us, so no surprise that he’s kicking again tonight,” said Boston's Karson Kuhlman, who made his first appearance in the series and scored the goal that made it 3-0.

“If you don’t get goaltending, you don’t win very often,” Cassidy said. “We’re no different than anybody else. We need good goaltending. We supported him eventually with some goals. Got one early, I think that always helps everybody, especially in this environment tonight.”

The save of the night by Rask – with an assist from McAvoy – came on a Blues power play midway through the second period. Alex Pietrangelo backhanded a rebound on goal. It hit the post, bounced back and hit Rask right on the nameplate on the back of his jersey. McAvoy swatted it away and again on Rask's back, where he kind of pinned it until he turned away and got the puck out of danger.

“It hit the post, and then kinda like – it was bouncing there – I think Chucky hit it with his stick,” Rask said, “and I kinda heard it. I didn't know where it was, and I figured it might be somewhere behind me, so I just tried to corral it with my hand behind my back -- and then it stuck in my pants, and then it fell somewhere. I think Chucky made a great play to keep it out of the net originally, and – it's never a good thing for a goalie to kinda be facing the play with your back, but luckily it stayed out.”

In three elimination games this postseason, two against Toronto and one against the Blues, Rask has allowed just four goals total. The Bruins are 3-0 in those games. It's apparent that Rask likes those games. 1146595 St Louis Blues “It obviously wasn’t good enough," O'Reilly said. "Obviously not the start that we wanted. Bad play by myself there to take the penalty there to take it to 5-on-3. It took the wind out of our sails and it took too long for Bruins spoil the party, beat Blues to force Game 7 us to climb back in. Obviously, their second goal was a lucky bounce. Just kind of bounced up on Binner. Not much we could do there.”

The Blues killed off the remainder of the penalty. By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jun 9, 2019 The Blues had two power plays of their own in the first period. The first came 2:42 into the game when Sean Kuraly was called for delay of game, and the Blues had three shots on goal but couldn't score. The best In a city that seemed ready to explode, the Bruins spoiled St. Louis' party chance came on a shot by Vince Dunn that was stopped by Tuukka Rask on Sunday night, taking the lead on a first-period goal on a two-man and the rebound came to Schenn, who looked to have a good chance but advantage to put the Blues' dreams on hold for at least three nights at Rask blocked that shot too. best, another season at the worst, with a 5-1 win in Game 6 on Sunday night at Enterprise Center. Early in Boston's power play, the Blues almost had a short-handed goal when O'Reilly stole a puck and made two nice taps on it to get clear, but Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final is Wednesday at TD Garden in Boston, when he came in on his backhand, he couldn't control the puck and it where the Blues have already won two of the three games played. If the went wide. Blues can win, it will end a 51-season wait for their first Stanley Cup. If they lose, the team's agony will stretch to at least another season. The Blues also had a power play when Zdeno Chara was called for interference with 1:39 to go. The Blues didn't score at the end of the “Well, we’ve just got to play," captain Alex Pietrangelo said. "We’ve been period and couldn't score on the 21 seconds that carried over to the a good road team all year. We know we need to play better and we’ve second. had a good recipe on the road, so we’ll use that. Boston went up 2-0 on a goal by Brandon Carlo from outside the "It’s two good teams going at it, so not surprising. Would’ve been nice to knuckleballed its way past Binnington and then it went to 3-0 on a shot finish it out tonight, but regroup and get ready.” from outside by Karson Kuhlman, making his first appearance of the “I’m already excited for the next game," forward David Perron said. "It’s series, that hit the top corner. O'Reilly scored on a rebound of a shot by going to be the best game of our life. We’re going to put everything on Pietrangelo that first was ruled no goal but the overhead angle on the the line, empty the tank. It’s going to be exciting.” replay show it was on edge and crossed the line.

"Listen, if you told me four months ago we were going to be in the Finals But Blues' comeback was derailed when David Pastrnak scored 2:05 in Game 7, I think I’d take it," coach Craig Berube said. "We've been later after Sammy Blais lost a battle for the puck behind the goal. The good road team. We've won twice up there in this series, so we're a Blues pulled Binnington for a sixth attacker with 4:10 to play and got an confident group." empty-net goal by Zdeno Chara with 2:19 to play.

With a massive crowd at a viewing part outside and a raucous crowd St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019 inside, the Blues fell behind in the first period and, despite four power plays in the first two periods, couldn't get even. Boston got a goal early in the third to take a 2-0 lead and Karson Kuhlman, making his first appearance in the series, score midway through the third to make it 3-0.

“Well, we played pretty good 5-on-5," Pietrangelo said. "We just got away from it there for a bit in the beginning of the third and they took advantage of the opportunities.”

Though the arena was half-empty at the final horn, the ones that remained chanted "Let's go Blues!" and "We want the Cup!" in the final minute.

Ryan O'Reilly scored with 7:59 to play to put the Blues on the board. It was O'Reilly's seventh goal of the postseason and Alex Pietrangelo got an assist for his 15th in the playoffs.

The Blues' win in Game 5 gave them two chances to get the one win needed for the trophy that has eluded them since they came into the league in 1967. No team in the NHL has waited so long for its first championship.

The Blues had four power plays in the game, which produced 12 of their 19 shots on goal in the first two periods, but they couldn't score on any of them. The Blues power play has had issues throughout the playoffs, converting at just 17.1 percent, the 11th-best in the playoffs, and once again, their man advantages were marked by a lot of passing around the perimeter and the feeling that someone else is always going to have a better shot.

"We had 12 shots," Berube said. "We did have momentum, we had some good looks. We didn't score. Rask made some good saves. Can it be better? Yeah, it has to be better. It could have won us the game tonight, but I don't think it was ... we had good looks. We had 12 shots on the power play tonight, but we've definitely got to bury a couple."

Boston got its first goal during a five-on-three power play after Brayden Schenn had been sent off for board and then, 1:02 later, Ryan O'Reilly was called for delay of game when he backhanded a puck into the stands on an attempted clearance.

Twenty-one seconds into the five-on-three, David Pastrnak made a cross-ice pass to Brad Marchand, low to Jordan Binnington's left, and he one-timed it in for just his second goal of the series. (The other was into an empty net.) 1146596 St Louis Blues Brock Shults said he's hoping for a perfect ending to what's been a Cinderella story for the Blues.

“You can't end the story any better than to win the Stanley Cup at home,” Blue beards, vintage jerseys on display as 30,000 Blues fans fill he said. downtown for rally St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.11.2019

By Michele Munz St. Louis Post-Dispatch Jun 9, 2019

UPDATES with area reaching capacity, then officials removing barricades to allow more in.

With sunny skies and their team just one win away from winning the Stanley Cup, thousands of St. Louis Blues fans filled Memorial Plaza downtown with hopes of a celebration at home.

Around 5 p.m. Sunday, an announcer congratulated the crowd on the turn-out, about 30,000 people, with long lines still to get in and even longer lines for the beer tents.

About an hour later, officials announced the area had reached capacity. But officials eventually removed the barriers at entrances, allowing everyone in.

Neighbors Matt Warren, 42, and Matt Tarticchio, 36, from Fenton, came to the massive watch party for Game 6 with their spouses and each of their three pre-teen children.

“We wanted to come and soak up the atmosphere,” said Warren as his kids drank lemonade and ate fare from the food trucks. “We don't have tickets, but it doesn't get any better than this.”

They were amazed at the crowd of people walking around and covering the grass with chairs and blankets around two large projector screens and entertainment stage.

“I wanted my kids to experience the atmosphere. I've been waiting 33 years for this, and I want them to experience what it means,” Tarticchio said.

Neighboring families of 5 from Fenton at downtown party. "We don't have tickets, but it doesn't get any better than this." #lgb #playgloria #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/uh16mlMqOo

— michelemunz (@michelemunz) June 9, 2019

Friends Michael Tebbe, 33; Kyle Fuehne, 34; and Ed Monken, 35 drove about an hour to the party from the Carlyle, Ill., area.

Tebbe, with his beard dyed blue and vintage Blues jersey, remembers seeing his first Blues game in the old St. Louis Arena. Brett Hull scored a hat trick against the Dallas Stars.

“That kind of stuff hooks you as a 6-year-old,” he said. “It's just part of my life.”

He and his friends couldn't miss a chance to experience a win firsthand, Tebbe said as music blared from the speakers. “It's history.”

Nick Sabourin, 65, left retirement in Cocoa Beach, Fla., to return to his hometown for the party. He's been in St. Louis all week, hoping for a happy ending.

“It would be good for the whole city,” Sabourin said after having someone take his picture with a Stanley Cup sign. “We've had a lot of good times with the Cardinals. It's time for the Blues. It's their time.”

Brock Shults, 32, and his wife, Amanda Shults, 30, moved to Kansas City from Chesterfield six years ago and had to return to St. Louis in hopes of celebrating side-by-side with other fans.

Strangers stopped to take a picture with Brock Shults, who shaved his hair into a short mohawk, and dyed it and his beard blue and yellow.

Brock and Amanda Shults drove from KC to be a part of the Game 6 watch party downtown with "the gritty fans." #bleedBlue #playgloria Check out her beer cup! pic.twitter.com/9XakTvel0d

— michelemunz (@michelemunz) June 10, 2019

“I want to be here with the fans who've been waiting for a long time, who couldn't afford tickets,” he said. “The gritty fans.” 1146597 St Louis Blues championship season, it also had to contend with the anguish of losing the Rams back to Los Angeles in 2016 … worsened by owner Stan Kroenke’s gratuitous and even false jabs at St. Louis in a 29-page Blues’ season has lifted a city, but chance to win Stanley Cup will wait for relocation proposal. Game 7 That wound was reopened with the Rams’ Super Bowl berth. Now the Cardinals are 31-32 and in danger of missing the postseason for a fourth straight year for the first time since a drought between 1987 and 1996. BY VAHE GREGORIAN Enter, improbably, the Blues, who hadn’t been to the Stanley Cup Final JUNE 09, 2019 10:19 PM since 1970 (their third in a row with a boost from being in an all- expansion division).

Their disastrous start to this season led to coach Mike Yeo being fired in Forty-seven years ago this weekend, Kansas City was awarded an NHL November. They woke up with the fewest points in the league on Jan. 3 franchise that would become the slapstick Scouts. They left in 1976 for before an abrupt turn of fortune. Colorado (and ultimately New Jersey) after losing 110 games in their only two seasons in Kansas City. In a bar in Philadelphia to watch the Eagles-Bears playoff game the night before taking on the Flyers, a handful of players were amazed at how the Glitzy Sprint Center and all, the future of the NHL on our side of the state song “Gloria” got fans dancing during commercial breaks. has remained a dubious prospect since. So they made a command decision that the 1980s Laura Branigan tune Until anything changes, the most recent expansion fee (a pesky $650 would replace Dion’s “Runaround Sue” as their victory song, and million for the franchise awarded to Seattle last year) and the 2017 words shazam: The next day, rookie goalie Jordan Binnington made his first of NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly sum up the state of the union. career start, a 25-save shutout in a 3-0 victory over the Flyers. In evaluating potential locations for NHL teams, he wrote in an email to Dismiss it as coincidence or treasure it as a meaningful superstition, but ESPN, the league typically considers the facilities in the market, whether the story of the Blues’ new anthem has paralleled what defined their way demographics suggest an ability to support an NHL franchise and, finally, here under a still-interim coach, Craig Berube, in a season that had “whether there is qualified and interested ownership to own and operate appeared doomed. the franchise.” Instead, it proved to be the start of one of the most remarkable “While the Sprint Center certainly checks off the first of those boxes, the turnarounds in major sports history: The Blues are the only team among other two issues remain a work in progress,” he said. the traditional four major North American sports leagues (MLB, NBA, Unless and until Lamar Hunt Jr., owner of the minor-league Kansas City NFL, NHL) to be mired in last place after a quarter or more of a season Mavericks, reconsiders what he calls “an unrealistic reach” while he and reach the league’s championship game or round. focuses on growing the sport locally, or someone swoops in out of As the Blues started to find themselves, which is to say summoning a nowhere, the NHL isn’t going to get any closer than 248 miles from Sprint throwback grit in the image of their coach, they had another sort of force Center any time in the foreseeable future. accompanying them on a comeback journey. Meanwhile, though, at least there is this on the other end of that: The St. Laila Anderson, an 11-year-old girl who had been a fixture at Blues Louis Blues’ pursuit of their first Stanley Cup since the inception of the games, has become their face of inspiration as she contends with HLH. franchise in 1967. Attacked by the rare immune system disorder, she struggled to walk and With the chance to win the cup on home ice Sunday, the quest was talk, and required chemotherapy. deferred once more in a deflating 5-1 loss to the Bruins at the Enterprise Blues defenseman Colton Parayko, who remembered her frequently Center, forcing a series-deciding game on Wednesday in Boston. giving fist bumps as they’d come off the ice, visited her at a Halloween “Game 7,” original Blue Bob Plager said in a corridor after the game, event last year that began a sweet friendship and relationships with other smiling as if that was the way this was meant to play out. Blues, like Alexander Steen.

Because what we have here still is a captivating tale that any sports fan After beginning to recover from a bone-marrow transplant in January, she might appreciate … with the obvious exception of those pulling for told her mother, Heather, that she was noticing the Blues were starting Boston and the “never St. Louis” crowd (even against Boston!) in Kansas anew as well. City. As she was getting new life, her mother, Heather, told NBC Sports, it was The stakes and proximity are why Chiefs sensation Patrick Mahomes almost like the Blues were, too: “As they kept winning and winning,” she showed up here in a Blues jersey earlier in the series and explain how added, “there was just this parallel between the boys and Laila.” Kansas City has had the fifth-highest TV ratings for several of the finals Months later, she finally was well enough to return to the Enterprise games, and why hundreds in Blues gear again on Sunday swarmed The Center for Game 3 of the Western Conference final, and she celebrated Blue Line hockey bar in Kansas City’s River Market. with the team after it advanced to the Stanley Cup Final … and after And the impact in St. Louis has been a renewed testament to the which Steen called her “our lucky charm.” galvanizing, even healing, power of sports. In a perfect world for St. Louis, the story would have culminated with a In its own distinct way, with the team the talk everywhere you went, victory Sunday at home — especially after a publishing glitch in the e- thousands in the street outside and a Blues jersey over the statue of St. edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch briefly blurted out a congratulatory Louis founder Pierre Laclede, the air of anticipation here on Sunday was messages, including one from Blues chairman Tom Stillman intended to familiar — reminiscent of the feeling around Kansas City and at be released later if the Blues won. Kauffman Stadium during and after the Royals’ magical 2014 and 2015 The Post-Dispatch on Twitter apologized for what it called a “sneak peek” postseason runs. and added that it hopes to share their messages on purpose soon. Like this, that lifetime of memories was all the more meaningful because After waiting more than 50 years for this, Wednesday still would be plenty of the context and what had preceded it. timely. The Royals hadn’t so much as made the postseason since winning the “Listen,” Berube said, smiling, “if you told me four months ago we were 1985 World Series. For that matter, at that time the Chiefs hadn’t won a going to be in the finals (with) Game 7, I think I’d take it.” home playoff game since 1994 (a streak that just ended in January when the Chiefs beat Indianapolis before an overtime loss to New England Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 06.11.2019 denied them their first Super Bowl since 1970).

While St. Louis typically has enjoyed perennial postseason runs by the Cardinals, who have won two World Series this century, and a relatively recent Super Bowl champion in the form of the Rams’ 1999 1146598 St Louis Blues forwards pressured the Blues to rush their dumps and buy their defensemen a few spare seconds.

“Sometimes when it sits on the yellow back there and you have guys Bruins takeaways: Yes, the Blues’ premature celebratory ads lit a fire coming in at each angle, you can’t really get going,” Cassidy said of well- under their opponents positioned dumps along the yellow kick plate at the bottom of the boards. “That’s part of it sometimes. You get fortunate with some of the puck placement. That’s probably a credit to our forwards, taking away some of By Fluto Shinzawa Jun 10, 2019 the time and space for them to not have time, that extra second.”

The defensemen took advantage. Instead of firing blind rims under heat or eating the glass immediately after retrieval, the defensemen had time ST. LOUIS — Before Game 6, just about every Bruin had seen the to skate pucks out of trouble and initiate the breakout. The forwards screenshots. retreated hard enough to receive passes or win wall battles. “Winning the Stanley Cup was a dream come true for so many of you,” Sean Kuraly might have been the sharpest at executing solo escapes. wrote Blues owner Tom Stillman. “All of us will remember where we Kuraly handles the puck well. He can skate it out of danger. Several were, what we did, and how we felt when the Blues brought the Cup times, the fourth-liner completed one-man breakouts. home. Each of us will have a library of memories to pass down for generations. Each of us will forever think of that person in our lives for “A lot of it’s communication,” Kuraly said. “Maybe that’s the first step of it. whom this time meant so much.” I make that read all the time, but you hope you can. Coach is trying to get us to trust our feet and our speed. Take a couple hard strides and see They were words in an ad the Blues purchased in the St. Louis Post- where it takes you. If you get your head up and see that you can’t, maybe Dispatch. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the title sponsor of the Blues’ rink, also you take the next best option. But we’re trying to play with speed and purchased an ad. They were meant to run after the Blues won the Cup. A pace and trust our first couple steps.” technological blunder allowed most of the Bruins, through shares and retweets and forwards, to glimpse what was meant to stay undisclosed. The Bruins recorded a 52.38 Corsi For rating (11 shot attempts for, 10 against) at 5-on-5 when Kuraly was on the ice in Game 6, according to “Yeah,” Torey Krug said when asked if he had seen the material. Natural Stat Trick. It was a significant improvement from the 15.0 CF% “Because it was everywhere.” (17-3 attempts advantage for St. Louis) Kuraly carried in Game 5. The Bruins ensured that even the social media abstainers saw the Improvement for Chara-McAvoy inflammatory material. Before Game 6, printouts of the ads were made available for the players to read. They didn’t like it. In Game 5, Zdeno Chara and Charlie McAvoy were caught behind the goal line when Zach Sanford hit Ryan O’Reilly for a net-front strike. The “We saw it,” Brandon Carlo told WBZ after the 5-1 Game 6 win. “Put a No. 1 pairing was more thorough in Game 6, even if O’Reilly struck again fire in us for sure. We don’t like that kind of stuff. We don’t want that to for a third-period goal when they were on the ice. happen in Boston by any means. We’re focused on the next shift and going from there, not focused on winning or losing. Just focused on the Chara was more comfortable dealing with his broken jaw and the next shift and working our asses off.” protector he has to wear. He was positioned well and wielded his stick efficiently to negate chances. McAvoy led all Bruins with 25:22 of ice Cup-winning contingency plans are required. Merchandise crowning the time, jumping on loose pucks and moving them swiftly. Bruins as champions has already been produced. Celebratory ads have been purchased. “With Zdeno, it’s obvious, right? He had a tough adjustment to make,” Cassidy said. “He’s in a lot of pain. He’s playing with a face shield that They don’t usually see the light of day before the Cup is hoisted. In St. probably limits some of his vision. The moment, he’s been there. Louis, the ads ran in a subscriber-only e-edition on Sunday. The ads Charlie’s a guy that rises up quite a bit for a younger player. That wasn’t were not published in the Post-Dispatch’s print version. Once the ads going to bother him. Just the fact they’re good players, they settled went viral, the Post-Dispatch explained its error via social media. down.” “In preparation for the outcome of the Stanley Cup Final, some of our Chara and McAvoy played mostly against the St. Louis 2nd line of readers got a sneak peek at what our advertisers are hoping to say to the Sanford, O’Reilly and David Perron at even strength. Blues, the fans and St. Louis,” the Post-Dispatch responded on Twitter. “We apologize for the sneak peek and hope to share their message with Grzelcyk is a ‘wild card’ everyone very soon!” Matt Grzelcyk missed his fourth straight game Sunday. It is unknown It is not the first time premature plans have been released. In 2011, the whether he will be cleared for Game 7. Even if Grzelcyk receives the Bruins learned the Vancouver Canucks were making plans to televise green light, it might be risky for the Bruins to take out John Moore. their championship parade. They used it as motivation. Eight years later, the Bruins were similarly antagonized. “Grzelcyk is a wild card,” Cassidy said. “We’ll have to make a decision if he’s cleared. He’s missed some games now. Do you want to mess with “You never want to get too far ahead of yourself, right?” Krug said with a the back end?” smile on Monday. “You want to stay in the moment. All you control is that game right in front of you. If you don’t win, you don’t get to have any of Moore played 17:06 in Game 6, including 4:13 on the penalty kill, that. I remember … obviously, that’s my motivation right there. But we second-most behind Carlo (4:25). have another job to do. So I don’t want to speak too much about that.” Uncharted territory

Breaking the forecheck Wednesday will be the first time the Bruins host a Game 7 in the final. The Bruins held a 1-0 lead after the first period of Game 6. It was Their last Game 7 was in Vancouver in 2011. This will be the 17th misleading. The Blues’ forecheck was all over the Bruins. Tuukka Rask Stanley Cup Game 7 in NHL history. Home teams are 12-4. cleaned up the Bruins’ mistakes. “I would say lean on past experience, but there is none,” Krug said. “Even though we came out with the lead, I thought we got stuck there a “There is experience from guys who have played Game 7 in Vancouver. lot,” Bruce Cassidy said after the win. “If that trend continued, I thought it It’s tough. But it’s the most exciting game in all of our lives. I think would be tough for us tonight where we would really rely on our whoever maintains their composure and discipline within their system goaltender. I thought the second period, we did a much better job of and how they play and how they approach the game is probably going to handling it.” prevail. I think we have a really disciplined group led by some great people. We’re all pulling for each other. I think that’s how we’re going to As usual, it was a team effort. do it.”

It started with the forwards. They knew the Blues wanted to place their This will be Chara’s 14th postseason Game 7, which would make him the dumps in advantageous areas — away from Rask, behind the all-time leader. He is currently tied with Patrick Roy and Scott Stevens. defensemen and on the walls where they could swarm the puck. So the The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146599 St Louis Blues The Blues had a pretty good pace at the start of Game 6, but back-to- back penalties put Boston on a five-on-three power play.

First, Brayden Schenn made an ill-advised hit on Joakim Nordstrom and ‘Maybe that’s our story’: Blues stay optimistic after chance to clinch first was called for boarding. Then, just 1:02 later, Ryan O’Reilly shot the Stanley Cup falls well short puck over the glass and was sent to the penalty box for delay of game.

The Bruins had a two-man advantage for 58 seconds, and it took only 21 By Jeremy Rutherford Jun 9, 2019 seconds for Brad Marchand to rifle a perfectly placed, bad-angled shot past goalie Jordan Binnington for a 1-0 lead.

“Bad play by myself there to take the penalty there to take it to five-on- Eighteen minutes after the horn ended the Blues’ 5-1 loss to Boston, Pat three,” O’Reilly said. “It took the wind out of our sails.” Maroon was showered, in a suit and headed out the door. Handling the pressure Louie, the Blues’ mascot, was out of costume and walking down the hallway, head down. The Blues had been good in closing out previous playoff series, going 3- 0 in those situations against Winnipeg, Dallas and San Jose. The REO Speedwagon’s “Ridin’ the Storm Out” was blaring in the arena’s pressure of closing out the Stanley Cup is at another level, but captain lower bowl. Alex Pietrangelo didn’t feel like it was a problem early in the game.

This was not what the 18,890 inside Enterprise Center and the tens of “No, not when the game gets going,” Pietrangelo said. “I think everybody thousands outside were expecting to see on a night when history was to just kind of plays their game. I think we just got a little disconnected be made. there.”

Maroon was supposed to be crying along with his 10-year-old son In the second period, the crowd rose to its feet and started chanting, Anthony, Louie was supposed high-fiving fans until the wee hours of the “Let’s go Blues!” There were times when the players felt the support of night and “Gloria” was supposed to be on a never-ending loop. the fans, yet still, it felt like a steak knife was needed to cut through the tension and anxiety. The Blues might still win the Stanley Cup, but it won’t be the storybook finish on home ice the city planned for Sunday. If it’s going to happen, it “I thought we handled it fine,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “They get will happen in Boston, where a best-of-seven series tied 3-3 will see a five-on-three goal, unlucky, we tried to clear it. It goes out. I thought it Game 7 on Wednesday at TD Garden. was an even game, really. Two periods, it’s tight hockey. There’s not a lot of room out there. I’ll credit Boston. They played well. They checked well. It was a day of hope, disappointment and ultimately faith that this is how They didn’t give us a ton of room out there. I didn’t think we gave them it’s been planned to play out. much either. Can we play better? Yeah, we can play better, but I thought The pregame scene we handled the pressure pretty well. I didn’t think that was an issue.”

Mike Graham and Ted Hodgson, neighbors who are Blues season-ticket The Blues were 3-1 in clinching games at Enterprise Center in the holders, were among the sea of blue that arrived downtown several postseason and finished 6-7 overall. hours before the puck dropped for Game 6. The power play “Just unbelievable,” Graham, 57, said. “I’ve followed the Blues since I The Blues continue to struggle on the man advantage. The unit looked a was a little kid and it’s just going to be unbelievable if they do it tonight at little better in Game 6, and it did produce a number of shots but went 0- home. This city is so pumped up about this team. It’s going to be just an for-4 and dropped to 1-for-18 in the series. unbelievable celebration.” St. Louis took 29 shots on goal Sunday and 12 of them were on the “Boy, it’s showing,” Hodgson, 63, added. “We walked after parking way power play. But with four power plays in the first two periods, the unit had out there and people were honking at us going down the highway.” an opportunity to tie the score or put the Blues in the lead and didn’t. After their morning skate Sunday, the Blues stayed at a downtown hotel “We had 12 shots,” Berube said. “We had some good looks. We didn’t in the afternoon and couldn’t help but notice the build-up before Game 6. score. (Boston goalie Tuukka) Rask made some good saves. Can it be “It was crazy,” Blues forward David Perron said. “You could hear people better? Yeah, it has to be better. It could have won us the game tonight, honking and yelling, ‘Let’s go Blues!’ It was a cool sighting, and cool but I don’t think it was … we had good looks. We had 12 shots on the when we get our police escort around the rink to go around the whole power play, but we’ve definitely got to bury a couple.” thing. Our fans have been great, and we’re going to do everything we “We did have some good looks and some good chances, but you need can to get another thing similar, maybe bigger.” the result,” O’Reilly said. “There were a few times there where it could The anthem have given us the spark we needed, to grab the momentum. Unfortunately, we didn’t. But we’ve got to let this one go and bounce Charles Glenn decided before the 2018-19 season started that it would back quick and get it done there.” be his last singing the national anthem. The bouncer Four times in the playoffs, Glenn could have been belting out his special rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” but the Blues won to prolong Although the final score was lopsided, the Blues trailed just 1-0 entering their season. But he knew going into Sunday, this was it. the third period. But just 2:31 into the final frame, the Bruins got a goal from defenseman Brandon Carlo on a bouncing puck that got by Glenn gathered with his family, including daughter Elizabeth, moments Binnington. before the game, held hands and led them in prayer. Before the knuckler, the Blues had four players — Pietrangelo, Sammy “He says, ‘Thank you, Lord, for putting us in this situation, for bringing our Blais, Robert Thomas and Tyler Bozak — near the wall, but it was the family together, for giving him this gift and letting his gift shine tonight,'” Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk who was able to poke a pass back to Carlo. Elizabeth said. “I just got the puck loose, tried to get it to the point and next thing you Glenn then headed out to the ice and his daughter watched backstage on know, I saw it go in the net,” DeBrusk said. “Good feeling to see Carlos TV. score.”

Glenn then left the ice and hugged his daughter before discussing his Binnington did not like it when a reporter asked him after the game about last scheduled anthem. the goal.

“Electrifying. It was electrifying,” he said. “Everybody was breathing “Did you watch it?” Binnington asked. together, one heartbeat, one soul, one goal — the Stanley Cup — and it was electrifying.” The reporter nodded yes.

Bruins open lead “Did it bounce there?” Binnington asked. The reporter nodded yes again.

“That’s a good eye,” Binnington said.

Berube: “Well, a lucky bounce, second goal. A bounce off the ice got under Binner’s arm, I believe. That’s tough there and set us back. They get the third one, we got spread out a little bit and you get away from your game a little bit.”

A case for Conn Smythe

Rask was calm and cool again in Game 6, making 28 of 29 saves in the victory. He’s now 15-8 with a 1.93 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage since the start of the playoffs.

“I mean, it goes without saying,” Boston center Patrice Bergeron said. “He’s been a big reason why we’re in this position, and tonight he was definitely in the zone and gave us that spark, I guess, if you will. And he made some tremendous saves, especially early, to keep us in the game.”

Rask’s list of quality saves included one in the second period. After a shot by Blues defenseman Vince Dunn, Pietrangelo put a backhander on net that hit the post, and after Boston’s Charlie McAvoy got a stick on the puck, Rask eventually pinned it up against his back.

“I didn’t know where it was, and I figured it might be somewhere behind me, so I just tried to corral it with my hand behind my back,” Rask said. “Then it stuck in my pants, and then it fell somewhere. I think (McAvoy) made a great play to keep it out of the net originally. It’s never a good thing for a goalie to kinda be facing the play with your back, but luckily, it stayed out.”

Rask has positioned himself to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP if Boston is victorious and perhaps even if the Blues win.

Fitting ending

The Bruins scored four times in the third period, including an empty- netter, and waltzed to the win. In an interesting scene, fans were chanting “Let’s go Blues” again in the final moments as sort of a “good- luck” sendoff.

“They were loud all game,” Pietrangelo said. “They were great from the beginning, so the support has been there. We know it’s there. We’ll be ready to rock in a couple of days.”

Perhaps this is the way the script is supposed to play out. In a year in which they were last in the standings on Jan. 3, and battled their way into the Stanley Cup final, no one thought this was going to come easy.

The Blues, of course, are 9-3 on the road in the playoffs, which includes two wins at TD Garden earlier in this series.

“Of course we wanted to win. It didn’t happen,” O’Reilly said. “We have to move on, get ready for the next one. We’re confident. We’re a great road team. Maybe that’s our story. Maybe we have to get it done on the road.”

Berube was also taking the optimistic approach when asked about it after the game.

“Listen, if you told me four months ago we were going to be in the finals of Game 7, I think I’d take it,” he said. “We’ve been a good road team. We’ve won twice up there in this series. So we’re a confident group.”

The Blues’ improbable season will head to where we probably thought it was headed when this series began: Game 7.

“I’m already excited for the next game,” Perron said. “It’s going to be the best game of our life. We’re going to put everything on the line, empty the tank. It’s going to be exciting.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019

1146600 Vegas Golden Knights

‘Jeopardy!’ star James Holzhauer to present at NHL show in Las Vegas

Ben Gotz June 10, 2019 - 1:45 PM

Updated June 10, 2019 - 2:07 PM

James Holzhauer — fresh off his record-setting run on “Jeopardy!” — is scheduled to be a presenter at the 2019 NHL Awards at Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 19.

Holzhauer, a Las Vegas-based sports bettor, won $2,464,216 over 33 appearances on the game show. He’s a fan of the Golden Knights and slipped in a reference to the date of the team’s first game on one of his Daily Double wagers. He also sounded the rally siren at T-Mobile Arena on April 21 before Game 6 of the Knights’ first-round playoff series against the San Jose Sharks.

The Knights have a chance to win one major award at the event as right wing Mark Stone is a finalist for the Selke Trophy (best defensive forward).

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146601 Vegas Golden Knights It will be the 10th time the league has brought its annual awards event to Las Vegas, with previous shows occurring at the Palms, Encore, MGM Grand Garden Arena, The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, and T-Mobile SLS Las Vegas owner Alex Meruelo looking to buy Arizona Coyotes Arena.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.11.2019

Richard N. Velotta

June 10, 2019 - 11:54 am

Updated June 10, 2019 - 2:12 PM

The owner of the SLS Las Vegas on the Strip is looking to buy the Arizona Coyotes National Hockey League team.

A representative for Alex Meruelo said the billionaire entrepreneur, who also owns the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, confirmed talks are progressing.

“While we are unable to provide more in-depth information at this time, we can confirm Alex Meruelo, owner of Meruelo Group including SLS Las Vegas and Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, has expressed interest in purchasing the National Hockey League’s Arizona Coyotes,” Christopher Abraham, a spokesman for the Meruelo Group, said in a brief statement.

No terms of the deal have been announced.

The Coyotes has been on shaky financial footing for years, filing for bankruptcy protection in 2009.

The team hasn’t qualified for the NHL playoffs since the 2010-11 season.

Meruelo has a reputation for acquiring failing companies, fixing them and maintaining them, as opposed to spinning them off, a formula he successfully used for the Grand Sierra Resort and the SLS Las Vegas.

The pending transaction is expected to be on the discussion agenda when the NHL Board of Governors meets in Las Vegas June 19.

A representative of the NHL had no comment on the possible sale. But a gaming industry analyst said a transaction could be an important step for sports wagering and for Las Vegas.

“Meruelo’s acquisition of the Coyotes would represent simply another step toward a fuller comingling of professional sports and gambling,” said Chris Grove, managing director of sports and emerging verticals for Eilers & Krejcik Gaming.

“While his purchase alone won’t be enough to change the world, the cumulative impact of such moves, alongside the successful efforts of Las Vegas to become a hub for professional sports teams and the rapid spread of legal sports betting, will be to eventually dismantle many, if not most, of the outdated league policies and procedures that have erected artificial business barriers between the worlds of gambling and pro sports,” he said.

It hasn’t been uncommon for cross ownership in gaming and professional sports. In most cases, casino owners who hold ownership interests in pro teams take games involving their teams off the betting board in their sportsbooks.

For example, Tilman Fertitta, owner of the Golden Nugget franchise with properties in downtown Las Vegas and in Laughlin, doesn’t take bets on games involving the National Basketball Association’s Houston Rockets, which he owns.

However, because National Football League rules prohibit its owners from casino involvement, Fertitta was required to relinquish his holdings in the Houston Texans NFL franchise, in which he was a founding investor.

While the state Gaming Control Board does not break out the number of hockey bets placed annually — it’s among sports wagers listed in an “other” category — the amount bet on football is more than three times the amount bet on “other” sports. Football, basketball and baseball wagers include betting on both professional and collegiate teams.

The NHL playoffs will end Wednesday when the St. Louis Blues play the Boston Bruins in Boston in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. The 2019 NHL Honors, an awards show, will be staged at Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 19. 1146602 Washington Capitals Other picks related to the Caps

The Caps acquired the 45th overall pick from the in exchange for Brian Sutherby in November 2007. The Caps ultimately Looking back at the Capitals’ 2009 NHL Draft: How Washington struck traded the pick away to the Montreal Canadiens in February 2008 for gold in the first round goalie Cristobal Huet. The Atlanta Thrashers ultimately ended up with the pick and took forward Jeremy Morin.

By J.J. Regan June 10, 2019 2:35 PM Takeaways

This was a really good draft for Washington. Orlov remains a major fixture on the blue line and the team got good value in the third and fourth The NHL Draft takes place on June 21 and 22. The Capitals hold the rounds. Eakin was flipped for a second-line center, which the team 25th overall pick and will be looking for future stars among all the hopeful desperately needed. Wey looked promising until his concussions prospects. completely derailed his career.

But just how successful has Washington been in finding those stars? The big win, however, was the first-round pick. The Caps turned the 24th How much value have the Caps found through the draft? overall pick into Michal Kempny, Martin Fehervary and 500 productive games from Marcus Johansson. NBC Sports Washington will be looking at how Washington has drafted over the last 10 years. Today’s draft: 2009 That is one hell of a pick.

Capitals picks Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 24th overall pick (first round): Marcus Johansson F

Johansson has played 588 career NHL games with 120 goals, 214 assists and 334 points. He scored 102 of his 120 goals in seven seasons with the Caps. Johansson’s time in Washington came to an end in 2017 when he was traded to the New Jersey Devils for a second- and a third- round pick. The second-round pick was originally from the and turned into the 46th overall pick in the 2018 draft. The Caps used it to select defenseman Martin Fehervary. The third-round pick quite literally helped Washington win the Stanley Cup.

The Capitals traded a conditional third-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Michal Kempny in February 2018. Washington had their own third-round pick and Toronto’s, which New Jersey traded to them for Johansson. The condition of the pick was that Chicago would receive the higher of the two which ended up being Toronto’s.

55th overall pick (second round): Dmitry Orlov D

The Caps found a top-4 defenseman in the second round with Orlov. He has played in 447 games with the Capitals and, along with Matt Niskanen, has been a part of Washington’s top shutdown pair for the last several years. He has cut back on some of the turnovers that plagued his early career and is under contract with the Caps through the 2022-23 season.

85th overall pick (third round): Cody Eakin F

Now with the Vegas Golden Knights, Eakin’s current claim to fame is taking a phantom major penalty for his hit to Joe Pavelski in Game 7 of Vegas’ first-round matchup against the San Jose Sharks.

Washington certainly found value here as Eakin has played in more NHL games (537) than any other player selected in the third round of the 2009 draft. Only 30 of those games were with the Caps, however, as he was traded to the Dallas Stars along with a second-round pick in 2012 for Mike Ribeiro.

115th overall pick (fourth round): Patrick Wey D

Wey’s career ended after just nine NHL games due to concussions. Wey struggled to return to the ice after two concussions and retired in 2015.

145th overall pick (fifth round): Brett Flemming D

Flemming struggled to break through at the AHL level and spent the majority of his time within the Capitals’ organization playing in the ECHL. After that, he went overseas. He just completed his third season in the Czech league.

175th overall pick (sixth round): Garrett Mitchell F

Mitchell has put together a solid AHL career and even was the captain of the from 2015 to 2018. He played in one game for the Capitals and just finished his first season in Europe playing in Slovakia.

205th overall pick (seventh round): Benjamin Casavant F

After putting up some promising numbers in the QMJHL, Casavant played a year in France then played another three seasons in very minor leagues in Canada. 1146603 Washington Capitals

Was 2019 a missed Stanley Cup opportunity for the Capitals?

By J.J. Regan June 10, 2019 1:44 PM

The Boston Bruins’ Game 6 victory Sunday ensured a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final between Boston and the St. Louis Blues.

A series that no one saw coming is going to go the distance. Whatever happens on Wednesday, it will be a fitting ending to a crazy postseason. But as the playoffs draw to a close and we sit just one game away from a new champion being crowned, the question that haunts the city of Washington is this: Was this season a missed opportunity for the Capitals?

After the first round, the answer to this question seemed obvious.

The Presidents’ Trophy winning Tampa Bay Lightning were swept, as were the Pittsburgh Penguins — frequent foil of the Caps. On the other side of the bracket, division winners Calgary and Winnipeg also suffered early defeats. It especially stings considering that the Hurricanes were able to expose the Islanders — who would have been Washington’s second-round opponent — in a sweep. The conference final would have matched the Caps up with a Boston team they have dominated in recent years. Washington has won 14 of its last 15 contests against the Bruins.

Boston certainly took advantage of a suddenly wide-open bracket, as it lost only twice in the second and third round and blew through the rest of the conference.

As we are talking about the NHL, however, it is important to remember that had the Caps beaten Carolina in the first round, that is no guarantee they would be sitting where Boston is now playing the Blues for the Cup.

The Islanders would have proven a tougher matchup for Washington than Carolina because it would have meant facing former head coach Barry Trotz, who knows the Caps players as well as anyone and would have had his team prepared to matchup against them.

Tuukka Rask has been unreal for Boston in the playoffs, and Washington knows better than most how a hot goalie can turn a series. Then it would have meant playing a Blues team that has the feel of destiny about them after being dead last in the NHL on Jan. 3. St. Louis’ turnaround began that day with a win over… the Caps. In fact, the Blues dominated the Caps twice during their impressive turnaround.

So while Washington’s early playoff exit may sting, Caps fans can take at least some comfort in the fact that the unpredictability of the Stanley Cup Playoffs means that though a run to a second Cup was certainly possible, it was also far from guaranteed.

Still, knowing that the road to the Cup for the Caps in 2019 ran through Carolina, Brooklyn, Boston and St. Louis, that does not seem as nearly as daunting as the gauntlet Washington faced in their 2018 Cup run.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146604 Washington Capitals that has very little cap room to work with and cannot afford to get into a bidding war with anyone. That $4.661 million he is projected to make? That projection is from May, before the Stanley Cup Final, and even then, Free Agency Bracket: Marcus Johansson vs. Joonas Donskoi it seemed lower than I would have expected. It won’t take much for Johansson’s price tag to go higher than what Washington can afford to match.

By J.J. Regan June 10, 2019 12:32 PM Donskoi will be a much cheaper option. His stats don’t match what Johansson did in Washington, but there is no guarantee Johansson

steps back into the Caps lineup and begins producing 40 to 50 points It is almost time for NHL free agency to begin, and the Capitals certainly again. If you can expect the same level of production from both players, have needs to fill and a limited budget. Who would be the best fit? Who then you should take the cheaper option. would be the best free agent target for Washington to pursue? That’s Donskoi made the offense better in San Jose in whatever role he was what NBC Sports Washington wants to find out! asked to play, and he is a much more realistic target for the Caps over Our experts got together and made a bracket of the 16 best free agent the soon to be too expensive Johansson. fits. The bracket is divided into four regions: Third line forward, fourth line Who’s your pick? Vote here: forward, depth defenseman and Caps’ free agent. Now we want you to tell us who you want to see rocking the red next year! Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.11.2019 Every weekday we will match two free agents up against one another and present a case for each player. Then you get to vote and decide who advances!

Check out today’s matchup:

Region: Third line forward

Marcus Johansson vs. Joonas Donskoi

2018-19 stats

Marcus Johansson (28 years old): 58 games played with the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins, 13 goals, 17 assists, 30 points, 15:55 TOI

Playoffs: 21 games played with the Boston Bruins, 4 goals, 7 assists, 11 points, 13:51 TOI

Joonas Donskoi (27 years old): 80 games played for the San Jose Sharks, 14 goals, 23 assists, 37 points, 13:25 TOI

Playoffs: 12 games played for the San Jose Sharks, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points, 12:26 TOI

Hockey-Graphs contract projections

Marcus Johansson: 4 years, $4,661,000

Joonas Donskoi: 3 years, $2,847,521 cap hit

The case for Marcus Johansson

You guys watching the playoffs right now? Because Johansson has been fantastic with the Bruins and is a big reason they sit one win away from the Stanley Cup.

The stats with New Jersey are not great, but the last four seasons he was in Washington, he recorded over 40 points. There is an obvious fit there. In 2016-17, he tallied 58 with 24 goals and 34 assists. He has also rebounded tremendously from his time with the Devils, so it is definitely fair to think he can produce at a high level if he returns to Washington.

The Caps at times asked too much of Johansson, but that is not the Washington would be asking him to play this time. He would be a third- line player, maybe second line if the team is looking for a speed line with Jakub Vrana on the other wing. It would be similar to the role Boston has for him now in which he is thriving.

Donskoi has good skill, but that has earned him career-highs of 14 goals and 37 points, both of which he scored last season so the Caps could end up paying a bit more than they should to obtain him.

Concerned about Johansson’s durability? Well Donskoi is no ironman. In his four NHL seasons, he only managed 80 games once. In two seasons he played in fewer than 70 games so you cannot simply say Donskoi is a more durable option.

Johansson has shown this postseason that he has plenty more to give a team if given the right role and the right fit. He would have both in Washington.

The case for Joonas Donskoi

Yes, Johansson has had a strong postseason and every knows it, including other NHL GMs. His strong play has been on full display for everyone to see. That’s bad news for a cash-strapped Washington team 1146605 Vancouver Canucks that I received from all the other coaches I had during my career. Of course it is tough on that front.”

Benning said he plans to speak to Eriksson this week about the outburst, Ben Kuzma: Canucks GM Benning wants physicality, but is Eriksson- but the optics aren’t good. Lucic swap the answer? It’s tough for the coach when Eriksson was deployed on various lines to find a fit. Starting on the right side with Nikolay Goldobin and Elias Ben Kuzma Pettersson didn’t work because he didn’t score in his first seven games.

Eriksson was then given a shutdown role with Roussel and Brandon Sutter before getting a shot on the right side with Bo Horvat. He was The speculation that won’t go away — a swap of bad contracts and finally scratched March 13 and finished with just 29 points (11-18) in 81 diminishing assets in moving Loui Eriksson for Milan Lucic — is like games. peeling an onion. When told to sit for one night, Eriksson had but one goal in his previous There are many layers and each one can reduce you to tears. 20 games and was on the fourth line with Beagle and Tyler Motte. Four games later, he had the third four-point night of his career with an empty- From the perspective of the Vancouver Canucks and Edmonton Oilers, net goal and three assists in a 7-4 triumph over the Ottawa Senators on there’s an appetite to shed salary and jettison constraining contract add- March 20 at Rogers Arena. Maybe that piqued Oiler interest. ons — Lucic’s no-movement clause and Eriksson’s no-trade clause and modified elements in both pacts — while also getting something in return It’s more likely they see Eriksson as someone who can help improve the for taking on a problem. seventh-worst goals allowed total and the 30th-ranked penalty kill. After all, he’s better without the puck than with it, so there might be some merit Their respective contracts are also front-loaded with bonuses and not to that. And he did help the Canucks penalty kill improve from 21st to buyout friendly, so pick your poison. Do you want Lucic for four more 11th. seasons at a $6 million salary cap hit, or Eriksson for three more seasons at the same cap crunch? Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.11.2019 Whoever finds more value in one of the wayward wingers may have to sweeten the potential deal and part with a draft pick. One report suggested it was Edmonton, but it might be Vancouver.

“We’d like to get bigger and more physical and stronger,” said Canucks general manager Jim Benning. “That’s an element that I thought we were missing at times last year and we’ll see if we can try to address that somehow.

“We signed some of those guys last summer (Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel) to help with the group to have the right environment and winning culture in the room.”

That would seem to indicate the Canucks have shown their hand by hypothetically placing bigger value in Lucic than the Oilers have in Eriksson. However, is Lucic the answer here?

The Canucks could find a cheaper banger and crasher and at one point showed interest in Surrey native Jujhar Khaira. At 6-foot-4, 212 pounds and with a nasty disposition, the winger was third in Oiler hits this season in 60 games, but had just 18 points (3-15).

The Canucks are clearly looking for more and Lucic, a former Vancouver Giants standout, said he always dreamed of playing for his hometown Canucks.

The 31-year-old Lucic had but 20 points (6-14) in 79 games the season. The East Vancouver native can still be a menacing presence and get there in a straight line to intimidate super-pests — his 259 hits ranked seventh among NHL forwards — but the sheer speed in today’s game that requires elite edge works against him.

At one point this season, former Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock tried to pump up Lucic’s value. The winger had one goal in his first 33 games and was dropped to the third line. Hitchcock hoped it would free Lucic up to be heavy on the forecheck and play big minutes against top lines.

“His value system had to change to eat up minutes at critical times and you need those guys,” said Hitchcock. “Focus on who he’s pushing out of the game and who he’s playing against, rather than the points.”

Still, you’d like to think Lucic should be able to get back to double-digit goals because the Canucks had interest in the 6-foot-3, 231-pounder at the 2015 draft and again the following year.

As for 33-year-old Eriksson, there’s a past connection because the Swedish winger played three seasons for new Oilers coach Dave Tippett in Dallas. But that was from 2006 to 2009 and Eriksson is far removed from a career-high 36 goals in the 2008-09 season with the Stars.

There is also another layer to all this that hurts the Canucks’ trade clout.

Eriksson dropped a verbal bomb on Travis Green during a Swedish hockey website interview last month by saying: “The coach and I don’t really get on 100 per cent. It is difficult when I do not get the same trust 1146606 Vancouver Canucks Tanner Pearson

Josh Leivo

Canucks Under the Microscope: Brock Boeser Tyler Motte

Olli Juolevi

Ben Kuzma Markus Granlund

Luke Schenn

Potential-packed winger is healthy and betting on himself in contract- Sven Baertschi extension talks Brandon Sutter Name: Brock Boeser Travis Green Age: 22. Alex Biega Position: Right wing. Jake Virtanen Career stats: GP: 140 G: 59, A: 57, Pts: 116. Quinn Hughes Contract status: Restricted free agent who needs two more years for arbitration rights. Expiring three-year, US $2.775 million entry-level deal Nikolay Goldobin (first year was burned) carried standard $925,000 annual salary cap hit. Jim Benning

How 2018-19 went: Aggravation to elation: It started with heightened Chris Tanev expectations for the Calder Trophy finalist, but limited off-season training, added weight and a slow start produced a nagging groin strain. It Alex Edler morphed into an adductor inflammation and hernia scare in early Troy Stecher November. Ben Hutton After missing 11 games, the winger responded in the next six games with two-goal and three-goal efforts. It would be the catalyst to turn a season That only focused more attention on those extra pounds. of much angst into reason for optimism. He would finish with 56 points (26-30) in 69 games and aside from even-strength chemistry with Elias “I don’t know if it’s all muscle — I sure hope so,” he said at outset of the Pettersson, his six power-play goals were only a tease of what could be season. “It’s more weight and I didn’t do anything differently. I didn’t even in a special-teams alignment with Quinn Hughes. weigh myself until the end of summer and realized I was up seven or eight pounds. I thought that was pretty impressive.” Boeser’s shooting accuracy was second best on the club at 12.4 per cent — Pettersson led at a whopping 19.4 — but the winger dropped from Obviously, it wasn’t. Nobody knew what to make of the winger playing 16.2 the previous season. Still, Boeser looked like himself the last month two games after the initial Oct. 18 groin tweak. He sat out the following and believes he can “take a huge step” next season. two games, ending a run of four straight outings with two spectacular goals and two assists Nov. 2 against Colorado. Boeser learned this season that health is wealth. All players go through adversity, but the trickle-down effect of that March 5, 2018 back injury He didn’t skate the next day at UBC and in a Nov. 5 practice at Detroit to that ended his season wasn’t going to be a quick fix. His wrist was still open a six-game sojourn, he took a few twirls and called it a day — and a bothering him last summer and it took until mid-July to really hit his trip. training stride. And when Boeser returned, he looked heavier and was “We took the right steps and I was pretty cautious to make sure we knew skating slower. the root of the (injury) problem,” said Boeser, whose better awareness of The explosiveness was gone and planting properly to unleash that heavy fitness, rest and recovery kept him in the lineup the rest of the way. And and accurate shot was harder because the lower back was taking the that was imperative because his play away from the puck had to improve. load. It’s why shots didn’t have as much zip or proper trajectory. He was His takeaways improved from 26 the previous season to 40, but his also having trouble getting to his sweet shooting spot and hanging on to giveaways slipped from 28 to 33. But his Corsi-for puck-possession pucks to look for better alternatives. rating was impressive and second best among club forwards at 51.6 per “Coming back from an injury like that (back), it’s so traumatic and cent. Josh Leivo was 54.4. obviously I did everything I could to get back,” said Boeser. “I obviously How the future looks: Bright. Boeser purposely passed on a Team USA didn’t feel like myself the first few games.” invite for the world championship to kick-start a commitment to off- UNDER THE MICROSCOPE season training. Motivated to prove his worth as one of the game’s emerging stars, improving explosiveness in his stride is the main goal It has been two months since the Vancouver Canucks began their this summer. summer holidays, nine points shy of a wild-card berth into the NHL playoffs. Today we continue our microscopic examination of the team’s Boeser and his camp are also confident to either go the short or long- roster with a look at Bo Horvat: term route with a contract extension because of the winger’s confidence and potential. Pro-rating his season would have put him at 66 points and Next, final profile: Elias Pettersson a 0.81 points-per-game pace.

Bo Horvat That’s good contract-extension company with a number of RFAs of similar production, including Timo Meier (30-36-66 points) and Kyle Antoine Roussel Connor (34-32-66). Boeser’s agent will look at signing comparables if the Adam Gaudette Canucks choose to wait longer before committing.

Jay Beagle The starting point for any gifted RFA forward will be the six-year, US $45- million extension that William Nylander signed Dec.1 with Toronto. After Loui Eriksson 61 points (20-41) in 2017-18, his front-loaded deal of a $10.27-million Tim Schaller cap hit in the first year is followed by $6.9 million for the extent of the deal. Thatcher Demko Greatest strengths: Heavy and accurate shot. Willingness to learn. Jacob Markstrom Attitude.

Ryan Spooner Greatest weakness: Being stronger in retreat. It’s a rite of passage for younger players to learn to be heavy in support and not simply stick- check opponents and give up easy goals.

Is he trade bait? Not a chance. Despite overtures from rivals, he’s an untouchable.

The big question: Can he stay healthy in pursuit of the 40-goal plateau?

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146607 Websites I am considering. I haven’t made any final decisions. You have to look at all your options. I am looking at our roster to figure out how we can best use the summer, the cap space, to build the best team possible.

The Athletic / Q&A with Ken Holland: On the draft, buyouts, free agency Editor’s note: The Oilers have currently committed almost USD$73.2 and how to have a successful offseason million to 18 players.

Jesse Puljujarvi’s name has come up quite a bit recently. What’s your By Daniel Nugent-Bowman Jun 10, 2019 assessment of him? It seems like he’s gone through a lot in the last few years. Are you confident he’ll be re-signed and back with the Oilers next season?

Ken Holland has been with the Oilers for a month now and to say things I don’t know a lot about Jesse Puljujarvi. I do know he was picked fourth have been hectic would be an understatement. overall. To be picked that high in the draft, he was a talented, young player in his draft class. I like that he’s a big guy. He’s got skill. He’s still After spending 22 seasons as the Red Wings’ GM, Holland has had his relatively young. He’s 21 years of age. hands full in his new job in a new city. In terms of re-signing (him), I’ve had one conversation with his agent. I In Edmonton, he’s been tasked with remaking a floundering franchise. So haven’t talked to him since. Am I confident that we’re going to get him far, he’s shipped out members of the old guard, most notably vice- signed? I’m going to do everything I can to get him signed. Certainly, it president of player personnel Duane Sutter. Longtime Oiler Craig takes two to tango. MacTavish also left to coach in Russia. He’s brought in new faces, namely head coach Dave Tippett. I know it’s been a tough go for a variety of reasons. Last year was a tough year. It was a tough year for everybody in the Oilers organization. And there are more changes to come. Holland has been working closely You fire the coach. You fire the manager. That’s tough. It’s tough on the with Tippett to round out his coaching staff after Trent Yawney and fans. It’s tough on the players – especially younger players. Older, Manny Viveiros were fired. veteran players can probably handle the situation a lot better. But for Throw in a draft combine, scouting meetings, preparing for the draft itself young players that are trying to make a name for themselves, it’s much and free agency, and Holland’s plate’s been full. more difficult. They don’t have the confidence.

The surroundings may be different now, but a least he’s been through He’s still a good, young, talented player. I’m hoping that myself and Dave this all before. Tippett can provide some stability. I hope he wants to be an Oiler. When I get curveballs thrown at me, then I’ve gotta deal with the curveballs. Amid a frantic month, Holland took some time to speak to The Athletic What would the curveball be? If he doesn’t really wanna be an Oiler. I about his superstar players, roster construction, the status of some haven’t really dug that deep. I know it’s been a tough go for him. colleagues, his draft plan and his blueprint to fix the ailing Oilers. Darnell Nurse is coming off his best season and can be signed to an Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity. extension in July. Would your preference be to determine his future – either by signing or moving him – this summer or would you be more Connor McDavid took part in a recent charity event in Toronto but didn’t comfortable letting this season play out and then re-evaluating things? address his health. Is there any concern with his progress or potential readiness for training camp? He’s got a contract for ’19-20, so that’s great. For me to come in and start doing extensions for players that have got a year to go … I don’t really I’m expecting him to be on the ice for training camp in the fall. That’s my know their talent (or) who they are. Who are they? I’ve gotta get to know expectation. I had a lunch with Jeff Jackson, his agent, in Buffalo last the person. Do they go to the gym? How much do they sacrifice? How week. I’ve talked to our team doctor (Dhiren) Naidu. I’ve talked to T.D. committed are they to fitness? How much to they compete on an every- Forss, the athletic trainer. They’ve kept me updated. They’ve been in night basis? Those are the things I look at when I’m making assessments contact with the Connor McDavid camp. He’s around the Toronto area and determinations on contract extensions. and he’s got some people there that are helping him on rehab. Everything that I’ve been told is we’re on schedule. With a new guy in charge, if you’ve gotta contract for the ’19-20 season, the reality is you’re probably gonna start out and I’m gonna wanna watch In Dave Tippett’s press conference, he talked about the potential of you play. I wanna watch the team play. I wanna watch the players play. I playing McDavid and Leon Draisaitl together. I’m curious about your wanna assess the team. He’s not like he’s a UFA at the end. We retain thoughts. Is it important to have them together or anchoring their own his rights. It’s about getting the season started and watching the team lines? play, watching the players play. Then I can start to formulate a plan. My feeling’s always been to put power in the coach. Certainly, as the How are you approaching the draft and who’s running the draft and manager, I’m gonna be around the coaches’ room. I’m gonna be on the making the calls for the team? plane. Lots of nights they’ll play together. Other nights they’ll play apart. Going into training camp, I think Dave Tippett’s expectation is to play For the most part, the chief scouts run the draft. The managers can them together. As the year wears on, you see how things go and you’ve weigh in philosophically or the managers can weigh in (directly). I have gotta react to injuries – not to those guys but the other people – and you seen lots of those players in the top 10, living in Detroit. I live two miles have to break them up. Sometimes they’re really humming and you’ve away from the (U.S. National Development Program) team and a lot of gotta have them together. But I really leave it up to the coach. those players are gonna go in the top 10. I went to the world under-18s. We’ve got pick No. 8. We’re gonna get a good player. But I’m around on a regular basis and I’m gonna voice my opinion; we’re gonna have those conversations. But ultimately, I think the coach needs In terms of position, there’s two ways to look at it: We’ve got all these to have the authority to coach the team. good, young defencemen and you could go the forward route. Or, if you add one more really young defenceman, you could say, “Boy, we’re in How does that flexibility impact how you construct your lineup? By that, great shape now.” I’m referring to Draisaitl’s ability to play wing and centre. We’ve got the guy at pick eight; we’ve got (Evan) Bouchard; we’ve got Certainly, in Leon Draisaitl’s and (Ryan) Nugent-Hopkins’s case, both of (Dmitri) Samorukov; we’ve got (Ethan) Bear; we’ve got Caleb Jones; them have played centre and both of them have played left wing. we’ve got (William) Lagesson; we’ve got Darnell Nurse. We’ve got some Between Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid, we defencemen for the here and now and we’ve got some for a couple years have three top-six forwards. Even though they’re all centre-icemen … it’s from now. Everybody’s always on the lookout for NHL defencemen. Or, hard to have guys that have 70 points like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins does we can say, “We’ve got lots of good defencemen. We’re gonna pick a and put him on the third line. I think you’re wasting somebody there. forward.” There will be a good forward on the board. They’re interchangeable parts. I start out with that foundation. Between I don’t know that either philosophy is more right than the other. If you’re now and September, I work off that. gonna be good in the NHL, you’ve gotta draft good and you’ve gotta June is a busy time of the year and next the buy-out period is develop good. And we’ve got an early second-round pick (38th overall). approaching. Are you considering buying out any players on the roster? The draft is critical to long-term success. You’ve gotta hit on pick eight and then you’ve gotta find another player, maybe two, in the rest of the Going back to the draft discussion: You’ve never traded a first-round pick draft. That’s the most important way to build a team that’s gonna be built for immediate help on the draft floor in the cap era. Could you foresee a for the long haul. scenario where you would do that with the No. 8 pick?

It sounds like you’re going to rely on Bob Green and Keith Gretzky quite I don’t foresee a scenario, but if the phone rings and something intriguing a bit. Not much has been mentioned about Gretzky since you took over. is offered I have a responsibility to answer the phone and hear them out. Where does he stand within the organization? But there are no short-term fixes. The reality is a lot of the stuff that’s speculated isn’t real. Maybe it’s real in fantasy hockey, but not in the real Keith’s gonna stay. I want him to be the general manager of Bakersfield. National Hockey League. History suggests that most teams picking in the He really enjoys Bakersfield. It’s really important that we draft, and we top 10 don’t trade those players. There are very few top-10 picks that develop. Bakersfield is a big part of the development and we wanna real have been traded in the last decade. I’m not gonna go out shopping the good culture down there. Jay Woodcroft, last year as the head coach in pick. Bakersfield and his coaching staff, the team that they put in with Craig MacTavish and Keith Gretzky and the players that they signed – they We’ve gotta build it. In the short term, I’m hoping that the stability of a made the playoffs for the first time in their (AHL) history. manager and the stability and structure of a coach like Tippett, the moves that we’re gonna try to make – we’re gonna try to make some moves In Detroit, in Grand Rapids, we developed players. It was a good over the next six weeks – that we can compete and be competitive in environment. They played in playoff games. Those are important things March and be competing for a playoff spot. On the longer look, the eighth in the development of players. Seeing Bouchard leave junior and play pick in the draft, all these players that we’ve talked about are a part of us eight Calder Cup playoff games and (Tyler) Benson play playoffs games building. The core up front is McDavid and Draisaitl. They’re 22 and 23. after being down there all year (and) those other players that I’ve Nurse is 24. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is 26 and has a couple years to go on mentioned, it was beneficial to them. his contract. We’ve gotta build it. There are some younger players. I don’t Keith’s got a good eye in the amateur draft. He’s run an amateur draft. think Bouchard’s that far away. I don’t think Samorukov’s that far away. I Once we get into the second half of the season … and once we see don’t think Benson’s that far away. Hopefully the player we pick at pick 8 where the Oilers might be fitting in the standings and the scouts are out isn’t that far away. Maybe he’s a couple years away. there and starting to get a bit of an idea of a list, I’d like Keith to get out The good teams build it and then they find players looking for on the amateur beat and go watch games. That way, when we have our opportunities and they make a trade or two. That’s the plan. The plan is end-of-year meetings as we head toward the entry draft, it’s another to build and add to the foundation of the core group. We’ve gotta find strong voice at the amateur level. Those are his strengths. He’s been some depth. The good teams find either entry-level players or cheaper evaluating players for a long time. players in the minors that are on other teams and they form the bottom of I think Keith is excited about the job. It’s a very important job. the roster. They play with grit and they work, and they compete, and they maybe kill some penalties. You mentioned Jay Woodcroft’s name. There’s been some speculation that he might leave the organization. Can you confirm that he’ll return to It’s a league where it’s gonna be rocky. It’s up and it’s down. But you’ve coach the Condors? gotta have a plan. The coach has to have a plan from Day 1 of training camp to the end of the season. The manager has to have a plan from the I’m confident he’s going to return. I’ve had two or three conversations start of the season but also a one-year plan, a two-year plan, a three- with him. But I’ve been in the business long enough to know that you year plan, a four-year plan. You’ve gotta have a plan and stick to your never know until it’s done. But certainly, I want him to stay. plan. We’re gonna stick to the plan.

The Detroit Red Wings were his first professional team. Mike Babcock I’m a big believer in stability. That’s one of the things we had in Detroit. hired him in ’05-06 (as video coach). I’ve got a relationship with Jay. He’s The last three years we missed the playoffs, but I’d like to think that the accomplished a lot as an assistant coach in San Jose and in Edmonton. team this year was competitive. It wasn’t quite good enough. It wasn’t He has a lot of experience. This was his first opportunity to be a head quite deep enough. It got decimated by injuries in the middle of the coach and he did a fabulous job in his first year. season. But you’ve gotta be steady on the rudder and you can’t be reacting to the pressures of the short term. I think he’s got a couple years remaining on his contract. But I want people to be here because they want to be here. I don’t wanna hold It takes time to build that. I can’t react every time we go on a three-game people against their will. If they think there’s better opportunity out there, losing streak and wheel out a draft pick and bring somebody here that’s and we can’t fulfill their needs, then you’re probably better off to part gonna make a difference – because they’re not gonna. We have to ways. I want them to be here because they believe they can be part of develop that internal depth where somebody comes up from the farm the solution and they want to be part of the program and part of the team. That’s where Jay Woodcroft comes in. That’s where the drafting process for us to build this team into a playoff team and better than that – comes in. That’s where the developing comes in. That’s the longer plan. a team that can go on a playoff run. I’ve got a shorter plan and a longer plan.

I’m expecting and anticipating he’s going to be the coach of Bakersfield. Going back to the draft pick. Although I asked about trading it, you’ve had I’ve talked to him enough over the last 10 days to feel comfortable saying a long track record of moving down. When is it a good idea to trade down that. at the draft and get another asset or two?

You had a chance to watch a little of his team, the Condors, play after Coming out of ’05-06, Jim Nill was my assistant general manager and he joining the Oilers. Were there any players that you felt were particularly was also running the draft. We had a chief scout of Joe McDonnell. We’d close to being NHL-ready? been a team that had been in the playoffs 15 years in a row and then it goes for another decade. When you’re a playoff team, you’re always I watched two games. The first game, (Joseph) Gambardella had five spending futures trying to prop up your team. You get to the trade points and had a massive night. deadline, (and) you trade a second; you trade a third; you trade this; you It’s hard to go in there and evaluate 20 guys. I was looking at seven, trade that. eight, nine guys. I was looking at some of those defencemen that we’ve We are trying to be a team that competes with the best teams in the talked about: Ethan Bear, but he played one game, got concussed and league, so you’ve gotta have draft picks. If you’re trading draft picks, missed the next game; I watched Caleb Jones; I watched Lagesson; you’re not trading players off your team. We felt that over a period of Evan Bouchard was there and he played good; Benson played really time, we would trade back and try to get some extra draft picks – which good. He’s had 66 points as a rookie in the American Hockey we did. League.That’s a tremendous year for a rookie in the American Hockey League. We traded back a few times. The one year with Mantha (2013) we traded from 18 to 20 and got an extra second. We used that pick on (Tyler) Jones played some games up in the NHL this year. I’m looking forward to Bertuzzi. We traded from 16 to 20 with Arizona (in 2016) in the (Pavel) getting to training camp to see some of those young players compete for Datsyuk deal. They took Datsyuk off our hands. They got (Jakob) spots in Edmonton. All the guys that I was looking at, they played good. Chychrun; we got (Dennis) Cholowski. We used the second-round pick But it’s two games. It’s a small sample size. on (Filip) Hronek. I think one year we had a first and traded back for three seconds. None of the seconds have really panned out, but it was a strategy. It was a three-, four-, five-year strategy. You can’t hit every time. But Hronek and Bertuzzi are gonna be two What did I learn from my time in Detroit? I learned that it’s a hard league. players that I think are gonna play for the Red Wings for 10 years. I believe that you’ve gotta have a plan. I believe that we’re gonna make They’re both really good players and great picks by our scouting staff. lots of good decisions. I believe that we’re gonna make some bad decisions. You hope that the bad decisions aren’t critical. I learned that If you wanna draft good, get lots of picks. the difference between the good teams and the bad teams is marginal.

Moving on to the summer here, what does your shopping list look like Finally, complete this sentence: I’ll consider this offseason a success if … from a positional standpoint? I won’t deem the offseason a success until we play the first 40 games I’ve gotta sign another goaltender to go with (Mikko) Koskinen. If you look and see how we look. When we make moves, we like them. We don’t at our defence, we have seven defencemen on one-way contracts make moves and don’t like the moves. We like all of them. We’re gonna (Nurse, Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, Kris Russell, Matt Benning, make some moves. We’re gonna sign some people. Then I’ve gotta go Andrej Sekera and Brandon Manning). So, I’m not looking to add out and watch all those moves. Do they have chemistry? anything on defence. I’m hoping that we can have a little better luck with injuries to our defence. There’s no use analyzing the offseason in August. You haven’t played a game yet. It looks great on paper or it doesn’t look great on paper. But When you look up front, I’ve gotta try to build the bottom six. We’ve gotta how do you really know? I guess my sentence would be: If we’re do some work up front on our forward lines. I don’t have a ton of cap legitimately competing for a playoff spot right to the finish line whether we space, but I’ve got some cap space. We signed (Joakim) Nygard out of make it or not. I look at the Montreal Canadiens, who competed right till Sweden. He was second in the league in goals. He fast and plays with the last game. I thought they had a great season. One more point and pace. We’re gonna continue to look to see if we can sign a player or two you’re in. If the Edmonton Oilers can legitimately compete – be in thick of here. the race, not chasing the race – then I think that we’ve had a really good We’ve gotta find some cheaper players that contribute whether it’s offseason. Ultimately, it’s about the results. through entry level or they’re free agents that have been playing pro and The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 bouncing around or are Europeans like Nygard.

How much help does the team need on the wings?

Oh, we need help. We have to make some decisions. You need eight wingers.

Between Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins, that’s one winger. I don’t know which one, but one of them’s a winger. You’ve got (Zack) Kassian. You’ve got (Jujhar) Khaira. You’ve got (Sam) Gagner. You’ve got (Milan) Lucic. I might have missed one or two. I think (Colby) Cave can play wing or centre. Nygard’s a winger. Certainly, I’m exploring the marketplace for forwards. We’ve gotta build up the forwards.

The only prominent UFA on the roster is winger Alex Chiasson. Have there been any serious talks to re-sign him?

I’ve talked to his agent a couple times briefly. We’ve had some initial conversations, but nothing more than that at this stage of the game. I’ve got a couple weeks here and then the interview period. We’ll see. I’ll be in touch.

How much will you consider aging curves when considering how much term to offer a free agent in his late 20s? I know Justin Abdelkader, for instance, was a player you had within your organization, but did you learn anything from the contract you gave him?

I would say if you’re in the business and you think every contract is gonna be team-friendly, you should find another business. You’re dreaming.

You have to decide if you wanna let the player go. Easy to sit on the sidelines and have all the answers and second-guess and criticize. But come on in and get into the big chair and then make decisions.

Not every contract that I signed in Detroit worked out. Some were fabulous contracts for the team. You’re gonna have some bad ones. These guys are people. They’re human beings. There’s probably gonna be some contracts signed in the industry this year, this offseason, that down the road they don’t look so good. But in the short term, they look awful good. You’re dreaming to think you’re gonna get a player that the day he’s no longer playing at that level his contract expires. It happens occasionally, but not that often.

What I learned from my time in Detroit is you’ve gotta do more good than bad. You’re gonna do some things that don’t work out. It’s easy to not get criticized. Just do nothing. Don’t sign anybody. If you wanna be in the NHL, you’ve gotta get in the game. You’ve gotta decide when to pay term. That’s how you’re gonna land players. If you ask me about the Edmonton Oilers and free agency but you don’t wanna give any term, we might as well just go fishing.

I’m gonna sign a contract going forward that probably isn’t gonna pan out. But I’m hoping that I’m gonna sign more that do pan out to offset the one that doesn’t pan out. All 31 general managers, if you’re gonna be involved in free agency – I’m not just talking about this summer, I’m talking about every summer – and even if you’re signing your own players, you’re gonna have the odd contract where the player doesn’t perform to the level they’re paid at. 1146608 Websites Here are five to get us started.

What should be the standard for changing a call?

The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Five hard questions the NHL needs to There are two basic schools of thought here. The first is that replay is ask before they expand replay review there to catch the obvious errors. Mistakes happen, officials get screened and we need a failsafe for the really big misses that are obvious to everyone except the guy with the whistle. In theory, that means replays By Sean McIndoe Jun 10, 2019 should be rare and short because it takes one look to see that yep, Timo Meier committed a hand pass. You don’t even need the slow-mo part most times and certainly not the frame-by-frame breakdowns. Often, one look at real speed is all you need. Expanded replay review is coming to the NHL, in some form. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported over the weekend that league It goes without saying that the NHL doesn’t do it this way because leadership has already met to come up with a proposal for expanded reviews aren’t rare and they’re certainly not short. The league has gone review and will present it to the competition committee on Tuesday, with with the other philosophy, which says that once you’ve triggered a the GMs getting a look next week. review, you might as well try to make the best call you can. After all, you’ve already stopped the whole game, you’ve got all these fancy LeBrun reports that the recommendation will not include judgment cameras and multiple angles and everyone is standing around. Might as penalty reviews, at least this time around. That will be disappointing to well take the time to really figure out what happened. If that means that some fans, especially in the wake of controversial moments like Cody you only end up being 60 percent sure that you got it wrong, well, that Eakin’s major and Tyler Bozak’s uncalled trip. But it would likely include a can still be a call worth changing. review of plays like Timo Meier’s hand pass, among other scenarios that aren’t covered by the current rules. Neither of these approaches is necessarily right or wrong, but you have to pick one. And you have to communicate it clearly to fans. Today, the I’m with pretty much everyone else in believing that the NHL has a crisis NHL lives in a weird middle ground where the rules say that the call on on its hands. The officials have become the story of the playoffs and the ice is supposed to stand unless the evidence is overwhelming, but that’s never a good thing. I think the Eakin call was a bad one, as I said the reviews clearly aren’t called that way. (Did you ever see a view of the at the time. I think the hand pass was an obvious miss. And I think Bozak Gabriel Landeskog offside that showed with 100 percent clarity that his should have been given two for tripping on Thursday. Three big missed skate wasn’t touching the line? Me neither.) calls, which is three too many. Pick a lane, and communicate it clearly every time you have a review. No But now what? more middle ground. You already know what I think about replay review for penalties. I’ve One more thing. If your standard is that we’ll only change the calls that made my case that it would be a disaster, and I’ll keep banging that drum are obviously wrong, prepare to be surprised by what people think is if only because in a few years when we do have it and everybody hates obvious. That Bozak trip? Not a penalty to everyone’s eyes. Lots of it, I won’t have to hear about how nobody could have seen this coming. people thought the Cody Eakin major was absolutely the right call. Few And I think there’s a good chance that any sort of expanded review will penalty calls are ever really obvious to everyone watching. Stuff like hand be a mess too because it’s being implemented by the same minds that passes and pucks into the netting should be better, but even there we came up with the current offside and goalie interference reviews. Are you can run into grey areas or views that might seem inconclusive. happy with how those have worked? Not many of us seem to be. Again, this isn’t a reason not to try. But it is a reason to stop pretending But here’s the key point: I don’t want expanded replay review to be a that any of this is going to be simple, or that you’ll make everyone happy mess. I’d have no issue with a well-implemented replay system that with the results. makes the game better. I don’t want this league to screw up yet again. I don’t want us to all be sitting around in a few years, screaming at each What would an expanded coach’s challenge look like (and do we want other over freeze-frames of plays we barely even notice today. that)?

For now, I’m accepting reality by conceding that I’m probably going to We know what we want it to look like. A call happens or doesn’t happen lose this argument and that significantly expanded review is almost and it’s immediately obvious that there’s been a big miss. A coach sees certainly coming in some form. And yes, that will likely include penalties this unfold, alerts the referee that he wants to use a challenge and a at some point, even if it’s not this year. The question now is whether it replay review ensures. The officials see that they made a mistake, can be done in a way that doesn’t prove my warnings right. I’m not overturn the missed call and everyone is happy. optimistic, but I don’t think the task is impossible. The specifics vary a little, but there seems to be at least some consensus But the first step is that we have to stop pretending this is easy. Stop forming around letting the coaches be responsible for driving reviews. saying “just get it right,” as if that hasn’t occurred to the league or its Maybe you like Eric Duhatschek’s idea of a super challenge, in which officials. We all told ourselves that offside review was going to be easy, each coach gets one challenge for the entire game that they can use on but it hasn’t been – and that’s for a call that in theory should be black- just about anything. Maybe you think one wouldn’t cover it and we need and-white. We figured we were just going to catch the Matt Duchene multiple challenges, just in case. The key point is that we put the onus on plays and nobody could object to that. Instead, we took a play that the coaches – not the league, not the war room, not the officials on the nobody had a serious problem with since Leon Stickle in 1980 and turned ice or elsewhere – to figure out what’s worth reviewing. That way, nobody it into something we all fight about every few days. And we did all of that can complain about what does or doesn’t get reviewed. without catching even one single Duchene-style play along the way. We now have teams with employees whose job it is to watch every zone Sounds good. But what do we do when they start challenging every entry for potential offsides, all for the purpose of taking perfectly good minor infraction? What happens when every NHL team has multiple goals off the board because of a fraction of an inch that nobody even staffers monitoring the game in real time for any meaningless violation noticed in real-time. If we’d seen what was coming, nobody would have they can find, just in case a goal happens and they want a do-over? Are been in favor of this four years ago. we OK with reviewing faceoff violations? Line changes? Pucks being dumped in from just short of the red line? Why did the offside review system we got end up being so different than what we expected? Because we didn’t really think it through about how it What about penalties? The old line about how if you went by the strict would work. We saw a missed call or two, we wanted to fix it and we definition of the rulebook you could find a missed penalty on virtually any figured that replay review would be easy. We were all wrong. Let’s learn shift is a cliché, but it’s also true. We had some fun with some of the some hard lessons from that. weirder rules in the book last week, but it won’t seem all that fun when coaches are using obscure rules you’ve never even heard of to get goals Sure, complain about this year’s playoff officiating. If your team is one of taken off the board. And they absolutely will do that, because they won’t the ones who got screwed by those ridiculous calls, you have every right. be doing their jobs if they don’t. Scream at the sky, stomp your feet, type in all caps. Get it all out of your system. And then let’s start asking some tough questions about what You can alleviate some of that problem by going through the rulebook we’re actually going to do. and rewriting it, taking out weird old rules that don’t work anymore or match how we want the game called. That would probably be a good thing to do in any event. It’s hard to reconcile “rewrite the whole rulebook” And if it can happen in the NFL, it can absolutely happen in the NHL. with the “this is going to be easy” crowd, but sure, rewrite away. But then Let’s slow down and take the time to work through the details, even if it you still have to figure out what can be challenged and what can’t. means we don’t get to declare the problem solved in June.

Maybe you think I’m being too pedantic here. But we already know how How will we know if we’re “just getting it right”? this will turn out because we’ve already seen it with the offside review. We thought coaches would only challenge the obvious stuff, but that Everyone keeps saying that we have to get it right. It’s repeated like a didn’t happen. Instead, they challenged absolutely anything that they mantra after every questionable call. That’s the answer to all of this. Just could. In hindsight, of course they did. get it right!

Will that happen again if we expand the challenge system? Maybe not, Great. What does that even mean? although it’s hard to see why this time would be any different. But if This sounds like I’m being a wiseass, but I’m not. This is actually the you’re in the camp that says we should just give the coaches a challenge most important question of them all. Whenever you implement a new or two or more and a long list of challengeable calls and let them figure it plan, in sports or in business or in life, you have to have a definition of out, you’d better have an answer here. what success will look like.

And there are answers. One common response is that we’d only allow Therefore, what does it mean to get it right? The phrase implies coaches to challenge missed calls on plays that lead directly to goals. something close to a 100 percent success rate, but is that realistic? For That might work (although it’s worth pointing out that such an approach certain calls, maybe, but not for anything with even a tiny amount of wouldn’t cover something like the Eakin call). It also brings us to another subjectivity. Does getting it right just mean that we don’t make any question. catastrophic errors and live with the vast majority of calls that fall into a What does “leading to a goal” mean? grey area? Are we going to be happy as long as we achieve some degree of improvement? If so, how much? Many fans and media are calling for us to only review calls that lead to a goal. That’s smart, in that it cuts out a lot of the stuff that could get us in Here’s a different way of phrasing this question: How do we manage fan trouble. It also fits better with the spirit of what most of us seem to want. expectations? Not everything that happens in an NHL game is important enough to This is all matters a lot because when you tell your fans that you’re doing warrant review, but goals are crucial. In a league where we still only get something in the name of getting it right, they do this weird thing where maybe six of them a night, even one that shouldn’t count can change the they take you at your word and expect you to actually get it right. Then outcome of a game, a series, a season. Accept that mistakes will happen you don’t, at least not to everyone’s satisfaction all the time, and people in 95 percent of the game, you might argue, but make sure you always are even more frustrated than they were before. get the goals right. Look at the current system for goaltender interference review. Did you go OK. How? the whole season agreeing with all those calls, comfortably secure that What does it mean for a play to lead to a goal? That turns out to be a the league was consistently getting it right? Or are you even more tricky question, and there are a few ways we could go. We could take it confused about goalie interference now than you’ve ever been? literally and say that the missed call – the glove pass or high stick or puck The interference debacle is important because it reminds us of into the netting or whatever – has to be the play that puts the puck something that may be counterintuitive: If you don’t manage directly into the net. But that’s how the rules already work right now, and expectations, you can end up with a system that improves the quality of nobody seems to think it’s enough. And it wouldn’t cover stuff like your calls but still makes the perceived problem worse. Is the NHL Bozak’s trip. For that, we need some sort of lead time. But how much? getting more goalie interference calls right than they were five years ago You could pick a time – let’s say five seconds – and just go with that. But before we had replay review? Sure they are. But back then, how often that gets awkward when some team commits a clear hand pass six did you get really mad about an interference call or non-call? A few times seconds before an overtime goal and now we’re reviewing the game a season, maybe. Now we’re all fighting about it every week. clock to see if we’re allowed to overturn an obvious mistake. Maybe it’s The NHL told us they were going to “just get it right,” so we believed based on possession, where as soon as the defending team touches or them. Then they made it marginally better. That’s not the same thing. controls the puck, the slate gets wiped clean. Maybe it’s a zone entry, And now every interference review feels like a nightmare. although that won’t cover the gloved or high-sticked breakaway pass from the neutral zone. Like other problems I’m highlighting, this one doesn’t have to be impossible to solve. If getting it right really does mean 100 percent, or The key part here is that we can’t just say that we’ll know it when we see something close to it, then you limit your system to only those calls where it. That’s not good enough. We have to draw a line somewhere. And that’s possible. Nothing subjective, nothing where we don’t always have when we do, we have to accept that someday we’re going to see a play a clear view, nothing that two reasonable people could see differently. that falls just on the other side of that line. Only the obvious stuff. That’s a system that will get it right, even if “it” will What are the unintended consequences we haven’t thought of yet? just be a small sliver of the rulebook.

Even if you think you need expanded review and that your new system Or you come up with a more realistic definition of getting it right, and then really will lead to more accurate calls and a better experience for your – and this is the crucial part – you tell the fans what that looks like. That fans, you still need to spend the time thinking through all the different doesn’t mean poking your head out of a closed-door GM’s meeting and scenarios that could come into play. What are we missing? What’s the mumbling a sound bite on your way to the golf course. It means Gary rare but inevitable occurrence that’s going to trip us up? Bettman and Stephen Walkom and whoever else, front and center and selling a solution. It means taking questions. It means your GMs signing Notice that I’m not asking if there will be any unintended consequences. off on the plan and meaning it, and not knifing you the second it works There will be. There always are. The question is whether we can figure against their team. It means being clear on what your new system is them out in advance, before we’ve put a new rule in the book, or whether going to do, and what it won’t and why it’s the best option. It means we’re left scrambling later. expecting your leaders to actually do a little leading when it comes to the product on the ice, not just the revenue numbers or the next CBA. You don’t have to look very far to see the consequences of whiffing on this question. The NFL is going through it right now. In January, they had It absolutely doesn’t mean implementing a system without putting enough a playoff game determined by what seemed to be an obvious missed call thought into it, watching it turn into a disaster and then shrugging that and everyone freaked out. (Sound familiar?) Fans, media and teams “the ship has sailed.” demanded more replay review. The league gave it to them. And then – whoops – the realized that they’d missed a potentially important detail. It can be done. It really can. The question is whether the same people Now they’re scrambling to fix the rule, layering exemptions on top of who’ve already screwed it up a few times have the ability to finally start exceptions. The season hasn’t even started yet and the whole thing is getting it right. already a joke. Maybe they can because they’ve learned from their mistakes. We’ll find That’s what happens when you rush through a rule change in the name out. And it will start with seeing if they’re asking the tough questions. of getting it right without thinking through the impact of what you’re doing. The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146609 Websites “Hopefully all of those options come into play here,” she said. “We are still early in the planning process. Luckily we are early into summer so we have time to carve out those exact training experiences and what they The Athletic / Women’s hockey boycott showing cracks as players start will look like, but we are hoping to keep it somewhat similar to what a to return to NWHL normal season would look like so the girls are staying at the top of their game with practices and skills sessions every week and some kind of organized games that we will have available to the public.”

By Hailey Salvian Jun 10, 2019 These were all discussions Souliotis was privy to while a member of the movement, but they were not as compelling to her as playing in an

established league. If you’d have looked at Mallory Souliotis’ Twitter account a month ago, “I just felt playing in the league was the best option for women’s hockey,” you might have seen the coordinated blast sent out by as many as 200 she said. “Playing against boys and maybe other teams in the area, professional women’s hockey players vowing to sit out the upcoming college or whatever it may be would be fine, but why are we giving up professional season in North America. this opportunity to grow this league that we already have?” Now, it’s gone and the defender has re-signed with the Boston Pride after Despite repeated blows in the last month, the NWHL has maintained that a change of heart about what is best for the future of the women’s game. it will continue to operate. On the heels of the boycott announcement, the “(The movement leaders) just didn’t have very clear answers and they Pegula Sports and Entertainment group – led by Buffalo Sabres owners were very unsure about a lot of my concerns,” Souliotis told The Athletic. Terry and Kim Pegula – decided to hand back ownership of the Buffalo “I just really didn’t understand why they had chosen to take this route Beauts franchise to the league. The New Jersey Devils dissolved their when we have a league already there. We have our one league that partnership with the league shortly after. everybody wanted.” In a recent press release, the NWHL expressed positivity that it is “here Souliotis’ concerns are not new. When the boycott was first announced, a and open for business.” The release reiterated that the league is coming number of NWHL players told The Athletic they abstained from joining off “consecutive seasons of substantial growth” and that the salary cap the movement because of a lack of concrete details. They also said they increased for each team by 50 percent (from $100,000 per team to felt rushed to make a decision. After taking a few weeks to think, and $150,000), along with a 50-50 revenue split from all league-level speak to her peers, Souliotis said she realized she made a mistake. sponsorship and media deals.

“At first, I thought that this movement sounded like it could help and if we The only sponsorship that has been made public is the $100,000 from sit out and then if the NHL forms a league then maybe we’d be paid. It the NHL. Dunkin’ Donuts has been one of the title sponsors of the league honestly sounded like the whole world, just everything women’s hockey for its first four years of operation, and sources say the company is wanted and deserved,” she said. expected to return for another season.

“But I still had concerns and reservations with that decision…and a lot of The Athletic has learned that the Minnesota Wild will not follow the those concerns went unanswered.” Pegulas or the Devils in severing ties with the NWHL.

The defender said her main concern was that she didn’t understand why “We have supported the Minnesota Whitecaps since their inception in the players wanted to boycott the “One League” everyone had wanted. 2004 and will continue to support women’s hockey at all levels as part of She said there was never an explanation as to why the players wouldn’t our organization’s mission to build a Greater State of Hockey,” a play in the NWHL. spokesperson from the Wild said.

“It was more of, ‘If we sit out this year and the NWHL folds, then maybe As of Monday morning, Souliotis is just one of 18 players to sign with the the NHL starts a league,’” she said. “But there was nothing in writing and NWHL for next season. A source within the league told The Athletic the there was no promise from the NHL to do that.” league expects to sign at least one player per day through the month of June, which would put it ahead of last year’s signing pace. The NHL has never been explicitly referenced in the players’ comments, but it was talked about a lot leading up to the groups’ decision to sit out The source, who was granted anonymity, indicated Souliotis is not the the 2019-20 season. only player dealing with a change of heart. In the weeks since the May 2 announcement, league general managers and executives have been NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has been unwavering in his stance that getting calls and emails from players expressing their regrets in joining the league will not get involved while the NWHL is still in operation. the movement and asking to come back to the NWHL.

“At this point in time, we’re letting the dust settle in terms of what’s Madison Packer, who was one of the first players to re-sign with the ultimately going to happen with the remaining existing league,” Bettman NWHL, said she “knows for a fact” that there are players who have said at a press conference ahead of the Stanley Cup final. “Whether or changed their minds both publicly and behind the scenes. not it’s appropriate for us to get involved with the league, at least starting our own league is something that not everybody agrees on from afar. It’s “Some people are more comfortable in the crowd, which is maybe why it not anything we’ve focused on yet.” was easy to join that movement to begin with,” Packer said. “I think as the dust settles and more names come out and people have a little more Meanwhile, the players in the For the Game movement have established time to really think about what they are doing right now, I think there will themselves as a professional association (the Professional Women’s be more players that come back to the league. Hockey Players Association) as well as a not-for-profit. Players involved say the PWHPA was a natural progression and a necessary step for the Souliotis agreed that she could see other players following in her players to stay organized and in communication during the gap year. footsteps as they start to get a “better understanding and a better perspective that the NWHL is the best option for women’s hockey.” “Obviously, there’s a ton of moving parts that are going to be taking place next year and that’s why it was so important for us to establish an “I never had a female athlete to look up to. Every four years you have the association that allows us to stay organized, to stay united and as well to Olympics, but that’s only for a month that you get to watch the best give an opportunity for outside people who are willing to sponsor us and players in women’s hockey on TV,” she said. stand behind us,” said Renata Fast, a defender for Team Canada and “We have the stage, we have the league, so I think people will join. I formerly with the CWHL’s Toronto Furies. hope they will because I think it will be another incredible season.” Fast said there has been talk about NCAA colleges opening up ice time The Athletic LOADED: 06.11.2019 to boycotting players in their regions, as well as the Ontario Women’s Hockey Association offering to help keep players in Ontario on the ice.

Shannon Szabados, a goalie who played for the Buffalo Beauts in the NWHL last season, added there have been talks about playing AAA Midget boys’ teams – like Team Canada does during Olympic Centralization – and barnstorming tournaments to keep players in games and in front of fans. 1146610 Websites them apart is how the bargain contracts on the books give them better flexibility to address roster weaknesses.

“It’s a pretty good class this year,” Sakic said of the 2019 UFA class. Sportsnet.ca / Six teams that could emerge as Stanley Cup contenders in “Already have target players in mind, if they become available, that we’re next three years going to want to talk to about joining our club. We see some positions of need… we’ll be more aggressive this year with that.”

Rory Boylen | June 10, 2019, 1:09 PM Plus, they hold two first-round picks this summer: the fourth overall and their own at 16. When one or both of those players arrive in the next one to three years that will be another cheap entry-level deal or two potentially providing a healthy diet of depth production. And again, that If you had predicted the St. Louis Blues would be Stanley Cup 16th pick could be used in trade to help right away. contenders back in December, you’d have been laughed off the internet. So as we go through a list of teams in position to possibly rise as a MONTREAL CANADIENS contender over the next three years, keep that in mind. This is another GM who’s seen the perception around him radically For this exercise we wanted to focus on teams who aren’t there as a change over the past year. The negativity surrounding Marc Bergevin contender yet, but have the pieces in place or the flexibility to take a really started with the P.K. Subban trade in 2016 and snowballed with the great stride forward in the near future. Parity is the name of the game in handling of Max Pacioretty, who was finally dealt in September following the NHL today and we’ve seen some teams take wild swings from one a full season of speculation. end of the standings to the other in short order, and sometimes — like this season — in a single stretch of 82 games. Of course, that means any At the time, the direction of the Canadiens was very unclear. Following team that isn’t currently considered a contender could earn that two division titles and a trip to the conference final in Bergevin’s first distinction, but we are doing our best to identify the ones with the most three years at the helm, the Habs seemed to be taking a distinct step optimistic outlook. back from the outset of the Subban trade and have missed the post- season three out of the past four years. But now that outlook is starting to Five of the six teams listed below didn’t make the playoffs this season become a little more focused and though their route to contending isn’t and not all of them will likely even make it next season. Some of these as obvious as Colorado’s and may be more arduous given the division teams could rise as early as 2019-20, while other may take the full three they’re in, Montreal could be tracking to get there in a few more seasons. years to get there. Without a big-money, star forward it really all hinges on Carey Price, Ryan Dixon and Rory Boylen go deep on pucks with a mix of facts and whose $10.5-million AAV dictates he be the crux of Montreal’s push back fun, leaning on a varied group of hockey voices to give their take on the to contender status. Between the soon-to-be 32-year-old Price and 34- country’s most beloved game. year-old Weber combining for $18.357 million, the Habs’ cap picture isn’t as pretty as Colorado’s, but it’s still very manageable. And there could be COLORADO AVALANCHE a better collection of young players here than previously assumed, which They have one of the best players in the world with Nathan MacKinnon, makes the cap potentially even less of a concern. who is behind only Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov in points per We won’t predict that Ryan Poehling will keep up his 246-goal pace game average (1.26) over the past two years. But the best thing about following a hat trick debut that closed out the regular season, but that MacKinnon may be his steal of a cap hit, which is just $6.3 million for the was one heck of a start for a player named the WJC’s best forward this next four seasons. Right now, that is the 68th-highest cap hit in the past winter. Between Poehling, Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi the league and will surely fall more this summer. And that’s just the start of Habs look to have the centre depth they’ve been craving under Bergevin, Colorado’s case. not to mention Max Domi, who had a career-best 28 goals and 72 points The biggest piece of business this summer is to re-sign Mikko Rantanen, at the position this season. who is coming off a career year and is part of this loaded RFA class. On Alexander ‘The Czar’ Romanov was named the best defenceman at this one hand he could use the leverage of the market around him to push for year’s WJC and his stock has sky-rocketed since being a second-round $9 million or more, but on the other that MacKinnon contract could help pick last summer. Victor Mete averaged nearly 20 minutes per game in set a frame work given the salary structure of the team. the final two and a half months and will likely cross that mark before long. Go back 20 months and we’re looking at this Avalanche team very He and 22-year-old Noah Juulsen only have one more year until their differently. Matt Duchene is still on the roster and Joe Sakic is trying to ELCs expire, but defencemen generally get bridge contracts on their trade him, but it’s taking a while and looking like a losing proposition for second deals and neither should carry an unmanageable cost for a while. the team. The defence is a huge question mark and weakness, even The big questions over the next few years are what Domi (RFA next after drafting Cale Makar fourth overall because he’s not coming to the summer) and Brendan Gallagher (UFA in 2021) will cost on their next league right away. extensions. Gallagher will be interesting given he has the leverage to But today that blue line is an organizational strength and, arguably, leave on his own in two years and is top 10 league-wide in even-strength deeper in talent than the forward group. goals the past two seasons. And if Domi puts up 72 points again as a centre next season, the topic of his next AAV will be a hot one, and the Sam Girard came back in the Duchene trade and in two years has bar for it could be set by this summer’s strong RFA crop. emerged as a strong skater, good puck mover and someone the Avs are excited to have in their top four moving forward. Makar arrived for the At this juncture it is very important for Montreal to get production and playoffs and had a terrific showing that has most thinking he’ll be next good minutes from its youngest, cheapest players — the ones who will year’s Miro Heiskanen. Erik Johnson is signed for another four years and be on entry-level deals over the next few years. If that comes to fruition, it is the minute-eating veteran who is a more secure defensive presence. would give Bergevin freedom to look at moving on from others making $3 Tyson Barrie had his best NHL season in 2018-19 and it would be terrific million or more (Paul Byron, Andrew Shaw) to shave off some more to retain him, but the improving situation on defence opens up the room. possibility Sakic could sell high on Barrie to help the forward situation. It’s generally true for all successful teams that they find production from And the Avs seem to have found their goalie to move forward with as less expensive players, but in Montreal’s case they already have well. Philipp Grubauer was one of the league’s best backup netminders significant money tied up in two ageing players. You can only give out for three years in Washington before Colorado acquired him via trade for those kinds of cap hits to so many players, and they’ve already used up a second-round pick in 2018. And though he didn’t start off all that well two of those slots. The possibility of adding Erik Karlsson would make with the Avs, he finished strong, took the No. 1 job decisively from three. But you can see the roadmap is there for Montreal to climb back to Semyon Varlamov, and is on the books for a bargain $3.3 million for being a contender under Bergevin, which would have been laughable another two seasons. even 12 months ago.

So Colorado has a good base everywhere in the lineup and have already FLORIDA PANTHERS made two playoff appearances and won a round with it. But what sets When Florida finished the 2017-18 season on a 24-8-2 tear, but just missed the playoffs, it seemed this season may be the one the team turned a corner. But Roberto Luongo got injured in the very first game Their cap space is wide open. Only Mika Zibanejad and Brady Skjei are and goaltending was a problem all season long so they never fully got signed to post-ELC deals beyond 2020-21 and talk is picking up that the going. Rangers could start throwing some money around again. They’re among the teams rumoured to be interested in Panarin this summer and have a And yet the Panthers head into the summer full of optimism again. It projected $41 million in room next summer with Chris Kreider as the top starts with the addition of Joel Quenneville as head coach, who should player in need of a new contract. They maybe don’t have the star power bring stability to a position that has employed six different people since of Colorado or the settled salary structure of the Panthers, but the 2013. They have a base of two solid centres in Aleksander Barkov and Rangers have the closest thing to a blank slate of any team on this list Vincent Trocheck, a pair of 30-goal wingers in Mike Hoffman and with a solid stable of futures to work it with. Jonathan Huberdeau, another 70-point scorer in Evgeni Dadonov, and a couple strong lead blueliners in Aaron Ekblad and Mike Matheson. And who’s driving the ship to get them there? GM Jeff Gorton was instrumental in building the Bruins, helping sign Zdeno Chara, draft Brad But what really takes them over the top is the potential to land both Marchand and trade for Tuukka Rask as the interim GM before Peter Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin. Chiarelli could officially join the club. And Davidson is now the new team Adding Panarin would give GM Dale Tallon the option to use his strength president after helping build up a Columbus organization that became a at forward to trade someone like Hoffman (one year away from being a tough out under a budget. UFA) for a top-four blueliner, and give them a new “best winger” for the New York will loosen the purse strings a lot more in all areas of the top line. Arguably, getting Bobrovsky is more important, since without him organization and in the hands of these two, the Rangers are going to be it’s hard to see how Florida would get into the contender conversation one heck of an interesting team to keep an eye on. with a ton of uncertainty in net. EDMONTON OILERS The Panthers’ strength up front looks like it’ll get even stronger in the future even if they don’t get Panarin. Each of their first two picks in 2017 I’m doing it. I’m listing the listless Oilers. and 2018 are tracking for NHL spots if not next season, then the one after. Owen Tippett nearly made the team out of camp this season and Look, when you have arguably the best player in the world who could go returned to junior where he scored 74 points in 54 games. Aleksi off for 120 points or more any given season, you have the potential to Heponiemi was the second-highest scorer on his Finnish Liiga team and rise as a contender. And having Leon Draisaitl as either a 2C or a led that league in rookie scoring. He also, along with Panthers 2018 first- linemate for Connor McDavid is a great thing, too. rounder Grigori Denisenko, led the WJC with nine points. And Serron There are certainly issues. Goaltending is one, but given what we saw Noel specifically was named by Quenneville as a prospect he was from the likes of Robin Lehner and Petr Mrazek this season, with a better excited about when I asked him about the prospects on this team. defensive structure the Oilers could find an affordable UFA goalie who For now, their two highest-paid players are defencemen Ekblad ($7.5 surprises. GM Ken Holland has to clean up some of the wasted cap million through 2025) and Keith Yandle ($6.35 million through 2023). space and that is the biggest challenge for the team right now. Huberdeau, Barkov and Trocheck all come in under $6 million for at least Dave Tippett behind the bench is a potential game changer. He improved the next three seasons. The Atlantic Division figures to be a meat grinder the Dallas Stars by 21 points in his first year with them, and the Coyotes with Tampa Bay, Toronto and Boston all set up to be factors already, went up 28 points when he first landed there. Tippett should finally bring plus Florida and Montreal (and maybe Detroit and Buffalo?) quickly on some needed long-term security to the position in Edmonton, but also the way up. has a long history of getting more out of his teams than the roster NEW YORK RANGERS makeup would suggest was possible.

It was just last season when, heading towards the trade deadline, the There is no doubt the Oilers have a lack of scoring support on the wings New York Rangers sent a letter to their fans that basically threw in the and need to figure that out. Perhaps Jesse Puljujarvi or Kailer Yamamoto towel on the season and set the table for a rebuild. Now, while there is ends up being the answer there, but this should be a realistically more work to do than any of the other teams on this list, you can see how acquirable piece of the roster. In the meantime, don’t overpay to keep a this might start coming together rather fast. career year from someone like Alex Chiasson — search for UFA bargains or small trades to find a player or two potentially capable of The Rangers have made five first-round picks in the past two drafts and playing and producing alongside McDavid and Draisaitl. And, heck, have another two to use this summer — their own at No. 2 and you’ve got the eighth-overall pick this summer that you can either trade Winnipeg’s at 20. They’ll get one of Kaapo Kakko or Jack Hughes with for a player, or use to pick someone like Kirby Dach, Peyton Krebs or their own and that player will instantly become the best in the pipeline even USNTDP all-time goal scoring leader Cole Caufield. and likely will be a part of next year’s team. And Edmonton’s defence may actually be better than advertised. Oscar As far as their 2017 picks go, Filip Chytil just completed his first full NHL Klefbom was one of two Oilers defencemen who was on the ice for more season with 11 goals and 23 points low in the lineup. Lias Andersson 5-on-5 shots for than against and is still only 25 and two years removed didn’t stick with the big club and has struggled against NHL competition, from a healthy, solid season. Andrej Sekera was the other blueliner with but at least some of that could be him adjusting to the North American positive shot measures and though he’s only played 60 games the past game. two seasons combined, he did just have a terrific World Championship and a little luck in the health department could see him have a similar Two defencemen — K’Andre Miller and Nils Lundkvist — were among late-career, post-injury resurgence that Andrei Markov did with Montreal. the three first-rounders last summer and will likely take a little longer to develop, but forward Vitali Kravtsov signed his entry-level deal in May Evan Bouchard is coming and may be a factor as early as next season. and will be at training camp this fall with a chance to crack the roster. Darnell Nurse had a great season at 24 and is still only getting better. Kravtsov finished as the highest-scoring under-20 player in the KHL last The Oilers’ top four could end up being solid, plus Caleb Jones or Ethan season. Bear could be decent young depth, and OHLer Dmitri Samorukov is coming off his own solid season so he could be a part of this all in a “He came in, I think it was yesterday, he’s gonna be here for the duration, couple years. he’s gonna learn the language because he doesn’t speak English that well. I like that,” new team president John Davidson said upon being The base is there and Tippett should give it a boost, but it all comes hired by the Rangers. “He’s gonna come in and work with people that down to what Holland does in the GM chair. A fresh set of eyes with all can teach him conditioning, teach him nutrition, there’s a guy that sounds his experience, plus the freedom to do what he needs can inspire pretty darn committed.” confidence that Edmonton could quickly rise back to contender status before long. As a condition in their trade with Dallas, if Mats Zuccarello signs an extension with the Stars the Rangers will pick up their first-rounder in PHILADELPHIA FLYERS 2020, and leave them with multiple picks in the round for a fourth consecutive year. And this is where the Rangers’ candidacy to contend If you were to make a list of teams that are the best candidates to make gets interesting: How many of these picks and prospects could/would substantial change this summer, the Flyers would be on it. After pushing they use to acquire experienced NHLers? for patience when he was hired as GM in December, Chuck Fletcher has work to do with pressure from up top to get back into the playoffs. The good thing about his position is he has a lot of options. Shayne Gostisbehere is the name most often heard on the trade block and although he had a soft season offensively (37 points in 78 games) he was still Philadelphia’s top point producer on the back end. He’s in his prime at 26, though, and has another four years left on a deal with a $4.5-million cap hit. If he does get traded, you can bet the Flyers will get a solid return.

The Flyers also have a lot of cap space this summer and more opens in 2020 when Andrew MacDonald’s $5-million cap hit finally comes off the books. RFAs Travis Konecny and Ivan Provorov and newly acquired UFA Kevin Hayes are the biggest free agents here, though keeping Hayes after picking up his rights would be a bonus at this point. Those two RFAs should be big parts of this roster moving forward — and although Provorov struggled in his contract season, make no mistake that he could very well be a Norris candidate down the line.

"I think we're going to be very aggressive in the trade and free agent markets in the sense of looking into every possible situation that can help us.” https://t.co/7XqKVa6PrH

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) June 1, 2019

Just look up and down this roster and definitively say the potential pieces aren’t there. The top six is solid and gets better if Hayes sticks. Nolan Patrick hasn’t lived up to potential yet, but he’ll only be 21 when the puck drops on next season so there’s plenty of time. They pick 11th overall later this month, which could be used to pick up another good prospect, or flipped for immediate help. This is the main reason why the Flyers could emerge as a contender in the coming years — they have a good base from which to start and all sorts of flexibility to improve. What they do this off-season and next will be vital.

“We are aggressively looking in the trade market now,” Fletcher told NHL.com. “At the right time, we’ll certainly speak to every agent for a lot of free agents and see if there’s a fit, see if there’s players that want to come to Philly and if there’s the right fit for our club. The good thing is we’ve got the assets and the cap space, and sometime in the near future, we’ll make some good things happen, and hopefully sooner rather than later.”

Even with all that, the one player that puts them over the top in this regard is Carter Hart. The Flyers have struggled to find sturdy netminding since either Ron Hextall or Bernie Parent, depending on your outlook — but either way it’s been decades. Hart won the WHL’s top goaltender award three years in a row, but it was still somewhat surprising to see him first struggle in the AHL as a rookie pro, but then excel when he was promoted to the NHL anyway. He had a .917 save percentage in 31 games and should only get better from here. It’s an element this franchise hasn’t had in a while and given he’s arrived earlier than anticipated, you could argue it makes Philadelphia’s window more immediate.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.11.2019 1146611 Websites Now they have to try and get the job done in hostile territory.

"You’re f—ing alone there," said Nieminen. "There’s only 20 guys versus 20,000." Sportsnet.ca / Ville Nieminen has seen both sides of Game 7 in Stanley Cup Final "The good thing is that they have a good road team, good road record," he added. "They have only one plan how they play hockey and it almost got them through. They had a 14-9 lead in scoring chances for the first Chris Johnston | June 10, 2019, 5:06 PM two periods [in Game 6] and they let it slip away.

"They just have to play their own game as good as they can. They will have a shot, but they have to believe. The Blues need to have a killer BOSTON — Fifteen years on, Ville Nieminen still thinks about what he instinct right off the bat." could have done differently. His idle thoughts are a reflection of the emotional stamp every Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final leaves on its That mindset is reflected in the advice he’d offer anyone preparing for a participants. game as big as this one.

Nieminen’s playing career included a championship — captured in a "Make sure you’re anticipating, you’re going. Do not think," he said. Game 7 with Colorado in 2001, no less — but he still wonders about the "Even if you feel tired, you’re scared or you’re too excited or you’re too one that got away a couple years later while he was a depth winger with nervous — everything — f—, keep playing. Get involved, keep skating, the Calgary Flames. keep moving. Do not stand still, do not watch."

More to the point, Nieminen agonizes over how he might better have The 42-year-old has experienced both ends of the spectrum in the used his 10 and a half minutes of ice time during a 2-1 loss to the Tampa biggest Game 7 of them all. His 2001 Avs Stanley Cup ring now resides Bay Lightning in a winner-take-all game for the 2004 Cup Final. at the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame in his hometown of Tampere, but that doesn’t keep him from thinking about the second one he never got. "Yeah. I remember," he says now. "I wasn’t at my best. I still know what I did wrong." "Winning and losing," said Nieminen. "It’s part of the story."

Nieminen believes the moment simply got the best of him. After playing Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.11.2019 an effective 18 minutes and registering an assist in Game 6 for Calgary, his mind raced in the leadup to the game you dream about most as a kid.

It’s an inclination some members of the Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues will have to fight before playing their own Game 7 at TD Garden on Wednesday night. There’s a lot of time to think now.

For Nieminen, it came from a good place.

He wanted so badly to do well that his racing mind kept his natural instincts from kicking in. When he got on the ice, there was too much hesitation to his game.

"I was a little shy to go for it," said Nieminen. "I wasn’t at my best because I was a hockey romantic. I was romanticizing, I think, a little too much of Game 7s and what’s going to happen, how this is going to end, what I’m going to do.

"That’s probably because the whole winning the Stanley Cup and the whole NHL was so big of a thing for me growing up, and I really didn’t have the tools how to prepare for Game 7s."

Preparing for one with a title on the line at the end of a 100-plus game season is particularly daunting. This remains a sport played with rubber on ice and the outcome isn’t always going to be fair.

Weird things can and will happen.

"It’s just going to come down to bounces and calls, I think," Bruins forward Brad Marchand said recently. "That’s how these things normally play out."

Take Nieminen’s Flames, for example.

They were oh-so-close to ending a Canadian championship drought that exists to this day. Martin Gelinas appeared to score what could have been a Cup-clinching goal for them late in Game 6, but there was no conclusive replay available to count it. Then, after losing in overtime, they had to go on the road for Game 7 and got beaten by one.

"It was a long road we skated," said Nieminen. "Tampa Bay was a really good team. They had star players who carried the load.

"Tampa Bay had just a little bit better players to make a difference."

Nieminen is now a promising head coach for Pelicans in the Finnish Liiga and has been serving as the colour commentator for the Finnish language Viasat broadcast at this Stanley Cup Final. Watching the Bruins and Blues grind towards a seventh game has brought back memories from his own Stanley Cup experiences — both of which saw the road team win a Game 6 before taking Game 7 on home ice.

As much as he admires the Blues’ game, he believes it will be extremely difficult for them to get up off the mat after squandering an opportunity to close out the series at Enterprise Center on Sunday night. 1146612 Websites • Having had a few days to compose himself and draw his jaw back to the closed position, Benning didn’t flinch when asked Monday what effect Jeff Skinner’s massive, $72-million extension with the Buffalo Sabres Sportsnet.ca / Unresolved contracts for Edler, Boeser complicate might have on future negotiations involving Canuck players. Canucks' offseason plan Benning is trying to re-sign restricted free agent Brock Boeser "sooner rather than later," but may see the asking price go up after the Sabres agreed to pay $9-million per season to a player who scored a career-high Iain MacIntyre | June 10, 2019, 5:48 PM 40 goals last year but has averaged only 52 points during his eight full NHL seasons.

Benning correctly noted that Skinner, 27, was an impending UFA while VANCOUVER — Forthright about the need to improve his defence, the Canucks "control" Boeser, the 22-year-old RFA. But all contracts Vancouver Canucks general manager Jim Benning has been searching matter, including massive ones coming soon for Toronto Maple Leafs for another blue-liner since the regular season ended. RFA Mitch Marner, 22, and Calgary Flames free agent Mathew Tkachuk, But the closer he gets to National Hockey League free agency on July 1, 21. the more likely it is that Benning will need at least two defencemen. And "Those guys signing could affect Brock’s contract, but we’re more finding someone to upgrade the bottom of the blue line will be much concerned about our own business and trying to figure something out for easier than replacing top defenceman Alexander Edler if the career Brock that makes sense for him and the team," Benning said. Canuck leaves as an unrestricted free agent in three weeks. • There is always a good deal of smoke swirling around the Canucks, and During a week-before-the-draft meeting with Vancouver reporters on Benning added to the smudge when he said he’ll be contacting winger Monday, Benning said he continues to talk to agent Mark Stowe about a Loui Eriksson this week to ask about comments attributed to the Swede contract that will satisfy Edler’s desire – and the team’s – that he finish during last month’s world championships. his career with the Canucks. In an interview with website HockeySverige that was reported on the Beyond that, Benning refused to provide any details about the West Coast through Google-translate, Eriksson was quoted as saying of apparently-stalled negotiations involving the 33-year-old. Canuck coach Travis Green: "The coach and I don’t really get on 100 per But when asked about the possibility of a deal longer than two years cent. It is difficult when I do not get the same trust that I received from all encumbering the Canucks during the 2021 Seattle expansion draft, the other coaches I’ve had during my career." especially if Vancouver is required to protect Edler when he is 35 years Eriksson, 33, has scored only 32 goals in three seasons since signing a old, Benning told Sportsnet: front-loaded, bonus-heavy $36-million six-year contract with the Canucks "I think it’s fair to say we don’t have the appetite to do that. We had to do in 2016. He was a healthy scratch once for the Canucks last season, but that last time (during the Las Vegas expansion draft in 2017) with Daniel Green has trusted Eriksson in a shutdown role and as a key penalty and Henrik Sedin. But we’re going to have some good young players that killer. we need to protect or we’ll lose them." Benning didn’t rule out the possibility that Eriksson may need a fresh Stowe did not respond last week to Sportsnet’s interview requests, so for start elsewhere, and there have been unsettling rumours of a possible now neither side is revealing details about negotiations. trade involving the Edmonton Oilers’ Milan Lucic, who has been an even bigger disappointment since signing a seven-year, $42-million deal the The shadows behind the curtains, however, appear to show a player and same day the Canucks signed Eriksson. his agent getting ready to go to market to see how much money is available on July 1. Stay tuned.

That’s how the NHL’s free-market system works. And in a lean year for Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.11.2019 free-agent defencemen, Edler will be one of the most coveted on the market, capable of leveraging a big payday.

There’s nothing wrong with that. Except it seems to contradict the many times Edler said how much he wants to remain with the Canucks and indicated that money would not be the driving factor in his next contract.

After refusing at the trade deadline in February to waive the no-trade clause on his expiring, six-year, $30-million contract, Edler said he was willing to work with the Canucks on an extension.

"I’ve been fortunate to have very good contracts with money," he said on March 2. "But there are other things, too. It’s different when you have a family. There are a lot of factors you have to take into consideration. Those things are important."

Edler has spent his entire 12-year NHL career with the Canucks and is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer among defencemen with 94 goals and 368 points in 814 games. He met his wife in Vancouver and this is the only home the couple’s two daughters know.

"Maybe I’m just a loyal guy who wants to play here and wants to live here and win here," Edler said in March. "I know that doesn’t always happen because the business doesn’t work out all the time. I understand that. But I’ve been treated well by this organization and city, and I’ve had some special moments here. Going through some tough years, that’s never fun. But the future looks better, and it would be pretty special to be part of that."

Edler can still get his wish. But if he wants a full-market deal with a no- movement clause, he’ll have to take his family somewhere else to get it, which would look like a lose-lose for both Edler and the Canucks.

A weekly deep dive into the biggest hockey news in the world with hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek. New episodes every Thursday. 1146613 Websites yourself be great. We’ve got a great building, so they do want to play here."

You want some pie in the sky ideas? Sportsnet.ca / Tom Anselmi hire opens doors beyond hockey in Edmonton How about a deal that sees the Raptors here every pre-season? How about a new, domed stadium that seats 35,000? Could OEG help the Eskimos and the CFL? Undoubtedly, they could.

Mark Spector | June 10, 2019, 4:34 PM Winnipeg gets an NFL pre-season game this year? Why not here next?

A World Cup of Hockey partially played out West? Why not?

EDMONTON — The Oilers Entertainment Group has always wanted to The possibilities are endless, as is Katz’ desire to drive a global brand. be like MLSE — Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment — or perhaps But it starts with the hockey team, and as you can see this spring, even bigger. whatever was wrong with "the water" here, they’re doing everything that So it seemed an obvious question when Tom Anselmi, who once guided can to change out the plumbing. MLSE and has signed on as the President, Business Operations and And the plumbers. COO in Edmonton, was asked, "When are you bringing in an NBA team?" Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.11.2019

"Uh, my guess is it’s going to be a little while here. But who knows?" he responded.

We get it – Edmonton is never going to be Toronto, with the Raptors, the Blue Jays, and those constant, nagging National Football League aspirations. But this little prairie berg has always had greater success than Toronto at hosting one-off events like the World Track and Field Championships, World Figure Skating Championships, and games for our national soccer teams.

The dream is to get back to the forefront in Edmonton, so last weekend while in Spain at the UEFA Champions League final, OEG’s Bob Nicholson sat down for a chat with the Chairman of Wanda Group — the Beijing-based, multinational corporation that owns a piece of Atletico Madrid. Wanda also owns the marketing company with the TV rights for all FIFA events from 2015-22 — including two World Cups — and many other valuable sports properties worldwide.

Nicholson, who will pass most of his operational duties to Anselmi’s desk, as he becomes the Oilers’ Chairman, is in charge of getting Edmonton back in the international sporting game, and taking the OEG brand abroad as well.

"There’s UFC. There’s soccer…," Nicholson began. "Everyone knows Daryl Katz, and this will give us a chance to grow that vision again.

"We want to look at what we can do in Edmonton, but make no mistake: We’re looking a lot bigger than Edmonton for where we might take that reach," Nicholson said. "We want to be a global leader in sports and entertainment. It’s about the Oilers — that’s why Daryl got involved — but you can see what he’s done to the city here. Now that he’s starting to see that dream (unfold), he’d like to take it to a much more global vision."

Still, this is a hockey town. So getting the Oilers up off their knees is priority No. 1. New hire Ken Holland is in charge of the on-ice side of that equation, with Anselmi responsible for the rest. His resume includes being the CEO in Toronto, GM of Arena Operations in Vancouver, and opening Rogers Centre where the Blue Jays play.

"I’ve opened a bunch of buildings, and it takes a few years to get the kinks out and figure it out," Anselmi said of , which will open its fourth NHL season in October. "Hopefully we can take where we’re at and make it better. Make the team better, the experience better, the food and beverage better… And while we’re doing that, we can have start thinking about how to grow the business.

"We’re in a league that allows you to share and steal all the best ideas, so we’ve got to make sure we’re doing the best of everything. We’ve got all the technology here to do whatever we want to do."

Think about it.

Edmonton is small, with a metro population of just over a million people. But it’s got the newest major arena in Canada, the best hockey player in Canada, Commonwealth Stadium, and an emerging Ice District with room to host an OEG version of Jurassic Park that is at least twice the size of the area outside Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

Meanwhile, the arena in Calgary is well past its due date, and Vancouver is not that far behind.

"Every (concert) tour plays Montreal and Toronto and maybe Vancouver," Anselmi said. "After that, you’ve got to work hard to make 1146614 Websites There are many storylines to follow heading into what should be a highly entertaining, winner-take-all Game 7 on Wednesday night, but how Boston attempts to take St. Louis’ best line out of the equation may be TSN.CA / Cassidy’s Game 7 playbook already written the most fascinating. If you study the three previous Boston home games in the series, it would seem the playbook has already been written.

Enjoy the season finale! Travis Yost Expected Goal Data via Natural Stat Trick

TSN.CA LOADED: 06.11.2019 Nine months removed from the opening of the 2018-19 regular season, we need one last day to decide this year’s Stanley Cup champion.

The Boston Bruins forced a Game 7 with one of their most impressive road performances of the playoffs in a 5-1 victory over St. Louis on Sunday. Five different skaters – Brad Marchand, Brandon Carlo, David Pastrnak, Karson Kuhlman, and the ageless Zdeno Chara – scored for the Bruins, while Conn Smythe favourite Tuukka Rask stopped 28 of 29 shots to keep the Blues attack at bay.

Now the Bruins return home, which should prove advantageous for myriad reasons. They get to play in front of a raucous Bruins crowd at TD Garden, a place where Boston has won a whopping 68 per cent of games this season. Just as interesting: head coach Bruce Cassidy will get control of the matchups, which he has used to his advantage all season long.

Out of curiosity, I went and pulled all of the matchup and usage data from Boston’s three home games in this series to see how Cassidy has thought about his lineup’s deployment against St. Louis in the past. Running through the data, there are clearly some matchups Cassidy has prioritized.

The below table shows percentage a Boston player’s total minutes head- to-head against a given player from the St. Louis side:

One data point that jumps off of the page to me is how Boston is handling the vaunted Vladimir Tarasenko-Brayden Schenn-Jaden Schwartz line. The Blues’ top unit has been on fire all postseason and has been the one line that has given Boston some real trouble in the series, as you would expect.

The Bruins are basically throwing two combinations of five-man units at this group when they have last change. The first is the Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Pastrnak line, anchored by Chara and Charlie McAvoy. In the event that the Boston shutdown line isn’t available for use, the Bruins have been leaning on the Noel Acciari- Joakim Nordstrom -Sean Kuraly line in front of the aforementioned Chara and McAvoy pairing.

It’s impossible to completely shut down the Tarasenko line (true for any team!), but the Bruins have mitigated the damage they’ve done in the series. A lot of that is because they have been effective in spots – save for a bit of a debacle in Game 2 – at keeping the Tarasenko line on the perimeter.

If you look at the series to date, the Tarasenko line has managed about 56 per cent of the shots while on the ice at 5-on-5, but scoring chances (51 per cent) and expected goals (49 per cent) are much closer to break- even. And all in, they have been on the ice for just four goals and a plus-two goal advantage. They’ve been successful, but it’s not the type of series-changing performance that we’ve seen from this line in recent history.

Boston focusing on the matching St. Louis’ top line creates other natural matchups further down the lineup. The Charlie Coyle-Danton Heinen- Marcus Johansson line has seen a healthy serving of the David Perron and Ryan O’Reilly tandem (this duo has played with a mix of Sammy Blais, Zach Sanford and even Tyler Bozak; anchored predominantly by Brandon Carlo and Torey Krug). That has left the Jake DeBrusk-David Krejci-David Backes grouping – along with the Boston’s third pairing – to take on Alex Steen’s line.

I suspect both the Bruins and Blues are comfortable from a matchup perspective because both teams are considerably deep and have shown that they are willing to regularly play all four lines. But for a head coach with home ice, the chess game tends to start with taking the other team’s strongest firepower out of the equation. For Boston, that means throwing your best two-way tandems and possession-dominant players against a dangerous St. Louis line that only needs a handful of opportunities in a game to find the score sheet.