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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 5/29/2020 Blackhawks 1185299 NHL recognizes Presidents’ Trophy, scoring title and 1185325 Mayor Lori Lightfoot backs Chicago’s bid to be one of the goaltending award winners NHL’s playoff hubs — if the city meets safety protoc 1185300 Finding an NHL comparable for 10 of the Ducks’ best 1185326 Former Hinsdale home of ex-Blackhawks coach and site prospects of toilet paper high jinks lists for $2.6 mil 1185327 Chicago as an NHL playoffs hub? Evaluating the city’s chance to host hockey this summer 1185301 Shane Doan believes Coyotes can take advantage of 1185328 Report: NHL training camps for 24-team playoff won't NHL’s 24-team playoff open before July 10 1185302 Imperfect and incomplete, NHL’s return plan good news 1185329 How Blackhawks are impacted by NHL counting play-in for Coyotes results as playoff stats 1185330 Why , Dominik Kubalik could decide Blackhawks-Oilers series 1185303 Zdeno Chara is grateful for the chance to play, even if 1185331 NHL playoff format could hurt Oilers, but Connor McDavid restart plan is flawed won’t complain 1185304 A ‘grateful’ Zdeno Chara eager for hockey’s return 1185332 Blackhawks could be getting help on defense from Ian 1185305 Bruins earn regular awards Mitchell for play-in series 1185306 Ranking the best Bruins teams that failed to win Stanley 1185333 Ex-Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville's house listed for Cup $2.6 million 1185307 Zdeno Chara 'grateful for the opportunity' to play, not 1185334 USA Hockey president Jim Smith under investigation for focused on NHL playoff format fairness handling of abuse allegations 1185308 NBA, NHL seasons should get asterisks, but that's not a bad thing 1185309 NHL announces Bruins have won these three end-of- 1185335 Michael Arace | Columbus has good at being host season awards city — if NHL can play 1185310 Ever Wonder Series: Why are the Bruins' colors black and 1185336 Here’s a look at NHL’s playoff matchups gold? 1185337 Blue Jackets excited to get back on ice, but questions 1185311 ‘Grateful for the opportunity’: Zdeno Chara weighs the about safety remain risks of return to work 1185338 Hub doesn’t mean home: Even if NHL tabs Columbus, 1185312 Summer camp: Seven issues for the Bruins to address Jackets could play elsewhere before the playoffs 1185339 20 years ago, Dallas Stars’ goalie blamed a terrible 1185313 Look back on schedule and Sabres aren't as far away as Stanley Cup loss on cough syrup most people think 1185340 Pro sports leagues can have some fans at outdoor events 1185314 Rasmus Ristolainen expects to be 'one of the first' traded in Texas amid coronavirus if Sabres make changes 1185341 Cam Talbot joins fight to save Alabama-Huntsville hockey 1185315 Sabres Jack Eichel 'fed up with losing' through a program 'tough five years' 1185342 ‘I don’t know’: The Stars, and the NHL, navigate the 1185316 Sabres' quandary: Not good enough, but not bad enough, unknown in hockey’s return either 1185317 Angry Sabres fan puts team up for sale on Craigslist Red Wings 1185318 ‘Fed up with the losing,’ Jack Eichel is taking notes from 1185343 ' adjustment to pandemic: Puppies, ‘The Last Dance’ rollerblading and Zoom calls 1185344 Red Wings' : Detroit 'a very resourceful Flames city,' will survive COVID-19 1185319 Flames coach Ward game-planning for Jets but … ‘It’s 1185345 Detroit Red Wings' talent, not coaching, to blame for more about us’ dismal 2019-20, says Steve Yzerman 1185320 Cam Talbot joins fight to save Alabama-Huntsville hockey 1185346 Niyo: After 'tons of growth,' time is right for to program captain Red Wings 1185321 20 Questions with Jamie McLennan: On OverDrive, 1185347 Red Wings defensemen Svechnikov, Seider enter key Nickelback and a boy named Shaky periods in their careers 1185348 Returning : Wings must be 'fluid, flexible' in long offseason 1185322 Carolina Hurricanes’ new lease about what’s outside PNC 1185349 Red Wings seek creative ways to train with long off- Arena as much as what’s inside season looming 1185323 Hurricanes, Centennial Authority agree to extend PNC 1185350 Steve Yzerman: Red Wings need a lot of help but will Arena lease for five years improve next season 1185324 Finally, some answers to our burning Hurricanes return to play questions Oilers Senators 1185351 Oilers GM blessed to have young scoring champ Leon 1185383 Cracks of Don: Not since Civic days has Senators Draisaitl attendance sunk so low 1185352 McDavid to fans: format isn't perfect, but 1185384 SNAPSHOTS: Josh Norris wins AHL honours and could it's best for the NHL be ready to make next step 1185353 Edmonton Oilers pipeline update: Skyler Brind'Amour 1185385 GARRIOCH: confident the looking to carve own path are headed in the right direction 1185354 JONES: NHL should be applauded for leading the way with realistic plan Flyers 1185355 ‘It’s what’s best for the league’: Oilers accept challenge of 1185386 NHL won’t return until at least August play-in series 1185387 Mixed emotions about NHL’s plan to return, but Flyers in a 1185356 Lowetide: Oilers greatest areas of need for the 2020 good position to make some noise 1185357 Six bold (and not so bold) predictions as the Oilers 1185388 NHL training camps won’t start until July 1 at earliest; prepare for the Blackhawks Flyers could get top seed in East 1185389 Devils reportedly interested in former Flyers head coaches , John Stevens 1185358 How important is the ‘hot goalie’ in the NHL playoffs? 1185390 Flyers fan survey results, Part 1: Your thoughts on the Panthers hope they’ll find out roster and the players 1185359 Panthers GM on playoffs: ‘We have a chance to do something special’ Penguins 1185360 Dale Tallon: Panthers excited for ‘chance to do something 1185391 Penguins A to Z: John Nyberg filled a need, but what’s his special’ in restart future? 1185392 Concerns remain, but Penguins’ eager to play again 1185361 Finding an NHL comparable for 10 of the Kings’ best 1185393 Penguins waive forward prospect Linus Olund prospects 1185394 How and when you watch the Penguins in the rebooted 1185362 BETTMAN, DALY FIELD QUESTIONS ON RETURN TO NHL may be a little different PLAY PLAN; ’97 STATE OF THE FRANCHISE PHOTOS 1185395 : As sports reopen, a question looms — who 1185363 CLAGUE HEADING INTO CRUCIAL YEAR THREE do you trust? AFTER NHL DEBUT, AHL ALL-STAR GAME IN 2019-20 1185396 Penguins' Kris Letang 'not at all' worried medical history could keep him from playing this year 1185397 'Let's take a shot': Why Pittsburgh is in contention to host 1185364 Back in Minnesota, Brock Boeser ready for a very NHL playoff action personal Canucks-Wild series 1185398 Kris Letang ‘will be safe to play’ when Penguins return 1185399 Penguins alumni player poll: ‘That’s such a Sid thing to do, Canadiens so I owe him’ 1185365 Safety of NHL players biggest concern for Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher 1185366 Canadiens fans might see Alexander Romanov on blue 1185400 San Jose Sharks hope to show dismal season was just a line in playoffs ‘fluke’ 1185367 and Brendan Gallagher lay bare the real 1185401 Logan Couture believes Sharks' ambition must be high in complications of NHL’s return long offseason 1185402 Sharks' Tomas Hertl vows to be 'better than before' after knee injury 1185368 With uncertainty of Predators season, Bridgestone Arena 1185403 Logan Couture believes he can learn a lot from this renovations won’t happen this summer stumbling Sharks season 1185369 Rexrode: If the Preds win the Cup in an empty building, do you make a sound? St Louis Blues 1185370 Predators alumni roundtable, Part 1: Former players share 1185404 Digest: Some NHL regular-season awards announced their favorite stories 1185405 Gordo on the NHL: Lightning oppose expanded playoffs, fear early exit 1185406 We Went Blues: Robert Thomas on the fairness of the 1185371 What Devils players, prospects can do while 24 teams are NHL’s new format and more in playoffs 1185407 20 Questions with Jamie McLennan: On OverDrive, 1185372 How Devils intend to get Jack Hughes to ‘grow into a man’ Nickelback and a boy named Shaky 1185373 Examining the biggest what-ifs in Devils’ and Islanders’ history 1185374 A salute to David Puddy, the true sports fan from ‘’ 1185408 What will Phase 2 of return-to-play plan look like for Lightning? 1185409 Lightning’s Alex Killorn drops a new video, parodying ‘The 1185375 Examining the biggest what-ifs in Devils’ and Islanders’ Mighty Ducks’ history 1185376 Islanders coach Barry Trotz says goalies will be crucial Maple Leafs when NHL restarts season 1185410 Connor McDavid says NHL format is ‘not perfect, but it’s 1185377 Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon expects 'no secrets' the best we got’ when they play the Islanders 1185411 Leafs vs. Jackets — somewhere in the summer — is what you get when the NHL doesn’t know when to quit 1185412 All things considered, questioning Stanley Cup integrity is 1185378 Young wouldn’t have assured Rangers off the mark Stanley Cups 1185413 20 Questions with Jamie McLennan: On OverDrive, 1185379 Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour not thrilled about facing Nickelback and a boy named Shaky Rangers 1185380 Kaapo Kakko’s diabetes may keep him from Rangers if NHL returns 1185381 Rangers president John Davidson eager to watch team's goaltending battle when season resumes 1185382 ‘Busy from top to bottom’: How the Rangers are preparing for what comes next Canucks World Leagues News 1185425 Ben Kuzma: Why the Canucks should be wary of facing 1185443 When will I see you again? Sport steps out of virus wily Wild stopper Stalock shadow 1185426 Back in Minnesota, Brock Boeser ready for a very 1185444 Coronavirus: Focus on digital interactivity with fans, personal Canucks-Wild series innovation will help sports emerge stronger 1185445 Serie A resumption provides hope to Italy amid coronavirus pandemic - FIGC president 1185414 Golden Knights’ AHL team to be called Henderson Silver 1185446 NRL's return satisfied a sport-starved audience after Knights coronavirus sabbatical, but the teething problems are th 1185415 Henderson Silver Knights: AHL hockey in town gains an 1185447 Coronavirus: UK sports minister welcomes planned return identity of Premier League 1185416 NHL awards regular-season trophies for season cut short 1185448 UVM suspends nearly 600 positions, 18 in athletic 1185417 A look at how the Golden Knights match up with initial department, in response to coronavirus opponents in season reboot 1185449 Athletes wary about coronavirus, testing upon return 1185418 Golden Knights’ New Minor League Team Has A Name: 1185450 Who Should Bear the Financial Brunt of the Coronavirus in Henderson Silver Knights ? 1185451 Appalachian State University eliminating three sports due to financial impact of COVID-19 1185419 Report: NHL training camps won't start before July 10 1185452 Pro athletes voice concerns about coronavirus, lack of 1185420 Sergei Ovechkin meets baby brother Ilya testing upon return 1185421 Winners and losers from the NHL's 2020 playoff format 1185453 Let's face it, sports are going to be different, but it doesn't 1185422 Capitals black aces: Who are the players who could fill out have to be awful an expanded roster? 1185454 Rebuilding America: Will sports return in the fall? 1185455 World Rugby approves law trials to reduce coronavirus Websites risk 1185427 The Athletic / LeBrun: The possibility of trades this SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 summer and ’s training camp concern 1185428 The Athletic / Cam Talbot joins fight to save Alabama-Huntsville hockey program 1185429 The Athletic / Darkened seats? Virtual fans? What sports on TV could be like with no spectators 1185430 The Athletic / USA Hockey president Jim Smith under investigation for handling of abuse allegations 1185431 The Athletic / What if the 24 playoff teams could each draft a player from the eliminated clubs? 1185432 .ca / Blue Jackets’ defensive mindset will be crucial to beating Maple Leafs 1185433 Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' Byron, Gallagher embracing opportunity to compete for Stanley Cup 1185434 Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: Fun week, but high hurdles remain for NHL resumption 1185435 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Tavares sees camp with Keefe as 'added bonus' of NHL's plan 1185436 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' focus on chance to lift Cup won't be shaken by empty arenas 1185437 Sportsnet.ca / 10 reactions to the NHL's return-to-play plan and draft lottery 1185438 Sportsnet.ca / Canucks granted precious opportunity for growth in qualifying series 1185439 TSN.CA / OHL top Noel Hoefenmayer puts faith in organization 1185440 TSN.CA / Liut warns NHLers to review disability insurance before returning 1185441 TSN.CA / A statistical look at the Leafs vs. Blue Jackets play-in series 1185442 TSN.CA / Rossi feels ready for jump to the NHL Jets 1185423 Tam: NHL proposal being 'reviewed,' mandatory quarantine remains in place 1185424 Why not Winnipeg? On the Jets’ Cup chances, lottery odds and non-hub city status 1185299 Anaheim Ducks

NHL recognizes Presidents’ Trophy, scoring title and goaltending award winners

By HELENE ELLIOTT SPORTS COLUMNIST

MAY 28, 20205:09 PM

The timetable remains fluid for the NHL’s return to play, but the league on Thursday reaffirmed that the regular season is over when it announced winners of three trophies that are automatically awarded based on the regular-season performance of teams or individuals.

The Boston Bruins were recognized in three. First, they won the Presidents’ Trophy for compiling the top record in the pandemic- shortened season, at 44-14-12 for 100 points in 70 games. They also had the best points percentage (.714).

In addition, Bruins forward David Pastrnak and Washington Capitals winger shared the Rocket Richard trophy, given to the player with the most goals. Each scored 48 goals, with Ovechkin reaching that in 68 games and Pastrnak in 70. It was the ninth time Ovechkin won or shared the scoring title and third season in a row.

Edmonton Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl was declared the winner of the scoring title, with 110 points in 71 games.

And, Bruins and Jaroslav Halak won the Jennings Trophy, awarded to the goaltenders on the team that allowed the fewest goals. They gave up 167 goals. Rask’s 2.12 goals-against average was the best among goalies who played 23 or more games.

The NHL, which halted play on March 12 and advised players to self- isolate, this week disclosed a cautious and changeable plan for a revamped, 24-team Stanley Cup playoff. As described, the second phase of its plan would begin in early June with players working out at their club’s facilities in small groups while adhering to local medical and safety guidance. Phase 3 would kick off with the opening of full training camps. Multiple reports by Canadian media on Thursday said NHL players have been told those training camps won’t start before July 10, meaning the playoffs probably won’t start until late July or early August and might not end until September or October.

Commissioner has said he intends to play the 2020-21 season in its entirety and acknowledged it might not start until January in order to give players a reasonable break between this interrupted season and the next one.

LA Times: LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185300 Anaheim Ducks unpredictability. It won’t be because of pure skating . Though he doesn’t have the look of a Selke contender, Zegras improved enough on the details of the game over the course of his freshman season at Boston Finding an NHL comparable for 10 of the Ducks’ best prospects University that he should be given the opportunity to start as a center when he gets to the NHL. He isn’t a guy who will elicit fear from a team every time he steps on the ice. But he could feast on the power play. He is the type of player who can go some shifts without getting much done, By Eric Stephens and Scott Wheeler then turn the game with one brilliant play. May 28, 2020 Max Comtois

High-end comparable: Miles Wood/Luke Kunin What is it about our infatuation with what players might become? Wheeler’s take: I’m pretty comfortable with my Comtois projection at this Proven NHL players are counted upon far more than those just starting to , so I opted against a low-end comparable because I think Wood make their imprints. But prospects create more buzz for fans. It seems and Kunin are near-perfect fits. Both can contribute and both have skill like more than ever, the interest level is significantly higher for the that distinguished them at lower levels. But they learned that they had to youngster making his push to the league, as compared to the veteran focus on playing fast and hard at the NHL level if they were going to leader who already is there. carve out middle-six roles. Comtois will have to learn the same. He’ll score his fair share of goals and make some plays, but he’s probably a Maybe it’s because dreaming about a team’s Next One taps into our 40-point guy who is more of a role player than a go-to offensive option. imaginative side. What we don’t know — or think we might know but That still has major value in today’s game, especially when you can aren’t completely sure — is intriguing. It gets us thinking. What we impose yourself on the forecheck. already know isn’t as intriguing. For instance, has had a wonderful career, one with achievements that any prospect would take in Stephens’ take: What I need to see from Comtois going forward is more a heartbeat if offered right now. And all of them have been accomplished of an ability to find the open spaces at the NHL level and to get his shot with the Ducks. But we know him. We’ve seen what he can do. off more frequently. Not nearly enough of that has been revealed. He skates well enough to be a disruptor on the forecheck and I think he can What we don’t know is, who’s going to replace him? And that’s intriguing. play off his linemates. From the moment he scored on his first NHL shot, Comtois has shown that he has good enough hands when bearing down That is one of the reasons we love comparing players. It’s a reference on a goalie. He has to show he can work off his playmaking centers point. We use the information to strengthen our viewpoints and form better, but it’s not as though chemistry is automatic. I do like that he has pictures of what might be possible. And given the increasingly short a nose for the net, and he attempts to set up shop there. There is the length of time it takes for top prospects to debut in the NHL, interest in potential for him to put his share of garbage goals, and goals from in draft and prospect coverage continues to surge. close. Will he be a huge scorer? Perhaps not. But I do see how he could The future matters more than ever for the Ducks. They will go into next provide consistent secondary offense. season coming off two years of no playoff action, and it’s questionable at Henry Thrun best as to whether they’ll break that drought next spring. They’re still in a transition stage in which they’re steadily incorporating younger players High-end comparable: Chris Tanev into a lineup that’s devoid of stars, outside of John Gibson and the aging, and arguably declining, Getzlaf. And they need to refill a Low-end comparable: Olli Maatta pipeline partially emptied by the graduation of some prospects to the big Wheeler’s take: There’s probably a worthwhile argument to be made club. about which one of these players is the high-end and low-end one, but Scott Wheeler, a prospects maestro for The Athletic, has been kind you get the point. That’s where Thrun projects. He’s going to contribute enough to offer comparable current NHL players for our list of 10 of the and put up points, but the strength of his game will always be his ability Ducks’ top prospects. Is it unfair to say that Kirby Dach or Quinton Byfield to have a positive impact at both ends at 5-on-5, without ever being a might be the next Getzlaf? Of course it is. But we do it anyway. top-pairing guy. If you’ve followed my work, you’ll know that I’m a huge Thrun fan. He’s legit and these comparables reflect that. There’s an Why? We love to. It’s that simple. Feel free to offer your own efficiency that all three of these players have. comparisons of the prospects to current NHL players in the comments below. Stephens’ take: Watching the Southborough, Mass., native in a few games this year, I found Thrun to be very confident with handling the Trevor Zegras puck and moving it, and also in using his mobility to be effective getting up ice and backtracking on defense. His defending is about positioning, High-end comparable: Mathew Barzal without the speed and he handled challenges from onrushing forwards with aplomb. You Low-end comparable: Meaner Teuvo Teravainen can see why he was overlooked a bit when it came to the star-studded U.S. under-18 team that was full of drafted players. His game isn’t Wheeler’s take: There aren’t a lot of players in the NHL who see the doesn’t wow you. He doesn’t have an overpowering shot to be a power- offensive zone and execute through it like Zegras does, or with his play weapon. But he is adept in all situations. I don’t see him as a huge creative flair. Artemi Panarin. Mitch Marner. . Johnny point producer, but I think he’s got a little more offensive upside than Gaudreau. Mathew Barzal. Nicklas Backstrom. It’s a small list. But I’m Tanev. also not comfortable using any of those players as stylistic comparables for Zegras. For one, they put him in likely unattainable heights. Secondly, Josh Mahura only Barzal plays like Zegras does. And Barzal is a much, much better High-end comparable: Calvin de Haan skater than Zegras. None of this is to say Zegras can’t become a 70- point player. He’s one of the best prospects on the planet and his ability Wheeler’s take: Mahura has all of the tools. He’s a plus-level skater, as a carrier and passer gives him first-line potential. But there are which helps him lead rushes and defend them. He’s stronger than he qualities each of those players possess that he lacks. So, time will tell. looks, which helps him in man-on-man battles and powers his shot. But Teravainen’s game with the puck fits Zegras better than any of those he’s also now 22 and he has yet to take a well-rounded game to the next other players, but their play without the puck differs in big ways. level. I have faith that it will happen, but he’s probably never going to Teravainen is one of those players who gets Lady Byng consideration. reach his true potential. De Haan followed a similar path before Zegras is a physically engaged pest. eventually figuring it out with the same style of game. Mahura just has to learn who he is and make the most of it. In the NHL, he’s not going to be Stephens’ take: There might be the most excitement over a Ducks the dominant offensive threat he was in junior. In the second half of this prospect since Bobby Ryan, but we need to keep from anointing Zegras season, I think he was starting to find his groove. as The One. He has some elements of Patrick Kane in his game and he has thoroughly studied the Chicago star he hopes to emulate on the ice. Stephens’ take: The Ducks have yet to commit to him. They’ve given him But he is not Kane. What Zegras can be is a wondrous puck distributor tastes in his two pro seasons and there have been moments in which he who also has a knack for raising his game when the stakes heighten. has looked quite impressive. Is it because they don’t want to rush him, or He’ll have to keep defenders honest and guessing because of his is there something about his game that raises a red flag about his long- term viability at the NHL level? I don’t know. Right now, I think it’s the have developed, the ones needed to produce a lot at the NHL level. He former, because I’d like to see him in a Ducks lineup for several weeks. probably tops out as a third-line shutdown center. But it’s possible he He hasn’t put up big numbers in the AHL but I still think he’s capable of winds up being a key cog in a decent fourth line, and there is no shame some offense. His skating and puck moving are the skills that would in that. allow him to succeed. He can be a decent defender but I’m still not seeing a shutdown ace. Axel Andersson

Brayden Tracey High-end comparable: Nick Jensen

High-end comparable: Ondrej Palat Low-end comparable: Riley Stillman

Low-end comparable: Joonas Donskoi Wheeler’s take: When I think of defensemen who aren’t the biggest, or the strongest, or the fastest, or the most talented, but have a made it Wheeler’s take: For my money, the Palat comparison is uncanny. Both work with smart decision-making and a knack for knowing when to make play fast and hard, both work when they don’t have the puck, both have the simple play, Jensen comes to mind as the best example, and improved their skating over the years, and both are good finishers and Stillman comes to mind as a kid who has begun to follow that path. playmakers without being great ones. Tracey should be reaching for a They’re both strong, athletic players, but they don’t have a particularly career as a versatile middle-six winger whose effort is always there and dynamic quality. You don’t expect them to be as effective as they are. who can play on a second power play while challenging for 15 to 20 That’s where I see Andersson trending if he is to make it. goals and 40 to 50 points per season. Stephens’ take: With no experience watching Andersson — a former Stephens’ take: I’ve been a fan of Donskoi’s game during his time in the Boston second-rounder who came to Anaheim in the Ondrej Kase NHL. It’s pretty simple and straightforward, but it’s an honest game and – in person, I have to take from what I see on video. Andersson’s mobility the hard-working Finn is very complementary with different players and appears to be his biggest trait. He looks very comfortable walking the seems to have a knack for scoring big goals, even if he tends to hover blue line and handling the puck against opposing players coming his way around 15 per season. One would think that Tracey, being a late first- and challenging him. Andersson appears to be very decisive and round pick, would have more production overall, and a little higher accurate with simple passes. Flashy he is not, and that is fine. He is what ceiling, but his other elements give him a nice toolkit to work with. has often been said about him: a definite prospect, not a big-time one. Tracey’s shot has stood out to me thus far. It’s not elite but he has a But the Swede definitely is someone to watch as he moves into the pro wrister that can pick corners. If the winger can rise to the level of Palat, a game. very good top-nine forward for Tampa Bay, the Ducks will have made a nice selection. Jackson LaCombe

Benoit-Olivier Groulx High-end comparable: Alec Martinez

High-end comparable: Jean-Gabriel Pageau Low-end comparable: Taylor Fedun

Wheeler’s take: This is one of the few comparisons I’ve used before. Wheeler’s take: LaCombe’s an interesting project because his game is That’s just because it’s uncanny. Groulx and Pageau share almost every still so raw. There’s a high ceiling and a high floor for his outcomes, stylistic quality in common. They’re both great skaters. They’re both which makes him hard to project. And while I don’t think he’s going to be relied upon defensive forwards. They’re both physical without more than a second power-play guy at the next level, there’s reason to overstepping. They’re both excellent -killers and the favorites of believe he could be the ultimate complimentary defender. He’s not the whichever coach they play for. And they can both score goals. Groulx biggest or strongest kid but he can play physical. He’s comfortable with can become a center who chips in with goals and helps to push the puck but he can also play the short-pass game if you need him to. In pace off the rush and on the forecheck. each of those ways, he’s a bit of a mystery and you’d be hard-pressed to find a scout who’s willing to really stake a claim on what LaCombe will Stephens’ take: This son of an AHL head coach has the kind of become at the next level. Martinez is the outcome, more or less, if all leadership qualities that project to him wearing a letter at some point over goes well. And that would make his second-round selection a success. a lengthy NHL career. I need to see Groulx more to wonder if he has the But there’s no guarantee he gets there. kind of motor that Pageau possesses. If he does, the Ducks will have made quite the draft pick. I do remember seeing how competitive he was Stephens’ take: At last year’s scouting combine — before the Ducks went in Anaheim’s rookie camp last fall. He won battle after battle. And he’s above many draft projections and took him with the 39th selection — bigger than Pageau. Think -lite, without the kind of play that LaCombe referenced Shea Theodore when asked in a video interview often crosses the line. The question, as it often is with prospects, is how with the The Hockey News about the players he patterns his game after. much offense does he have? Is it enough for a top-six role? I think there That name continues to cause some indigestion among Ducks fans, with is enough to be in a team’s top nine, with the ability to bounce up on him not being on Anaheim’s blue line right now. But if the 19-year-old occasion or have a 25-goal, 50-point year when everything goes right. LaCombe approaches what Theodore has become, then the diehards can certainly move on. Raw is an apt word when describing what he was Isac Lundestrom during his draft year. He has legitimate tools, as a strong skater with the ability to jump up in the play and also connect on one-timers. And his first High-end comparable: Ivan Barbashev year at the University of Minnesota, when he was an All-Big Ten Low-end comparable: Brock McGinn freshman pick, shows why the promise is warranted.

Wheeler’s take: It’s hard to project Lundestrom as more than a bottom- Simon Benoit six option at this point. He can keep up with the pace of play in the NHL High-end comparable: Christian Jaros/Mirco Mueller and he’s just talented enough to contribute every few games with an important play that results in a goal, usually off of the cycle, but he just Wheeler’s take: Benoit’s game has always been a little rough around the has not shown that he’s going to be more than that at the pro level. At edges offensively. He can look a little stilted, kind of like Jaros and this point in his development, with the way things have gone, he’s going Mueller. But he’s long, he can really skate, he’s athletic, and he’s a to have to rely on his defensive acumen to carve out a niche. Frankly, I’m mature defender for his age, which is sometimes enough to become a not even sure he has the offensive tools that Barbashev does, useful depth option at the NHL level. He has also begun to show some particularly as a shooter, so McGinn seems a more appropriate promise as a late-blooming offensive contributor (that’s never going to be projection. I liked Lundestrom in his draft year but he hit a wall a strength of his game but he’s not going to be useless with the puck). somewhere along the way. Regardless of whether he makes it at the NHL level, his success in the AHL and rise into legitimacy as a prospect has been fun to watch and a Stephens’ take: Numbers don’t tell the whole story but sometimes they nice success story for the Ducks’ development staff. don’t lie either. It’s a shame that there is no hockey because I would have liked to have seen Lundestrom compete in a bigger role in the AHL Stephens’ take: Undrafted in 2018, Benoit first signed an AHL contract, playoffs, assuming the would have made it. then proved himself during his first season with the Gulls before being Unfortunately, I’m reaching the same conclusion as Scott. His puck rewarded by the Ducks with a three-year entry-level deal. This season, protection and defensive acumen are what first impressed me about the Benoit, now 21, further established himself as a potential call-up. He Swede. He has a great hockey IQ. But I don’t see where the other skills posted improved offensive numbers from the blue line even though he played in nine fewer games due to the pandemic interrupting the season. He’ll never be a true point producer from the blue line but you don’t need every defenseman to run your offense from the blue line. Even though he is a bit on the lanky side, Benoit plays a physical game and he has been effective in his own zone with the Gulls. You have to imagine that his NHL debut will come sooner than later, and he certainly can mature into a solid injury fill-in or part-timer on a roster.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185301 Arizona Coyotes

Shane Doan believes Coyotes can take advantage of NHL’s 24-team playoff

Staff Report

BY ARIZONA SPORTS

MAY 28, 2020 AT 1:14 PM

With the NHL’s 24-team playoff format, the Arizona Coyotes will have a shot to play for the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2012.

Former Arizona Coyotes captain Shane Doan told Bickley and Marotta on Arizona Sports Thursday that the team’s best-of-five play-in series could be what the team needs to get the team going in the right direction again.

“It goes back to that mental mindset of once things start going against you, it’s hard to have that ability to get over that hump, but you’re just given a second lifeline,” Doan said.

“I know it’s not the ‘playoffs‘ playoffs to be in, but it is the playoffs. You’re playing for a chance to move on to play for the Stanley Cup.”

When the NHL season resumes, the Coyotes will play the Nashville Predators in a best-of-five series to advance.

During the 2012 playoffs, Arizona took down the Nashville Predators 4-1 in the Western conference semi-finals to advance to the Western Conference Finals, but ultimately lost the series to the Los Angeles Kings 1-4.

As the former captain, Doan knows what it takes to reach the level that the team achieved in 2012.

“Success is hard to come by and it seems to build on itself,” Doan said. “You get on the wrong side of some negative energy, and it seems to pile up against you, and you’re given a five game series where maybe you can get it going in the right direction again.”

During the first half of the season, the Coyotes looked primed, but that momentum fell off in the second half. The month of January featured a streak where the team lost 7 of 8 games and quickly dropped in the Pacific standings.

Doan said he hopes the Coyotes can take advantage of the so-called second chance. He said both Nashville and Arizona have great talent. During the regular season, the Coyotes split the two meetings with Nashville, winning at home 5-2 and losing on the road 3-2.

For the Coyotes, Doan thinks they’re in a solid position with the goaltending duo of Antti Raanta and Darcy Kuemper. He also noted that solid coaching from ’s staff, strong players up front and Oliver Ekman-Larsson will also be key.

“They’ve got a chance. It’s just can you take advantage of it? It’s going to be big.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185302 Arizona Coyotes For all its pros and cons, the return-to-play format serves this much: Arizona has an opponent, and a potential for a playoff run. Now it awaits a date and location.

Imperfect and incomplete, NHL’s return plan good news for Coyotes

Arizona Sports LOADED: 05.29.2020 BY MATT LAYMAN

MAY 27, 2020 AT 6:20 PM

Tuesday’s news that the NHL has identified a return-to-play format is filled with nuance, complexity and caveats.

The Arizona Coyotes feel like they accomplished their goal of getting to a postseason, but the league said the playoffs will technically begin after the initial play-in round that Arizona has against Nashville. The league isn’t yet back, but we now know what “back” would look like. A return to play plan is both cause for celebration and, perhaps for some, trepidation over safety and separation from family, or frustration from teams that feel it’s unfair.

To succinctly characterize this week’s news about a return-to-play format is challenging.

But undoubtedly, there’s good news to be found.

“There’s a lot of hurdles that still need to be hopped before we play any type of hockey, but we got a second chance and we get to play in the playoffs,” forward said. “And I’ve been saying it since I got down to Arizona, this type of series hockey is so much fun to be a part of.”

Call it a playoff or a play-in, the Coyotes playing at all following the conclusion of the regular season is good news. The Coyotes haven’t been a playoff team since 2011-12, and to play a best-of-five series against the talented Nashville Predators is a needed step in the right direction.

“My take on this is we’re playing the postseason,” GM John Chayka said. “Some teams aren’t playing anymore, we still are. We’re going to play in a series against a good team, I expect it to be a good, hard series. I think it’s semantics to term it one way or the other for us. That was what we’re looking to do.”

“I think it’s a moot point like John said, it’s all semantics,” head coach Rick Tocchet said. “Either way, we have an opportunity.”

As Stepan described it, the team wanted a chance to compete for a Stanley Cup, and they’ll now have that. That is, if all the other “hurdles” are cleared first.

The NHL will have to narrow its shortlist of hub cities — which was at 10 when commissioner Gary Bettman named them Tuesday — down to two. Those cities will have to be compatible with the league’s ambition for getting players and staff together en masse, in a “bubble”, playing hockey after having quarantined anywhere from Los Angeles to to Russia.

Hotel reservations, travel, contingencies for the “what ifs,” practice facilities, locker room arrangements, television broadcast logistics and more will have to be sorted out. And then there’s the dreaded possibility of a second wave of coronavirus cases, which might throw the brakes back on sports again.

“I think if there’s one thing that both the NHL and the players association are pushing for it’s solutions that make everyone feel safe and give us the opportunity to play the game the way it should be played,” Stepan said. “There’s certainly a lot of things that I think can be done that might take some time that are manageable and that both sides are going to have to find that middle ground.

“For now, I would say it’s not impossible but there’s hurdles that need to be jumped.”

For Arizona specifically, more good news lies in the reality that the Coyotes have key players who could benefit from time off. Conor Garland, for example, got injured just before the season paused. Darcy Kuemper had just returned from injury, while others had nagging injuries they could address.

“It’s an opportunity for everybody when we get back to it,” Tocchet said. 1185303 Boston Bruins "Mostly I’m very grateful and thankful that I’ve been able to have health with my family and spend some time with them.”

Official winners Zdeno Chara is grateful for the chance to play, even if restart plan is flawed Amid some confusion about how statistics for the round-robin and play-in games would be counted, the NHL sent out congratulations to stat-based award winners, several of whom are Bruins.

By Matt Porter Globe Staff It remains unclear whether the next goals scored will be playoff goals or Updated May 28, 2020, 1:26 p.m. something else, but this is official: David Pastrnak, who had 48 goals through 70 games, and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin tied for the Rocket Richard Trophy.

Both captain and conscience of the Bruins, Zdeno Chara took a global Pastrnak, 24, won his first major award and became the first Bruin to lead view of the NHL’s plan to return. the league in goals since had 61 in 1975. He is the second Bruin in the expansion era to do so (Esposito did it six times). The others: “For us, we have to be grateful for the opportunity we’re getting,” he said Bronco Horvath (1959-60), Roy Conacher (1938-39), and Cooney Thursday on a Zoom call with reporters. Weiland (1929-30). “When you look at real life, [what] other people’s families, businesses go With 12 games canceled, Pastrnak fell two goals shy of becoming the through, it’s one of those things we’re getting the opportunity to start sixth Bruin, and first since in 1994, to score 50. almost where we ended the season. Not everybody is getting the same chance.” The Bruins won the Presidents’ Trophy (most points, 100), and their netminders, Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak, shared the Jennings Once it is prudent to compete in games, possibly by the end of July, the Trophy for fewest goals allowed (167). Their combined 2.39 goals Bruins (44-14-12) will play in a three-game, round-robin tournament to against average is the team’s lowest since 2014, when Rask won the determine the Eastern Conference’s top four playoff seeds. That means Vezina Trophy and the Bruins won the Presidents’ Trophy. a team that had 100 points through 70 games, and led the East by 8 points, could slip to the No. 4 seed. The only other Bruins tandems to win the Jennings: and Manny Fernandez in 2009, and and Reggie Lemelin in 1990. Chara did not seem bothered by that. Ovechkin’s share of the Richard Trophy is his third in a row, and ninth of “It’s not going to be perfect,” he said. “I think you have to realize that any his career. time you have this kind of unexpected stoppage, with teams being at different points, maybe peaks of the season, different amounts of games Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl (43-67—110) paced the league in scoring, … you have to come up with some sort of solution. becoming the first German to win the Trophy.

“The people involved were almost daily talking to the player reps, players, different kinds of advisers to come up with the best possible solution. I think at this point we see it’s probably the best. It does affect Boston Globe LOADED: 05.29.2020 everyone and every team, but it’s one of those things you can’t really blame anyone or feel that it’s unfair.”

Chara was speaking from Boston, having made the long drive from his offseason home in Sarasota, Fla., with his wife Tatiana, daughter Elliz, 11, and 4-year-old twins Ben and Zack. On March 27, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker declared that all travelers coming to the state should self-quarantine for two weeks. The NHL is likely two weeks or more from opening its practice facilities, so Chara wouldn’t likely be delayed.

“We did all the mandatory safety precautions, actions, while we were down in Florida,” Chara said. “The same apply here in Boston. We’re just following the orders.”

The league’s elder statesman at 43 said he kept fit — big surprise there — and expects a cautious yet accelerated ramp-up to game-readiness. He accepts the risk of infection that may come.

“I’m sure even without this pandemic, every time you step on the ice there is a risk of getting injured or some sort of thing can happen,” he said. “Obviously this is a little bit different. This is something that hit us really hard, and nobody … can guarantee that nothing will happen.

"There is going to be risk involved. We’ve just got to manage what kind of risk we are willing to accept.”

He is eager to go to work, but his mind is on more than hockey.

“Definitely, you appreciate what you have,” said Chara.

“I’m so grateful I have family and I’ve been able to spend some time with them, every day play with my kids and see them interact and keep improving in their skills.

"When you have a setback like this, you kind of also want to step back and kind of take a breather from the days or the routine you were involved with for so long. Kind of makes you realize things are not always going to be perfect.

“There’s going to be some challenges in your life. You’ve just got to kind of remind yourself what worked before when you were facing some challenges and adversities, and start implementing those same routines into comebacks like we’re facing now. 1185304 Boston Bruins “If you’re a runner and you haven’t been running for two months, I don’t think that you’re going to go for a first run and it’s going to be a 20K,” said Chara. “It’s going to be slowly getting into it, (trying to prevent) some A ‘grateful’ Zdeno Chara eager for hockey’s return strains or (pulled muscle) injuries. That’s the key. I think we have to manage the workload we’re going to be doing the first few sessions and then just slowly adding to those practices. Being away for two-plus months, I think at the same time it will come back fairly quickly. We’ve By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald done this for so long for so many years, it’s second nature to us. I think it PUBLISHED: May 28, 2020 at 2:05 p.m. | UPDATED: May 28, 2020 at will take a few days, maybe weeks, but I think eventually everything will 2:06 p.m. be fine.”

If Phase 2 and Phase 3 (training camp) are successful, the 24 teams can then move on to the competition of the tournament. While nothing will be Zdeno Chara acknowledged that the NHL’s planned 24-team playoff normal about it, Chara said that playing without fans will be the biggest format may not be great for everybody. In fact, it could be argued that his difference, a frequent topic among his teammates on the players’ Zoom Bruins — well in the lead for the top seed overall at the time of the chats. league’s stoppage — are the team most negatively affected, from a purely hockey standpoint. “Most of us talked about how it’s probably going to be one of the biggest adjustments that we’ll have to make,” said Chara. “Fans are such a big But Chara, striking his typically statesman-like tone, said that any gripes part of our game and we’re always playing in front of sold-out arenas anyone may have with the format are insignificant against the backdrop giving their support. When the crowd gets behind you, you feel the extra of today’s locked-down coronavirus existence. energy and you have that motivation to play for them. That’s one thing that we’re going to be missing the most and we’ll have to make the “It’s not going to be perfect and we have to realize that anytime you have biggest adjustment. It’s one of those things that it’s going to be quite this kind of unexpected stoppage with teams being at different points of silent and you’re probably going to be able to hear everybody talking on the season and different amount of games, you have to come up with the ice.” some sort of solution. And people have been talking almost daily to the player reps and different kind of advisers to come up with the best With the pain of losing the Stanley Cup in Game 7 at home last June still possible solution,” said Chara on a Zoom call with reporters on Thursday. fresh in their minds, the Bruins started out the 2019-20 season on fire. While they’ll have the same motivation, a strong start — essential to “It does affect everyone and every team, but it’s one of those things that survival in this tournament — may not be so easy. you can’t really blame anyone or feel that it’s unfair. For us, we have to be grateful for the opportunity that we’re getting. When you look at it from “We were not sitting at home and away from hockey as long as other a real-life perspective, what a lot of people, families, businesses are teams and we started playing with almost that same pace that we were going through, it’s one of those things that we’re getting the opportunity playing in the playoffs, so that definitely helped us, especially early to basically start almost where we ended the season. Not everybody is playing against teams that were off for a number of months,” said Chara. getting the same chance. A lot of people have lost a lot of financial “I think that played a big role for being able to play at a much higher support. A lot of businesses went down and they will never get the same pace, but also play with a lot of motivation because of the way we ended opportunity. So we have to be grateful for the opportunity and take it as a last year. We took it as something we wanted to address early on, that it huge motivation and excitement and be grateful. Kind of embrace it.” was not going to be affecting us. We wanted a fresh start and have a lot of energy and that’s what we did. It’s not going to be perfect. We’re going Chara had spent most of his time since the March 12 shutdown of the to be facing some possible uncomfortable situations, but we have to league in Florida with his family but, with the league inching toward reset and rehearse a few of these things in our minds and get ready opening up for small group workouts at team facilities expected within the mentally for whatever’s going to be coming. Whoever makes the fastest next couple of weeks, he has returned to Boston. Chara drove, avoiding adjustment and mentally be ready is going to benefit the most.” commercial travel and thus the mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival back in his team’s home city.

He said there are questions about health and safety still to be answered. Boston Herald LOADED: 05.29.2020 But even if those are all answered, there is no way that this massive endeavor that the NHL and the NHLPA are trying to pull off can be risk- free.

“There is definitely risk involved,” said Chara. “We have to kind of realize that you have to accept risk in your lives. I’m sure even without this pandemic, every time you step on the ice there is a risk of getting injured or some sort of things can happen. Obviously this is a little bit different, this is something that it is really hard and nobody can know 100% or can guarantee what will happen. Yeah, there is going to be risk involved. We just have to manage what kind of risk we are willing to accept.”

He said the lockdown has afforded him time to take a different perspective on his life.

“Definitely you appreciate what you have,” said Chara. “When you look at the big picture, obviously we talked about how this becomes very uncomfortable for many of us and it has affected so many people. But I’m so grateful that I have family and I’ve been able to spend some time with them. Every day I’ve been playing with my kids and seeing them interact and keep improving in their skills. When you have a setback like this, you want to also step back and take a breather from the routine you were involved in for so long. It kind of makes you realize that things are not always going to be perfect. There are going to be some challenges in your life. You just have to remind yourself what worked before when you were facing some challenges and adversities and start implementing those same routines.”

With regard to the Return to Play plan, the captain said the two and a half months he’s been off the ice just may be the longest stretch for him since coming into the NHL. As famously fit as Chara has kept himself over the years, he and his teammates will need to ease into the on-ice workouts when Phase 2 does begin. 1185305 Boston Bruins

Bruins earn regular season awards

By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald

PUBLISHED: May 28, 2020 at 12:56 p.m. | UPDATED: May 28, 2020 at 1:29 p.m.

While nothing is guaranteed for the Bruins from here on, the did officially hand them some hardware for what they accomplished in the 2019-20 regular season.

David Pastrnak became the first Bruin to win the Rocket Richard Trophy (instituted in 1998-99) for most goals, sharing the honor with nine-time winner Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals. Both Pastrnak and Ovechkin scored 48 goals. It is the first time a Bruin has held at least a share of that top spot in 45 years, dating back to when Phil Esposito led the league in goals in 1974-75 with 61. Pastrnak’s output is the most by a Bruin since Cam Neely scored 50 in 1993-94.

Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak also won the William Jennings Trophy as the goaltending tandem which allowed the fewest goals in the season. Rask and Halak allowed 174 goals in 70 games. It’s the first time the B’s have won the Jennings since Tim Thomas and Manny Fernandez combined for it in 2008-09.

The B’s also won the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s best regular- season team. They had both the best point total (100) and points percentage (.714). It’s the third time the B’s have the trophy since its inception in 1985-86. Previous wins were in 2013-14 and 1989-90, neither of which produced a Stanley Cup win. The 2013-14 team lost in the second round to the Canadiens and the 1989-90 squad lost in the Finals to the Oilers.

Boston Herald LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185306 Boston Bruins seven games, an abrupt ending to a promising season. It also sent the B’s into somewhat of a tailspin as they missed the playoffs for two straight seasons that included the firing of Chiarelli.

Ranking the best Bruins teams that failed to win Stanley Cup 2. 1929-30

Way back when the Bruins and the NHL were in relative infancy, the B’s By STEVE HEWITT | [email protected] | Boston Herald put together what should still be considered the most dominant single season in league history. A season after winning their first Stanley Cup, PUBLISHED: May 28, 2020 at 6:00 a.m. | UPDATED: May 28, 2020 at the Bruins went 38-5-1 — the regular season was 44 games then — for 10:54 a.m. 77 points. Their point percentage of 87.5 still stands as the best in NHL history.

Cooney Weiland and Dit Clapper scored 43 and 41 goals, respectively, to The Bruins have won six Stanley Cups, tied for the fourth-most in NHL lead the NHL and a B’s offense that led the league with 179 goals in 44 history. Call it greed, but that number could easily be higher. games, and goaltender played all 44 games to win the For an organization as storied as the B’s, heartbreak is embedded in Vezina Trophy. The B’s were the clear favorite to win the Stanley Cup, their history. The championship in 2011 ended nearly four decades of but after ousting the Montreal Maroons in the semifinals, they lost in a pain, but even since then, they’ve had to endure a pair of devastating two-game Stanley Cup Final series to the Canadiens, the first time they Stanley Cup defeats. The franchise has been littered with close calls and lost consecutive games all season. dominant teams that have come up short. 1. 1970-71 Under normal circumstances, the Stanley Cup Final would be starting Nearly 50 years later, the 1971 Bruins still rank among the most shocking around now, and the B’s could have been playing in it with a chance to shortcomings in Boston sports history. The B’s won the Cup in 1970 and avenge last year’s Game 7 heartbreak. In that spirit, we’ve decided to should have repeated. They dominated the regular season by going 57- take a look — team by team — at the best Boston teams in history that 14-7 for 121 points and the East Division title. They scored 399 goals for didn’t win a championship. The series begins with the Bruins. an absurd 5.12 goals per game led by a quartet of 100-point scorers. Phil 5. 1978-79 Esposito scored 76 goals and had 152 points and had 139 points. They were unstoppable. This Bruins team personified what Boston fans expected from their hockey team, a tough and fearless group, but it had a ton of talent, too. Until the first round of the playoffs. The top-seeded Bruins matched up The B’s boasted eight 20-goal scorers, led by 38 from Rick Middleton with the Canadiens and ultimately a red-hot goaltender in , and 35 from Peter McNab, and the goaltending duo of who cooled the B’s and helped the Habs pull off one of the greatest and helped lift them to the Adams Division title. It had been upsets in NHL history, culminating in the Canadiens eliminating the B’s seven years since the Bruins lifted the Stanley Cup, but ’s with a 4-2 Game 7 victory at . deep and talented squad, which amassed 100 points and the second seed in the Wales Conference, looked primed to finally dethrone the nemesis , who had three consecutive Stanley Cups Boston Herald LOADED: 05.29.2020 and five in the decade.

The B’s swept the to earn a date with the top- seeded Habs in the semifinals, where it looked like they would break their skid of 13 straight playoff series losses to the rivals up north. Boston led Game 7 in Montreal by a goal late when it was whistled for an infamous too many men on the ice penalty. The Canadiens tied it on the power play, then won it in before winning the Stanley Cup, producing heartbreak for the Bruins, the end of Cherry’s coaching stint in Boston, and one of the great what-ifs in franchise history.

4. 1977-78

This was probably Cherry’s best team in his five seasons as the Bruins’ coach. The offense was dominant, with a record that still stands for the most 20-goal scorers in a season with 11, and another with 16 goals. Terry O’Reilly and 37-year-old Jean Ratelle led the way with 90 and 84 points, respectively, while McNab’s 41 goals led the team as it went on to a 51-18-11 record, 113 points and another Adams Division crown.

But like so many versions of the B’s in the 1970s, their blend of skill and grit wasn’t quite enough to topple the Canadiens, who went an absurd 59-10-11 for an NHL-best 129 points. The B’s, led by defenseman , breezed through the first two rounds of the playoffs, sweeping the and eliminating the in five games to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. But again they met the Habs, who won it in six games.

3. 2013-14

Fresh off their heartbreak of losing the 2013 Stanley Cup Final in devastating fashion the year prior, the B’s returned with a vengeance and still with much of the same core that won them the Stanley Cup in 2011, and then-general manager Peter Chiarelli gave them a fresh coat. He traded Tyler Seguin to the Dallas Stars for Loui Eriksson and three other players before adding veteran forward in free agency, a move that paid major dividends. Iginla and Patrice Bergeron each potted 30 goals, the new parts fit nicely together and the B’s had one of their best regular seasons in franchise history, going 54-19-9 for 117 points and the Presidents’ Trophy.

This group may have peaked too early, though. After ousting the Detroit Red Wings in five games in the first round, the B’s finally ran into some trouble against the Canadiens — who else? — and fell to their rival in 1185307 Boston Bruins

Zdeno Chara 'grateful for the opportunity' to play, not focused on NHL playoff format fairness

By Joe Haggerty

May 28, 2020 3:34 PM

In the aftermath of this week’s NHL announcement about the 24-team playoff format, there has been plenty of talk about fairness, asterisks and whether this plan will even come to fruition this summer as NHL players begin working to get back into playing shape.

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara could have complained about the Presidents' Trophy-winning Bruins being forced into protecting their top seed during a round-robin tournament despite pretty much winning it fair and square during the regular season with a month left.

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Chara could have openly wondered about the safeness of an NHL return or talked extensively about whether the Cup champs will be considered regular champions despite so many oddities with this year’s proposed postseason.

Instead, the wise 43-year-old Chara simply showed gratitude that the NHL players might be able to get back to work, and perhaps in doing so can restore some sense of quasi-normalcy to sports fans eager to see games resume.

“The Players' Association with the player reps worked extremely hard to get to this point and come up with something that will be hopefully entertaining and exciting. I think the fans will enjoy it for sure. It’s never a perfect scenario. It’s not going to be set in stone like it would be after an 82-game regular season,” said Chara while speaking with B’s reporters on Zoom call on Thursday morning.

“It’s not going to be perfect. Anytime you’re going to have an unexpected kind of stoppage with teams at different peaks in their season, you had to come up with some sort of solution. What we see is probably the best [solution]. It’s one of those things where you can’t blame anyone or feel that it’s unfair.

For us, we have to be grateful for the opportunity we’re getting. When you look at the real-life perspective at what other people’s families and businesses are going through, we’re getting the chance to basically start back up where we ended the season. A lot of people aren’t getting that same chance. A lot of people lost financial support and businesses went down, and they will never get the same opportunities. We have to be grateful for the opportunity and take it as a huge motivation [and] excitement. [We need] to be grateful and embrace it.

As with most players focused on winning, Chara knows the Bruins will need to overcome all obstacles if they hope to lift the Stanley Cup, and a newfangled playoff format that was a little unfair to them is nothing compared to what’s happening in the world.

Chara is going to be a slam dunk Hall of Fame defenseman when he eventually retires from the Bruins even if that’s probably at least a couple of seasons from now.

But the 6-foot-9 D-man also showed in his answer why he’s a Hall of Fame person with the way he’s still got everything in proper perspective even as fans get a little excited about progress being made toward a return for the NHL season.

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NBA, NHL seasons should get asterisks, but that's not a bad thing

By DJ Bean

May 28, 2020 2:45 PM

As sports begin to look like they might kind of possibly be close to maybe returning, "asterisk" has been a popular word.

"Should this season have an asterisk next to it?"

"Will champions have an asterisk?"

"What would need to happen for you to think there should be an asterisk?"

All of these questions present the asterisk as a stain. You dummies: That's not what an asterisk is.

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I'll get to why the NBA and NHL seasons should absolutely have an asterisk in a second, but first, a reminder that an asterisk wouldn't mean the winner didn't win. It would mean they won in a season that was different, as marked by the asterisk. The symbol is a "reference to an annotation."

Here's the annotation: The season and postseason had a different structure (we know that for sure with the NHL, not yet with the NBA) and the entire team started the postseason healthier than they would have normally been.

That's different! That's weird! That is a different playing field than we see every year.

Bean: Ranking the Bruins' 8 possible playoff opponents by difficulty

And that's not necessarily a good thing or a bad thing. You can look at that asterisk after the fact and tack on whatever you want. Hell, if the Bruins or Lightning win the Stanley Cup and there aren't any injuries, that asterisk could also mean they won in a year that was harder because their opponents were at full strength. How many teams can say they did that? Asterisk!

Similarly, if some crumb bum team that wasn't in the top 16 at the time of the stoppage goes and wins the Cup, that asterisk can mean the circumstances helped them get there. But they'll have still won the Stanley Cup and they'll be considered a champion, asterisk and all.

Now, if you're using "asterisk" to mean "they didn't really win," you're silly. They'll have won a different tournament, but they'll have won. It's the different tournament and circumstances that requires the asterisk, not who wins.

There are variables every year. Injuries, suspensions, things that we didn't see coming. Those don't need an asterisk because that can happen any year to any team. This season is different because the format is different. They had to change the season on the fly. Asterisk.

So whether it's the top team or a team that didn't belong there, this whole thing is going to get an asterisk. It's different. Years from now, this will all need explaining.

That's why the asterisk is there.

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Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020

NHL announces Bruins have won these three end-of-season awards

By Nick Goss

May 28, 2020 12:54 PM

The NHL announced on Tuesday the 2019-20 regular season was finished, and as a result, it became time to announce the winners of some end-of-the-year awards.

Some of the awards, including the Hart Trophy for the league's most valuable player, still need to be voted on. Most of them are voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The awards based on stats, however, already have been determined.

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Three of the awards already determined will go to the Boston Bruins. The league officially announced all such awards with a press release Thursday.

Here's a quick recap of the awards won by the Bruins.

Presidents' Trophy

The team that finishes the regular season with the best record wins this award. This is the third time Boston has won the Presidents' Trophy since it was introduced ahead of the 1985-86 season. The B's also have won it in 1990 and 2014. The team that's won this trophy usually fails to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, only nine of the previous 33 Presidents' Trophy winners went on to win the Stanley Cup that same year. However, the last time it happened was in 2013 when the Chicago Blackhawks won both in a shortened season, so maybe there's hope for the Bruins in 2020!

Bean: Ranking Bruins' potential first-round opponents

William M. Jennings Trophy

The Bruins had the best goalie duo in the league with starter Tuukka Rask and backup Jaroslav Halak. Boston finished the season allowing the fewest goals allowed, which means the team's goaltenders have won the William M. Jennings Trophy. Rask led the league with a 2.12 goals against average and 85 goals allowed in 41 appearances, and Halak ranked sixth with a 2.39 GAA and 73 goals allowed in 31 games played. This is the third time (1989-90 and 2008-09 previously) the Bruins have won this award since it was introduced in 1981-82. Rask has won the award for the first time, while Halak now has claimed it twice. Halak shared it with Brian Elliott when they played for the St. Louis Blues durng the 2011-12 campaign.

Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy

The league's leading goal scorer(s) win the award named after Montreal Canadiens legend Maurice Richard. Bruins winger David Pastrnak and Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin both scored 48 goals and will share the trophy. Pastrnak is the first B's player to lead the league in goals since Phil Esposito, who did it in six straight seasons from 1969-70 through 1974-75. Pastrnak fell just shy of becoming Boston's first 50-goal scorer since Cam Neely in 1993-94, but he should have plenty more chances to hit that milestone in the near future.

Other awards?

It's quite possible the Bruins could take home other end-of-the-season awards. Pastrnak has a case to be a finalist for the Hart Trophy, but it's hard to envision him winning the award over center Nathan MacKinnon or Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl. Bruins center Patrice Bergeron should be a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy, which he's already won four times. Rask also is the favorite to win the second Vezina Trophy of his career.

Of course, the real prize for the Bruins is the Stanley Cup. They came so close to winning it last year, and after another dominant regular season, the Bruins are among the favorites to hoist the best trophy in sports later in 2020. 1185310 Boston Bruins

Ever Wonder Series: Why are the Bruins' colors black and gold?

By Joe Haggerty

May 28, 2020 10:39 AM

Did you ever wonder why the Bruins wear black and gold? Or why the color brown featured so prominently in their team colors during the early years of the franchise?

A bit of fair warning: You might need an advanced degree in supermarket history trivia to really know the answers to these questions when quizzed at the checkout.

Here’s the inside scoop: wealthy Vermont native Charles Adams owned pretty high-profile things in Boston including the Suffolk Downs racetrack and the original Boston Braves franchise in .

But the most important — and profitable — was actually the country’s original supermarket chain, First National, or Finast as it was known in the northeastern United States for much of the early 20th century. The company lasted into the 1990s, but its heyday was during the early part of the century when Adams was making his name as an Boston entrepreneur.

When Adams secured the rights to start Boston’s NHL franchise in 1924, naturally his initial order of business was to decide on the team’s colors. And this is where things got a little funky when it came to Adams’ quirks coming to the surface with the team uniforms.

Adams chose brown and gold sweaters to match the color scheme of his Finast stores and settled on the Old English name for a bear, Bruins. The story behind the story is that every living animal Charles Adams had and owned on his farm property — horses, cows, dogs, pigs, hens — were all his favorite color: brown.

So there was little doubt that the color brown was going to factor into the B’s color scheme just as it did in everything about his supermarket chain.

The team's colors remained that way for the first 10 years of the franchise until 1934 when they shifted to the striking black and gold that’s been synonymous with the Original Six franchise for almost 90 years. Apparently, Weston Adams, the son of Charles Adams and the next owner of the Bruins in the Adams family hockey business, was not nearly as enamored with the color brown, and the Bruins have been in black and gold ever since.

Haggerty: Neely calls playoff format 'disappointing' for Bruins

So now when you see those brown and gold throwback sweaters at a Winter Classic or at an old-time hockey event, you’ll know exactly why the Bruins started off with those colors.

And you can all be thankful that eventually they switched out the brown for the much cooler black color scheme choice that’s become an integral part of the Big Bad Bruins tradition for as long as they have been throwing fists and doling out bone-rattling body checks.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185311 Boston Bruins On-ice safety, or the lack of it, is nothing new for Chara. He felt that one year ago when a shot ski-jumped off Chara’s stick and broke his jaw.

‘Grateful for the opportunity’: Zdeno Chara weighs the risks of return to Now, safety is not just personal. In Phases 2 and 3, Chara could be work exposing his family to infection when he returns home from Warrior.

If there is anything Chara has enjoyed about the last two-plus months, it By Fluto Shinzawa has been the time he’s spent with his family, far more than he’s had in previous springs. Like all NHL players, Chara will return to work with the May 28, 2020 possibility of family equilibrium being affected. He has taken it under consideration.

“There’s definitely risk involved,” Chara acknowledged. “We all have to Zdeno Chara is back in Boston, which is a feat in itself. realize you have to accept risks in your lives. Even without this Driving to the North End from Florida, where the captain spent most of pandemic, every time you step on the ice, there’s a risk of getting injured. the last two months, was not easy for Chara, wife Tatiana, daughter Elliz Some sort of things can happen. This is a little bit different. It hit us really and sons Ben and Zach. hard. Nobody knows with 100 percent guarantee that nothing will happen. There’s going to be risk involved. You’ve got to manage what Chara never threatened to turn the car around. There is too much at kind of risk you’re willing to accept.” stake — beyond himself, beyond his team — with going back to work.

“We’re getting an opportunity to start almost where we ended the season. Not everybody’s getting the same chance,” Chara said on a Thursday The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 video call. “A lot of people lost a lot of financial support. Businesses went down. They will never get the same opportunity. We have to be grateful for the opportunity and take it as a huge motivation and excitement. Be grateful and embrace it.”

Chara said he does not plan to self-quarantine following his return to Massachusetts. The Bruins captain awaits the start of Phase 2: the workouts, on and off the ice, that will help the players re-acclimate to in- season form. The NHL has not set a date for this segment. When Chara and his teammates receive approval to re-enter Warrior Ice Arena, he will proceed cautiously.

“If you’re a runner and not running for two months, I don’t think you’re going to go for a first run (as) a 20K,” Chara said. “You’ll be slowly getting into it, with the prevention of some possible strains, pulls, injuries. That’s a key. We have to manage the workload we’re doing the first few sessions, then slowly adding to those practices. We’ve been away for two-plus months. At the same time, it will come back fairly quickly. We’ve done this for so long and for so many years, it’s second nature to us. It will take a few days, then maybe a few weeks. Eventually, everything will be fine.”

Part of Chara’s thinking behind his temporary southern relocation was access to the outdoors. He could run, cycle and swim to keep up his fitness. He had free weights as part of his strength routine.

By his guess, this is the longest Chara has gone without skating as a pro. But his love of physical activity is one reason the 43-year-old Chara remains a shutdown force. Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy is not likely to be losing sleep over Chara’s conditioning.

Following Phase 2, Chara and the Bruins will proceed to Phase 3 and training camp at Warrior. Assuming no significant setbacks, the Bruins will then participate in a round-robin tournament in an undetermined hub city. The Bruins will play Tampa, Washington and Philadelphia in this three-game segment to determine postseason seeding.

It could be that the league-leading Bruins, who finished the regular season 11 points clear of the Flyers, could be the No. 4 seed based on the round-robin results. On Wednesday, team president Cam Neely expressed his disappointment in finding his club in that scenario. Chara is not complaining.

“The (NHLPA) with the players’ representatives worked extremely hard to get to this point to come up with something, hopefully, that will be entertaining and exciting,” Chara said. “The fans will enjoy it, I’m sure. It’s never a perfect scenario. It’s not going to be set in stone as you would have an 82-game regular season. You have to give these guys a lot of credit. They worked extremely hard to come up with the format that’s been presented.”

The NHL and NHLPA released a 21-page document describing the framework for Phase 2’s skates and workouts. The guidelines will become more detailed for the camp segment of Phase 3. One can only imagine the depth and breadth of guidance for Phase 4, when Chara and the Bruins leave Boston for the start of competition. 1185312 Boston Bruins This did not lead to a full-time job. Bjork was a healthy scratch for four of the last five pre-lockdown games.

The left-shot Bjork played most of the season on his strong side. He also Summer camp: Seven issues for the Bruins to address before the took shifts at right wing, his position during his first two pro seasons and playoffs in college.

The 23-year-old has high-end speed, acceleration, shiftiness, better By Fluto Shinzawa strength on the puck and a heavy shot. These could be all assets during a Cup run. But the team first has to decide where Bjork belongs to take May 28, 2020 advantage of his strengths.

Can Jack Studnicka or Trent Frederic help?

In one way, three weeks, the time period currently under discussion, Ideally, Studnicka would begin his NHL career next season. Frederic seems like a long training camp. In another way, the break-in period for would also push for a varsity job then. The playoffs are not friendly to this delayed postseason will fly by faster than a David Pastrnak one- rookie centers like Studnicka (two games of NHL experience) and timer. Frederic (17).

An 82-game regular season is the usual prelude to the playoffs. It gives It may be, though, that their youth, liveliness and skill sets put Studnicka general managers and coaches parts of seven months to collect data, (21) and Frederic (22) on more equal footing with their peers than before. determine what’s working and adjust underperforming areas. Frederic has been fortunate enough to have ice available in the St. Louis area, which he calls home. But now the regular season is finished, and the NHL will shift to a 24- team playoff format, likely beginning sometime in July. For this camp, The Bruins wanted to use parts of March and April to evaluate Studnicka Don Sweeney and Bruce Cassidy will have to rapidly assess and decide and Frederic and see if they could help in the playoffs. Now, how to optimize the lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs following the four- management and the coaches will have to watch the two closely during team round-robin tournament against Tampa, Washington and the camp to see where they could be upgrades — No. 2 right wing, No. 3 Philadelphia. center, No. 3 right wing, No. 4 center.

The issues they’ll be monitoring: Even if the two don’t play right away, injuries or illnesses would push them up the depth chart. What is the best way to prepare older players for re-entry? What is the best setup for the fourth line? It’s probably going to be easier for younger players like Pastrnak (23), Jake DeBrusk (23) and Charlie McAvoy (22) to regain in-season fitness Cassidy has always preferred Sean Kuraly between Joakim Nordstrom with a lower risk of injury. and Chris Wagner. In theory, their collective speed and closing abilities make them good matchup forwards. This takes some of the defensive The team will probably have to proceed more cautiously with Zdeno work away from Bergeron and Krejci. Chara (43), Patrice Bergeron (34) and David Krejci (34). This is not so straightforward. Chara, for one, has always preferred high-volume work. But in 250:25 of shared ice time, Nordstrom-Kuraly-Wagner recorded a 41.49 CF%. They were outscored, 13-4. Cassidy will depend on his older players for feedback on how much on- ice prep time they’ll require to feel comfortable for game play. He’ll also Not good enough. consult with the sports performance staff to monitor workload. Cassidy is likely to give the line another look in camp. He is loyal to How to proceed with Ondrej Kase and Nick Ritchie? players with a history of serving him well.

After acquiring Kase from Anaheim on Feb. 21, the Bruins believed If he doesn’t like what he sees, Cassidy could shift Kuraly to No. 3 left they’d have 18 regular-season games plus practices to determine the wing. Kuraly played better with a simplification of his defensive duties. right wing’s best fit for the playoffs. Kase played in only six games. Par Lindholm could be the No. 4 center. Anton Blidh could also push Ritchie made seven appearances. It was not enough time for either ex- Nordstrom at No. 4 left wing. Duck to adjust. Who should be Matt Grzelcyk’s partner on the No. 3 pairing? The Bruins no longer have the regular-season runway to figure out optimal deployment for Kase and Ritchie. Cassidy will not have time on With his steady and simple play, Jeremy Lauzon made John Moore a his side to let the forwards settle in once play resumes. If they are not healthy scratch and pushed Steve Kampfer to Providence. Lauzon performing as second-line wings with Krejci, for example, Cassidy will helped to kill down-low plays by closing on puck carriers and initiating move quickly to find better fits. rushes up the ice.

According to Natural Stat Trick, Krejci was Kase’s most common Even though Lauzon is a left shot, he did not struggle on the right side. linemate before March 12. The two shared 54:46 of 5-on-5 ice time. The This allowed Grzelcyk to stay on his strong side. two posted a 49.51 Corsi For rating. They were on the ice for no goals In 194:49 of play, Grzelcyk and Lauzon had a 49.14 CF%. They were on scored and two goals allowed. the ice for nine goals for and three against. Their 75 percent goals-for Krejci was also Ritchie’s most common linemate (65:16). They had a percentage was second-highest in the NHL among all pairs with 175 47.66 CF%. They were outscored, 3-1. minutes or more.

As a line, Ritchie-Krejci-Kase was on the ice for 48:09. The threesome Lauzon has never played an NHL playoff game. Connor Clifton, on the recorded a 46.32 CF%. They were outscored, 2-0. other hand, made 18 postseason appearances last season.

It is a small sample size. The data is too limited to signal that the line will Clifton played 12:44 against Philadelphia on March 10, the final game stumble in the playoffs. before the suspension. It was his first game since Dec. 29 after recovering from an upper-body injury. But if this is the second line Cassidy prefers, he’ll have to give them lots of work together in camp. Lauzon should retain his job as Grzelcyk’s right-side partner. Clifton gives the Bruins an option. How should Anders Bjork be deployed? Which spare players should be on the roster? Cassidy liked the partnership Bjork built as Charlie Coyle’s left wing. With Coyle serving as the puck-possession center, Bjork improved at finding Reinforcements will be required assuming injuries and illness. Lindholm, soft spots in coverage while giving his center down-low freedom. Blidh, Moore and Clifton were regulars were on the pre-pause perimeter. They should be first in line. In 383:31 of play together, Bjork and Coyle combined for a 51.33 CF%. They outscored the opposition, 16-14. Studnicka and Frederic will not be far behind. Kampfer, the longtime No. 7 defenseman before Lauzon’s arrival, will be available. Other candidates from Providence include Paul Carey, Cameron Hughes, Karson Kuhlman, Zach Senyshyn, Urho Vaakanainen and Jakub Zboril.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185313 Buffalo Sabres "The better teams in the league just kind of stick with their game and allow the other team to make the mistake," Eichel said in recalling that night. "We've been trying to get better at that. That's what separates the Look back on schedule and Sabres aren't as far away as most people best teams in the league from the middle of the pack and the bottom of think the pack. It's that ability to be good on nights you might not have it as much. We have a young group but we need to start learning that soon and figuring out how to do that. It's one thing to be in the tight games, it's another thing to win them." By Mike Harrington Indeed it is. The Sabres went 0-7 this year against Boston and Tampa Published Fri, May 29, 2020 Bay and that's basically your season there. Five of losses were by one or two goals, including the 6-4 crusher to Tampa on New Year's Eve when Buffalo blew a 4-1 lead. The narrative currently swirling around the Sabres is an easy three- headed monster: Ownership is out of touch, the general manager is over The Bolts and Bruins play such consistent hockey most of the time. And his head and the team is simply terrible. Kyle Okposo said he was similarly blown away by the way St. Louis handled its post-Cup season. No. 1 is true, as Kim Pegula said she knows more than you do, and No. 2 is probably true. But there should be some small solace that No. 3 is not "They just came at you in waves and waves and waves and they never the case. changed the way they played whether they were down or up," Okposo said, clearly recalling the 5-1 bludgeoning Buffalo endured Jan. 9 near Now, that's not to excuse the inexcusable. Missing the playoffs for nine the Gateway Arch. "That's what you have to do in order to be an elite straight seasons is a disgrace that reflects upon all three groups and team in this league. Just go into games knowing you're going to win, there's no way to sugarcoat it, especially when this team can't even make thinking you're going to win and if you don't win? It doesn't matter a bloated, 24-team postseason. because you know you're going to win the next game. ... That's the mindset you have to have." But the 50th anniversary season in the rear-view mirror leaves you wondering just how in the world this team finished 25th overall. It came The Sabres are still a hope-to-win team. And is it turned out, they needed down mostly to bad special teams (especially the penalty kill), key just a little more in the belief meter. One more win would have them injuries to Victor Olofsson and Linus Ullmark and inconsistent playing a best-of-five series against the Penguins sometime this summer. goaltending from Carter Hutton. This was a close shave of a season as the Sabres went 15-8-8 in one-goal games, costing them a lot of points. "After every season there's probably a handful of games you say to yourself, 'Probably should have won them, probably should have gotten a You might not remember, but the flying Ralph Kruegerites went 3-0 point, probably should have gotten two points,' whatever it might be," against Florida, posted two wins apiece over Pittsburgh, Edmonton, Eichel said. "In a situation like this, a lot of these teams that are going to Toronto, Columbus and Dallas, and also had notable wins over St. Louis, continue to play felt like they were completely out of it. Now they have an Washington, Nashville and Vegas. And still finished 25th! opportunity to play more games. They're gaining valuable experience as a group and we're not one of them. This was not close to a Stanley Cup team, but it shouldn't be a high lottery team, either. And that's why the frustration over two days of player "So it does add to the frustration, yeah. It adds to the frustration a lot." Zoom calls oozed through your laptop screen.

Jack Eichel made news across with his "fed up" rant and the captain certainly put Botterill on notice when he was asked what this Buffalo News LOADED: 05.29.2020 team needs. He first said it was not his job to put together a roster ... and then said the roster could use some depth, veterans and toughness. Botterill sure didn't talk about veterans the day before.

Told of Eichel's comments when he got on the call from Finland, defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen didn't hold back, either.

"I've been in Buffalo seven years and have been losing every single year," he said. "So it's tough. I hope we're done with losing."

Ristolainen got his annual question about wanting a trade and, much like he did 13 months ago at the end of another lost season, thought about his answer for a few seconds.

"I want to win, if it's in Buffalo or somewhere else," he said. "When a team doesn't get to the goal that is playoffs, I think you need to make some changes. If changes will happen, I know I'm one of the first ones probably who is going to get traded. It's part of the business and I'm ready whatever happens."

Neither Botterill nor Krueger seem inclined to want to move Ristolainen and it still seems like the play would be to cut back on his minutes some, transferring them to Rasmus Dahlin as the Swedish Boy Wonder enters Year Three. Your payback for Ristolainen won't be all that hot either, so it might make the most sense to be shopping Brandon Montour to get some help up front.

Those are future points. Looking back, there were more good games to watch this season than in the last several years and my favorite was actually a loss. The 3-2 defeat Feb. 26 in Colorado that opened the infamous 0-4 Western road trip still feels like the highest-caliber Sabres game these eyes have viewed since the playoff runs of 2010 and 2011.

It was back and forth all night against a team that could win the Stanley Cup. Shots on goal were 34-33 for the Avs as former Buffalo prospect J.T. Compher won it on a goal with 8:06 left and Pavel Francouz's save in the final seconds stoned Victor Olofsson and prevented the Sabres from pulling even. Who knows what happens on that trip and thus for the season if Buffalo got one or two points out of this game? 1185314 Buffalo Sabres

Rasmus Ristolainen expects to be 'one of the first' traded if Sabres make changes

By Lance Lysowski

Published Thu, May 28, 2020|Updated Thu, May 28, 2020

Rasmus Ristolainen made another call for change within the Buffalo Sabres when speaking to the media via Zoom conference call Thursday afternoon.

Ristolainen, a 25-year-old defenseman who was the subject of trade rumors last offseason, expressed frustration Thursday with the Sabres not qualifying for the National Hockey League's 24-team return-to-play format.

Ristolainen has grown tired of losing. It's all he's experienced during his seven seasons in Buffalo, and he acknowledged he doesn't know what a winning culture entails. Following Phil Housley's dismissal as coach in April 2019, Ristolainen called for more accountability within the dressing room and expressed frustration while declining to say if he wished to remain in Buffalo.

Despite having a strong relationship with coach Ralph Krueger, Ristolainen gave a similar answer Thursday when asked if he wanted to be traded this offseason.

"We had the same conversation before, last year, and this year I really enjoyed working with Ralph and our team took some strides, but I feel like it wasn’t enough," Ristolainen said. "When you put in so much hard work every summer, you work hard in every practice, it makes it even more frustrating because we weren’t even close again.

"I want to win, if it’s in Buffalo or somewhere else, and I feel like when a team doesn’t get to the goal that is playoffs, I think you need to make some changes. If changes will happen, I know I’m one of the first ones probably who is going to get traded. It’s part of the business and I’m ready, whatever happens. I have really enjoyed my time in Buffalo. It’s home for me."

Ristolainen is under contract for two more seasons with an average annual value of $5.4 million. Since being drafted eighth overall in 2013, Ristolainen's minus-145 rating ranks last in the NHL. He has appeared in 493 regular-season games since joining the Sabres, totaling 42 goals with 185 assists for 227 points during that span.

Ristolainen's 33 points this season were his fewest since 2014-15, but he also posted a career-best minus-2 rating.

When asked Thursday if he's noticed an improvement in the Sabres' culture in recent seasons, Ristolainen said: "That’s a good question. I’ve been actually thinking about it a lot. If I think my whole career, in Buffalo and before I came to Buffalo, I’m not sure if I’ve ever been in a team where there’s been a winning culture. Sometimes you ask the question ‘what is it?’ I haven’t really seen it before or in Buffalo. I think this year we built our culture a little bit better than previous years, but I don’t know if many of our guys, we are young. I don’t know if a lot of guys have been in winning teams or winning organizations. Personally, I haven’t. Unfortunately, the team I played for when I was back in Finland it was in the same position, coach got fired every year, players got traded, GM got fired, so I don’t really know what is it. I haven’t seen it. I wish."

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185315 Buffalo Sabres "I’m extremely confident with the players that we have in the leadership involved and it starts with Jack," Okposo said. "Jack’s 23 and he’s only going to continue to get better. He’s only going to continue to grow into Sabres captain Jack Eichel 'fed up with losing' through a 'tough five that leadership role and he has done that. He demands a lot out of years' teammates, out of everybody because he puts in everything he’s got. You guys can see that on a nightly basis and he wears his heart on his sleeve. That’s how he is, but he’s growing as a leader. I think when it’s all said and done he’s going to be a top-tier captain in this league and he’s By Lance Lysowski going to do a heck of a job leading." Published Thu, May 28, 2020|Updated Thu, May 28, 2020 Yet the Sabres' playoff drought reached nine seasons, one short of tying the NHL record, and Botterill acknowledged Wednesday he needs to add more forward depth through free agency or trades. Eichel declined to The question posed to Sabres center Jack Eichel during a conference mention specifics when broached with the topic of potential offseason call Thursday afternoon was similar to many the 23-year-old captain has moves, although he mentioned Buffalo could use more depth, veterans fielded throughout his five seasons in Buffalo. and toughness.

How do you feel about the future of the organization now, compared to Since Eichel was drafted second overall in 2015, the Sabres rank 30th in the past? points (only Vegas, which began play in 2017-18, has fewer), 27th in goals and 29th in goals against. He has worked under three head Eichel, who was forced to speak to reporters over the phone because of coaches and two general managers. Although the core has been a technical issue with the video chat, didn't hesitate to express the strengthened by the additions of Rasmus Dahlin and Jeff Skinner, a emotions that have consumed him since he discovered the Sabres would significant hole was created when Ryan O'Reilly was traded to St. Louis not be part of the National Hockey League's 24-team return-to-play in June 2018. format. Immense expectations were placed on Eichel's shoulders when he "Listen, I'm fed up with the losing, and I'm fed up and I'm frustrated," arrived in 2015, yet former General Manager Tim Murray's plan to Eichel said. "It's definitely not an easy pill to swallow right now. It's been expedite the rebound fell apart. Eichel's former teammate, Ryan O'Reilly, a tough couple of months. It's been a tough five years with where things said of Eichel at the NHL All-Star Game in January: "He wants to win so have went." bad. He's doing whatever he can to do that." He wasn't done, either. Although Eichel noted there were tangible signs The Sabres started well the past two seasons, including an 8-1-1 start of progress with the young roster and lauded coach Ralph Krueger for under Krueger last October, but young players faltered in tight games empowering the Sabres, the franchise's cornerstone might again be during an important stretch in March. Buffalo played its way into forced to watch from home as his counterparts compete for the league's contention at the trade deadline this season, only to encounter a six- ultimate prize. game losing streak that cost them a playoff spot. "I'm a competitor," he continued. "I want to win every time I'm on the ice. I "Just winning," said Eichel when asked what he wants to see improve. "I want to win the Stanley Cup every time I start a season. I've already thought we took a lot of steps, but we’re not where we want to be right started preparing for next season now. I'm already back on the ice. I'm now. We obviously didn’t make the appropriate steps. That’s what the already training. I'm already doing things to try and better myself for the frustrating part is and that’s what you have to swallow. If you don’t do start of next season whenever that is. ... But yeah, I'm definitely not in the enough during the season, you don’t get to move on. I thought our greatest place where the last little bit went. It's definitely worn on me." consistency of play got better, but it’s still not where it needs to be." Following a point-per-game season in 2018-19, his first as team captain, A lack of playoff experience could be part of the problem. None of the Eichel emerged as a superstar this season, scoring a career-high 36 Sabres' core has experienced the postseason: Eichel, Reinhart, goals despite the NHL's pause limiting him to only 68 games. Olofsson, Skinner, Dahlin and Henri Jokiharju. Since arriving as general Additionally, Eichel developed a strong two-way game and came only manager in May 2017, Botterill has supplemented the roster with playoff- four points shy of matching the career-high 82 he posted in 2018-19. hardened veterans such as Marcus Johansson and Conor Sheary, but His numerous individual achievements included a 17-game point streak - neither player became a consistent scorer in Buffalo. Johansson is under - tied for the second longest in franchise history and it only ended contract through next season after scoring nine goals in 2019-20 and because an upper-body injury made him a late scratch Dec. 19 in Sheary was traded at the deadline this season. Philadelphia -- and Eichel became the first Sabre with 30 goals and 40 Unlike O'Reilly's expression of frustration two years earlier, Eichel did not assists in a season since Jason Pominville in 2011-12. say he has lost his passion for the game. His comments Thursday When the Sabres' season paused March 12, Eichel was on pace for the weren't out of character, either. Eichel's teammates have described his most goals and points by a Sabre since 2006-07. He had 20 multi-point leadership style as open and honest. He isn't afraid to push them to and seven multi-goal games, and he was three points shy of becoming improve, although he acknowledged it's taken time to learn how to the ninth player in franchise history to record back-to-back 80-point manage personalities. seasons at least once. Eichel has never been the type to hold back, especially when another "It was a lot of fun for me to watch Jack develop this year," Sabres season passes without him getting to experience playoff hockey. defenseman Jake McCabe said. "'The on-ice product wasn’t a surprise to "Personally, I just try to be myself and work as hard as I can every day," me or really any of us because I’ve seen him every day working at his he said. "I try to compete during practice. I try to compete as hard as I craft and he’s as competitive as it gets, as you can all see. But it is the can during the games and hopefully that becomes contagious." steps he took as a leader this year and his maturity level continued to rise. It was really fun for me to see, just stand back and watch him Amerks' awards sometimes." Defenseman Jacob Bryson, whom the Sabres drafted in the fourth round When asked by The Players' Tribune to pick end-of-season awards last in 2017, was announced Thursday as the ’ rookie of month, forward Mark Scheifele chose Eichel for the Hart the year and most improved player. Trophy, which is awarded annually to the league's most valuable player. Additionally, goalie Jonas Johansson was named the Amerks’ most Although the two are close friends, the selection would not be far-fetched valuable player and forward Sean Malone, a West Seneca native, was if the Sabres managed to reach the for the first time voted by the media as recipient of the Rob Zabelny Unsung Hero Award. since 2011. When asked what helped his game take another step this season, Eichel credited his off-ice maturation and a strong supporting Bryson totaled four goals with 23 assists and a plus-8 rating during his cast, specifically linemates Victor Olofsson and Sam Reinhart. first professional season. The 22-year-old signed an entry-level contract with the Sabres last April following four seasons at Providence College. Eichel became the unquestioned leader of the Sabres' dressing room, causing teammates McCabe and Kyle Okposo to compare Eichel to Johansson, 24, was selected to the AHL All-Star Classic during a season Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan. in which he posted a 14-4-3 record and a .921 save percentage in 22 games with the Amerks. He also appeared in six games with the Sabres, earning his first career NHL win and posting an .894 save percentage.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185316 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres' quandary: Not good enough, but not bad enough, either

By Travis Yost

Published Thu, May 28, 2020

Travis Yost has been involved in the world of hockey analytics for a decade and is part of TSN's Hockey Analytics team. Before joining TSN, Yost was a contributor at the Ottawa Citizen, the Sporting News and NHL Numbers, and he has been a consultant for an NHL franchise. He will be contributing breakdowns on the Buffalo Sabres for The Buffalo News. Follow Yost on Twitter: @travisyost.

Every game matters.

Of all the cliché sports sayings – well, to use another – that probably takes the cake. But if you needed supporting evidence for such a claim, look no further than the 2019-20 Buffalo Sabres – the league’s 25th best team and, ultimately, the team most disadvantaged by the remodeled playoff format and the draft lottery.

Let’s be perfectly clear: Buffalo didn’t deserve to be a playoff team. The league's decision to cast a wider net to add eight teams and create its 24-team playoff – featuring 16 teams in an initial play-in round – makes sense from an economic and a competitive fairness standpoint. The league understandably had a tough time drawing a line between the 16th and 17th teams. The Columbus Blue Jackets (95-point pace; 34% playoff odds) and Minnesota Wild (92-point pace; 49% playoff odds) were left out, yet had a legitimate chance to snag a berth with the games remaining. Couple that with a need to capture any revenue streams possible, and you have a convincing argument for playoff expansion.

Most of the teams in the play-in round – particularly the teams in the 17 to 24 range – have some core competency that allowed them to be competitive enough to stay afloat. Winnipeg has elite goaltending and a surefire Vezina Trophy winner in . Montreal outshot and outscored opponents at an incredible rate at 5-on-5. The New York Rangers couldn’t get out of their own zone, but were a lethal counterattacking team with a plus-goal differential. Those components alone differentiated those teams from Buffalo.

While it might seem cruel that Buffalo “just missed” the postseason, I think the cut line is more than appropriate. It is awful news for a fan base desperate for playoff hockey, but the sad thing is that there is so much daylight between teams like Columbus/Winnipeg (nonplayoff teams under the normal format) and Buffalo, that it’s probably for the better.

Which brings us to the draft lottery. The league’s rebuilding of the playoff format was inevitable, but the two months of tinkering of the draft lottery rules – well, perhaps a little less so. There will be multiple draws contingent on whether a team other than the bottom seven is drawn. The rules are a bit convoluted, and I encourage you to read them. But here's what Sabres fans need to know: They have the worst odds of grabbing the first overall pick among the bottom seven teams, and only a half- percentage point better odds than a team heading into the playoffs.

The reality is that this Buffalo team won just enough to distance themselves from the truly bad teams, and somehow lost just enough to distance themselves from similarly bad teams now headed to the postseason. The worst spot to finish during this regular season – a regular season no one will be forgetting any time soon – was 25th place. Exactly where the Sabres finished.

Barring winning the draft lottery, it’s going to be a painful summer of “what ifs” for the Sabres. The sour luck during the reconstruction of the draft and the postseason doesn’t change this team’s short-term outlook – a short-term outlook with some difficult decisions to come for and company.

But that doesn’t take the sting out of what was a quietly painful day Tuesday in Buffalo, when the present and the future absorbed a big blow.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185317 Buffalo Sabres

Angry Sabres fan puts team up for sale on Craigslist

By Staff

Published Thu, May 28, 2020|Updated Thu, May 28, 2020

How angry, disappointed and frustrated are Buffalo Sabres fans? Well, one attempted to put the team up for sale on Craigslist on Wednesday to express those feelings.

The poster described the Sabres as a "Lost team with diehard fanbase looking for wealthy owner who actually understands hockey. ... Organization on the cheap. Could be flipped. Major structural damage but few core pieces still intact."

"I became a Sabres fan in the late 80s when my dad started taking me to games. The year Alexander Mogilny defected and joined the team I became a fanatic. Growing up accustomed to having Dominik Hasek in net was a major bonus as well.

"We were a respected and proud hockey community. That feeling was exhilarating and was a direct reflection of the owners at that time and their passion and commitment to the city and its hockey team. Fast forward to current times, and we are at a polar opposite of the .

"When I post about the Sabres on Twitter, it’s sadly in a negative light and that is because I am upset for the level of disrespect/lack of accountability/neglect of everything down to the smallest details that we are shown from the owners. As one of the most loyal fan bases in all of sports, we deserve better.

"Ultimately the Pegulas are not only giving us a bad name in hockey, they are giving the city of Buffalo a bad name, too. This is what pushed me to find some humor in such a miserable spot and post the ad on Craigslist trying to sell the franchise to owners that care.

"I just moved back a year ago from Charlotte. I’m not a season ticket holder and would’ve considered it this upcoming season had things been dealt with differently by the owners."

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185318 Buffalo Sabres And Eichel fully expected to be a star every game.

“After games, it wasn’t relief,” Sabres forward Kyle Okposo said. “It was just like, ‘OK, that’s just what I do. Now I’m going to go in the gym and ‘Fed up with the losing,’ Jack Eichel is taking notes from ‘The Last I’m going to do a workout or I’m going to go home and get treatment and Dance’ eat right and just take care of myself because that’s just what I do.’

“There was just more of a matter-of-fact about it and not, ‘Oh, man, that By John Vogl was a great game and I’m relishing in that game.’ It was just, ‘All right, did my job — going to go do it again.’ May 28, 2020 “That was a pretty cool thing to see from him.”

Unlike basketball, in which Jordan could single-handedly take over a Midway through the fourth episode, the rhythm of “The Last Dance” game or series, hockey is a complete team sport. The Sabres are an moved Jack Eichel. incomplete team. They finished 32 points behind Atlantic Division-leading Boston and 24 back of second-place Tampa Bay. At that point in the acclaimed Michael Jordan documentary, the NBA star was still yearning for his first title. But he had fallen short again, “We just need to get better,” Eichel said. “You look down our division, vanquished by the Detroit Pistons in the 1990 conference finals. A sixth these teams are deep. There’s a lot of really hard matchups, and so I season of failure weighed heavily. think just adding depth and veterans and some toughness would help.”

Eichel, who has endured five years of futility in Buffalo, could relate. It’s up to general manager Jason Botterill to find that help. His team leader is pleading for it in his words and actions. The Sabres captain watched as Jordan and his Chicago Bulls teammates decided there would be no offseason. They skipped their vacations and “I know all the guys in the locker room are working really hard, especially camped out in the weight room, with winning and redemption on their Jack,” defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “He’s one of the hardest minds. workers I’ve ever played with, so we all take after him.”

“He had the whole team working a week later,” Eichel said Thursday, two “It starts with Jack,” Okposo added. “He demands a lot out of teammates, days after the Sabres’ failed season officially ended. “You know how out of everybody, because he puts in everything he’s got. much Jordan cared about being the best, how much he cared about winning. It seemed like nothing else mattered.” “When it’s all said and done, he is going to be a top-tier captain in this league.” Again, Eichel can relate. Nothing else matters in his career anymore. The 23-year-old star has had it with ring-less fingers and zero postseason Eichel heard the compliments and embraced the Jordan comparisons, stats. albeit sheepishly. After all, Jordan is one of sports’ immortals.

“Listen, I’m fed up with the losing,” he said. “It’s been a tough couple “The compliments are extremely humbling, and especially when they’re months. It’s been a tough five years. from your teammates, it means a lot,” Eichel said. “What Jordan says multiple times through the documentary was win at all costs, no matter “I’m a competitor. I want to win every time I go on the ice. I want to win what it took. You can’t say enough about his competitive nature. the Stanley Cup every time I start a season.” “I just try and do what needs to be done. I’m the farthest thing from a Though he has no idea when the next season will start, Eichel is finished product as a leader or player, but you just try and use your following the path set by Jordan’s Bulls. experiences to better you.”

“I’ve already started preparing for next season,” he said. “I’m already Most of Eichel’s experiences have been painful. But as Jordan showed, back on the ice. I’m already training. I’m already doing things to try and pain can lead to glory. Following that loss to the Pistons and the summer better myself for the start of next season, whenever that is.” of hard work, the Bulls won their first championship. Then they won five more. Jake McCabe says the determination of his friend and teammate has become Jordanesque. “I love the documentary,” said Eichel, who’s working to write a similar script. “I’d be lying if I said that I’m not getting frustrated with where “I watched ‘The Last Dance,'” McCabe said. “Looking at how big of a things are going. … I’m definitely not in the greatest place with where the leader Michael Jordan was, I couldn’t help but think about Jack and his last little bit’s went, and it’s definitely worn on me. competitive drive and trying to make his teammates better this year and how big of strides he took.” “Obviously, you’ve got to get better. You’ve got to improve yourself; you’ve got to improve your team. We’ve got a lot of time here as a group, Eichel established personal bests in nearly every category and would and hopefully guys are taking this opportunity to try and improve have had highs across the board if his season hadn’t been cut short. themselves and better their game. That’s what I’m going to do.” He’s proud of the numbers and growth, but they can’t fill the hole in his competitive soul.

“We’ve made a lot of steps, but we’re not where we want to be right now, The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 so (we) obviously didn’t make the appropriate steps,” Eichel said. “That’s what the frustrating part is, and that’s what you have to swallow. You don’t do enough during the season, you don’t get to move on.”

This year, nearly every team moved on. The NHL’s return-to-play rules include 24 of the 31 squads. The Sabres are one of the seven dwarfs, and Eichel isn’t bashful about being grumpy.

“It adds to the frustration (when) you can’t get into a 24-team playoff even,” he said. “Like I said, I’m a competitive guy. I want to win at everything I do. It’s been five years here and I haven’t played in the playoffs, so it’s difficult, tough.”

The latest failure certainly wasn’t his fault. Eichel ranked eighth in the league with 36 goals and was second in game-winners (10). He was 10th in the NHL with 78 points, moving into the conversation of the game’s elite players.

“Honestly, it was just a matter of time for him to show what he was capable of,” linemate Sam Reinhart said. “We’ve all seen glimpses of it for most games that he’s played, but this year it was every game.” 1185319 playoff hockey. The Winnipeg Jets are our first opponent, and then we’ll take it from there.”

When the Saddledome reopens for small-group workouts, there will be a Flames coach Ward game-planning for Jets but … ‘It’s more about us’ maximum of six players allowed in the arena at one time.

Coaches will not be allowed on the ice for those voluntary skates. In fact, Wes Gilbertson the skippers can’t have any contact with the stars during Phase 2 of the NHL’s re-launch. May 28, 2020 9:09 PM MDT Instead, Ward & Co. will continue to tinker with their training-camp plan, walking a fine line between trying to simulate high-stakes game action but also not risking injuries to guys who have been mostly limited to During an hour-long video call with local media, nobody asked Calgary Peloton rides and rollerblading during this lengthy layoff. Flames interim coach Geoff Ward who would be starting in net for Game 1 of their post-pandemic play-in series. As he put it: “The key or secret is figuring out how to get your team playing the best coming out of that timeframe.” There’ll be plenty of time for that. Tons of time. Because a sluggish start in October — after a standard fall training-camp Ward and his behind-the-bench buddies are now facing an — is no biggie. But if you dig an early hole in a best-of-five, won-or-done unprecedented scenario — a prolonged pause, a mid-summer restart scenario, you could be back outside the bubble in a hurry. and then the sudden shift from the monotony of training camp to the intensity of a post-season series … and with two months (or more) to “Once you get through that first game, it’s game on as normal,” said think about it. Ward, a Stanley Cup winner as an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins in 2011 and hoping to remove the word ‘interim’ from his business Teams typically have a handful of days to prep for a playoff assignment. card at the Saddledome. “You really have to understand exactly at this Not a handful of weeks. time of year what you need to be as a team in order to win and have “We often talk as coaches about wanting to play your best hockey at the success. So the commitment level to that is going to be huge, and end of the year, at the most important time of the year,” Ward said. “And understanding how all the parts of your team need to fit together in order for us, this isn’t any different — we want to be playing our best hockey. to play that way is going to be huge. But now we have to do it coming out of a break.” “All those things are going to come into play so that when you sit down If not, their stay in the NHL’s playoff bubble won’t last long. and you put your team game on the ice, you’re doing everything that you understand and know will give you an opportunity to be successful.” We know now the Flames, as the eighth seed in the Western Conference, will meet the Winnipeg Jets in a best-of-five play-in series, the first stage of the NHL’s 24-team post-season format. Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.29.2020 We don’t know when, with the timeline still TBA due to the COVID-19 crisis. (Team facilities will reopen soon for small-group skates, but training camps won’t begin until at least July.)

We don’t know where, although 10 potential hub cities have been short- listed.

We don’t know who will be Calgary’s go-to goalie, with the debate — David Rittich or Cam Talbot? — really starting to heat up right before the pandemic hit.

Ward and his assistants will certainly study the Jets — the process started long before the return-to-play plan was made official — but he also stressed that they don’t want to “focus on Winnipeg so, so much that we’re frozen by it.”

After all, the ultimate goal isn’t to simply survive the qualification round.

“The most important thing for us is, ‘How are we going to deliver our program so that we’re ready to play?’ ” Ward said. “We’ve done an awful lot of things in the past nine or 10 weeks. We have pre-scouted numerous teams, not only in the Western Conference but the Eastern Conference. We’ve watched how teams play in both conferences. We’ve watched European teams. We’ve watched the old NHL games that have been on, the world championships. … There are always things you can glean from watching, so we’ve done an awful lot of things like that.

“We have also talked to a number of coaches in a variety of different sports. I’ve talked to them about how you deal with lay-offs, and what do you think the best scenario to return to play is? We’re trying to leave nothing unturned in terms of deciding ultimately where we’re going to go with our plan. We feel right now like our plan is fairly in place.

“Obviously, now we get to study Winnipeg a little bit more,” he continued. “But it’s more about us. I’ve talked about that all year — ‘The most important thing is us.’ So as much as we respect our opponent, we know what their strengths are, we know what they’re going to offer us and we know how they’re going to play in all situations and what they’re going to bring to the table, the most important thing for us is, ‘What are we going to do? Let’s get to our game, and what’s that going to involve?’

“Because what we want to do is make sure that when the puck drops in the first game, we are ready to go and we’re firing on all cylinders. For us, really, that’s where the focus has to be with our preparation. It’s about the Calgary Flames and it’s about preparing the Calgary Flames for 1185320 Calgary Flames website. “We were asking them these are the terms that have to be raised long-term.”

Former NHL goalie Chris Mason has also voiced his support for the Cam Talbot joins fight to save Alabama-Huntsville hockey program program. Mason is now the color analyst for the Nashville Predators, about 100 miles north of Huntsville, and said keeping the program afloat is important to the growth of the sport in the south. By Sean Shapiro “I think it’s absolutely huge,” Mason said. “Especially when hockey at this May 28, 2020 point in Nashville is really starting to grow and a big reason why it is is because a lot of the Huntsville players have stayed here and been an

integral part of growing youth hockey. These are guys that played there Last Friday, the University of Alabama-Huntsville cut its hockey program and have stayed down here and tried to grow the game of hockey in the in a surprise announcement. One week later, a group of boosters and south.” coach Mike Corbett are hoping to reverse that decision before Friday’s Corbett said the youth program in Huntsville right now has more than 700 deadline. players. Corbett was blindsided by the decision, which came as the University The program was nearly cut in 2012, but fundraising and admission into tries to cut costs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He signed two the WCHA for the 2012-13 season saved the program at that time. UAH players to national letters of intent earlier that week and found out on was still scheduled to play in the WCHA for the 2020-21 season, but was Thursday evening before the Friday announcement. looking for a conference home in 2021-22 when seven of the 10 WCHA “When this was announced we were never notified or given the programs announced they would be leaving to re-start the CCHA. opportunity before things went to press,” Corbett said. “That’s what kind Corbett said the long-term viability of the program depends greatly on of stews the hornets nest a little bit. If it was just one of those situations getting the Chargers into a conference, and he had been campaigning where information was being put out there as opposed to just, ‘Hey we’re and working to get into the CCHA throughout the past season, something dropping the program.’ It’s something that we could have been told about he thought he was doing with administrative support. behind closed doors before without just getting cut. When you come to a decision like this with college athletics, there are many steps that need to “I was working very hard lobbying the coaches and athletic directors and be taken, this information was out there (with the administration) for a presidents of those seven teams that we were the right team to be in that while and we didn’t know about it. That’s the hard part.” league,” Corbett said. “That was very hard for me. … I spent a ton of time strategically placing ourself to be that eighth team. Then for this to come After the announcement that hockey was getting axed, a group of alumni down, roughly around the time they would be looking for an eighth team? started working on a lifeline to save the program. That group is led by Personally for me and my staff, to find this out, it was really hard.” former players Sheldon Wolitski and Taso Sofikitis, who Corbett said, “had the financial clout” to get a meeting with the school to try and Corbett was laid off, he and his staff had 90 days of employment reverse the decision. remaining after the cut. He’s hopeful he gets his job back, but he’s already had players transfer to Boston College, Arizona State, UMass They were given five days to raise $750,000 to keep the program afloat Lowell and Lake Superior State. He said he couldn’t tell those players not for the 2020-21 season. Wolitski and Sofikitis have pledged to donate to take those opportunities with the uncertainty in Huntsville. $250,000, while a GoFundMe page has been started to raise $500,000. It could be a much more positive Friday after a “heartbreaking” Zoom call “That gets us to a figure that they are able to get the program back and with his players last Friday. stable for one year and then real work will begin to make sure it stays after the 2020-21 season,” Corbett said. “As far as I know right now, 5 “That is the absolute toughest part, when you are on a Zoom call with 26 p.m. on Friday is the final buzzer. We’ll see what happens.” kids … when they came to Alabama-Huntsville, it’s the main reason that they came here,” Corbett said on Wednesday. “They trust me and their As of Thursday morning more than $275,000 had been raised, with families trust me to take care of them while they are here. It is the worst Calgary Flames goalie Cam Talbot, a UAH grad who played there from call. … To be able to do this and watch all their faces, it’s etched in my 2007 to 2010, throwing his support to the cause. brain.” “It’s been a whirlwind of emotions. Last Friday you are angry, your sad For now, Corbett is hopeful, so is Wolitski, that they’ll be able to deliver for the players losing their program,” Talbot said. “When you are given a better news to those players soon. lifeline it breathes life back into you. … I’ve just been trying to promote it and do my part in any way I can to help save this program.”

Talbot’s involvement has given the fundraising drive the shot it needs to The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 possibly succeed. It’s put the conversation into some NHL circles, Chicago Blackhawks forward Dylan Strome has both Tweeted about the campaign and donated to it. While Wolitski is hopeful that added attention brought by Talbot will put more pressure on the school to help find a solution to save the program.

If the funds are raised and the program is saved for the 2020-21 season, Wolitski said the plan is to build an advisory committee to help layout a better long-term plan.

“That to me was one of the most important things,” Wolitski said. “There are things that need to be done to make the program more visible and get the community involved, and find ways to get students more invested – the rink isn’t on campus. I think with an advisory committee we can tackle these things and find solutions as opposed to just saying, ‘Well this costs money, let’s cut it.'”

UAH president Darren Dawson wasn’t available for comment, while athletic director Cade Smith is “not doing interviews until next week,” according to UAH’s sports information department. Smith confirmed the funding proposition earlier this week to AL.com.

“Dr. Dawson had given them a number, if we can raise this amount for one year, then we can play this next season and that would give time to figure out how they’re going to raise additional funds,” Smith told the 1185321 Calgary Flames over to his house. We were going to go out for dinner, and he’s like, “No, I’ll make dinner.” And I was like, “this is the best food I’ve had in a long time.” He made us steaks and salads and baked potato. It was like we 20 Questions with Jamie McLennan: On OverDrive, Nickelback and a were on a date. It was awesome. Robyn Regehr, too. I think Reggie boy named Shaky could figure out anything. He’s a really smart guy. He was like: “I’m just going to make dinner, I’m going to fix your car, I’m going to go build a fence.”

By Sean Fitz-Gerald 4. In which NHL market was it hardest to find a good meal?

May 28, 2020 I want to say Ottawa, and the reason being was that, if we were staying out (in Kanata), you had to travel. There was some stuff around —

Montana’s and stuff like that — but if you really wanted to dig in, you had Jamie McLennan, the former NHL goaltender and current broadcaster, to travel. I think that’s changed. The other one which was surprising for was trying to illustrate a point in a manner that has become familiar to his me was Detroit … (The hotel) was in a rough area. You weren’t straying listeners: He told a story. too far. This was long before Skip The Dishes.

The question had been about the chronic blandness of nicknames in 5. What is your culinary specialty these days? modern hockey, which McLennan argued was true only in public. It was I’m good on the BBQ. I could do anything chicken. The other day, I made different behind the closed doors of the NHL dressing room, and he some teriyaki chicken. I pan-fried it. Obviously, a pre-made sauce. It’s not started talking about a fourth-line grinder with whom he played in like I’m making it from scratch. BBQ chicken yesterday. Burgers. All of Minnesota. that. This grinder was smart, he said, and there were legends about his SAT 6. Besides Noodles, what other names have been attached to you? scores from high school. He was an excellent golfer, as well. McLennan said they played together at Pebble Beach once, and he watched his Shaky. And that started when I was, like, six years old … I want to say teammate shoot par while essentially wearing a pair of flip flops on the the story was that I faced a ton of shots one night. It was 100, or some course. crazy amount. My parents arrived late. My dad asked, “How’s Jamie doing?” And (another father) is like, “he’s been really shaky today — “We used to call him ‘Pig Pen,’ or ‘Captain Caveman,’” McLennan said. really shaky.” It was a joke. I was playing very well. It stuck with me … “We’d go on the road for 10 days, and I swear to god, this guy would calls me “meat,” and I don’t know why. Meathead. (laughs) bring a toothbrush and a suit. That’s it.” Once in a while, I’ll get a text like: “What’s up, Meat?” Those nicknames were terms of endearment among teammates, he said, 7. Jarome Iginla and Chris Pronger are two of your close friends: What and they were never splashed around for public consumption. nicknames did they have? “There’s always a meaning behind it,” he said. “But it’s tough to explain to Prongs, I call “Hook.” I call him “Dr. Hook,” from “Slap Shot,” because of people if you walk up and you’re yelling at somebody: ‘Hey Uglyface,’ or the guy who would, like, carve your eye out. In my phone, he’s under ‘hey Stinky,’ or ‘hey Pig Pen.’” ‘Hook.” Iggy? I’m trying to think. I played cards with Iggy on the weekend. McLennan, meanwhile, is known widely by his nickname, Noodles, which We have a Zoom poker game. He’s a close friend. But I don’t really know he acquired riding the bus in junior hockey. He prepared his own meals if I have a nickname for him. on a hot plate rather than eat at the highway rest stops en route to the 8. (McLennan sends a follow-up text, several hours later) next game. We call him One/Two. Another name for 12. His journey took him across the hockey landscape to 254 regular-season games in the NHL, with stops in Long Island, St. Louis, Calgary, 9. What is an “ass marshmallow?” Minnesota, Florida and New York. The game took him to the minors, to Russia and, ultimately, into broadcasting. (laughs) I mean, you want to talk about hazing and stuff like that. Believe me, I’m glad it’s long gone, in the crazy junior stories of hazing. There Today, the married father of two young children is a co-host on were four chairs. Guys were naked and had to pick up the marshmallow OverDrive, which helped TSN 1050 to an unprecedented ratings victory with their butt and walk over to the other chair. And if you lost, you were just before the pandemic shuttered the world of sports. The show has threatened with having to eat the marshmallow. What would that be? continued from home, with co-hosts Bryan Hayes and Jeff O’Neill (O- Hepatitis, with that kind of nonsense? That was a thing that I never had Dog) also working remotely. to do, because I don’t know why, as a rookie, they just left me alone.

McLennan took time out from another workday to field 20 Questions from 10. How many of those rituals do you think persist in the game today? The Athletic, talking about OverDrive, Nickelback, and a boy named Shaky. Zero, I would hope. Nowadays, I think there’s a lot more sensitivity to what guys are going through. And to be honest? I think those leagues 1. Spaghetti, penne or macaroni? have gotten younger, too. If you’re a really good junior player, maybe you’ve got an opportunity at 20 to move on. My understanding — and Oh, penne. It’s not even a choice. I’m not a big al dente guy, but I do like one of my best friends is a junior coach — is it’s just a different dynamic. it a little firmer. And I feel that with penne, you can manage what you put I think it’s become more of a big business. on it because it’s a little bit bigger. You get into the macaroni, it’s a little smaller. And spaghetti is a gong show because you’re constantly rolling it 11. You spent five days in an intensive care unit with bacterial meningitis up. in 1996: What impact does that experience have on you when you watch the news today? 2. How do you strain noodles on a moving bus? I think there’s a slight flashback, as to maybe what people could (McLennan laughs) It’s very difficult. I didn’t have to early on, because I potentially go through. You see that there’s a lot of people who are was just making Kraft Dinner. The sauce was the water. And then you surviving through COVID. But then there’s these outlier stories of a just add the cheese. It was a poor man’s mac and cheese. There was no healthy 40-year-old, or a healthy 30-year-old, who gets it and maybe had milk, there was no butter. You cook the noodles, you pour the cheese some form of condition that we didn’t know about or it’s hit them a lot powder in, stir it up, and that’s it. There was no straining it out the window harder. I think what it’s brought back is a slight layer of fear. I was a or whatever. You’re cringing about that, but the funny thing is, I chose healthy 25-year-old pro athlete … It’s just given me a little bit of pause. that food over the food they offered me on the road. 12. Who has been doing the grocery shopping? 3. Give me the teammate who had the best secret superpowers in the kitchen. Um, Instacart. (laughs) We’re on Day 76 here, so I have the groceries delivered. We wash them with Lysol wipes and bring them in. We’re just Blake Sloan. He was a right-handed, fourth-line winger in Calgary. Kind adhering to the rules. I would do it. But we have the option: There’s a of a little, , hard-working guy. He lived by himself. In Calgary, the Fortinos up the road that offers delivery, so we’ve just chosen that. single guys kind of all hung out. He was a unique guy. I remember going 13. How often do you leave your house? The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020

Every day. I walk to the mailbox. My son, who’s two, loves excavators. So we’ll go for a drive. I’ve got a pool, so the kids are in the pool. I get outside, but I haven’t left the proximity of my neighbourhood very much, at all.

14. What is the toughest part of working from home?

The interaction with people. I think our shows have been good, with OverDrive. Some of the best parts of my job with TSN — being on the road, colour, working with Gord Miller and and the guys behind the scenes … the camaraderie. You miss that human contact. I miss, when we’re in a commercial break between segments, (O’Neill’s) banter, and Hayes’ banter. We got into a routine every Friday. We were ordering pizza.

15. When would you feel comfortable returning to work inside an NHL arena?

Honestly? People think that I’m this germaphobe. If they say, “we need you to call games in July, Jamie, and it’s going to be at because Toronto is going to be one of the hubs,” I’m there. And the reason being is I believe the NHL is not just going to hand you a Lysol wipe and go, “good luck.” I think they are going to create an environment where everyone’s going to feel safe.

16. How does Jamie McLennan end up in a helicopter — with help from Nickelback’s lead singer, Chad Kroeger — racing to meet his NHL team bus in Vancouver?

(smiles) Too much alcohol. No alarm clock set. So many things went south. People know that I am close with Chad from Nickelback. He’s an boy. We have a lot of crossover with family and friends from growing up and stuff. Bandmates, too … The night slips away, and we end up back at his place in Abbotsford, which is 45 minutes from downtown (Vancouver). Chad had a driver named Tommy who was supposed to wake me up at 8:30. I laid down and, when Tommy came to wake me up, it was 10:30, and he was asking me, “what time was I supposed to wake you?” You want to talk about somebody jumping out of bed when you’re in a hungover/still drunk stupor … you get that sobering, “hey, there’s a chance you’re going to miss that noon bus, which is downtown, and you’re 45 minutes out and you don’t know where your shoes are.” I was so rattled … Ultimately, that’s where you can rely on somebody to throw you in a helicopter and, seven minutes later, you’re in downtown Vancouver and at the hotel collecting your stuff.

17. Who is the Chad Kroeger of OverDrive?

I want to say (O’Neill). Behind the scenes, I have a lot of friends with crossovers into acting and music and stuff like that. But I still think it’s O, because O, right from 19 years old in the NHL, has kind of done it his way. It’s not even living like a rock star. It’s just randomly, “Oh, I golfed, and then Michael Jordan showed up.” I think the rockstar life that Chad lives, I think O has either lived that, or his mentality is like that. He lives life to the fullest. He embraces his family. He’s a guy who kind of brings everyone in. And Chad’s a lot like that. Chad’s very generous with his friends and his family.

18. Give me the key to surviving sports talk radio when there are no sports to talk about.

(laughs) Honestly? I think our shows have been pretty good, and we have nothing to talk about. I think the beauty of our show is, it’s three friends who talk every day at 4 p.m. I have best friends I talk to almost every day. Well, that’s what these guys are. It’s just with microphones on.

19. What have you been watching at night without sports?

I love movies, and all that. But I watch about five series at the same time: “S.W.A.T.,” “SEAL Team,” “Blacklist,” “Billions.” Those are the shows on my iTunes. On my Netflix, it was: “Peaky Blinders,” “Money Heist,” the Jordan documentary. It was “Tiger King.” I have Prime Video, too.

20. Finish the following sentence: “Old goaltenders never die, they just …”

(laughs) Let’s say they evolve. That would be a good word. I’ve evolved. You try to step outside your comfort zone and learn a little bit about politics and all that other stuff. I don’t like talking about it, but I’m more just trying to soak in life. The evolution of Jamie McLennan. And believe me, I’ve got a long ways to go. (laughs)

1185322 Carolina Hurricanes “I think you have to look at everything associated with it: Parking, crowd sizes, the introduction of ridesharing, all of those things,” Corrigan said. “Clearly, tailgating means a lot to our fans. The event of a football game Carolina Hurricanes’ new lease about what’s outside PNC Arena as is a different kind of event than going to a basketball game. But a lot of much as what’s inside times, in that side of it, it’s ever evolving. To say you felt some way 20 years ago or 10 years ago, whatever it is, you have to constantly be looking at it and talking to our fans and our partners.”

BY LUKE DECOCK If Corrigan is open to replacing some surface football parking with decks and can sell that unpopular option to fans — especially those who might MAY 28, 2020 01:21 PM not be as tailgating-focused — the possibilities become endless.

There are other areas on the surrounding property that could potentially RALEIGH be developed without any impact to parking, but have environmental issues. One has contaminated soil, another abuts a wetland. That makes The real commodity brokered in Thursday’s agreement between the development more complicated, but not impossible. Carolina Hurricanes and the PNC Arena authority to extend their lease through 2029 wasn’t money, although there was plenty of that at stake. The parking lots are the key. Finding a way to turn some of that land into an entertainment district, without negatively altering the N.C. State It was time. football experience, is the path forward for PNC and all of its tenants. There’s a nine-year window now to figure it out. This buys five more years of peace. Five more years without Tom Dundon being able to threaten to move the team. Five more years to figure out the future of PNC, whether that’s upgrading the 20-year-old arena and developing the open space around it — or looking back toward News Observer LOADED: 05.29.2020 downtown.

In addition to financial support for the Hurricanes worth about $6 million per season, the term sheet the Centennial Authority approved Thursday by a 16-3 vote includes new penalty provisions should Dundon try to move the team — they were essentially lacking from the current lease — and a “good faith” commitment to explore either a major renovation of PNC or a new arena as 2029 approaches.

The latter remains appealing — and expensive. The immediate challenge is making a 20-year-old building look new again. And if it is indeed too expensive to build a new arena downtown, the long-term challenge becomes bringing downtown — or at least something like it — to PNC.

“The long-term goal is to do the development around the arena,” Dundon said. “Or it gives us time to work on something for the long term, whatever that is.”

The development of the land around the arena isn’t mentioned in the term sheet, but it’s the key to this deal. It’s the key to the arena’s future.

“It’s something we’ve talked about quite a bit and Tom Dundon is interested in doing,” Centennial Authority chairman Tom McCormick said Thursday.

The arena has sat by itself, alone, isolated, for too long. People come by car and leave by car; a commuter arena. That’s fine for tailgating, but in an era when urban arenas create a pre- and post-game community around them, PNC is almost completely lacking in eating and dining options.

It doesn’t take much imagination to imagine what the plaza between PNC and Carter-Finley Stadium would look like as an outdoor mall full of bars and restaurants. There’s enough space on the property for hotels, a second sheet of ice, even mixed-use development that could potentially include office space and apartments.

The problem is, and has always been, the numbers painted on each parking spot in the 80 acres the Centennial Authority controls to the west and north of the arena, which include thousands of assigned (and coveted) parking spots for N.C. State football. That’s the hurdle that’s going to have to be cleared for this to work.

In the traditional football-donor model, those assigned parking spots have extraordinary value, especially at a school with a tailgating culture as strong as N.C. State’s. Over the years, N.C. State has gone as far as stationing an athletic department employee in Centennial Authority meetings to immediately voice objection to any discussion that might impact a single parking spot. (That did not, however, stop the university from plowing under hundreds of spots to build a new indoor practice facility in 2015.)

But since taking over as athletic director last year, Boo Corrigan has expressed a willingness to at least explore the conversion of some parking spots into other uses, especially if such development might benefit N.C. State by adding amenities like hotels, bars and restaurants to enhance the gameday experience for both football and basketball. 1185323 Carolina Hurricanes The authority serves as the arena landlord while the arena is operated and managed by Gale Force Sports and Entertainment, the Canes’ umbrella company. N.C. State shares the arena with the Canes, playing Hurricanes, Centennial Authority agree to extend PNC Arena lease for its men’s basketball games and holding commencement exercises in the five years building opened in 1999.

The quick spread of the coronavirus resulted in the suspension of the NHL regular season on March 12 and the cancellation of the Canes’ last BY CHIP ALEXANDER eight home games. Concerts and other events at the arena were canceled or postponed. MAY 28, 2020 01:13 PM McCormick said the term sheet likely would have been approved in April

had the group not had to cancel a meeting because of COVID-19 RALEIGH concerns.

The Centennial Authority voted Thursday to extend the PNC Arena lease The authority had asked architects Ratio and HOK to recommend with the Carolina Hurricanes for five years, through July 1, 2029. possible renovation options but will reconsider any moves until it has a better sense of the economy. The authority had been promised $9 million The authority, an appointed group representing the city, county and state per year in hotel and restaurant tax revenue through 2034. that oversees the arena, approved a term sheet on the extension in a virtual meeting after an extended closed session. The motion passed by The term sheet states that is contingent on the authority receiving the $9 a 16-3 vote, with authority members Steve Stroud, Perry Safran and Bill million per year. Mullins in opposition. The Hurricanes approved the term sheet in April. “We want to focus on a long-term plan,” Dundon said Thursday. “That’s Provisions of the term sheet include: why this was important. It gave everybody the time and the breathing room to focus on the long term.” ▪ An agreement by the Hurricanes not to relocate the franchise during the current lease. The authority hired a consultant from CAA Icon, Dan Barrett, to represent it in the negotiations. Barrett asked for, and received access to the ▪ The Hurricanes to receive lease termination rights on the lease as of Hurricanes’ finances for assessment and compared it to other NHL June 30, 2024. leases.

▪ A guarantee by the Hurricanes that their player payroll be above the “People always say ‘we know they’re losing money’ or ‘we know they’re midpoint of the NHL salary cap each year. making money’ but you don’t know until you see,” McCormick said. “Dan did a great job for us.” ▪ An agreement the authority will pay 50 percent of the arena operating costs each year, up to $3.885 million. The authority last met in person as a group on March 13, a special meeting to discuss the proposed term sheet in closed session. Its next ▪ A reduction of the rent for fiscal 2020 of $1.78 million and no rent in scheduled meeting, on April 2, was canceled. following years. Later in April, the authority’s building and construction committee met by “One of our goals was to get the Hurricanes to be in an average lease phone and cut its capital project budget for the next fiscal year by $2.6 situation in the NHL,” authority chairman Tom McCormick said in an million because of the lack of events in the building and expected interview Thursday. “And they clearly had one of the worst leases in the decrease in tax funding. league. Their cost-to-occupy and so forth were higher than they should be.” Under the arena lease arrangement with Gale Force, the Centennial Authority was to receive additional rent should Gale Force top a $60 Don Waddell, Hurricanes president and general manager, noted the two million threshold. Under the new agreement the Canes no longer would sides had been discussing a new extension for more than a year; pay additional rent. however, the past few months and the sudden challenges of the coronavirus pandemic caused some delays and readjustments. “What we did today, to quote (Winston) Churchill, this is just the end of the beginning,” McCormick said. “We’ve got a long way to go here. “It has been a very professional, ongoing (process) and the end result is We’ve got to take this term sheet and reduce it to actual lease agreement something I think we’re both very excited about,” Waddell said in a media contract language.” briefing Thursday at PNC Arena.

Waddell said there were multiple pluses for the Hurricanes in the extension, financially and otherwise. News Observer LOADED: 05.29.2020 “We’re talking with the Centennial Authority about the expansion of this building and property around the building,” Waddell said. “It gives us an avenue to pursue that and also potentially look at other sites to determine what’s the best place for this building to be for the next 25 years.”

There is language in the profit-sharing section of the term sheet that mentions “if the parties reach a long-term agreement (major renovation or new arena).” It also makes a reference to Canes majority owner Tom Dundon’s team purchase agreement and how money would be repaid by Dundon should there be a transfer in the majority ownership.

“It’s great to get to the point where we are right now but we do have a long way to go,” McCormick said. “We’ve got to take this term sheet and we’ve got to convert that into an actual contract lease amendment. It’s the first step of doing that.

“The authority believes the Hurricanes are very important to the community. That’s why we worked really hard to keep them here. ... I think it’s a fair deal for the Hurricanes and a fair deal for the community.”

McCormick would not characterize the objections to the term sheet, saying, “I think it’s like anything else in life now, people are concerned about COVID-19 and what that does with our lives going forward. I think it was based on that more than anything else.” 1185324 Carolina Hurricanes conclusion of the league’s season, after leading all rookie defensemen in goals (9) and coming in at No. 2 in points (37). That was seventh overall among all AHL defensemen, by the way.

Finally, some answers to our burning Hurricanes return to play questions Only 20, the third-rounder has intriguing potential and would be an interesting call-up.

By Sara Civian Morgan Geekie

May 28, 2020 It would only make sense for the Manitoba boy who forced himself into Hurricanes lore to emerge as some sort of asterisk playoff hero.

As much as we joke about how euphoric that whole situation was, what Hurricanes captain nailed one of many moods in the air struck me the most is how comfortable he looked simply waltzing into the since the NHL announced the approval of its 24-team format should the NHL and immediately making plays. And if you ask anyone in the 2019-20 season continue. Hurricanes front office, maybe they were surprised by the immediate impact on the scoresheet, but they saw Geekie coming. He’s someone “There’s a lot of limbo,” Staal said in a video conference call Wednesday. they’ve considered a part of the organization’s NHL future for a while “It’s really hard to have anything concrete to say when there really is still now, and what a start it was. no timeline. When there is a timeline, and when there is an opportunity to have a date, knowing guys are going to get together and making sure Clark Bishop your bodies are where you need to be in your mind, that’s when the show starts.” We know how many injuries happen in the Stanley Cup playoffs in regular life — the risk seems even higher with this ramped up, training It’s strange to think about return to play without the promise of a when. camp return to play reality. Bishop is a perfectly serviceable fourth-line, We’re collectively starting to wrap our heads around how strange the insurance center 2019-20 playoffs will be in general — if they end up being. Zoom interviews are flooded with reporters asking if there will be an “asterisk” Alex Nedeljkovic on the Stanley Cup-winning team this season. I say if there is, let it be a Why not? positive acknowledgment of how one team prevailed despite all the challenges this new world presents. Hurricanes NHLPA rep Jordan Which injured players are good to go? Martinook said Monday that it’ll be something to tell his kids about one day no matter what happens. I don’t know what I have to do other than mention it in every single article and Tweet it once a day to get folks to understand: Dougie Hamilton will Why not start leaning into the strangeness now — without a when, but be back for the 2019-20 playoffs. with our first glimpses of how. We already broke down the basics of the best-of-five play-in series that pits the Hurricanes against the Rangers in “As we know, (Dougie) Hamilton’s been here and he’s been skating,” a currently undisclosed “Hub City.” What burning questions have we Waddell said. “He’s allowed to skate because he’s a rehab player. So we actually begun to answer this week? feel like we’ll be in good shape that way.”

Who might the Hurricanes call up? “Dougie was playing the best I’ve seen him since he’s been in Carolina before he went down. It was unfortunate,” Staal said. “It’s going to be a The league announced that rosters will expand, allowing up to 28 skaters big, towering defenseman that knows how to score goals and run a and unlimited goaltenders per team. Knowing Hurricanes coach Rod power play. I just actually had him over the other night, so he’s excited to Brind’Amour’s love for efficiency, though, the Canes might not carry get going and be a part of the group again.” around too many fringe players. GM and President Don Waddell basically confirmed that Wednesday. Brett Pesce’s situation is murkier. Waddell said Wednesday that Pesce is going to see a surgeon for an update in 10 days.”He had the surgery on, “Rod doesn’t want to have too many guys,” Waddell said. “The biggest I believe it was March 5. And they said it was, you know, five, six months. thing in front of us is preparing ourselves to play hockey in a play-in So if you take the calendar, it’ll be sometime probably middle of August. round and then playoffs. You want to make sure when you go out, it’s “I’m not sure he’s going to be ready when the season begins or not, your team practicing. Saying that, there is a benefit with guys like Jake depending on the timing of when the season begins, but he’ll be really Bean, who had a tremendous year this year, and some are other younger close. players down there, Joey Keane, and it will be a benefit for them to be around here and we will bring in some of those guys for sure.” Waddell confirmed that “the others” (James Reimer and Sami Vatanen) are “100 percent.” Jake Bean What might a first crack at the lines look like? It’s high-time for Bean’s actual chance to make it in the NHL at this point — and it probably would’ve already been time on a roster with a weaker Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Teuvo Teraveinen blue line. The 21-year-old left shot was named AHL defenseman of the Nino Niederreiter – Vincent Trocheck – Martin Necas year — a feat particularly impressive at his age (he was the third to do so before 22 in AHL history) — for good reason. Brock McGinn – Jordan Staal – Justin Williams

Bean led all AHL defensemen in scoring during the 2019-20 season, Warren Foegele – Morgan Geekie / Jordan Martinook – Ryan Dzingel posting 48 points in 59 games, and he led all Checkers skaters in … I know I put Geekie and Martinook as interchangeable, but that’s just scoring. Perhaps the most promising improvement from the Hurricanes because they’re centers. I’d expect Geekie and Dzingel to be the real first-rounder is his play away from the puck, something he’d been “rotation,” and I’d expect Dzingel to get first dibs at a playoff game. adamant about improving since the middle of last season. A scout and a prospect expert are both quick to point out how much his decision- Defense without Pesce: making has improved throughout his two-season pro career. I’d take this with a grain off salt, knowing the coaching staff’s hesitation to mess with Jaccob Slavin – Dougie Hamilton the power play , but Bean can thrive in that position with Sami Vatanen/Haydn Fleury -Brady Skjei some experience. Jake Gardiner – Trevor Van Riemsdyk/Joel Edmundson He’s a no-brainer even if Brind’Amour isn’t looking for an overflowing roster. Sheesh, even without Pesce there are some really tough calls on defense. I’d expect a shakeup after every loss. We also don’t know what Joey Keane resources every player has had to train, how mentally equipped each Remember how mad some of you were when the Hurricanes traded individual is for this type of situation, and/or if Vatanen really exists. Julien Gauthier? While I’ll be the first to validate that anger, and Gauthier Defense with Pesce: is doing fine as a Ranger (revenge series, anyone?), the return ain’t too shabby. Keane was named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team at the Jaccob Slavin – Dougie Hamilton Jake Gardiner – Brett Pesce

Haydn Fleury – Joel Edmundson/Brady Skjei

OK. I’ve thought about it and these are my defensive pairings, and I’m sticking to them.

Thoughts?

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185325 Chicago Blackhawks with the competition phase of the tournament. And it’s expensive, but we think it’s really a foundational element of what we’re trying to accomplish.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot backs Chicago’s bid to be one of the NHL’s playoff hubs — if the city meets safety protocols: ‘Hockey is deeply ingrained into the sports fabric of our city’ Chicago Tribune LOADED: 05.29.2020

By PHIL THOMPSON

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

MAY 28, 2020 | 5:04 PM

Mayor Lori Lightfoot expressed optimism Thursday that the could host NHL playoff games if the league chooses Chicago as one of its two hub cities, but she emphasized games would have to be played without fans as the city tries to preserve a downward trend of coronavirus infections.

“All of these decisions are still in discussion at the league level,” Lightfoot told reporters. “My expectation is that in the first instance, yes, they will be playing (in) empty stadiums.”

The NHL already had indicated in its reopening plan that games will be played without fans. Each team’s personnel will be limited to 50 people in the hub city, and all but a few of them will be allowed in the arena.

On Tuesday, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed the Blackhawks would be included in a 24-team playoff format — the No. 12 seed Hawks will face the fifth-seeded Edmonton Oilers — and he also revealed Chicago made a list of 10 finalists vying to become hub cities.

Two hub cities will host Eastern or Western conference games.

Lightfoot said Thursday: “I’m really enthusiastic about the possibility of getting hockey playoffs here in Chicago. As you know, we are a hockey city. We’re one of the original franchises in the league. Hockey is deeply ingrained into the sports fabric of our city, and I’m going to do everything I can to support the efforts of the Blackhawks and others to bring hockey playoffs to Chicago.”

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker emphasized Wednesday that while Chicago officials have a say in its reopening, the league must meet the state’s protocols for recovery.

“The state is the one that sets the parameters for any play that might exist in the state, and then the city of Chicago, of course, has the ability to be more stringent,” Pritzker said.

Bettman said he anticipates training camp to start by early to mid-July, with the playoffs starting in late July or early August. Major League Baseball hopes to start its season in early July.

Pritzker said leagues have requested to operate their seasons without spectators.

“Think about two teams, all of the surrounding people who work for the team involved — it’s a lot of people," he said. "We’ve worked with them. They’ve actually come up with reasonably good plans.”

Two factors guiding Chicago’s reopening decisions are testing capacity and the percentage of positive tests among new COVID-19 cases.

According to Chicago.gov, the city is exceeding its goal of 4,500 test per day by conducting nearly 5,000 tests daily. However, Chicago is testing at a 16.3% positivity rate, higher than the desired 15%.

Bettman estimated that among all its games between the hub cities, as well as daily training camp tests, the league will need between 25,000 and 30,000 tests. Part of the criteria for selection as a hub city is that the NHL’s needs won’t stress a community’s testing capacity.

“The league is going to be in control of all the protocols related to the games in the hub cities,” Bettman said. “And we will have regular daily testing protocol where players are tested every evening, and those results are obtained before they would leave their hotel rooms the next morning. We’ll know if we have a positive test and whether the player has to self-quarantine himself as a result of that positive test. ...

“The testing program we contemplate is rigorous and comprehensive. It’ll pick up throughout the process. Obviously, initially the clubs will bear the cost of that. Ultimately the league will bear the cost of that in connection 1185326 Chicago Blackhawks

Former Hinsdale home of ex-Blackhawks coach and site of Stanley Cup toilet paper high jinks lists for $2.6 million

By BOB GOLDSBOROUGH

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

MAY 27, 2020 | 7:20 PM

Right after the Chicago Blackhawks won each of their Stanley Cup titles in 2010, 2013 and 2015, fans celebrated by throwing toilet paper across the front yard of the seven-bedroom Hinsdale mansion that then-Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville was renting at the time.

Now, with Quenneville no longer coaching the Blackhawks and long gone from the Chicago area, the mansion’s owners placed it on the market May 15 for $2.6 million.

Quenneville, now the head coach of the Florida Panthers, never owned a Chicago-area home during his time as the Blackhawks’ head coach, which spanned from 2008 until 2018. Instead, he rented the mansion in Hinsdale — and its location was no secret, given fans’ excitement about the Blackhawks during those years.

Twins Kate and Genevive Ryan pose for a photo outside Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville's house in Hinsdale on June 16, 2015, while hoping to get a glimpse of the coach or the Stanley Cup.

Built in 1983, the 6,430-square-foot home has 7½ bathrooms, three fireplaces, a master suite with a sitting room, hardwood floors, wainscoting, coffered ceilings and a library. The property, which spans two-thirds of an acre, has a fire pit and built-in grill and backs up to a small private lake known locally as the southeast Hinsdale pond.

“This is arguably the best property in southeast Hinsdale and on top of that, this house is a beautiful family home,” said listing agent Sarah Swanson of Compass. “The home itself is fabulous — spacious yet cozy — and the backyard is truly the most stunning in town, with the patio and lawn looking out onto the pond.”

After Quenneville moved out, Portillo’s CEO Michael Osanloo and his family rented the home, which had a $41,622 tax bill in 2018. The owners paid $1.4 million for it in 1998.

The house is in a neighborhood of large and very high-priced homes, even by Hinsdale standards. Two doors to the south, an eight-bedroom, 21,100-square-foot mansion with 13½ bathrooms sold in November 2018 for $3.5 million. Another of the dozen or so homes bordering the pond is a 10,161-square-foot, contemporary glass-and-steel mansion, which sold in June 2019 for $2.97 million.

One block to the east is WTMX-FM morning host Eric Ferguson’s custom-built, 8,270-square-foot mansion, which he and his wife bought new in 2012 for $3.07 million and have listed for just under $3.3 million. The Fergusons’ six-bedroom mansion currently is under contract.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185327 Chicago Blackhawks Chicago’s central geographic location, major airport, many hospitals and countless restaurants will also work in its favor.

Nonetheless, the pandemic’s rampant presence throughout the area Chicago as an NHL playoffs hub? Evaluating the city’s chance to host poses a colossal roadblock to the NHL. Many of the other potential hub hockey this summer cities have suffered only a small fraction of Illinois’ 114,000 cases and 5,000 deaths.

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST “If we go to a place that has less COVID-19 in the community, the likelihood of somebody — who has been tested through a training period, May 28, 2020, 7:30am CDT through training camp and now is centralized — [contracting it is lower],” Bettman said. “The more we can sort of create a bubble, the less likely

we’ll have it.” The idea that Chicago could be chosen as an NHL playoffs host site this Even if Chicago makes sense logistically, the political reception to the summer is, on the surface, absurd. NHL — which is already being criticized by some for its urgency — The coronavirus pandemic is the sole reason why the postseason will be choosing one of the nation’s biggest hot spots could be vitriolic. held in two hub cities, as the league officially announced Tuesday, rather And the players and coaches who will be stationed in the hub city for than in the 16 (or, this year, 24) home arenas of the playoff teams. Cook weeks or months might have some qualms about that, too. County, meanwhile, has the most documented coronavirus cases of any county in the nation.

But Chicago — competing with Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 05.29.2020 Los Angeles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver for the “hub” titles — also has virtually everything else the league is looking for in its hub city search.

The primary categories in which the NHL will evaluate its candidate cities are COVID-19 case totals, testing availability, governmental cooperation, quantity of NHL-caliber hockey facilities and hotel-room availability.

One huge positive: Illinois officials have processed more than 800,000 COVID-19 tests so far, including 17,179 on Wednesday alone. The state ranks 10th in coronavirus tests per capita.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly repeatedly emphasized Tuesday the importance of testing to the league’s resumption plan. Once games begin, every player and team employee will be tested every night — a routine that will require 25,000 to 30,000 tests, Bettman estimated.

“Medical advisers tell us that, by the time we’re doing this over the summer, that will be a relatively insignificant number of tests relative to the number of tests that will be available,” Bettman said.

That likely would be true in Chicago, at least.

The city obviously is flush with hockey facilities and hotels, too.

The United Center is one of the league’s largest arenas and contains not only two NHL locker rooms but also two NBA locker rooms and several auxiliary rooms.

Plus, the 920,000 pounds of Greater Chicago Food Depository food crates that filled the playing surface in March have since been distributed, a GCFD spokesman confirmed Wednesday, so the arena now sits vacant.

Fifth Third Arena, Johnny’s IceHouse East and Johnny’s IceHouse West are all nearby, providing plenty of additional NHL-standard locker rooms and rinks.

In terms of hotels, Chicago boasts about 47,000 rooms in the downtown area — far more than would be needed to house the roughly 600 people that 12 playoff teams would bring.

And most intriguingly, the NHL also has found a cooperative government. Gov J.B. Pritzker, despite his strict regulations throughout the pandemic, responded favorably Wednesday to a question about the host city possibility.

“I can’t answer what the timing will be or when the Blackhawks will be at it again, but we’re working with every league,” Pritzker said, adding that the leagues have presented “good plans.”

“I am as anxious as many people are to get our sports up and running again.”

Mayor Lori Lightfoot echoed that sentiment in a statement to the Sun- Times.

“We are in close contact with all major sports leagues, including the NHL, as they continue to explore plans to safely resume games in the coming months,” Lightfoot said. 1185328 Chicago Blackhawks

Report: NHL training camps for 24-team playoff won't open before July 10

By Scott King

May 28, 2020 12:32 PM

NHL players have been self-isolating under the league's instruction since the time of the NHL pause on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic under its Phase 1 protocol.

With coronavirus restrictions easing in North America and under the NHL's 24-team playoff format, the league and it's players are working towards phases 2 and 3 of the program.

Phase 2 includes players working in small groups on and off ice, and as stated by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday, is expected to begin in early June.

Bettman also said formal training camps included in Phase 3 wouldn't begin before the first half of July.

The date for Phase 3 crystalized a little more on Thursday when Sportsnet's reported that players were informed Phase 3's training camps "won’t start before July 10."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185329 Chicago Blackhawks Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020

How Blackhawks are impacted by NHL counting play-in results as playoff stats

By Slavko Bekovic

May 28, 2020 5:10 PM

When the NHL announced its new 24-team playoff format, it also declared the regular season completed. That means that the 189 games remaining on the regular season calendar will not be played, and all regular season statistics are final.

The league also announced that the qualifying round and round robin games are not technically playoff games, creating a kind of limbo between the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs.

A lot of questions have been raised about the stats in these purgatorial games for record-keeping purposes. It seems we now have an answer:

The NHL announced the Art Ross, Rocket Richard and Jennings Trophy winners on Thursday, officially marking the end of regular season stat- keeping. So while the play-in and round robin games will not officially count as playoff games, any points, saves or other statistics accrued will officially count as playoff stats for players.

What does this all mean for the Blackhawks? A few things.

For one, it means that ’ streak of consecutive seasons with 20 or more goals is now over at 12, as he finishes the 2019-20 campaign with a career-low 18 goals.

Entering this season, the only three players who had scored 20 or more goals in each of the last 12 seasons were Toews, Patrick Kane and Alex Ovechkin. Kane (13 seasons) and Ovechkin (15), who extended their streaks in 2019-20, are now the only two remaining on the list.

It also means that Kane’s 84 points in 70 games gives him a point-per- game total of 1.20 for the season, the third best in his illustrious career. Kane finished with five goals in the final five games of the regular season, surpassing the 30-goal plateau for the fifth time in his career. That ties for the sixth most in Blackhawks franchise history.

It means that Dominik Kubalik’s late Calder Trophy push comes to an early end, as well. He finishes his rookie season with 30 goals, tied with Artemi Panarin and Eric Daze for the third most by a Blackhawks rookie in franchise history.

It means that Alex DeBrincat will not reach the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his young NHL career. After his 28-goal rookie season, DeBrincat followed up with 41 goals in 2018-19. But a 10% drop in his shooting percentage this season left him with just 18 — with a fresh three-year extension kicking in next season.

The good news? While the Blackhawks’ play-in contests against the Edmonton Oilers won’t officially count as playoff games, youngsters like DeBrincat, Kubalik, Kirby Dach and others will get a crack at accumulating playoff points for the first time in their career.

And for legends like Kane and Toews, it’s an opportunity to climb the all- time leaderboards.

Kane’s 123 playoff points ranks fourth in Blackhawks franchise history — six behind third-ranked . Three more points also propels Kane into the top-50 all-time in NHL playoff points. Toews’ 110 points ranks sixth in Blackhawks franchise history, just a single point shy of Steve Larmer in fifth.

One stat that might remain in limbo? Playoff wins by a goaltender.

Corey Crawford already owns the Blackhawks franchise record with 48 playoff wins, which ranks 22nd all-time in NHL history. However, if he’s able to lead the Blackhawks to three wins and an upset of the Oilers in the best-of-five qualifying round, will those count towards his playoff win total? That remains to be seen. Only 19 goalies in league history have ever amassed 50 or more playoff wins.

1185330 Chicago Blackhawks

Why Corey Crawford, Dominik Kubalik could decide Blackhawks-Oilers series

By Slavko Bekovic

May 28, 2020 4:20 PM

With the NHL’s new 24-team playoff format, we know that the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers will face off in a best-of-five qualifying round.

What we don’t know is when and where.

That gives us plenty of time to break down the matchup at length. Pundits around the league have already tabbed this series as one of the most exciting of the postseason — and one with great upset potential.

“They’ve got all the Hall of Famers that you’ve talked about, and you talk about the veteran guys being able to make a difference, that’s why I think Chicago can pose to be a very difficult matchup here,” NHL Network analyst said on a recent panel.

We know that teams were against the idea of a shortened three-game play-in series, in part because of players like Patrick Kane, but a five- game series means that the players between the pipes could make the biggest difference.

“How about Corey Crawford? With a little pause, a little rest, how about Corey Crawford in a short window coming in for Chicago and having a good first series against Edmonton,” E.J. Hradek said. “I think that matchup, when you think about it, you have Mike Smith, who is another veteran, and then you have Corey Crawford at the other end.

“Corey Crawford could be in a position, if he’s hot and if he’s right, to steal a short series like that against the Edmonton Oilers.”

Crawford won both of his starts against the Oilers in the 2019-20 regular season, posting a .923 save percentage and a 2.01 goals against average. In the run-up to the NHL’s pause on March 12, Crawford won five of his last seven games, posting a sparkling .934 save percentage.

“It will certainly be a fun series to watch. There will be a lot of star power and there will be a lot of pressure on the goaltenders because these two teams can score,” Hradek said.

It’s easy to look at the big names that this series will feature, including Kane, Jonathan Toews, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl (who Weekes tabbed as his league MVP). But often in the playoffs, it’s the goals that don’t show up on the highlight reels that make the biggest difference.

“One thing I look for in the playoffs, too, is net-front players,” said Weekes. “I look at the Chicago Blackhawks and (Dominik) Kubalik coming in this year and playing as well as he has. Great find by . 30 goals this season. Him being in front of the net certainly helps.

“Why? You know that net-front area offensively is so critical.”

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NHL playoff format could hurt Oilers, but Connor McDavid won’t complain

By Slavko Bekovic

May 28, 2020 3:44 PM

The NHL’s Return To Play plan has been a point of contention between the league and the player’s association for weeks now. And despite the official announcement of a 24-team playoff format, not every NHL club is happy.

The format favors some teams, like the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens, who are slated to sneak into the play-in tournament even though they likely had little chance to make the playoffs had the regular season been completed in normal fashion.

For other teams, like the Edmonton Oilers, the new format is not as favorable. Still, Oilers superstar Connor McDavid acknowledged the plan represents a best-case scenario for the league.

Interesting stuff from Oilers' Connor McDavid (on Return to Play committee) and Darnell Nurse (player rep) on a video call today. As McDavid put it, they're "doing what's best for the league" with the format, even if the Oilers are negatively impacted.

At the time the NHLsuspended play, the Oilers had the fourth-most points in the Western Conference with 83. But because they played more games than the Dallas Stars — who had a higher points percentage — they fell to the fifth seed in the new playoff format.

That means they must play a best-of-five play-in series against the 12th- seeded Blackhawks instead of participating in the round robin between the top four clubs in the conference.

The NHL’s plan means the Oilers could potentially go from having home- ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs to not even getting into the final 16. If the Blackhawks can pull off an upset, that is.

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Blackhawks could be getting help on defense from Ian Mitchell for play-in series

By Scott King

May 28, 2020 12:45 PM

When the NHL laid out its 24-team playoff format, it was originally assumed that players who signed entry-level contracts during the pause — which began on March 12 due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic — wouldn't be eligible to participate in the postseason.

That may not be the case.

On Thursday, TSN's reported that we should expect the June 1 entry-level signing deadline to be pushed back another month while the NHL and NHLPA to negotiate the possibility of entry-level players signed during the pause joining their clubs for the potential postseason.

That could mean — after sneaking in under the playoff format at No. 12 in the West and set to take on the No. 5-seeded Oilers — the Blackhawks might be able to add some defensive depth in the form of top defensive prospect Ian Mitchell. Mitchell signed a three-year deal with the team in April.

Drafted by the Hawks in the second round (No. 57 overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Mitchell spent the past three seasons at the University of Denver. He captained the Pioneers this year and set a career high in goals (10) and points (32) through 36 games.

For the 24-team postseason, it was reported that clubs will be able to carry 28 players and unlimited goalies for (targeted) July training camps, the play-in round and playoffs to follow. Given the extra roster spots, Chicago would gladly take Mitchell to add some depth on defense.

The team that snuck into the mix for the Eastern Conference under the league's format, the No. 12-seeded Montreal Canadiens, might get a boost if they're able to add defensive prospect Alexander Romanov to their squad.

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Ex-Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville's house listed for $2.6 million

By Scott King

May 28, 2020 8:54 AM

It should come as no surprise that former Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville was a legend in Hinsdale, where he and his family rented their home during each of his three Stanley Cup championships with the Hawks (2010, 2013, 2015).

The tales of Coach Q frequenting and bringing the Cup to his favorite establishments in town like Fuller House bar and grill, as well as nearby York Tavern in Oak Brook, will live on long past his departure from the Chicago area.

The house, which saw toilet paper thrown all over its lawn after each championship, was listed at $2.6 million on May 15 by the home owners.

The residence sports seven bedrooms, seven-and-a-half bathrooms, three fireplaces and hardwood floors.

The property spans two-thirds of an acre and has a fire pit with the back of the house facing a private lake.

Quenneville served as head coach of the Hawks from 2008 to 2018. He was fired by the Blackhawks on Nov. 6 of 2018 and replaced by .

Q was hired as the head coach of the Florida Panthers on April 8 of 2019.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185334 Chicago Blackhawks The U.S. Center for SafeSport, which investigates all claims of sexual abuse involving the national governing bodies under the United States Olympic Committee’s purview, has been investigating Adrahtas since USA Hockey president Jim Smith under investigation for handling of 2018. In September of that year, former junior hockey player Mike Sacks abuse allegations sent a letter to the American Collegiate Hockey Association — Robert Morris University (Chicago) is an ACHA member. , which detailed sexual abuse by Adrahtas over a 20-month span when Sacks was a teenager, was forwarded to SafeSport. Shortly thereafter, By Katie Strang Adrahtas left the RMU program.

Former players who said they were abused by Adrahtas have spoken USA Hockey president Jim Smith is under investigation by the U.S. with a special agent in the Chicago field office of the FBI. One local law Center for SafeSport concerning his handling of allegations of sexual enforcement task force with jurisdiction over Bensenville, where Adrahtas misconduct and abuse by a youth coach, The Athletic has learned. USA coached with RMU, is gathering information about Adrahtas’ time at the Hockey has also hired an independent investigator to probe Smith’s school. business dealings with an Illinois youth hockey affiliate. The University of Minnesota hired law firm Perkins Coie to investigate Smith held various positions within the Amateur Hockey Association of allegations of abuse by Adrahtas during the one season (1984-85) he Illinois (AHAI), including president (1985-88), when Tom “Chico” coached at the school. He left that program after multiple people, Adrahtas, a Chicago-area coach, allegedly sexually abused several including at least one player, one alumnus, and one power broker in the junior players. Those allegations were revealed in a February 21 article in Minnesota hockey community reported to the athletic director that The Athletic. Adrahtas was believed to be sexually abusing players. Perkins Coie’s investigation is ongoing according to multiple people who have been A former junior hockey team owner where Adrahtas coached says he told recently contacted by the firm. Smith in 1989 of his belief that Adrahtas was committing sexual abuse; multiple others, including one former AHAI board member, said they According to SafeSport’s centralized disciplinary database, Adrahtas is believe Smith was aware of long-standing concerns about Adrahtas’ currently serving a temporary suspension. The Center, which has behavior. Those details were included in a May 7 The Athletic article. declined to comment on the case, has yet to render a final determination on Adrahtas. When reached by phone prior to the February 21 article, “The U.S. Center for SafeSport has advised us they have taken Adrahtas said: “I’ve never sexually abused anyone.” jurisdiction and are investigating allegations that people within AHAI, including Jim Smith, were aware of sexual misconduct by Thomas Adrahtas, according to property records and people who have spoken to Adrahtas and did not take action,” USA Hockey executive director Pat him, currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. Despite being sanctioned Kelleher said via a spokesperson. from participating in any USA Hockey-sanctioned activities, Adrahtas has sought out goaltenders for private instruction, according to one person Smith said in the May 7 article that he did not recall the conversation with involved in Tampa youth hockey. The state affiliate that oversees the team owner and added, via a spokesperson: “In my time as president amateur hockey in Florida has warned operators of local rinks and of AHAI, there were no reports alleging misconduct by Tom Adrahtas.” facilities in the Tampa area about Adrahtas and instructed them not to allow Adrahtas to rent ice time or participate in any hockey activity. A player sent AHAI a letter in 2010 in which he detailed being sexually abused by Adrahtas in 1984. Adrahtas did not show up for an AHAI Since January, two civil lawsuits have been filed in New York under the hearing to address the allegation and, despite being indefinitely Child Victims Act that name USA Hockey as co-defendants. Both suits suspended by the organization as a result, he continued to coach the allege that USA Hockey, by the power conferred to them as a national Robert Morris University (Chicago) men’s hockey team for the next eight governing body tasked with training and supervision of coaches, “knew or seasons. It is unclear if anyone from AHAI told RMU officials about the reasonably should have known of the propensities of (the coach) to letter or the hearing or alerted law enforcement. AHAI has not responded commit acts of sexual assault, battery, rape and other sexual crimes to questions about its handling of the 2010 letter and ejected a The against (the plaintiff) and other children.” Athletic reporter from its March board meeting.

AHAI’s crisis communications consultant declined to comment when reached on Wednesday. USA Hockey did not answer a question about The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 Smith’s current status with the organization. (Smith was elected president in 2015 and re-elected in 2018.)

USA Hockey is also conducting an internal probe into issues raised in the May 7 article, which detailed potential conflicts of interest in business dealings and favor trading within AHAI’s leadership and a culture of silence fostered by those in power.

“We’ve appointed a committee of USA Hockey directors who are outside and independent of AHAI to conduct an investigation, which is consistent with our practice in oversight of our affiliate organizations,” Kelleher said.

“That committee will consider allegations related to governance and operation of the affiliate, including conflicts of interest, lack of financial transparency and handling of complaints by members, as well as other issues that may arise during the process,” Kelleher said.

Kelleher added that USA Hockey is also “retaining the services of an independent third-party investigator to determine if Jim Smith has had inappropriate business relationships or conflicts of interest with AHAI.”

In AHAI’s most recent financial report, the organization notes a contract “with a company owned by the national affiliate president to provide printed material, mailing services and promotional goods totaling $99,873.” Smith is a co-founder of Allegra Marketing, Print and Mail in Elk Grove Village, Ill. (Similar notations of varying amounts appear in AHAI’s financial reports dating back to 2000.)

In USA Hockey’s most recent tax filing (2018) the not-for-profit corporation lists in the “Business transactions involving interested persons” section that USA Hockey paid $30,420 in the year 2017 to Smith’s company for “printing brochures and misc” 1185335 Columbus Blue Jackets Then again. … Maybe Canada drops its quarantine rules and Toronto assumes its place at the Center of the Hockey World. Every day something changes.

Michael Arace | Columbus has good shot at being host city — if NHL can Take the first criteria, the COVID-19 condition of candidate cities. The play more you test, the more positive cases you get. Is that a good thing for a prospective hub? Are Franklin County’s numbers — more than 5,400 confirmed cases — skewed because of the concentration of the virus in Michael Arace The Columbus Dispatch local prisons? How are Bettman’s lawyers calculating?

May 28, 2020 at 6:30 AM The logistics are daunting: Twelve teams in one city, each team with a traveling party of up to 50 people — all of them sitting in one place for

weeks on end. Somebody’s going to get sick. It has been 12 weeks since the COVID-19 pandemic brought American How many cases have to pop up before the whole enterprise is sports to a halt. To ill-fed fans, vulcanized rubber is looking rather considered too dangerous? What of the support personnel who might delicious now. have health problems that make them more vulnerable? Is there enough There was, then, a spate of mouth-watering news Tuesday afternoon testing, anywhere? when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman appeared on video (from his The NHL and the NHLPA have a billion reasons to get back on TV this dining room, it looked like) and outlined the league’s plans for a restart. summer. If they can. "If" is the weightiest word Bettman used: The NHL and the NHL Players I hope they can. I’m not optimistic. Association have agreed on a playoff format IF they can get back on the ice. To paraphrase Dr. Anthony Fauci, the virus will make the ultimate decision. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.29.2020 The Blue Jackets are among the 24 (out of 31) teams playing for the Stanley Cup. So, what they’re saying is they’ve got a shot. What is more, Columbus is one of 10 cities being considered as one of two "hub" cities, where teams will be isolated for up to four months. If they can get back on the ice.

At each of these hubs:

Teams will convene for training camp; a round-robin tournament for seeding (the top four teams in each conference) and a round of qualifying (best-of-five series for the other eight teams in each conference) will be played; and the first and second rounds of the playoffs will be played.

Bettman told NBCSN that there remains a slim possibility that the conference finals and the Cup final could be played in the teams’ home cities. It depends on the virus. At this point, it seems likely that the semis will remain in the two hubs and the final will be played in one of them. If they can get back on the ice.

Besides Columbus, the nine cities with Columbus being considered as a hub are Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

The league is weighing three criteria for each city: the condition of the epidemic (how widespread?); government regulation (are there restrictions on gatherings?); and availability of testing (got to have it).

It’s not difficult to come up with a scenario in which Columbus is one of the hubs. If they can get back on the ice.

Let us speculate.

It has been decreed in Canada that anyone arriving in the country must be quarantined for 14 days. Bettman and his deputy, Bill Daly, said that if the order remains in place there can be no Canadian hub. Cross off Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver.

Chicago’s Cook County leads the nation in confirmed cases of COVID-19 and Los Angeles County ranks fourth. Cross off two more cities.

Let us say — and we can’t know this for sure, but it makes sense — that one of the hubs will be a Western Conference city and the other will be an Eastern Conference city. If that’s the case, it’s between subtropical Dallas, the Vegas desert and Minneapolis/St. Paul in the West and, in the East, between Pittsburgh and Columbus.

One might surmise, then, that Columbus has a 50-50 shot to be the Eastern hub. And it can make a compelling case with two NHL-caliber arenas, Nationwide and Value City, under the same management umbrella. With no fans in the stands, the tournament is going to be a made-for-TV extravaganza — and two well-equipped arenas are better than one.

Columbus also has a healthy support structure with a number of Chiller practice facilities under team control, a cluster of higher-end hotels in close proximity and a footprint that makes getting around a relative breeze. 1185336 Columbus Blue Jackets The skinny: Connor McDavid gets his second taste of the playoffs in his fifth season. No. 97, who had 97 points in the regular season, gets to ride alongside NHL leading scorer Leon Draisaitl against an aging Here’s a look at NHL’s playoff matchups Blackhawks opponent.

No. 6 Nashville vs. No. 11 Arizona

Stephen Whyno Associated Press Season series: Split two games.

May 28, 2020 at 7:14 AM The skinny: Nashville and Arizona each made a major in-season move. The Predators replaced coach Peter Laviolette with John Hynes and the Coyotes traded for 2018 MVP Taylor Hall. Only one of them will get into the final 16. The NHL’s regular season is over and the chase for the Stanley Cup is on — assuming hockey can return this summer. No. 7 Vancouver vs. No. 10 Minnesota

The league settled on a 24-team postseason format that Calgary Flames Season series: Wild won two of three. captain Mark Giordano supported back in March as the coronavirus was shutting down sports. The skinny: The Canucks get goalie Jacob Markstrom back from a knee injury, and he has had the benefit of skating at home in Sweden during “You can’t eliminate teams who are out on points percentage,” Giordano the pause. Minnesota interim coach Dean Evason gets a chance to show said. “I think you go 12 and 12. More teams get in this year, maybe a he deserves the full-time job. couple of byes at the top and play it out.” No. 8 Calgary vs. No. 9 Winnipeg Indeed, the plan announced Tuesday by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman calls for the top four teams in the Eastern and Western Season series: Jets won only meeting in overtime. Conferences getting byes into the final 16, though each would play a The skinny: The constantly changing Flames face the continuity of the handful of round-robin games to determine seeding. Jets, and the winner of this series could make some real noise in the That’s Boston, Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia in the East and West. Some big changes are probably coming for the loser. St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas and Dallas in the West.

“It rewards those teams that had a good regular season, and it’s going to Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.29.2020 serve as almost a little bit of a preseason for those top four in each conference,” said NBC Sports analyst , who won the Stanley Cup three times as a player with Chicago.

“There’s standings on the line and … it’s an opportunity for those guys to get the rust off and get ready for a tough opponent because whoever they face in that first round is going to be coming off a pretty intense series.”

The top seeds would face the winners of these eight opening-round, best-of-five series:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

No. 5 Pittsburgh vs. No. 12 Montreal

Season series: Penguins won two of three.

The skinny: Penguins captain and three-time champion didn't mind going directly into playoffs given the limited timing. His reward is a matchup against elite goaltender and the Canadiens, who had 15 fewer points than Pittsburgh when the season was halted.

No. 6 Carolina vs. No. 11 New York Rangers

Season series: Rangers won all four.

The skinny: Carolina was one of two teams (along with Tampa Bay) that voted against this playoff format. The Hurricanes shouldn’t need emergency goaltender David Ayres anymore with Petr Mrazek and James Reimer healthy and Dougie Hamilton ready to return on defense.

No. 7 New York Islanders vs. No. 10 Florida

Season series: Islanders won all three.

The skinny: This is a rematch of a 2016 series, but basically everything has changed for these teams since. Barry Trotz has put his stamp on the Islanders, and three-time Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville is in his first season with high-flying Florida.

No. 8 Toronto vs. No. 9 Blue Jackets

Season series: Split two games.

The skinny: If Toronto is to bring the Cup home for the first time since 1967, Auston Matthews and his teammates first have to deal with the pesky Blue Jackets, who eliminated the top-seeded Lightning in the first round last year.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

No. 5 Edmonton vs. No. 12 Chicago

Season series: Blackhawks won two of three. 1185337 Columbus Blue Jackets "That’s what makes Columbus great," he said. "We have two world-class facilities (Nationwide and Value City) within six miles of each other. We have enough rinks here to make it happen."

Blue Jackets excited to get back on ice, but questions about safety None of it is possible, though, without players remaining safe. The Blue remain Jackets, as the No. 9 seed, will begin their postseason in a best-of-five series against No. 8 seed Toronto, but Kekalainen said exhibition games could also be in the mix to help players adjust to getting back onto the Adam Jardy The Columbus Dispatch ice.

May 28, 2020 at 6:30 AM The format for this year’s postseason will be unlike any other in the league’s history, but Foligno said it will still present the league with a true

Stanley Cup champion because the game will still be played the same There are plenty of questions yet to be answered as the NHL begins to way on the ice even as the world around it has changed. transition toward a conclusion to the 2019-20 season. "There’s still a lot of questions that need to be answered going forward," Against a backdrop of the COVID-19 global pandemic, concerns about Foligno said. "It’s great we have a format, but how we’re going to do this player safety, family visitations and quarantines for the remaining 24 is a big question mark. This is a very serious virus and pandemic we teams are among the issues the league is continuing to address. have going on. We’re not going to step out on the ice lightly and pretend nothing is going on." But when it comes to the big question of whether or not players feel comfortable getting back to work, both Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and team captain Nick Foligno were in lockstep Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.29.2020 Wednesday afternoon with a mixture of excitement and caution.

"I’m thrilled that we’re moving forward to try and play, but I also have a lot of questions and concerns like everyone else," Foligno said during a conference call. "This is bigger than us. We have to be respectful of that. If it ever comes to a point where it doesn’t make sense, that safety is not at the forefront, then we can’t play.

"There’s absolutely concern from the players, but I think we trust how diligent our league has been."

After suspending operations on March 12, the NHL announced Monday that it would begin transitioning to its second of four phases toward finishing the season and will begin allowing players to participate in six- man, on-ice workouts without coaching instruction.

A day later, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman unveiled the league’s plan for when it does reopen, one that has 24 teams playing in one of two hub cities. Specific dates are still unknown, but the league is considering a list of 10 host cities that includes Columbus.

Rigorous testing will accompany every step of the plan as players make their way back to their home cities. In a Wednesday radio interview, Jackets coach said European players will be encouraged to take charter flights to expedite the process.

Kekalainen said he does not expect to have any issues as players return from Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and France because the league’s second phase that will preclude official training camp sessions likely will last through the month of June.

"I think we have enough time," Kekalainen said. "Even with some of the potential quarantines, if we get going in early July, I think there’s plenty of time to get everybody back. We’re not worried about that part.

"I don’t think there would be a continuation or a return to play program or plan in place unless everybody thought it could be done safely and with the players’ safety and the staffs’ safety being the first priority."

The expectation is for Phase 3 to start no earlier than July 1, with the league anticipating that it will play during the summer and into the early fall before crowning a champion.

Tortorella said he will start meeting with his coaches as a staff sometime next week and that he hasn’t even gone into the arena since the season was suspended.

The extended layoff has helped an injury-riddled roster get close to full strength. Of the numerous injuries to hit the team during the regular season, Kekalainen said that Josh Anderson is "close" to being able to potentially return depending on when games get underway and will remain out with the "chronic injury" to his right wrist.

Otherwise, the Blue Jackets expect a full roster that includes Seth Jones, Cam Atkinson, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Alexandre Texier, among others, whenever the team returns to the ice.

That return could potentially be here in Columbus, and Kekalainen has touted the presence of multiple rinks and locker rooms not only at Nationwide Arena but at Value City Arena and the Chiller rinks as major selling points for Columbus as a hub city. 1185338 Columbus Blue Jackets For instance, it was learned last winter that the Blue Jackets and Ohio State made a proposal to the NHL to host the 2021 Winter Classic. They were finalists, losing out to Minnesota.

Hub doesn’t mean home: Even if NHL tabs Columbus, Jackets could play It’s unclear whether games would be played in both Nationwide and elsewhere Value City, but that would make sense. Six teams could establish rooms in each building, avoiding the need to travel back and forth repeatedly.

By Aaron Portzline On Tuesday, Daly said it could be “three or four weeks” before the league decides on its two hub cities. The 10 finalists: Columbus, May 28, 2020 Chicago, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver.

Why delay the decision? COLUMBUS, Ohio — It has been widely assumed that if Columbus is chosen as a “hub” city for the continuation of the NHL’s 2019-20 season, The league is waiting to see whether any of those cities suffer a the Blue Jackets would get to enjoy the comforts of home. resurgence. They also want to monitor local governments to make sure staging games in that city will be possible given local restrictions. The front office executives and coaches could remain in their offices and the players would have full run of their large, posh dressing room in And then there’s testing. Nationwide Arena, complete with a hot tub, a sprawling weight room, a lounge and kitchen. The other 11 clubs would be treated as the visitors, “We don’t want to go to a place where there is a lot of COVID-19, or we and some would end up in makeshift dressing rooms. don’t want to go to a place where we can’t get the testing we need,” Bettman said. “There is going to be extensive testing. It must be available But NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly made a key point earlier this on a wide-scale basis without obstructing local needs.” week: “Hub city” is not synonymous with “host city.” According to the state’s dedicated website, Ohio has had 33,439 cases If the NHL determines that playing at home is a significant advantage, of COVID-19 and 1,842 confirmed deaths. Those numbers are grim, but Columbus may be hosting 12 teams in Nationwide Arena while the Blue the state hasn’t been hit as hard as New York or , or even Jackets are part of a 12-team encampment in another city. neighboring states like and Michigan.

“I can’t tell you that has been finally decided,” Daly said. “We certainly It’s testing that could be Ohio’s biggest challenge. see some merit to moving the club to a different market so that any perceived advantages associated with being in a home market are According to a Cincinnati Enquirer report Wednesday, Ohio has one of eliminated.” the worst testing rates in the nation, with only 2,826 tests per 100,000 residents. Keep in mind, there would be no fans allowed in the building, so any that extends to the ice would be minimal. And the NHL “You’re going to see the numbers (for testing) get better and get higher,” would insist on players in their home market abiding by the same rules as DeWine told The Enquirer, “but we are certainly not satisfied with where the visitors when it comes to quarantining and social distancing. we are.”

“If a team happens to be in its own market, the player — I don’t think — The NHL does not want to be seen as taking tests from those who should be planning on going home,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman desperately need them: front-line workers, people who are symptomatic, said. “They’ll be staying in the same conditions that everybody else is.” etc. It’s part of the 22-page protocol released by the league Monday.

Bettman said the league isn’t “hung up on East-West.” In other words, “I’m on both sides of the fence with this,” Blue Jackets captain Nick they’re going to pick the two best cities, no matter where they fall on the Foligno said. map. Could be two in the East or two in the West. On one hand, he really wants to play, really wants to take another run at “We’re going to go to the places that are the safest and make the most the Stanley Cup. This is his 13th NHL season. sense medically at the time,” Bettman said. On the other hand …

One of the problems with hosting the 12 Western Conference teams in “Testing is expensive,” Foligno said. “There are people in the world who the Eastern time zone would be the early start times for television in local need it. I want to make sure we’re not taking from somewhere else that markets. And make no mistake, with no fans in the seats, these games really could use it right now. That’s just common sense to me. are all about TV. “What’s going on here is bigger than hockey. As long as there are A 7 p.m. start in Columbus would be a 4 p.m. start for Arizona, enough tests that we could do this properly and respectfully to the rest of Vancouver and Vegas. It would 5 p.m. in Calgary, Colorado and the world that needs it, then I think testing is a must. It’s the only way Edmonton. you’re going to know and feel confident every time you step on the ice One other issue if it’s the West that comes to Columbus: Another NHL that everyone is in the same boat as you.” team would use the Blue Jackets’ dressing room. In the old days of the So close, so far NHL, letting a player from another team even set foot in the room was considered sacrilege. Imagine the scenario: The Blue Jackets host the Eastern Conference teams, meaning the players are forced to move into a downtown hotel In that scenario, the Blue Jackets would likely remove or cover all of their along with the players from the 11 other teams. logos in the dressing room, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. Cam Atkinson, with a wife and two young boys just miles away in Upper Kekalainen acknowledged that the Columbus proposal to the NHL Arlington, is expected to avoid his family for potentially two-plus months? includes Ohio State’s Value City Arena, where the basketball teams and men’s hockey team play. “I just find it … you can’t really police somebody that hard when it comes to families,” Foligno said. “That’s a priority that trumps all. If somebody It also includes, possibly, the suburban Chiller ice rinks. tells me I can’t see my family, that’s gonna be a fight at some point.”

“We have two world-class facilities … what is it, 6 miles from each The NHL players’ association has discussed visitation rights for players, other?” Kekalainen said. “We have a practice rink attached to our main according to Blue Jackets player representative David Savard, but it’s arena. We have Chiller North. We have enough rinks here to make it unclear how that could be permitted. If the league is trying to create a happen.” “bubble” of protection for the players, every person allowed in the bubble It’s further proof that the frosty relationship between the Blue Jackets and is a threat to pop it. Ohio State when the NHL franchise arrived in Columbus as an expansion It’s why some players with families have already moved the family on to team in 2000 has warmed considerably in recent years. their summer home, with plans to return to Columbus without them if and when the season restarts. Foligno headed back to Sudbury earlier this month. Savard has been back in Quebec for a while now.

“I’ve gone away to World Championships where you don’t see your family for a month, but that was by choice,” Foligno said. “There has to be a better understanding of protocol for that, especially if you are in your city.

“If that’s what’s needed for us to play, those are sacrifices everybody has to make. I’d be leaving my family in Sudbury until it’s safe for them to return, so that’s a sacrifice on my part. I could see if you’re in the same city and your family is there, it would be very hard.”

Foligno said there’s one reason families would go through all of this.

“Hopefully we can make sure it’s worth something and come back with the Stanley Cup,” Foligno said. “My wife will forgive me for leaving her with three kids all this time.”

Schedule … forever altered?

The NHL’s small-group workouts won’t be allowed until early June. The NHL said Tuesday that early July was the soonest training camps would open, pushing the resumption of the 2019-20 season to late July or maybe even early August.

Put another way: Expect this season to wrap up in late September — just about the time NHL training camps are winding down in advance of a normal season.

“If we’re in training camp by the middle of July, that’s a good thing,” Bettman said. “If we could be playing by the end of July or early August, that would be a good thing, too. But if it has to slide more, it will slide.

“There’s a reason we’re not giving you dates now because anybody who gives you a date is guessing. We’d rather take a more realistic approach to doing this.”

When the NHL first paused the season, one of their vows was to not “take from next season” to salvage this season. But that’s out the window now, although Bettman says the league will play a full 82-game season in 2020-21.

It’ll just start a couple of months later than usual.

“There’s no magic to starting in October,” Bettman said. “Our buildings can handle it. We can start in November. We could start in December. We could start the beginning of January if we had to. We’re going to be playing over the summer this year.

“The answer is we’ll get through this season and we’ll make sure there’s enough of a pause between this season and next, and then we’ll start up again. We will have to deal with that in a couple of months because we have to start working on a schedule. But we’re prepared to delay the start of next season by a couple of months if we have to.”

So if the NHL ends this season in September, starts next season in December and plans to play 82 games … when will it reset to the old calendar of camp in September, regular season from October to April, and Stanley Cup playoffs from early April to mid-June?

There’s a chance it won’t, Bettman said.

“This could give us more information or data points to make decisions going forward,” Bettman said. “There have been a number of clubs who have suggested we shouldn’t start in October, but in November.

“What we’re learning through this time (is) there may be some flexibility with which we schedule the season. We’re about to learn.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185339 Dallas Stars Belfour kept the Stars in the series. As the series progressed, and it became apparent New Jersey was superior, Belfour was so good he was in the discussion to win the as the playoff MVP.

20 years ago, Dallas Stars’ goalie blamed a terrible Stanley Cup loss on After winning Game 2, the Stars scored a total of four goals in the cough syrup remaining four games as they lost the series in Game 6 at Reunion Arena. The team has not been to a since that loss.

BY MAC ENGEL By the start of the 2002-03 season, Turco replaced Belfour, and Marty never forgot his experience in those Finals. MAY 28, 2020 01:06 PM On Dec. 21, 2002, Turco took the loss against the same Devils in New Jersey. Standing about 10 feet from where Belfour explained that his bad game was due to medicine, Turco allowed five goals and said, “It was the In the Hall of Fame of Excuses, cough syrup ranks ahead of “ cough medicine.” who ate my homework,“ the “something came up with my kids,” and “It must have gotten lost in the mail.” Turco was kidding.

But 20 years ago, there was the goalie of the Dallas Stars telling the Belfour wasn’t, even if it’s a Hall of Fame excuse. world the reason he played so poorly in a Stanley Cup Finals game was none other than cough syrup.

For all of the great memories and moments Belfour, and those Stanley Star-Telegram LOADED: 05.29.2020 Cup Stars’ teams, provided two decades ago, the goalie’s excuse after Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals is one of the best in the history of our sports’ community.

Whereas Michael Jordan’s famous “flu game” in Game 5 of the 1997 NBA Finals actually turned out to be a case of some spiked pizza, Belfour’s cough syrup game remains just that.

And unlike Jordan, who overcame the bad pie by scoring twice as many points as in anyone else uniform that day, Belfour was overcome by prescription meds.

In late May of 2000, Belfour and the Stars had defeated the Colorado Avalanche in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals for a second consecutive year in Reunion Arena. Belfour had out-played Avs goalie for a second consecutive playoff series.

The Stars advanced to the Cup Finals to defend their ‘99 title, against the New Jersey Devils and goalie .

This was at a time when one goal was expected to be enough of a lead for either future Hall of Fame goaltender.

In Game 1, on May 30, 2000, Belfour gave up six on 18 shots.

Belfour was the biggest reason the Stars’ reached a Finals for a second consecutive year, but was pulled in the third period of Game 1 at New Jersey by coach Ken Hitchcock. In the visitor’s locker room after the game Belfour told the media he had taken “cough syrup” in the morning, and that was supposed to explain his bad performance.

Most athletes will pull the tough guy routine and at least say, “But that’s not an excuse.”

The Eagle was a different bird.

(Editor’s note: This Eagle is not Olympic ski jumper Michael Edwards, who earned his fame in the .)

Belfour said the syrup affected his “balance and equilibrium.” And his energy.

“Eddie was one of those who if he said it, he believed it, so that was the reason. So that was the reason,” said former Stars goalie , who was a rookie on that team, and eventually replaced Belfour a few years later. “But I remember when the next day [during practice], and some of the guys were laughing about it.

“Like, ‘Oh, yeah. It was the cough syrup.’ That team was so good, and had so many veterans, they kept everyone accountable. But you left Eddie alone. Guys liked Eddie because he was a gamer. He was professional and he prepared. They all knew they needed him.”

Belfour normally had an “explanation” if he had a bad game, which was not often. Typically it was his back. Never had an athlete reached into his medicine bag to blame cough drops.

Belfour may also not have been completely full of it.

In the previous series, Belfour did not allow more than two goals in any of the seven games.

In Game 2 against New Jersey, Belfour was brilliant as the Stars won 2- 1. 1185340 Dallas Stars However, Gossage noted that the season-opening Genesys 300 race was moved to NBC for a primetime Saturday night broadcast so it could reach a wider audience.

Pro sports leagues can have some fans at outdoor events in Texas amid “That shows what a big deal this race is to the entire country,” he said. coronavirus With the Charles Schwab Challenge set to begin at Colonial Country Club the week of June 8, a PGA Tour spokesman said Thursday that BY TESSA WEINBERG “our focus right now” is hosting the event with no fans. The PGA Tour previously announced a layered testing approach for players and had MAY 28, 2020 11:59 AM said fans would not be able to attend.

John Blake, a spokesman for the Texas Rangers, wrote in an email Thursday that the team is awaiting MLB guidance and that the health and Under a revised order from the state, professional sports leagues may safety of players, staff and fans is its top priority. have a limited number of fans at outdoor events in Texas amid the novel coronavirus’ outbreak. “The Texas Rangers are looking forward to the potential of returning to play in 2020. Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Earlier this month, when Gov. Greg Abbott announced pro sports may Players Association are having ongoing discussions about that possibility resume May 31 there was one big caveat: no in-person spectators at the present time, and the Rangers have begun operational planning for allowed. if and when we have a spring training and regular season games at However, on May 22, a revised proclamation was issued to allow Globe Life Field,” Blake wrote. spectators at outdoor events up to 25% of the venue’s capacity, and new The Dallas Cowboys have yet to comment on their plans for the season guidance was posted on the governor’s “Strike Force to Open Texas” but they will follow NFL protocols and procedures. And right now they webpage detailing health and safety measures leagues should consider. plan on having fans in the stands for the 2020 season. Fans are still prohibited at indoor venues. “We’re planning for full stadiums until the medical community tells us At the time, Abbott had not publicly announced the revision — which otherwise,” NFL executive Troy Vincent told NBC Sports last weekend. came four days after his initial announcement that professional “Now, remember when we’re talking. We’re talking about September … basketball, baseball, auto racing, football, golf, softball and tennis August, September. So, there’s a lot that can happen here. So, we’re leagues may resume events. planning for full stadiums.” John Wittman, a spokesman for Abbott, said Thursday that the allowance Again, anything is possible and everything is on the table and being for fans was unanimously approved by the medical team advising Abbott considered, according to Vincent. on reopening Texas. “We also know we have to plan for half stadiums,” Vincent added. “Three “It was brought up again in another call with the doctors, and the medical quarters. So, we’re planning for all those different scenarios. But first and team said that they could move forward with 25% capacity,” Wittman foremost, we’re making every effort working with the medical community, said. if we can have those stadiums with all people, until they tell us otherwise Abbott told KEYE-TV in Austin Thursday night that having talked to when that time comes, that’s our plan. That’s our plan of action.” league officials, outdoor stadiums can employ strategies that facilitate AT&T Stadium will host graduation ceremonies with the roof open for the social distancing. Arlington school district next weekend. The next major scheduled event “In these large outdoor stadiums, spacing can be done in a way that’s after that is the Cowboys preseason home opener Aug. 22 against the very consistent with the spacing already authorized for churches and for Ravens. movie theaters, with the difference being that it’s outdoors,” Abbott said. Abbott said the order would not extend to professional sports teams that Before events can resume, each league must submit a plan to the Texas played indoors, such as the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars. It would Department of State Health Services. However plans don’t have to be be unlikely for American Airlines Center to host any basketball game until approved Wittman said, and it will depend on the sport whether the next season as the NBA is moving forward with a plan to play out the league or individual teams will be tasked with submitting plans to the remainder of its season at ESPN Wide Sports of Sports complex at state. Disney World outside of Orlando. The NHL, meanwhile, has said their league will move straight to an expanded postseason tournament at two “Whether the league will, or whether they’ll have individual organizations of 10 hub cities across North America. The league has announced Dallas submit it, or whatever it may be — that will be something that would be is finalist, but that is all that has been disclosed at this time. worked out on their end,” Wittman said. The order did not address college football or high school sports. Regular testing, screening of employees and players and social Previously, Abbott told Austin television station KXAN that he expects the distancing are among some of the guidelines leagues should follow. college football season will start on time, with at least some fans in the stands. And even if a limited number of fans were allowed for college “Each plan must incorporate these minimum health protocols to the football, some season-ticket holders may be left out of TCU football greatest extent possible,” the checklist notes. games in the fall. While athletes aren’t required to wear a face mask while playing, the Recreational sports leagues, youth sports and outdoor motorsports have state’s guidance recommends they should wear a face covering while also been permitted to resume under Abbott’s phased reopening of waiting on the bench or in the dugout. And when staying at least six feet Texas businesses. apart is not feasible, physical barriers, face coverings or face shields should be considered. Equipment and facilities should also be regularly disinfected between uses. Star-Telegram LOADED: 05.29.2020 Despite the allowance for spectators, fans may not be back in the stands soon.

After a delayed start, the IndyCar season is set to begin Saturday, June 6, at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. Track president Eddie Gossage said in a statement Thursday that there’s too many unknowns to allow fans to attend on such short notice.

“Nobody wants to have the stands filled with fans more than me, but we’re just not in a position to do that yet,” Gossage said. “While the state will permit us to operate at 25% of capacity, there are still too many unanswered questions for an event that is just one week away.” 1185341 Dallas Stars website. “We were asking them these are the terms that have to be raised long-term.”

Former NHL goalie Chris Mason has also voiced his support for the Cam Talbot joins fight to save Alabama-Huntsville hockey program program. Mason is now the color analyst for the Nashville Predators, about 100 miles north of Huntsville, and said keeping the program afloat is important to the growth of the sport in the south. By Sean Shapiro “I think it’s absolutely huge,” Mason said. “Especially when hockey at this May 28, 2020 point in Nashville is really starting to grow and a big reason why it is is because a lot of the Huntsville players have stayed here and been an

integral part of growing youth hockey. These are guys that played there Last Friday, the University of Alabama-Huntsville cut its hockey program and have stayed down here and tried to grow the game of hockey in the in a surprise announcement. One week later, a group of boosters and south.” coach Mike Corbett are hoping to reverse that decision before Friday’s Corbett said the youth program in Huntsville right now has more than 700 deadline. players. Corbett was blindsided by the decision, which came as the University The program was nearly cut in 2012, but fundraising and admission into tries to cut costs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He signed two the WCHA for the 2012-13 season saved the program at that time. UAH players to national letters of intent earlier that week and found out on was still scheduled to play in the WCHA for the 2020-21 season, but was Thursday evening before the Friday announcement. looking for a conference home in 2021-22 when seven of the 10 WCHA “When this was announced we were never notified or given the programs announced they would be leaving to re-start the CCHA. opportunity before things went to press,” Corbett said. “That’s what kind Corbett said the long-term viability of the program depends greatly on of stews the hornets nest a little bit. If it was just one of those situations getting the Chargers into a conference, and he had been campaigning where information was being put out there as opposed to just, ‘Hey we’re and working to get into the CCHA throughout the past season, something dropping the program.’ It’s something that we could have been told about he thought he was doing with administrative support. behind closed doors before without just getting cut. When you come to a decision like this with college athletics, there are many steps that need to “I was working very hard lobbying the coaches and athletic directors and be taken, this information was out there (with the administration) for a presidents of those seven teams that we were the right team to be in that while and we didn’t know about it. That’s the hard part.” league,” Corbett said. “That was very hard for me. … I spent a ton of time strategically placing ourself to be that eighth team. Then for this to come After the announcement that hockey was getting axed, a group of alumni down, roughly around the time they would be looking for an eighth team? started working on a lifeline to save the program. That group is led by Personally for me and my staff, to find this out, it was really hard.” former players Sheldon Wolitski and Taso Sofikitis, who Corbett said, “had the financial clout” to get a meeting with the school to try and Corbett was laid off, he and his staff had 90 days of employment reverse the decision. remaining after the cut. He’s hopeful he gets his job back, but he’s already had players transfer to Boston College, Arizona State, UMass They were given five days to raise $750,000 to keep the program afloat Lowell and Lake Superior State. He said he couldn’t tell those players not for the 2020-21 season. Wolitski and Sofikitis have pledged to donate to take those opportunities with the uncertainty in Huntsville. $250,000, while a GoFundMe page has been started to raise $500,000. It could be a much more positive Friday after a “heartbreaking” Zoom call “That gets us to a figure that they are able to get the program back and with his players last Friday. stable for one year and then real work will begin to make sure it stays after the 2020-21 season,” Corbett said. “As far as I know right now, 5 “That is the absolute toughest part, when you are on a Zoom call with 26 p.m. on Friday is the final buzzer. We’ll see what happens.” kids … when they came to Alabama-Huntsville, it’s the main reason that they came here,” Corbett said on Wednesday. “They trust me and their As of Thursday morning more than $275,000 had been raised, with families trust me to take care of them while they are here. It is the worst Calgary Flames goalie Cam Talbot, a UAH grad who played there from call. … To be able to do this and watch all their faces, it’s etched in my 2007 to 2010, throwing his support to the cause. brain.” “It’s been a whirlwind of emotions. Last Friday you are angry, your sad For now, Corbett is hopeful, so is Wolitski, that they’ll be able to deliver for the players losing their program,” Talbot said. “When you are given a better news to those players soon. lifeline it breathes life back into you. … I’ve just been trying to promote it and do my part in any way I can to help save this program.”

Talbot’s involvement has given the fundraising drive the shot it needs to The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 possibly succeed. It’s put the conversation into some NHL circles, Chicago Blackhawks forward Dylan Strome has both Tweeted about the campaign and donated to it. While Wolitski is hopeful that added attention brought by Talbot will put more pressure on the school to help find a solution to save the program.

If the funds are raised and the program is saved for the 2020-21 season, Wolitski said the plan is to build an advisory committee to help layout a better long-term plan.

“That to me was one of the most important things,” Wolitski said. “There are things that need to be done to make the program more visible and get the community involved, and find ways to get students more invested – the rink isn’t on campus. I think with an advisory committee we can tackle these things and find solutions as opposed to just saying, ‘Well this costs money, let’s cut it.'”

UAH president Darren Dawson wasn’t available for comment, while athletic director Cade Smith is “not doing interviews until next week,” according to UAH’s sports information department. Smith confirmed the funding proposition earlier this week to AL.com.

“Dr. Dawson had given them a number, if we can raise this amount for one year, then we can play this next season and that would give time to figure out how they’re going to raise additional funds,” Smith told the 1185342 Dallas Stars The current document for Phase 2 states that team coaches aren’t allowed on the ice with the groups of six players. Goaltenders are allowed to bring on an independent goalie coach if they want, but Ben ‘I don’t know’: The Stars, and the NHL, navigate the unknown in hockey’s Bishop doesn’t retain one in Dallas and typically works with Stars goalie return coach Jeff Reese throughout the offseason. Is that really a requirement for Phase 2 when the player is the one asking to work with the coach? The Stars have asked the league about that and are awaiting a response. By Sean Shapiro What happens to players that have preexisting medical conditions? May 28, 2020 Montreal Canadiens GM said on Wednesday that Max Domi, who has diabetes, would not play if doctors deem it won’t safe. The Stars will face similar decisions with players like prospect Riley If Dallas Stars draft picks Curtis Douglas, Fredrik Karlstrom and Jakob Tufte, who also has diabetes. Nill said anyone that a doctor raises a red Stenqvist aren’t signed by Monday, they’ll become unrestricted free flag on – players or coaches – wouldn’t be allowed to play if it wasn’t agents. safe. Again, plenty of variables.

In a typical year, this would be a hockey decision. All three of those Part of the Phase 2 plan includes players giving themselves temperature players are more fringe prospects than a bona fide part of Dallas’ future, checks and self-reporting symptoms. But in a league where machismo but someone like the 6’8 Douglas would be an intriguing project to put in dictates you play through everything, how do you ensure players are the prospect pool and see what happens. being honest about potential COVID-19 symptoms?

As we’ve all learned, though, the world during the COVID-19 pandemic is “I’m educating myself, and I have to try to educate the players on this,” anything but typical, and new factors come into play when discussing Nill said. “That’s what the league is trying to do. That’s why it starts with signing a drafted player. Teams below the NHL level, which rely almost this group of six players, you have to make sure we are hammering down exclusively on gate receipts for revenue, will face some very difficult how serious this is. It’s a whole new world we have to deal with.” decisions if fans aren’t allowed into buildings in October for the 2020-21 hockey season. There are players at the AHL level who are worried that Nill said there have been conversations with players about how different there may not be an AHL next season and are equally concerned about life will have to be going forward. He said making sure players know their the long-term health of many ECHL franchises. social bubble during Phase 2 is limited to the other players in their training group is paramount. Even having lunch with someone from Signing a project pick now goes from a simple, “Do we think he can another group effectively defeats the purpose. play?” to a multi-pronged question of where could they even be playing next season, and if parent organizations decide to cut costs, is it smart to Nill said he hasn’t had any pushback from any players in his sign a player to an entry-level contract who will likely never play for the conversations about these things, but also knows that in practice it’s NHL club? going to require some reminding and self-policing amongst the team to make sure everything runs smoothly as possible. This is just one of a flurry of uncertain, unprecedented procedural changes NHL teams are facing as they navigate hockey’s new normal in Will junior players be allowed to partake in the training camp or come to the wake of the pandemic. the hub city? Nill believes that will be the case, and if so, Thomas Harley and Ty Dellandrea will likely be making their way to Texas for Phase 3. Make no mistake, hockey is moving forward. The NHL’s return-to-play But that’s yet to be confirmed to Nill by the league. plan is important. Transparency is good. But all the talk about breaking down playoff matchups and the phrase “hockey is back” undersells Nill is planning on taking a roster of 28 skaters and three goalies into the exactly how long the checklist really is to get the NHL on ice and some hub city when that happens. His next step is trying to figure out how large semblance of normalcy. to make the training camp roster. Is it 35 skaters? More?

Case in point: The protocol just for Phase 2 – optional practices with six “And what’s a number of players in training camp that’s still safe?” Nill players at a time – is 22 pages long. added. “I don’t know that at this point.”

“Just wait until we see how long the document is for Phase 3 and Phase Nill said there are hundreds of questions that still have to be brought up 4,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said on Wednesday evening. “There and probably will arise. He said the Stars are trying to be as prepared as are so many things we have to walk through still.” possible, but for the time being, the safest answer on most things really is, “I don’t know.” Nill has spent much of this week on conference calls and in Zoom meetings. There have been long calls with players, meetings with doctors and key conversations with NHL executives as he tries to better The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 understand what all of this means.

There are many questions, but right now, Nill and so many others around the league can only provide one answer: “I don’t know.”

Nill doesn’t know how many players will be skating in Frisco when Phase 2 opens. He believes it could be close to a dozen players, and if that’s the case he’ll be able to staff it well enough to accommodate the NHL’s plan. But if 20 or more players are back in Frisco next week wanting to skate in small groups? That could be a challenge, even with help from the AHL staff in Cedar Park.

Andrej Sekera was three games away from getting a $100,000 bonus for playing in 60 games. How will that be finalized? Is it prorated, since he didn’t get a full 82-game slate to reach the mark? And will the round-robin games count toward a number like that? Nill has asked the league about things like this. The answer, as expected, is still to be determined.

The Stars practice facility is a public-use arena that’s already been opened and is planning on running summer camps and youth hockey. Certain activities have already started. Once the NHL players start skating, will that rink have to be closed down to the public completely?

“I’ve talked to doctors about that,” Nill said. “The good thing is we have two surfaces, so maybe there is something where we can close down just one sheet and other things can still happen on the other.” But, ultimately, he gives the only honest answer he can: “I don’t know.” 1185343 Detroit Red Wings picture than this season and he wants all of his players to be great. I have a lot of respect for him.”

Larkin has been rollerblading in an effort to offset being off the ice for Detroit Red Wings' adjustment to pandemic: Puppies, rollerblading and two-plus months, his longest time not skating, he said, since breaking an Zoom calls ankle in 2011.

“I am ready to get back out there,” he said. “The hardest part is not knowing when we are going to be playing next. I hope the league can Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 6:24 p.m. ET May 28, work something out for the teams that didn’t get to play in the playoffs, 2020 that we can get together."

Larkin’s bernedoodle puppy, Ellie, could be heard whimpering in the background. He adopted her within a week of the shutdown. Coach Jeff Blashill on his relationship with Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman. Filmed Feb. 21, 2020 in Uniondale, N.Y. “When this all happened, we kind of understood it was going to be a Detroit Free Press while,” Larkin said. “I guess I was taking a chance to get her. We had a family dog that passed away this year and I wanted to get one myself. As The Detroit Red Wings are adjusting, sort of, to life during the soon as the season ended, I got her. coronavirus pandemic. They miss being able to skate, and Zoom calls are a bit of an adjustment, especially with a puppy around, and for the “She’s supposed to be 70 pounds but at five months she’s already 40 or most part they, like everyone else, have more questions than answers. 50 pounds, so she’s going to be pretty big. She’s as spoiled as it gets. It’s definitely been something that’s been keeping me busy.” They are trying to figure out how to deal with a layoff that has hit 11 weeks already since the NHL shut down on March 12 because of Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.29.2020 COVID-19 and could stretch all the way to January. That is, if the NHL manages to stage the 2020 playoffs under a proposed 24-team format at all. Players in Michigan, including Dylan Larkin and Luke Glendening, haven’t been allowed to access because of local ordinances. Some teammates have scattered to other states, Canada or overseas.

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill meets with the media via a Zoom call on Thursday, May 28, 2020.

Will the non-playoff teams be allowed to hold minicamps at some point to offset what could be a 10-month layoff? It's hard to say until the playoff plan solidifies.

“The one thing that’s important in any of this is that we’re flexible, because we don’t know exact dates,” coach Jeff Blashill said Thursday via a Zoom call. “I’ve had some discussions with some of the players about this, there is some concern among the players that it is a big disadvantage in the sense of the seven teams that are off, those individual players, going that long without an organized practice.

“I’m hoping we can look toward some creative solutions with the NHL. We’ll see as the summer goes along. We’ll work within the parameters the NHL gives us. We’ll try to be as creative as we can be to make sure our players aren’t at a disadvantage when the puck does drop next year.”

As the Wings’ NHLPA representative, Glendening voted in favor of the league’s proposal, even though it meant scrubbing the 11 games left on the Wings’ schedule.

“You look at it as what’s best for the league,” Glendening said. “It’s not perfect, but the committee worked a long time on it. … It’s very weird. It could be up to nine months without hockey, but it is also a great time to reset. Hopefully we will come back better than ever.”

The Wings finished the season in last place, at 17-49-5. Such a poor record can cost a coach his job, but general manager Steve Yzerman reiterated this week what he said in February: It’s not fair to blame coaching.

“It certainly means a lot,” Blashill said. “I’ve had real clear conversations with Steve. What I like about working for Steve is, he tells me exactly the parameters with which I’m working from. I think we’re all trying to take a longterm approach to get this organization to the level that we all want it to be, and that’s that championship level. That takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight.

“To have Steve’s confidence is great, and I look forward to the challenges that are ahead of us.”

Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin meets with the media via a Zoom call on Thursday, May 28, 2020.

Larkin, too, backed up what he said during the season about Blashill, calling him a great and hardworking coach.

“He’s someone that has (been) very fair in all of this,” Larkin said. “With the way we have played at times, it is unfair to judge. I have a lot of respect for him and how he came every day to the rink. He worked us extremely hard, as he should have. He understand that there is a bigger 1185344 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' Steve Yzerman: Detroit 'a very resourceful city,' will survive COVID-19

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 10:57 a.m. ET May 28, 2020 | Updated 5:06 p.m. ET May 28, 2020

Steve Yzerman has a surprising revelation about living in metro Detroit as he returns home to be general manager of the Red Wings. Filmed April 19, 2019 in Detroit. Detroit Free Press

Steve Yzerman spoke with enthusiasm of his daily trips downtown, his first since leaving the Detroit Red Wings.

Over the past year, the man known locally as The Captain has reacquainted himself with the city he called home while playing for the Wings from 1983-2006 and as part of the front-office staff until 2010. Back then ,his trip from his suburban home took him to ; since his return as general manager in April 2019, it has taken him to Little Caesars Arena.

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Yzerman has worked from home since the NHL shut down because of COVID-19 on March 12. He took part in a Zoom call Wednesday, during which he addressed the hard times caused by the pandemic.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman speaks to the media via a Zoom call on Wednesday, May 27, 2020.

“One of the most exciting things for me returning to Detroit last year was the energy and the growth and the development in the city in downtown Detroit,” Yzerman said. “My kids would always tell me about it, about what’s going on in Detroit. The last year being down there, I thought it was a fantastic atmosphere. I really look forward and enjoy going downtown.

“This is a major setback, which is probably a gross understatement, but Detroit will survive and will come out of it. It’s a very resourceful state and a resourceful city, and we will get through it. We will look back on this time and be stronger and better for it.”

[ Steve Yzerman: Red Wings' talent, not coaching, to blame for dismal 2019-20 ]

Yzerman also sounded optimistic on the fortunes of the Detroit’s major pro sports teams. The Wings, Lions, Tigers and Pistons are all enduring hard times — the last playoff win for any of them came on April 17, 2016, when the Wings beat the Tampa Bay Lightning (for whom Yzerman was GM at the time).

“I came here in 1983, the Tigers won the World Series in ’84,” he said. “I’ve watched the Pistons win championships. I watched the Red Wings, we went through our ups and downs. I’ve watched the Lions and we’re all hoping for the Lions, they had some great years with Barry and, when Wayne Fontes was coaching, some exciting playoff times and seasons.

“It’s all cyclical, and we are going to get back there one day. That’s what’s exciting about sports. I believe all four teams will get back on top at some point.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185345 Detroit Red Wings Yzerman acknowledged the Wings aren’t the destination they used to be when he was a player. He made a few moves during his first year, via free agency and trades, but they were all low-key. Yzerman's priority is signing RFAs including Bertuzzi and Mantha — “We’re not going to let Detroit Red Wings' talent, not coaching, to blame for dismal 2019-20, them go anywhere,” he said — but there will be money to spend on free says Steve Yzerman agents, depending on the eventual salary cap.

Yzerman plans to stay steady.

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press Published 6:04 a.m. ET May 28, “I don’t want to go into free agency to make a splash,” he said. “We are 2020 | Updated 9:42 a.m. ET May 28, 2020 going to look to make sensible signings, signings that help improve the team. The right type of people, the right type of player — and ultimately

the contract has to work for us as well. Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman on head coach Jeff “We are prepared to do anything we can in free agency, but it’s not a 'get Blashill. Filmed Feb. 24, 2020 in Detroit. Detroit Free Press a player at all costs.' We are trying to build a good team over time, and Steve Yzerman would call Jeff Blashill after road games and note that the the reality is, I think it’s very difficult to do that with free agency. To get Detroit Red Wings played hard. those elite players, you have to spend a lot of money for a long time, and I don’t know if we are in a market for those types of players at this time. They still lost — they lost so many times during 2019-20 — but Yzerman That’s the reality. If a player wants to play in Detroit, we are certainly saw enough to keep backing the coach he inherited when he was named gong to explore every opportunity. But has to work for both general manager in April 2019. Blashill did what Yzerman wanted: Play parties.” the young guys key to the rebuild, and maintain the culture of hard work and accountability Yzerman helped cultivate during his playing days. The Wings need to replace goaltender , but they also need help on defense, and they need help scoring. The finished 2019-20 That’s a key reason Yzerman “has no plans on making a coaching dead last in the NHL in goals scored (145), goals allowed (267) and goal change” as he said Wednesday during a 45-minute Zoom call, his first differential (-122). media availability in more than three months. “We need to get better in every aspect, and it’s going to take time do The Wings were 17-49-5 when the NHL paused the season on March 12 that,” Yzerman said. “I’m confident that we will, and I think we will see because of COVID-19, guaranteeing a last-place finish, but the dismal improvement next season. I can’t tell you what that translates into in wins record — the Wings’ .275 points percentage was the league's worst since and losses, but we’ll try to address all of those things.” adopting a salary cap in 2005-06 — didn’t faze Yzerman. Yzerman has a great deal of work ahead of him, but for now, Blashill fits “I think Jeff has done a good job,” he said. “I think it’s been a difficult Yzerman's plan. position in his tenure here. The Red Wings are in a rebuild and have been for a while, and for the last two, three trade deadlines, the team has Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.29.2020 traded good players, valuable players, for future assets. And Jeff has, with his head held high, diligently worked hard, done a good job in coaching this team in a difficult situation throughout that.

“As I said in February, I think it’s unfair to judge him based on our record at this time, and quite frankly, we need to improve the team for anybody to truly critique or assess the coaching staff.”

Blashill is 153-194-52 since taking over after the departure of in 2015. Babcock left because he knew the Wings were on the decline, and the Wings turned to the man who had coached their top farm team, the , to the 2013 championship.

Yzerman endorsed Blashill before the season began, and did so again at the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Yzerman told Blashill last summer not to worry about wins and losses, but to focus on the development of Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi and Filip Hronek, players critical to the rebuilding process. Larkin, Bertuzzi and Mantha led all Detroit forwards in average time on ice, and Hronek led the defensemen.

Just a few weeks before Yzerman was named GM, Blashill was signed to a two-year extension by former general manager Ken Holland. When the Wings were eliminated from playoff contention on Feb. 21, it triggered a clause converting the second year into a the team option.

Although Yzerman and Blashill talked daily throughout the season, Blashill's future was not one of the topics. That didn’t change after March 12, even as the unlikelihood of finishing the season grew.

“We never specifically had a conversation,” Yzerman said. “He’s the head coach of the team. I’m sure he heard my comments in February.

“We’ve talked about our team, we’ve talked very openly about our plan, what we are trying to do, where we are at presently and where we are going. We intend to, here in the offseason, discuss our team moving forward.”

[Can Steve Yzerman get them to the playoffs in 2021?]

The Wings have missed the playoffs four straight years and will continue to struggle in the near future. Yzerman knows firsthand how difficult rebuilds are – he waited 14 years to win his first Cup as a player. That is likely why Yzerman didn’t pursue , his former linemate who was let go by the Vegas Golden Knights in January — Gallant is used to coaching competitive teams, not rebuilding teams. 1185346 Detroit Red Wings Which, in a way, made this the ultimate character test for a young corps of players led by Larkin, who’ll turn 24 later this summer. They all knew the new boss was watching, and waiting, and they knew what that meant.

Niyo: After 'tons of growth,' time is right for Dylan Larkin to captain Red In the latter half of his career, Yzerman was the kind of leader who could Wings give direction – and alter behavior – with a few sharp words or a simple, direct look. Larkin is a long, long way from becoming that kind of driving force for his team, obviously. And who’s to say he will ever get there?

John Niyo, The Detroit News Published 12:55 a.m. ET May 29, 2020 | But this won't just be a decision made by default. Because it sounds like Updated 4:51 a.m. ET May 29, 2020 the skilled, two-way centerman learned quite a bit over the last 12 months about how the leadership role is supposed to look and feel,

thanks in no small part to Yzerman’s presence. Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin met with the media in a “Having him around and getting to learn from him, having some great teleconference Thursday to talk about the premature end of the 2019-20 conversations about where our team is at and where we both want it to season. The Detroit News eventually be, was probably the most valuable thing that I could have He wore the losses about as well anyone could expect in a season that had,” Larkin said. “One of the best things that has happened in my threatened to make history for all the wrong reasons. career.”

So now it’s time to see how Dylan Larkin wears the captain’s ‘C’ in He says Yzerman not-so-subtly reminded him – and others, like Mantha Detroit, where living up to history is part of the job description. and Tyler Bertuzzi – about the importance of modeling good behavior for younger prospects, on and off the ice. That was a consistent theme from I realize that’s probably way down the offseason list of priorities for Blashill and Yzerman's predecessor as GM, Ken Holland, that wasn't general manager Steve Yzerman and head coach Jeff Blashill, who’ll always heeded in recent years, quite frankly. return for a sixth season behind the Red Wings’ bench. But in the absence of any real hockey here for several months to come, it’s one that “Steve coming back really ramped up the accountability in our locker was top of mind this week as the team and its leadership talked about room,” Larkin admitted. “We have a great group of guys. But I think what went wrong this past season — it was a long conversation, everyone was on their toes, which was a good thing.” obviously — and where they’ll go from here. Larkin, who has missed just a handful of games in his five-year NHL Yzerman said last spring when he took over as GM that he wanted to career, also said Yzerman pulled him aside in December to tell him take some time to observe every aspect of the organization, rather than something else, though. making quick assessments or rash decisions in the early stages of a full- “I had a conversation with Steve and he said to me, ‘You can’t do this all scale rebuilding effort. yourself,’” recalled Larkin, who struggled out of the gate coming off a That included the title he once held as the longest-serving team captain career-best season in 2018-19. “I was almost trying too hard and in NHL history, which is why the Red Wings opted to spend another year sometimes it was hurting me. So after that I kind of took a step back and without one following ’s retirement prior to the 2018-19 used my linemates a little more and played a little simpler … and that season. Instead, the team opted for alternate captains again, with Larkin really helped me.” and continuing as full-timers in that role and Frans It showed, too, even if it didn’t result in many victories for his team. Larkin Nielsen sharing the duties with Luke Glendening. averaged nearly a point per game after the Christmas break, with 11 But in his season-ending session with the media Wednesday, Yzerman goals and 20 assists over the final 33 games prior to the abrupt end of confirmed he and Blashill plan to name a permanent captain prior to the the season in mid-March. start of next season. Beyond the numbers, Blashill says he saw something else from Larkin as The expectation for some time now is that it’ll be Larkin, the Red Wings’ the season wore everyone down physically and mentally. He saw a leading scorer the last three seasons and a homegrown prospect who young player showing up to work with a “fresh attitude” and embracing still has three years remaining on the five-year, $30 million contract he the chore. He also saw a fiery player who did a better job of regulating signed in the summer of 2018. And if last season was a test, it sure both his temperature and that of the room. The media — and the fans — sounds like he passed. saw it as well, in the way Larkin faced the media and spoke for the team after some of those brutal losses this past winter. "I’m very impressed with him," Yzerman said. "I think being a member of the Red Wings and improving this team is very, very important to him, “I don’t even know if you can put into words today the things you learn as and he takes it seriously. He’s an excellent player for us, a very important you go through those struggles,” Blashill said. “But you grow. And you player. He's a great leader. He’s dedicated and mentally strong and learn to love the grind. You learn when to show emotion and when to committed. I’ve been very impressed getting to know him over the course keep your emotion in check. You learn how to (adjust) your messaging to of the year." keep the team headed in the right direction, and that’s very difficult in the times we’ve had. So there was tons of growth for him.” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill met the media in a Thursday teleconference to discuss the early end of the 2019-20 season and the That's important for a franchise heading into an offseason full of impact on the team. The Detroit News uncertainty. It could be 9-10 months without hockey for the Red Wings, but Larkin says he's been in the gym working out since the COVID-19 As endorsements go, that’s about as good as it gets from Yzerman, who shutdown in March and "can't wait to get back to playing." as we all know, isn’t one to sugarcoat things. Certainly not after the kind of season he just endured, a miserable slog that probably felt a bit like "The other thing I feel in my core," he adds, "is I’m hungrier than I’ve ever the one that preceded ' decision to make him the been." youngest captain in franchise history back in October 1986. Sounds like a player ready for more responsibility on his plate, doesn't it? These Red Wings just posted the worst record in the 15-year salary-cap “I think it’d be one of the greatest honors of my life,” said Larkin, who also era of the NHL, and the third-worst record in franchise history, based on served as an alternate captain playing for Blashill and Team USA at the points percentage. Detroit won just five of 37 road games, ranked last in last three world championships. “It’d be something I take very seriously. goals for (145), goals against (267), and that goal differential (minus-122 To represent the Red Wings in that role, it’d be something I never in 71 games) was second only to the 1985-86 Red Wings (minus-149 in imagined as a kid growing up in Detroit.” 80 games) among franchise lows. But based on what the Red Wings saw this season, and what we heard “We had a bad year, and it was hard,” Blashill said Thursday, summing it this week, I imagine that time has finally arrived. up neatly. Detroit News LOADED: 05.29.2020 And while there some mitigating circumstance that made it worse – injuries to Anthony Mantha and Danny DeKeyser sure didn’t help – the fact of the matter is this was never going to be playoff team. Deep down, everyone probably knew it, too. 1185347 Detroit Red Wings Svechnikov either stays on the Wings’ roster after next training camp, or will be lost on waivers. The Wings will likely keep him around, but it’ll be up to Svechnikov to carve out playing time.

Red Wings defensemen Svechnikov, Seider enter key periods in their Evgeny Svechnikov careers “The first thing Svech has to do is find a way to earn his way on the team and earn his way into minutes,” Blashill said. “As he earns those opportunities, we can start seeing how high he can go (in the lineup), but Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 8:11 p.m. ET May 28, 2020 | you have to start by making the team and earning more minutes. Those Updated 5:19 a.m. ET May 29, 2020 aren’t handed out to anybody.

“It starts with earning trust and he’s worked real hard. He’s an extremely hard working person in practice and off the ice and he wants to be a Detroit Red Wings center and alternate captain Luke Glendening met the great player.” media in a teleconference Thursday to talk about the shortened 2019-20 season. The Detroit News Seider was last year’s No. 1 draft pick, and the young defenseman improved steadily in Grand Rapids, adjusting to the North American pro Detroit — It’ll be nice to see NHL hockey back this summer, but not being game. involved in the playoff action will sting Red Wings players. The Wings hope Seider will be ready to step into the lineup next season. The NHL announced Tuesday a Return to Play Plan with 24 teams — although many hurdles still exist, due to the coronavirus pandemic. “He had a real good year in totality,” Blashill said. “It was a learning year, ups and downs, and when you’re a defenseman it’s real hard. The The Wings, with the worst record in the NHL, along with six other teams experience he went through, especially for him because he wants to will not be involved. attack the game an in an offensive manner, and that’s awesome. But part Luke Glendening of that is learning not to bite off more than you can chew.

“It can give hope to people and that’s exciting obviously,” said forward “He has a chance to be a real impactful defenseman. Can he do it next Luke Glendening, the Red Wings’ player representative, during a Zoom year? I hope so. He might have as many as eight months to get himself call Thursday with media. “We’d love to be part of that but we didn’t put prepared to improve his body and turn his body to an elite pro body.” ourselves in a great situation.” Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin met with the media in a The Wings had a 17-49-5 record. They had 11 games remaining in the teleconference Thursday to talk about the premature end of the 2019-20 regular season, and were already long eliminated from a playoff spot. season. The Detroit News

Still, the ability to come together as a team and conclude the season was Missing skating appealing. For most Red Wings players, this is the longest they've gone without “It’ll be fun to just have hockey and we were hoping we could be part of it organized on-ice workouts in their careers. in some way,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “Just to get together as a group, to It’s not easy to replicate skating in any workout. That level of conditioning skate and coach and play again, but we’re not going to have that will take some time to get back. opportunity and that’s OK. “I can go back to my high school days and playing football (at East Grand “At least we’ll be able to watch and that’ll be pretty neat.” Rapids) and I thought I was in great shape,” Glendening said. “Then Glendening is the Wings’ player representative and voted yes on the stepping onto the rink and I felt terrible and out of shape. Skating just playoff format, which was approved by a reported 29-2 vote. isn’t one of those things that transfers very easily.

Though not being included in the return to play, Glendening said the “But that being said, guys are riding the bike and running and working Wings were supportive of what the committee’s work to formulate a plan out, so they’ll be in shape. It’s obviously going to take some time, like it to return. does every summer, to get back into it and this will be no exception.”

“We’re all competitive and would love to play and compete,” Glendening Larkin has gone back to rollerblading, which many players have, in an said. “But what is the best way to do this in a safe and timely manner? I effort to maintain his stride. know it’s not exactly perfect in everyone’s eyes but the committee “Rollerblading is something I’ve been doing a lot, something I did as a worked a long time on that and when we ended up voting on a format, we kid, so I’ve definitely put the rollerblades on, and stickhandling in the didn’t have a dog in the fight, so it was kind of weird situation as we were backyard,” Larkin said. “Training in the gym, you can build up your out of it. muscles and explosiveness in the gym, and that’ll help you on the ice, “But we believed in the committee and what they were doing.” but it’s hard to get the stride mechanics and strides when you’re not on the ice.” The NHL is the first of the major pro sports leagues to formulate a plan for a return. Major league baseball and the NBA are both still finalizing Detroit News LOADED: 05.29.2020 plans for a safe return to actual games.

“Hockey coming back, sports coming back in general, it gives people hope and that’s what we need right now,” forward Dylan Larkin said. “Something to watch and gather around, people in their cities need to cheer teams.

“It’s a great sign that there’s hockey coming back, and sports in general, coming back.”

Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill met the media in a Thursday teleconference to discuss the early end of the 2019-20 season and the impact on the team. The Detroit News

Earn their way

Next season, whenever it’ll begin for the Red Wings, will be a big one for forward Evgeny Svechnikov and defenseman Moritz Seider.

Svechnikov, 23, is a 2015 first-round pick who has spent the majority of his professional time in Grand Rapids, in the minor leagues. 1185348 Detroit Red Wings “Hockey is played at an incredible pace – it’s a chaotic game,” Blashill said. “There’s a lot of things going on around you and if you don’t experience that for a long period of time, you’re not training your body to make those decisions. Returning Jeff Blashill: Wings must be 'fluid, flexible' in long offseason “Whether it’s a goalie to make reads and see through traffic, or a forward knowing what he’ll do with the puck before he gets it and makes the proper play, you can’t replicate that (without practices and games).” Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News Published 2:37 p.m. ET May 28, 2020 | Updated 5:38 p.m. ET May 28, 2020 Blashill has yet to do a postseason review of his staff but spoke highly of his assistants and Doug Houda.

“As we review everything, I’ll have those answers,” Blashill said about Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill met the media in a Thursday potential changes. “But right now, I can tell you that they did a really good teleconference to discuss the early end of the 2019-20 season and the job in really hard circumstances to continue to come to the rink every day impact on the team. The Detroit News and try to push our team to be better and try to find solutions. Detroit – The Red Wings have to be “fluid and flexible” as they head into “Our coaching staff did an excellent job that way.” a long offseason — maybe as long as nine months — coach Jeff Blashill said Thursday. Detroit News LOADED: 05.29.2020 Blashill talked about the need to be ready for whatever is ahead during a Zoom call with the media, one day after general manager Steve Yzerman confirmed Blashill will return for a sixth season as the Wings’ head coach.

Wings coach Jeff Blashill

“One thing that’s important in any of this, our decision making, is we’re fluid and flexible,” Blashill said. “Because we don’t really know exact dates, which you’d have for a normal year. We’ll have to be real good about being fluid and flexible and making adjustments when needed.

“I’ve had some discussions with some of the players on this and there is some concern among the players. It’s a big disadvantage for those seven teams (that didn’t qualify for the revised playoff tournament), for those individual players, without an organized practice and coaching and going at full speed.

“I’m hoping we can look toward some creative solutions with the NHL.”

Blashill said “it means a lot” to have the confidence and backing from Yzerman.

“What I like working for Steve is he tells me exactly the parameters with which I’m working from,” Blashill said. “We’re all in our organization taking a long-term approach to taking this organization to the level we all want it to be, that championship level, and that takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight.

“Certainly to have Steve’s confidence is great and I look forward to the challenges ahead of us.”

This season, which was paused on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic and deemed completed Tuesday by the NHL, was certainly a unique challenge.

The Wings finished with the NHL’s worst record, 17-49-5. Since making the playoffs in Blashill’s first season, the Wings have now missed the postseason four consecutive years, as the organization goes through a rebuild.

Forward Dylan Larkin believes Blashill shouldn’t be judged by the won- loss record.

“He’s a great coach, a hard-working coach,” said Larkin during a Zoom interview Thursday. “The way we’ve played at times, it is unfair to judge. I don't really want to talk a whole lot about it because he’s the coach and I’m a player, and at the end of the day, I have no say. I have to play my best, and I have to play better than I did this year.

“I have a lot of respect for him and how he came every day to the rink and he worked us extremely hard, as he should have. He understood that there’s a bigger picture than this season, and he wants all of his players to be great, and I have a lot of respect for him.”

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin met with the media in a teleconference Thursday to talk about the premature end of the 2019-20 season. The Detroit News

With the possibility of the 2020-21 season not starting until December or January, there’s a real chance the Wings – coaching staff and players – could be off the ice as a group for approximately nine months.

Blashill hopes the seven non-playoff teams can be allowed to do something as a team, on the ice. 1185349 Detroit Red Wings Some of their young players and prospects lost valuable growth opportunity when the Red Wings’ final 11 games as well as the last several weeks of the AHL season and playoffs were canceled.

Red Wings seek creative ways to train with long off-season looming “One way to grow is through experience, and experience is something that you can’t teach, you have to live it,” Blashill said. “Not having those game reps takes away from that chance at experience.”

By Ansar Khan Much of it comes down to will.

“We’ll learn who really wants to be a hockey player and guys that want to train and want to improve are going to figure it out,” general manager While 24 teams prepare to begin high-intensity training soon for a Steve Yzerman said. potential expanded playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings might go more than nine months between games. “We’re going to have to get creative and figure out ways within the laws, within the guidelines, to get the work done, and we will.” Most of their players have not been able to skate and none have been able to train at team facilities since March 12 when the NHL season Michigan Live LOADED: 05.29.2020 paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The 2020-21 season might not start until December or January, so the Red Wings and six other teams not taking part in the playoffs must get creative with their off-season training.

“There is some concern amongst the players that it’s a big disadvantage in the sense that the seven teams that are off, those players are going that long without an organized practice with coaches and going at full speed,” Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “I’m hoping we can look toward some creative solutions with the NHL. We’ll try to be as creative as we can to make sure our players aren’t at a disadvantage when the puck drops next year.”

Several players would have been playing in the World Championship and many prospects taking part in the CHL playoffs or their respective European league postseasons, events that were canceled. That competition would have been valuable experience.

“Hockey is played at an incredible pace, it’s a chaotic game, there’s lot of things going on around you,” Blashill said. “If you don’t experience that for a long period of time, you’re not training your body to make those decisions … whether it’s a goalie having to make reads, see through traffic, whether it’s a (skater) making sure he shoulder checks, knowing what he’s going to do with the puck before he gets it … you can’t replicate that without real practices or games.

“We’ll see what the parameters are in place from the NHL and Players Association and ultimately our guys are going to have to do everything they can to try to find ways, even if you don’t have as many skaters as you’d like, playing three-on-three in tight areas and things like that to get themselves as ready for next season as possible.”

Dylan Larkin has been rollerblading while stickhandling in his backyard.

“You can build up so much muscle and explosiveness in the gym that will help you on the ice,” Larkin said. “But it is hard to get the stride mechanics and the stride itself when you’re not on the ice.”

The NHL is targeting early June for phase 2 of its return to play protocol, which would allow teams to open their practice facilities for small group workouts. But with Michigan’s stay-at-home orders extended through June 12, it might be several weeks before the Red Wings can train at Little Caesars Arena.

“I can go back to my high school days when I played football and then I would think I was in great shape and I’d step on the rink for hockey and I’d feel terrible and out of shape,” Luke Glendening said. “Skating’s just not one of those things that transfers very easily. That being said, guys are riding the bike, they’re running, they’re working out, so they’ll be ready and be in shape.”

Would a summer mini-camp help?

“In the NFL they do those OTAs (organized team activities), so there are options,” Glendening said. “I don’t know if the NHL and the NHLPA will agree to something like that. It’s an interesting proposition.”

Perhaps the NHL will alter rules and allow for on-ice instruction from coaches in the off-season.

“I certainly would like to. I think our players would as well, but there’s lots that go into that,” Blashill said. “This layoff is as long as any of our guys have ever had outside of a long-term injury. I want to do everything we can to make sure that we’re as ready as individuals and a team for next season. I’m hoping we get some different opportunities than we’ve had in the past.” 1185350 Detroit Red Wings Free agency also won’t start until the playoffs conclude. Yzerman said he will explore the market but not for high-end players seeking big-money, long-term deals.

Steve Yzerman: Red Wings need a lot of help but will improve next The Red Wings need a forward with offensive ability, one or two season defensemen and a back-up goaltender.

Michigan Live LOADED: 05.29.2020

By Ansar Khan

After experiencing mostly success during his nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Steve Yzerman saw how the other half lives in 2019-20.

He knew rebuilding the Detroit Red Wings would require time and patience. He saw this past season just how much work is needed.

“I think we need to improve in every area,” Yzerman said. “We need to score more goals, we need to improve defensively, we need to improve in net. I think we need to get better in every aspect and it’s going to take time to do that.

“I’m confident that we will, and I think we’ll see improvement next season. I can’t tell you what that will translate into in wins and losses. We will try to address all of those things.”

Yzerman spoke with media Wednesday on a Zoom conference call, one day after the Red Wings’ season officially ended following the NHL’s announcement of a 24-team playoff this summer, should the league return.

The Red Wings (17-49-5) clinched the NHL’s worst record before the season was paused on March 12 due to the coronavirus pandemic. They had 11 games remaining in Yzerman’s first season as general manager.

While most of the league looks forward to practice facilities opening soon so they can begin training in earnest for hockey, the Red Wings could be off until January, the potential start of the 2020-21 season.

“Most of the players that I spoke with said they would like to come back and play,” Yzerman said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way for us. Would it have made sense, I’m not sure, but we would have liked to have played.”

Yzerman and the front office spent the year assessing the organization. He learned a lot about the players, on and off the ice. He announced coach Jeff Blashill will return for his sixth season.

“We’re trying to run a good program to develop our young players, to rebuild and get the team back on track,” Yzerman said. “I didn’t really know what our record was going to be going in. We felt it was going to be a stretch to be a playoff team. I’m not totally shocked by anything.

“I’ve learned a lot about our organization. I feel I have a good handle on the next steps that need to be taken and ultimately, we need to continue to draft well and run a good development program to get these young players to fulfill their potential. That’s ultimately the only way we’re going to get it turned around.”

It would help if the Red Wings landed forward Alexis Lafreniere, the consensus top prospect in a draft that might not take place until October, after the playoffs conclude.

The Red Wings have an 18.5 percent chance of winning the draft lottery on June 26. They have a 50.6 percent chance of dropping to fourth, the lowest they can pick. A proposal to hold the draft in early June and alter the lottery format that would have given Detroit a 57 percent chance at the No. 1 pick failed.

“I have mixed feelings about it,” Yzerman said. “I knew the league was going to do whatever they felt they had to do to make it work. So, it is what it is. We’re excited. Obviously, we’d all like to get the highest pick we possibly can, and we’re confident where we’re picking, we’re going to be happy with the player that we get.”

The Red Wings have 12 restricted free agents. Yzerman said all won’t be made qualifying offers, but they will get deals done with the top players, notably Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi.

“We will get them signed, to what term and (cap hit) remains to be seen,” Yzerman said. “Those are some of our best, young players, the restricted free agents. We’re not going to let them go anywhere.” 1185351 Edmonton Oilers 172 pounds). Yamamoto (five-foot-eight, 155) had 42 goals and 99 points when Oilers took him at No. 22 in 2017. “Jarvis is a driver, likes to go through the middle of the ice,” said The Hockey Writer’s ace draft guy Larry Fisher … While the NHL wants hub cities but not host cities, with Oilers GM blessed to have young scoring champ Leon Draisaitl no fans in the buildings for playoff games that’s hardly home-rink advantage. Home dressing room maybe. What NHL’s really worried

about, if they let, say, Edmonton and Columbus become hub city and Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal stay as host city they’re both are Cup contenders and would have a leg up … If the Oilers call up Evan Bouchard and William Lagesson from Bakersfield for the restart that will give them the 10 D they want … While Cam Talbot and Jay Woodcroft’s U of Alabama Huntsville alma mater When Ken Holland was working for the Detroit Red Wings he knew Leon has a push on to save the hockey program there, three Sherwood Park Draisaitl was good, but maybe not this good. Crusaders alum have committed there for 2021 — forwards Will Fifty goals last season, the scoring title now. The daily double. Zapernick, Jarred White and Jacob Franczak. Franczak could go back to junior. Zapernick (88 points) has several other college options, reportedly “Leon had the most points in the NHL and he’s only 24 years old,” said Minnesota Duluth and Colgate. Liam Izyk, who played in Fort McMurray, the Edmonton Oilers general manager. “Certainly a tremendous a sophomore, has already transferred to Boston College with the accomplishment, another stepping stone in his career. Credit to his uncertainty of the program … on Jesse Puljujarvi: “Point-wise commitment, his passion, the hard work, the determination over the last was OK, but Finnish League is not that strong anymore.” The Oiler three, four, five seasons to take steps forward. winger, who has lots of skill, had 53 points in 56 games for Karpat. Kurri, “Being in Detroit for so many years, we had lots of really talented players in charge of in the KHL, hopes the season isn’t derailed. there and there’s an evolution of a player individually and as a team and “It’s planning to start in early September but nobody knows yet,” said certainly, ultimately, the most important thing is the Stanley Cup, which is Kurri. One-time Oiler Iiro Pakarinen just signed to play there for three a team goal, but certainly you need individual players to take on big years…Ex Oiler centre , who missed the whole Winnipeg responsibilities and at the same time work in a chemistry standpoint.” Jets regular-season with a heart condition, is healthy as he waits out COVID-19 at his home in Columbus, and could be added to the Jets’ In Detroit, Holland was blessed to have nine Hall of Famers on his 2002 roster for the playoffs. Cup winner — Steve Yzerman, Nick Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan, , Igor Larionov, Luc Robitaille, Dominik Hasek, Sergei Fedorov, and Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.29.2020 .

In Edmonton, Connor McDavid has won the Hart trophy (2107) and Draisaitl may follow suit whenever the NHL Hockey Writers Association votes on it.

“As a general manager, and if you’re a fan of the Edmonton Oilers, we’re very fortunate to have two great players 23 and 24 years of age and they’re really, just coming into their prime years as athletes,” said Holland.

THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE

Canadian women’s goalie Shannon Szabados offered up her two funny cents on NHL playoff games with no spectators in the building.

“Happy the NHL is back but without fans how do we expect players to know when to shoot the puck? How will opposing goalies know they suck?” said Szabados, in a juicy twitter feed.

STILL QUESTIONS ON PHASE 2

Holland knows players from other NHL teams who live here (Jake DeBrusk, Mark Pysyk, Carter Hart) can theoretically use OilerS team facilities as part of the return to play format for Phase 2, according to the league, but he’s in the dark on how the six-player sessions at Rogers Place will work starting in early June.

“First off, I don’t know how many Oiler players will be in Edmonton for Phase 2. There’s a lot of unknowns. I’m trying to figure out myself how many of our players we’ll have. We’ll go per rules and recommendations but I’m not sure how many of our own we’ll have. Have to figure that out.”

McDavid, Darnell Nurse, Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins aren’t in Edmonton right now. The first three back East, Nugent-Hopkins is B.C., Alex Chiasson, Matt Benning, Kris Russell and farmhands Tyler Benson and Stuart Skinner are in town or close by.

“I’m letting my players make their own decisions (where to skate) as Phase 2 is voluntary. Nuge is staying in Vancouver for the time being,” said Nugent-Hopkins’ agent Rick Vallette.

Bruins winger DeBrusk, son of SportsNet’s Louie, has a condo here.

“I’m back home in Edmonton but not sure if I’m even allowed to skate at Rogers at this point. It’s being talked about but there’s no decision as far as I know,” said DeBrusk in a text.

The ice is in the process of being put back into Rogers, but not at the adjacent Downtown Development Arena, at this point.

This ’n that: We’ve heard lots of names for Oilers with their first-round pick, but best one at No. 20 (for their needs) is Portland right-winger Seth Jarvis (42 goals, 98 points). He’s a bigger Kailer Yamamoto (five-foot-10, 1185352 Edmonton Oilers win five rounds and go through some really good teams, then maybe they do deserve it.

“There’s never going to be a perfect scenario. There’s never going to be McDavid to Edmonton Oilers fans: format isn't perfect, but it's best for the a perfect format. This just seems to check off most of the boxes for most NHL teams and we just have to live with that and play the games and see what happens.”

But McDavid says just because they have an initial format in place Robert Tychkowski doesn’t mean the season is a lock to go ahead. This is just the preliminary groundwork — there are a lot of serious discussions that

have to take place regarding health and quarantines before the players Connor McDavid understands that not everyone is happy with the return sign off on anything. to play format he helped create. “Obviously that’s a huge part of it and I think those are questions that He is well aware there are critics, Oilers fans among them, who feel it’s we’ll start to need answers to,” he said. “The safety of players and of unfair to Edmonton while providing handouts to bottom feeders that everyone involved is paramount. That’s the main issue that’s got to get weren’t anywhere near a playoff spot. solved right now.

But the Oilers captain, by far the youngest of five players on the NHL’s “I think that’s what needs to be answered before anything happens and Return to Play committee, is comfortable with what he describes as a we move forward. The first step was putting the format together, and now workable solution to a seemingly impossible situation. we’ve got to start to connect the dots and start putting answers to those types of questions.” “Everyone on that committee, everyone around the league, has to take a step back and say, ‘What’s best for the league?’” McDavid said on a Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.29.2020 media conference call Thursday.

“Not, ‘What’s best for me and my team?’ You’re not pushing for the Oilers. You have to do what’s best for the league and try and keep 31 teams and 700 players happy. You need to look at it unselfishly. That’s what all five guys did.

“Lots of guys had to make sacrifices and the Oilers were part of that. We had a good season and put ourselves in a good spot, but we still have to play in the play-in round. That’s the way it goes. It’s what’s best for the league.”

Despite being just 23 years old with only 351 NHL games under his belt, McDavid earned himself a seat at the table by establishing himself as one of the best and most high profile players in the league, joining veterans (29), Ron Hainsey (39), Mark Scheifele (27) and (31).

Being involved in high-level discussions to help chart the NHL’s course through a global pandemic isn’t something any player is ever really prepared for, but it’s a responsibility he welcomed.

“It was definitely exciting to be part of the process,” he said. “There was lots of back and forth. I can’t say that everyone agreed on everything, but that was the point of the committee, to debate stuff and take it to a larger sample size.

“I feel like we’ve done our job in putting together a format. I’m not sure where it goes from here, whether that same committee stays together and we see it through or not. But it was definitely exciting to be a part of it, a mix of veteran guys and younger guys, and guys that I know a little bit. It was fun to be a part of it for sure.”

Even if it meant coming back to the Oilers and telling them that despite sitting second in the Pacific Division at the shutdown, they will have to play Chicago in a qualifying series in order to make the playoffs.

But, again, trying to grind out a better deal for Edmonton while trying to stay true to his responsibility isn’t a dilemma he wrestled with at all.

In the end, he says, just drop the pucks and let the teams figure things out from there.

“We (Oilers) were in a position where we were going to be included in any format, so that was a positive,” he said. “There are going to be teams that aren’t thrilled with it, and teams that are ecstatic with it. We’ve got a lot of guys to please, and you can’t please them all.

“Unfortunately, we were one of those teams that were on the bubble of being in the Top 4, or being in the play-ins. We’re not in the Top 4, and Dallas probably deserves to be there (based on winning percentage). So we’ll get the job done, and hopefully move on to an exciting playoffs.”

McDavid says that even though the format doesn’t satisfy everyone, he believes it preserves the integrity of the Stanley Cup, even if a team like Montreal or Chicago rises from the ashes to win it.

“Ultimately, we beat this thing to death,” he said. “And if a team like Montreal beats Pittsburgh and does go on to win the Stanley Cup, if they 1185353 Edmonton Oilers “I think you have to take this opportunity of getting a little longer time to get ready for next year,” he said. “For me, one of the things I want to do is try to get stronger and I’m able to work out and do that. Right now, I’m focusing on the things that I can do, which is improve my strength and Edmonton Oilers pipeline update: Skyler Brind'Amour looking to carve explosiveness and things like that. own path “Hopefully, I can get on the ice here soon and start working on that, but I think you have to look at this as an opportunity to try and get better.”

Derek Van Diest Brind’Amour acknowledges there is still a long road ahead to make the jump to the professional ranks and then eventually to the NHL. But he is

willing to put in the work in and hopes to be able to wear an Oilers jersey Skyler Brind’Amour is working hard to skate out of his father’s shadow in the future. and fashion his own NHL career. “I definitely have to get stronger to be ready for that jump,” Brind’Amour Brind’Amour is currently riding out the COVID-19 pandemic in his said. “One thing I have to do is use my size more to my advantage. I’m a hometown of Raleigh, N.C., after a successful freshman season at pretty big guy and I want to get that edge more in my game. Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Conn. The 20-year-old centre was “It starts with getting stronger and being able to hold off guys, protect the selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the sixth round (177th overall) of the puck and be able to make plays.” 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.29.2020 “It’s been a huge help for me having my dad there,” Brind’Amour said of his father, Rod. “Even to this day, he still helps me and watches my games and things like that. There is some pressure to follow in his footsteps, but I’m trying to carve my own path here. Yet, having him there is a great resource because he’s obviously been through it and knows what it takes.

“I was just lucky enough to be around the (Carolina) Hurricanes organization when I was younger and see how pros do it from a young age, and it’s been huge help for me and definitely something I’m thankful for.”

Brind’Amour was six years old when his father won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006, defeating the Oilers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. Rod Brind’Amour played 20 seasons in the NHL and is now head coach of the Hurricanes.

Skyler Brind’Amour grew up playing minor hockey in Raleigh and eventually made his way to the Hockey League to play Junior A with the Chilliwack Chiefs, winning what was then the RBC Cup in 2018.

“I went to a prep school and it was kind of between the USHL (United States Hockey League) or the BCHL after high school and I felt it was a better development league for me personally to go to the BCHL,” Brind’Amour said. “Chilliwack is a pretty good organization and it has a pretty good history, so I wanted to go there and it was an awesome two- year experience.

“The first year didn’t go as well as planned on a personal note, but we were able to win the RBC Cup, so that was a lot of fun. I had a choice to go to school and go back for another year and I felt like I wanted one more year to develop and the second year was awesome.”

Brind’Amour had 13 goals and 44 points in 52 games as a 19-year-old in his second year with Chilliwack. And last season, he had four goals and 13 points in 34 games with Quinnipiac before the season was called off due to the pandemic.

“It was definitely an adjustment going to college,” Brind’Amour said. “It was a little bit of an up-and-down year for me, personally. I started off not playing too much, but then I started playing a little bit more and got more confidence as the season went on. I felt like I hit my stride pretty well at the midpoint of the season and it was a good experience, for sure.

“I think there is still a lot to improve on, but it was a step in the right direction. Overall, I was pretty happy with it.”

The Oilers are keeping a close eye on Brind’Amour’s development. The six-foot-three, 180-pound centre has attended multiple rookie camps with the club since being drafted.

Next season, Brind’Amour is looking to take a bigger role with Quinnipiac, who were made up mainly of first and second-year players.

Having the NCAA season cancelled early will give Brind’Amour a longer runway into his sophomore year, which could prove extremely beneficial in the long run.

While he does not have access to ice during the pandemic, Brind’Amour is able to spend a lot of time in his home gym. 1185354 Edmonton Oilers The way the numbers are trending and the availability of everything here, Edmonton’s case figures to get better, not worse.

With the announcement that the regular season is now considered JONES: NHL should be applauded for leading the way with realistic plan complete, for the 10th time in their 40 seasons, it became official that with Leon Draisaitl finishing first, an Edmonton Oilers player has won the scoring title and the . If Draisaitl or Connor McDavid win the Hart Trophy as MVP, that’ll be 11 of those. But the big winner in the announcement package was Oilers general

manager Ken Holland, who won’t likely have to give up a third-round draft The thing about being self-isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic is that pick to Calgary in the James Neal-Milan Lucic deal and saw the draft get it gives you a lot of time to think. Vol. 1, No. 5. delayed until after the Stanley Cup is presented.

There were more questions than NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was Holland will now have time to engineer some draft-floor trades of able to answer while his three-year-old grandson played with pots and prospects for draft picks with teams like the Ottawa Senators, who have pans for background in the kitchen Tuesday afternoon. a glut of them. He’ll now also be able to watch which players pass the playoff test and be able to make better decisions. But at a time when other leagues are still floating without a plan, Bettman provided one that is reasonable and realistic. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.29.2020

Yes, there’s an absence of any real time frame other than a hope to get players around the league back on the ice and skating in the next week or two and into training camp situations in mid-July.

But there’s a framework going forward that the NBA, MLB and certainly the League don’t have. And there’s a reasonable chance they could make it work.

There’s a lot to be decided including whether the first two rounds of the normal Stanley Cup playoffs would be shortened to best-of-five series, as will be the case in the play-in series. But Bettman guaranteed the conference finals and Stanley Cup final would both remain the traditional best-of-seven series.

This is a one-off situation and I’d expect there would be no major opposition to two more rounds of best-of-five play. That way, it would take 17 wins for a play-in series team to hoist the Stanley Cup instead of 16.

Hey, the whole thing is going to be wild and crazy. Why not make it wilder and crazier.

It’s called being heavy on the forecheck.

Premier Jason Kenney, leader of the opposition and former Premier Rachel Notley and Alberta chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw formed an energy line Wednesday to help secure hub city status for the Edmonton bid to host Stanley Cup playoff games here.

The one missing component involved in Edmonton’s attempt to attract two months of empty-seat telecasts out of Rogers Place was for the federal government to wave the 14-day quarantine for the teams that would be headed here for the 12-team Western Conference games.

Kenney wrote a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Notley produced a video and Dr. Hinshaw wrote a letter to NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

Dr. Hinshaw went out of her way to assure Bettman the province is more than capable of supplying all the testing requirements the league might want.

“I am confident in the capabilities of our public health system and health capacity to address and rising need,” she wrote.

Kenney made it pretty clear a bit back that he didn’t expect the 14-day quarantine would be a problem with NHL teams going through virtual quarantines with a substantial amount of testing at training camps before catching a charter flight and proceeding directly to their hotel and to Rogers Place in well-sterilized buses.

Kenney also referred to the number of active cases that have dropped to the 50 range, the daily number of positive tests that have dropped to single digits, only five hospital beds with coronavirus patients and only one person remaining in intensive care.

The players wouldn’t be locked in their hotel rooms. They’d even be able to go golfing between series and associate with their families. But they’d have to get temperature tested every day entering the building and frequently during the event.

Bettman said the NHL will likely wait three or four weeks to select the hub cities as they watch the statistics and the availability of testing in each city. 1185355 Edmonton Oilers There were a few hot-button issues among the player group, which was also comprised of John Tavares (Toronto), Ron Hainsey (Ottawa), Mark Scheifele (Winnipeg) and James van Riemsdyk (Philadelphia).

‘It’s what’s best for the league’: Oilers accept challenge of play-in series Allowing those last teams – like the Canadiens and Blackhawks – into the play-in round was a “huge issue” to finalize, McDavid said.

Of all the play-in series, only the Pittsburgh-Montreal matchup represents By Daniel Nugent-Bowman May 28, 2020 and greater disparity in terms of points percentage between the two teams involved than Edmonton and its opponent.

“There’s just no way to handicap those teams,” McDavid said. “Maybe it’s This isn’t intended to make Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse and the rest not the most fair way, but I think the integrity of the Stanley Cup playoffs of the Oilers out to be martyrs. Far from it, especially right now when is still gonna be intact.” there are so many more things to be concerned about than the NHL’s revised postseason format for this summer – or fall, if at all. He continued, looking at the situation another way.

But it’s become apparently obvious since the NHL’s 24-team setup was “Let’s say a team like Montreal beats Pittsburgh and does go on to win announced Tuesday that the Oilers were one of the biggest losers. They the Stanley Cup. I think they’re a very deserving team if they’re gonna might even be the biggest losers of them all. win five rounds and go through some really good teams,” he said.

That wasn’t going to stop McDavid from finding a consensus as a “There’s never gonna be a perfect scenario. There’s never gonna be a member of the five-player, Return to Play committee, though. Nor was it perfect format. This seems to check off most of the boxes and seems to going to prevent Nurse, as Edmonton’s player rep, for casting a vote in work for most teams. We just have to leave with that, play the games and favour of the proposal on behalf of his teammates. see what happens.”

The Oilers are sacrificing a better chance – or at least outwardly resisting The Oilers are seemingly in the minority as a team to whom this format – for the greater good. isn’t ideal.

“You’re not vouching for the Oilers,” McDavid said about how he Still, Nurse was more than comfortable voting for his captain’s operated on the committee. “You need to take a step back and look at it committee’s proposal after getting input from the other Oilers players. unselfishly. Only the Hurricanes and Lightning voted against it.

“The Oilers were part of that. We had a good season and put ourselves “We weren’t like a true democracy. Our vote is just a picture of what our in a good spot, but we’ve still gotta play in a play-in round – and that’s the team believes in,” Nurse said. “Connor talked about the integrity of the way it goes. It’s what’s best for the league and I think guys understood format. This is gonna be hard no matter what position you’re in.” that.” If there’s a positive, Nurse feels, it’s the position the Oilers could be in if “There’s no perfect situation here. We wanna play. We showed that,” they get by the Blackhawks. Nurse added. “We can sit here and complain and hope for a different format, but the Return to Play committee put together a good format. They’d then face a top-four team in the Western Conference “that’s They worked hard on it. played a couple exhibition games, basically, for seeding,” he said, whereas the Oilers have been battle-tested. “If we have to play an extra series, we have to play an extra series. We’ll deal with that.” Maybe that’s true. But three bad games and the Oilers are out.

The reality is the Oilers are now going to need to beat five opponents It’s a challenge they’re ready to accept. rather than four if they’re going to win the Stanley Cup – as unlikely as “This is a format that’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got,” McDavid that prospect would have been under normal circumstances. said. “That’s what we’re going with.” A more pressing concern: the distinct possibility of seeing one of their The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 best seasons in a decade and a half going down the drain in 10 days or fewer. The Athletic colleague Dom Luszczyszyn gives the Oilers a 53.4 percent chance of beating the Blackhawks in a series, odds barely better than a coin flip.

But McDavid didn’t dig in his heels. He made one thing clear: it wasn’t tough to balance his best interests as an Oiler with those as an NHLer at large. The latter reigned supreme.

“We were in a position where we were gonna be included in any format. That was a positive,” McDavid said. “There’s gonna be teams that aren’t thrilled with it. There’s gonna be teams that are ecstatic about the format. We’ve got a lot of guys to please – and you can’t please them all.”

You couldn’t blame McDavid or the Oilers if they felt it didn’t need to be this way.

The Oilers were the only team with a second-place divisional seeding to not be granted a bye directly into the official playoff portion of the event. Points percentage was used to determine the order in the revamped conference-style format. Suddenly, the divisions meant nothing.

And it’s not as if the Oilers were laps behind the Stars for the last bye spot, either. A win in their last game against the Jets on March 11 would have pushed the Oilers ahead.

“Unfortunately, we’re one of those teams that’s on the bubble of being in the top four or being in the play-ins,” McDavid said. “We’re not in the top four and Dallas probably deserves to be there.

“We’ll do what we have to do and play this play-in and get the job done and hopefully move on to an exciting playoffs.” 1185356 Edmonton Oilers Holland inherited a fine NHL starter (, No. 54 overall in 1991) and acquired quality via trades and free agency over the years. His signature move at the position was trading for Dominik Hasek in July of 2001. Lowetide: Oilers greatest areas of need for the 2020 draft Edmonton’s best prospects are Konovalov (drafted last season, just a couple of months after Holland’s arrival) and Rodrigue, who posted a quality season in the QMJHL. By Allan Mitchell May 28, 2020 Yaroslav Askarov is easily the best prospect at the position available in

the 2020 draft; Corey Pronman ranked him inside the top 10 in his final Anyone who ever followed an NHL draft season from beginning to list for The Athletic. It’s possible Askarov falls to Edmonton in the first completion knows it is something less than an exact science. One of the round, and the club might be tempted to select him as a possible reasons that drafts don’t develop as expected comes from team needs. franchise goalie in the future. Every club will tell the media that best player available is the priority, but If Edmonton chooses to use a later pick on a goalie, Dylan Garand of the if a general manager needs a franchise centre or a stud defenceman, , Joel Blomquist from Karpat (Jr. ) and OHL chances are the top of the draft will give his organization its best chance freshman Brett Brochu of the are interesting options. All to procure the target. three posted strong numbers this season. Consider the 2010 draft. Left Defence In the lead-up, Edmonton Oilers scouting director Stu MacGregor was This is the strongest position, top to bottom, at this time. Oscar Klefbom, caught on camera saying, “To me, there’s seven guys you would trade Darnell Nurse and Caleb Jones are all quality and young enough to fill (back) in to get. (Taylor) Hall, (Tyler) Seguin, (Ryan) Johansen, (Erik) the position for much of the next decade. The AHL Gudbranson, (Cam) Fowler, (Dylan) McIlrath and Jack Campbell. Those boast Dmitri Samorukov and William Lagesson, while 2019 first-round are the guys you would trade from No. 12 back to get back in to get the selection Philip Broberg represents a major piece of the franchise down big defenceman. If (Jeff) Skinner’s there, you have to give him some the line. consideration — he’s just too much of a scorer.” That said, it’s likely both Jake Sanderson and will rank high The Oilers, who had the No. 1 selection and were wavering between Hall on Edmonton’s list. If one is available when Edmonton picks in the first and Seguin, were discussing trading back in to get one of the big round, could Holland draft a second lefty blue in a row with his first-round defencemen (Gudbranson, Fowler, McIlrath). Management talked about selection? Both men fit Edmonton’s requirements with strong skill sets in trading their own second-round pick plus something to get to their target important areas. and it was clearly part of the weekend’s draft strategy. Right Defence Gudbranson went No. 3, McIlrath No. 10 and Fowler No. 12, while Campbell was chosen No. 11 overall. Johansen, perhaps the late The most improved position on the roster over the last four seasons. surprise in the draft, was chosen No. 4 overall and Skinner landed at No. Adam Larsson is a quality shutdown defenceman, Ethan Bear blossomed 7. in a feature role in 2019-20 and Matt Benning has been consistently productive on the third pairing. Mike Green could return after coming over On draft weekend 2010, Edmonton was unable to trade in to the top 7 in a deadline deal. overall. Instead, general manager Steve Tambellini dealt college prospect Riley Nash for selection No. 46 and the team drafted Among AHL options, Evan Bouchard is the best prospect in the system defenceman Martin Marincin. and should force his way onto the big league roster some time next season. Filip Berglund just signed but has several years experience in Changing tides the SHL. Philip Kemp and Michael Kesselring are solid prospects but One wrinkle thrown into my coverage of the Oilers in the 2020 draft is the can’t be projected into feature roles when they graduate to the NHL. recent tweak by the NHL that gives Edmonton a chance to win the Braden Schneider is an attractive option in the first round. He possesses lottery. The story is outlined by James Mirtle and Dom Luszczyszyn for a fairly complete skill set and improved markedly season over season. The Athletic, with some terrific conversation regarding the possible impact on the Oilers. You may not want a lottery pick, but you should Justin Barron would be a reach selection if Edmonton drafts around No. know why it’s now possible. That article does a good job of framing the 20, but he (like Schneider) has a nice range of skills. If he fell into the news as it pertains to the Edmonton organization. second round, Barron would be a strong target for Edmonton to trade in and acquire. What does Edmonton need in 2020? Centre Oilers fans are clamouring for the team to select forwards at the 2020 draft, but is, every position but defence (left and right) needs Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl represent sensational talent at this help. In my winter top 20 back in December it was clear the club still important position. The current NHL depth chart after those two impact needs help in goal, and at left and right wing. Centre is strong, but only in players (Riley Sheahan, Gaetan Haas, Jujhar Khaira) needs help. Ryan the first two positions at the NHL level (Connor McDavid and Art Ross McLeod is the great hope from Bakersfield; his speed is outstanding and winner Leon Draisaitl) with a large gap in quality between those two men should be useful on offence and defence when he arrives. After that? and the rest of the depth chart. Concern.

I count several graduates (50 or more NHL games) including Ethan Bear, If Edmonton drafts around No. 20, one or two quality centres from a Caleb Jones and Kailer Yamamoto. The lack of quality and quantity group that includes Dawson Mercer, Seth Jarvis, Anton Lundell, Mavrik among forwards is obvious, and the goaltending, though well Bourque and Connor Zary should be available. Based on the exceptional represented, lacks a prospect who would be considered a lock for an quality and unusual quantity at this position in 2020, plus team need, it’s NHL career. my bet Holland chooses from this group in the first round.

How many players who will be available to Edmonton would move the The depth in this area of the draft gives Edmonton a chance to grab a needle on the prospect depth chart? Let’s have a look, position by top-10 talent with a later pick. I would identify Jarvis as the ideal selection position. for Edmonton in this draft although he may land on right wing when he turns pro. Goaltenders Later in the draft, Swede Daniel Ljungman (who played in the SuperElite Ken Holland’s Detroit Red Wings chose a goalie in the first round just league) and Theo Rochette (an undersized skill player from the QMJHL) once (Tom McCallum, 2008 No. 30 overall). The most successful goalie are attractive options. selection was in the second round of the 2003 draft (Jimmy Howard, No. 64 overall). In 21 draft seasons (1998-2018), Holland and his scouting Left Wing staff chose 16 goalies. The most successful were Howard and Petr Mrazek. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the marquee name at the position, with Andreas Athanasiou another possible long-term solution. Tyler Benson is knocking on the door and could be a solid contributor for years to come. Including everyone in the system, and acknowledging Nugent-Hopkins is a free agent in a year, left wing needs help.

Lukas Reichel is an interesting prospect — he’s skilled (had a strong World Juniors) and spiked offensively in 2020-21.

Jake Neighbours is the kind of player Edmonton may have thought they were getting when drafting Mitch Moroz from the in 2012. Neighbours has enough skill to project as a second-line winger with a defensive conscience. If he doesn’t make it as a skill winger, a role as a top-nine two-way type should be easy enough to cover. I didn’t expect him to be so good offensively; curious to know how much the Oilers like him.

Right Wing

This position received a major lift when Kailer Yamamoto blossomed at the NHL level this season. Added to Raphael Lavoie, who is just turning pro with some high expectations, this position is coming into view.

Noel Gunler is a fascinating option. The SHL winger is a pure shooter and might fit right in with Edmonton’s top centres in a few years.

Jack Quinn may be gone by the time Edmonton picks but he represents a perfect fit option as well.

An under-the-radar option for later in the draft is Luke Evangelista, who brings real offensive ability while also landing under the radar in the 2020 draft.

Oilers greatest draft needs

Heading into the draft, Edmonton will be faced with several outstanding options in the first round, followed by a long period of sitting before getting another selection, possibly as late as the fifth round.

Holland will likely add picks in the middle rounds via trades (possibly involving Jesse Puljujarvi). Here are the best options, by round, based on Edmonton’s needs (and including names identified in an earlier article):

First round: G Yaroslav Askarov, D Jake Sanderson, D Kaiden Guhle, D Braden Schneider, D Justin Barron, C Seth Jarvis, C Dawson Mercer, C Anton Lundell, C Mavrik Bourque, C Connor Zary, LW Lukas Reichel, RW Jack Quinn, RW Noel Gunler.

Second round: LW Jake Neighbours, LW Carter Savoie

Third round: G Joel Blomquist, C Daniel Ljungman, LW Emil Heineman, RW Luke Evangelista

Fourth round: G Dylan Garand, D Alex Cotton, C Theo Rochette, RW Pavel Novak

Fifth round: D Anton Johannesson, C Elliot Ekmark, C Evan Vierling

Sixth round: D Billy Constantinou, C Tristen Robins

Seventh round: G Brett Brochu

In order of greatest to least, Edmonton by position should be shopping for help at centre, left wing, right wing, goal, right defence and left defence. Expect a flood of forwards. Caveat: I wrote the same thing last year and Holland took a defenceman in the first round. We don’t know what we don’t know.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185357 Edmonton Oilers played 15:49 at 5-on-5 in that March game in Chicago and has two assists; Keith was on the ice for 5:03 of that time and Toews for 3:24.

Kassian is due for a big series Six bold (and not so bold) predictions as the Oilers prepare for the Remember the last time Kassian was in the playoffs? There were big hits Blackhawks and timely goals, especially in Game 2 of Edmonton’s series against San Jose.

By Daniel Nugent-Bowman May 28, 2020 Now, imagine what he can do this time if he is indeed on McDavid’s line after back-to-back 15-goal campaigns.

Provided the hulking winger plays within the rules – far from a sure thing We now know what’s been believed for some time: if the NHL season given his two suspensions this season – he should provide the ideal resumes, the Oilers will play the Blackhawks in a best-of-five play-in blend of muscle and offence that’s so important in a postseason series. series. The Blackhawks probably won’t have Brent Seabrook, one of their Provided this matchup gets off the ground – and the NHL returning is still biggest blueliners, due to injury. His effectiveness had taken a nosedive far from a certainty – the Oilers should be favourites. They had an 11- to the point where he was being scratched anyway. point lead in the standings over the Blackhawks – albeit having played one more game – and have the deeper and more star-studded lineup in Chicago could have a top four of Keith, Connor Murphy, Olli Maatta and most areas, led by newly crowned Art Ross Trophy winner Leon Draisaitl Calvin de Haan – if the latter returns from an injury that kept him out of and runner-up Connor McDavid. the lineup since December. Kassian has the potential to make their lives miserable on the forecheck. The Oilers would have been granted a bye in the 24-team format had they defeated the Jets on March 11, taking the Stars’ spot. The You’d expect the big three forwards – McDavid, Draisaitl and Nugent- Blackhawks, on the other hand, are only in the mix because of the NHL’s Hopkins – to shine. As crazy as it seems to expect a rookie who played decision to involve more than 16 teams. 27 games this season to do the same, Yamamoto’s consistency and near point-per-game output almost puts him in the category. Still, anything can happen – especially in a short series played in an arena without fans and possibly in a neutral site. The Oilers are going to need notable contributions from others up front. With due respect to players like Neal and Ennis, Kassian appears to be The Oilers, even as favourites, wouldn’t have odds to move on much the best candidate. greater than a coin flip. If Corey Crawford shines in net, Patrick Kane dominates offensively or the Oilers’ elite power play struggles for a few Kassian had three goals in 13 playoff games in 2017. Could he match games, an upset is easily conceivable. that against the Blackhawks?

That’s not likely to happen, however, and here’s what I’m predicting. Khaira plays centre and provides effective penalty killing

The losing record against the Blackhawks won’t matter Jujhar Khaira’s inclusion in the lineup won’t please a segment of Oilers fans. Yes, Edmonton went 1-2 against Chicago. No, that’s not good. He routinely leaves them wanting more at even strength and his plodding But let’s examine those defeats. The first loss was Game 6 of the skating often leaves him a step or two behind the play. It’s especially season. The Oilers opened the year 5-0 and were finishing off a four- problematic since, as he did before the break, the current roster game road trip. They laid an egg that night and the 3-1 score looked construction has Khaira bound to play centre. flattering. With a full contingent of wingers (and Nygard ready to return), the fourth- So much of their team is different now, though. line spot seems to be Khaira’s for the taking – at the expense of the right- handed Gaetan Haas – behind McDavid, Draisaitl and Riley Sheahan. Adam Larsson was injured then but has been in the lineup since November. His replacement for all intents and purposes that night was Khaira won’t provide much at 5-on-5 but his services in the lineup are still Joel Persson, who’s no longer with the organization. Add in midseason essential. call-up Kailer Yamamoto and trade deadline acquisitions Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Ennis and Mike Green (who’s expected to be back He’s been a mainstay on the penalty kill, helping the Oilers become the from a knee injury), and the Oilers are a completely different team than league’s second-best team in that department. they were in mid-October. He’s teamed up with Nugent-Hopkins as the second PK forward duo The most recent loss is perhaps a bit more concerning since it happened behind Sheahan and Josh Archibald. Draisaitl is the only other regular March 5, the fourth-last game for Edmonton before the NHL postponed forward to get consistent PK minutes, so Khaira cannot be removed. its season. Again, however, the Oilers were at the end of a road trip, this One more feather in Khaira’s cap: the Blackhawks went 0-for-8 on the time a three-gamer in which they won the first two games. They got power play against the Oilers in the three games and he was on the ice behind 3-0 but battled back and lost 4-3. for 5:27. An issue that night was Connor McDavid’s struggles. Green and Jones eventually become the third pair The Oilers were out-attempted 23-12 at 5-on-5 in 17:25 with McDavid on The top four on defence is set in stone: Oscar Klefbom, Adam Larsson, the ice. He spent the night with James Neal, who was in his second Darnell Nurse and Ethan Bear. After that, there are four players – Caleb game back after a foot/ankle injury, while splitting time with newcomers Jones, Mike Green, Kris Russell and Matt Benning – vying for the last Ennis and Athanasiou. two spots. The last time we saw the Oilers on March 11, coach opted The betting here is that, at some point, Jones and Green comprise the for more balance on his top two lines and slotted McDavid with Ryan third pair. Nugent-Hopkins and Zack Kassian. Evening out the lines and/or giving McDavid a winger of RNH’s calibre should make the Oilers tougher to Now, some of that depends on how Green’s body reacts from his knee defend. injury at age 34 and how much rust exists after not playing since Feb. 26. Perhaps he needs the occasional game off, in which case Benning McDavid also got a steady dose of (8:26) and Jonathan replaces him or Jones slides to the right side and Russell fills in on the Toews (7:54) when both teams were at full strength. The Oilers will have left. last change as the “home” team in at least three of the potential five games – meaning Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton will have to live But Oilers GM Ken Holland said Wednesday he expects Green to be with whatever Tippett chooses. healthy and ready to play if/when the play-in series begins. It’s hard to imagine the Oilers relinquishing a fourth-round pick (third if they reach If Colliton opts for the hard match against McDavid’s line when he has the conference final and Green plays in half the games) only to have him last change, Draisaitl should have a lot more freedom to shine. Draisaitl sit out. Once known as a power play star, Green might not even get minutes on that special team in the postseason. He was the third option in his two games, for what it’s worth, behind Bear and Nurse when Klefbom was out of the lineup. Still, his passing is considered a strength and an important addition to Edmonton’s blueliners. He is a PK option, too.

Jones had the fifth-best Corsi For percentage (49 percent) at 5-on-5 among regular, active Oilers. His stock has steadily improved throughout the season. Removing his full strength talents from a team that struggles in that facet doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

The Oilers can – and will – use both goaltenders

The smart call would be giving Mikko Koskinen the crease and a fairly long leash.

He has better numbers in terms of traditional stats and under-the-hood metrics. Most notably, Koskinen has a huge advantage in stopping expected goals – as colleague Jonathan Willis pointed out March 11, before the Oilers’ last game.

But let’s gamble a bit here.

What if the league wants to get the play-in series over with quickly? With no travel in a hub city, what if games on back-to-back days are scheduled? Under that scenario, it probably behooves the coaching staff to use both goaltenders as they’ve successfully done all season. The Oilers were 7-1 in the second game held on consecutive days.

Tippett and the Oilers players stuck with Smith all season, even during a lousy stretch in November and December. In the end, his 19-12-6 record wasn’t too shabby – even if his numbers were below average.

Again, Koskinen should be the starter. But if things get a little unorthodox – as if they weren’t enough already – don’t be surprised if Tippett confidently turns to Smith.

McDavid and Draisaitl will dominate

Because saying anything else would be stupid.

Advanced stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185358 Florida Panthers

How important is the ‘hot goalie’ in the NHL playoffs? Panthers hope they’ll find out

BY DAVID WILSON MAY 28, 2020 06:32 PM

It happens almost every year, usually right around this time.

Some goaltender — sometimes an established star and other times a lesser-known role player or youngster — becomes unbeatable.

The “hot goaltender” can carry a team all the way through the Stanley Cup playoffs if he stays locked in long enough. Sometimes he can even win his team a championship.

The Florida Panthers believe they have a candidate to be the hot goaltender this year, whenever the NHL’s expanded 24-team playoff is able to begin. It’ll be time for to justify his $70 million contract.

“He was disappointed with his season up to now,” general manager Dale Tallon said on a video conference call. “I think he has something to prove and that’s a good thing, so I expect him to be at the top of his game and when he’s at the top of his game you have a chance to win.”

The NHL announced an outline of its plan to return to action Tuesday and it sends the Panthers, who were on the outside of the postseason picture when the season halted because of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, into a modified playoff format.

Florida is one of 12 Eastern Conference teams slated to participate at a date and location to be determined.

The Panthers, however, know they’re the No. 10 seed and will play a best-of-5 series against the New York Islanders in a qualifying round to earn a spot in the more traditional 16-team bracket. The modified format could feature best-of-5 series all the way up until the conference, which means the potential for an upset-heavy postseason.

Commissioner Gary Bettman shares details on the NHL’s Return to Play Plan. https://t.co/ZH7153tpZ0

— NHL (@NHL) May 26, 2020

Tallon doesn’t necessarily mean the goaltender becomes more important. Goalie, he said, is always the “most important” position in the postseason, which is why Florida went out and signed Bobrovsky in the offseason.

The 31-year-old had an underwhelming debut regular season with the Panthers, but he came to South Florida as an established superstar with two Vezina Trophies as the NHL’s top goaltender.

In the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, Bobrovsky helped the Columbus Blue Jackets, the East’s final playoff team, shock the top-seeded Tampa Bay Lightning with a four-game sweep by saving 107 shots and allowing just eight goals.

In the second round, Bobrovsky helped the Blue Jackets jump out to a 2- 1 series lead on the Boston Bruins before they fell in six despite a 42- save effort from Bobrovsky in Game 4.

“Obviously, if your goaltending gets hot for that segment you’ve got a chance to win. I think it’s the most important part of the playoffs, anyway, whether it’s seven games, three games or five games,” Tallon said. “There’s less room for error, obviously, in five games than seven. But you can bounce back from a bad game or two in a seven-game series, but you can’t in a five-game series, so, yeah, it’s important. It’s the most important part of all of it. A hot goaltender can get you deep into the playoffs.”

Miami Herald LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185359 Florida Panthers stepping stone to prolong this and do it further and do it in front of our fans eventually.”

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 05.29.2020 Panthers GM Dale Tallon on playoffs: ‘We have a chance to do something special’

By MAX MARCOVITCH SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL |MAY 28, 2020 | 12:08 PM

When the NHL abruptly suspended its season in mid-March amid a groundswell of concern over the coronavirus outbreak, the Florida Panthers had a shot. It was an improbable one, sitting three points back of third place in the Atlantic Division and three points behind the Flyers and Islanders for a wild card spot. For a team hitting a late stride — nabbing 5 points in its final three games — a playoff berth was there for the taking, nonetheless.

But when commissioner Gary Bettman announced the NHL’s plan for return Tuesday, he offered the Panthers a new kind of life, terminating the regular season and setting up a 24-team postseason tournament that includes Florida as the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference.

"Guys are excited, because now you see it. It’s right in front of you,” Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Dale Tallon said Thursday morning. "There was doubt before. We had 13 games left in the regular season. We probably had to win eight or nine of those to get into the regular playoff scenario. But now we know what the deal is. Now you’ve got the chance to win three games and move on and have a chance to do something special.”

That sort of optimism has been scarce around South Florida in its hockey history. This playoff appearance, to the extent it qualifies as such, will be just the sixth in franchise history and the first since 2016. The Panthers haven’t won a playoff series since 1996, the year they lost in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Still, the Panthers are gearing up for a five-game qualifying-round series against the New York Islanders with high hopes.

"All the guys that I’ve spoken with, they can’t wait to get back on the ice, can’t wait to get back together,” Tallon said. "And they’re excited about this opportunity, so that’s all you can ask for. ... I think there are a lot of positive things we’ve learned from this situation. And I think they’re eager and willing to pay the price to go deep.”

There are still hurdles to clear before they can get to that point. The league has yet to identify the “hub cities” that will host each conference, with that announcement expected in the coming weeks. They have been cautious to peg a specific date — Bettman only musing that they "anticipate playing over the summer and into the early fall.” Though the league announced it will be allowing expanded rosters for the playoffs, it has yet to announce exactly how many players that will feature.

Tallon estimates that "around half” of the team has returned to South Florida in anticipation of resuming individual voluntary workouts at the team’s facilities, the second phase of the league’s four-phase rollout. He has had specific discussions with some of the team’s top prospects about being part of the expanded playoff roster, including center Henrik Borgstrom and winger Owen Tippett.

Tallon also speaks daily with coach Joel Quenneville. With a league-wide return plan now in place, those conversations have evolved into getting the franchise ready for all that the coming months will entail.

Still, he acknowledges, the postseason appearance is bittersweet for the franchise in its attempt to build enthusiasm within the community. Wherever it plays — the closest option is Dallas, over 1,000 miles away — fans will almost certainly not be part of the in-arena equation.

For the Panthers, who ranked 28th in the league in attendance last season, a massive part of the postseason appeal would have been rejuvenating local interest. That now goes by the wayside.

"We can’t force people into the building, and that’s sad, because our fans have been very patient for a long time. And to miss out on an opportunity like this is tough on all of them,” Tallon said. "… They’re going to have to watch our games on social media, whatever’s available and get behind us that way and I’m sure the players will feel that. We’ll use this as a 1185360 Florida Panthers The Panthers’ success this summer will depend a great deal on the play of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. (Eric Hartline / USA Today)

Miscellaneous Dale Tallon: Panthers excited for ‘chance to do something special’ in — Goalie Sergei Bobrovsky has not had the greatest debut season with restart the Panthers after signing the largest free-agent deal in franchise history last July.

By George Richards May 28, 2020 In 50 appearances this season, Bobrovsky is 23-19-6 with a .900 save percentage and 3.23 GAA. His save percentage is just a fraction away from being the lowest of his career; his goals-against average is the highest in his 10 NHL seasons. SUNRISE, Fla. — When the NHL season was put on pause a few months ago, it appeared the Florida Panthers had turned a corner. Although Bobrovsky has missed some time due to minor injuries throughout the season, he is said to be healthy and ready to take over as Still, with 13 games left, they had a long road to making the Stanley Cup Florida’s starter when things resume. playoffs. “He is a guy who works extremely hard and was disappointed with the Heading into its game in Dallas on March 12 (which would be season up to now,” Tallon said. “He has something to prove and that’s a postponed), Florida was three points behind Toronto for third place in the good thing. Atlantic Division as well as three points back of both Columbus and Carolina for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. “I expect him to be at the top of his game, and when he is at the top of his game, you have a chance to win. We’re counting on him, we’re Although the Panthers had quite a few games remaining — including one relying on him and we expect big things from him.” in Toronto — they had some real estate to make up and not a lot of room to stumble. — The Panthers lost 11 of 16 games in February following a 10-day break around All-Star weekend. They will have to be at their best from “The guys are excited because now you can see it — it is right in front of the start when they face the Islanders. you,” Florida general manager Dale Tallon said on Thursday. “There was doubt before. We had 13 games left in the regular season, and we “Timing will be the key,” Tallon said. “We were on such a good roll before probably had to win eight or nine of those to get into the regular playoff the All-Star break, and then we came back from that and really struggled. scenario. Prior to this break, we had started to play well and get our game back on track. The fair thing is, it will be an equal playing field. No one will have “But now we know what the deal is. We have a chance to win three an advantage or an edge. games, move on and have the chance to do something special.” “We will all be starting on the same date. It’s just a matter of getting our Earlier this week, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the timing down, our systems down. I would think by now our players league’s new playoff-qualifying format, one which will include the understand what Coach Q is trying to do and that’s the key. Panthers. Florida will be one of eight teams in the East vying for one of four positions in the conference quarterfinals. “Everyone will be healthier, everyone will be rested. It’ll be quite a rush to the finish here with a short series. Anything can happen. We have to be The Panthers will return to the ice sometime this summer (Bettman says prepared mentally and physically.” a training camp, expected to last three weeks, will not start until at least July 1) for a best-of-five series against a New York Islanders team that — The Panthers and Islanders have met three times this season (once was also on the outside looking in when the season was halted. each on Long Island, in Brooklyn and in Sunrise) with New York winning all three. Tallon said on Thursday that he has been in constant contact with coach Joel Quenneville and has been reaching out to his players. The matchup will pit two of the winningest coaches in NHL history against each other in Joel Quenneville and Barry Trotz. The Panthers, Tallon says, are excited to get back on the ice whenever it is allowed. The NHL is expected to start allowing players to gather in The two have four Stanley Cup championships between them, with small groups at team facilities in the coming days. Trotz’s Capitals winning it all in 2018, and the coaches will have several weeks to prepare for one another. Tallon estimates about half of his team remained in South Florida during the extended break. “There will be secrets,” Tallon said. “The Islanders are very well coached, very prepared. They are a solid team. We’re going to have to play at our “All the guys I have spoken with cannot wait to get on the ice, can’t wait best in every shift. You can’t get frustrated with them. The first two to get back together,’’ Tallon told reporters. “They are excited about this games we played them were decided by a goal, the third on an empty opportunity. That’s all you can ask for. net. We’re comparable. We just have to be patient, compete and work.” “Our guys learned some valuable lessons this season, especially after — With all of these games to be played at a neutral site, the Panthers will the All-Star break. There are a lot of positive things we learned from this not be able to enjoy the support of their fans. situation, and they are eager to pay the price to go deep.” “There are sacrifices to be made for this,” Tallon said. “The first priority is The Panthers were fortunate not to lose too many players to injury this to stay safe, to stay healthy and make sure no one gets infected with this season, with only a total of 112 player games lost throughout the year. dreadful disease. That’s our No. 1 priority. It is what it is. We can’t force When things resume, Tallon said his team is healthy and ready to go. people into the building, and that’s sad. That includes players such as Henrik Borgstrom and Owen Tippett, who “Our fans have been very patient for a long time. To miss out on had been injured playing for Florida’s minor league affiliate in Springfield, something like this is tough on all of them. … They’ll watch our games Mass. and get behind us that way. I’m sure our players will feel this. We’ll do it The Panthers, like the other 23 teams returning to action, are expected to in front of our fans eventually.” be allowed to carry an expanded roster. The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 Tallon mentioned Tippett, Borgstrom and rookie defenseman Brady Keeper among those who are under consideration to join the Panthers. Defenseman Chase Priskie, acquired in the Vincent Trocheck deal with Carolina, is also expected to join Florida in the coming weeks.

“We have no one who will miss any time at all,” Tallon said. “That’s good news. A lot of teams had guys who were out for the year and now might be ready to play in this tournament.” 1185361 Los Angeles Kings saying, “They’re going to fight and scratch and crawl, not only until they get to the NHL but until they have success in the NHL. Their personalities and inner drive is going to offset some things. It’s tough to say whether he’s going to jump in and score or if both of them are going to jump in Finding an NHL comparable for 10 of the Kings’ best prospects and score. Or will both of them come in and be an Energizer Bunny like (Blake) Lizotte? Lizotte was contributing regardless if he was putting

numbers up. Constantly under sticks and constantly on pucks. Those By Lisa Dillman and Scott Wheeler May 28, 2020 traits are the same that Alex Turcotte and Tyler Madden have.”

Arthur Kaliyev

Not long ago, it would have been difficult to put together a meaningful list High-end comparable: Budget ? featuring 10 of the Kings’ best prospects. Indeed, their cupboard was Low-end comparable: There isn’t one? bare, if you want to stick with the at-home, kitchen analogies. Wheeler’s take: If Madden is singular, I don’t know what that makes And now? The enthusiasm was great when we started talking about this Kaliyev. A unicorn, maybe? There isn’t any active NHLer whose skill as a project, picking out the NHL comparables for the Kings’ top prospects. shooter resembles Kaliyev’s. If there is, they’re in the superstar echelon Scott, who ranked the Kings’ prospect pool No. 1 in the NHL in February, and I’m not going to put that on Kaliyev. His shot is better than any noted what an impressive group it was when you consider Jordan second-line forward in the league today. So you can imagine it’s hard to Spence, Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Aidan Dudas weren’t included. find a comparable, particularly the low-end ones. If I’m being completely A little bit more about our parameters. We put a limit at five NHL games honest, Laine is the only player who resembles Kaliyev. Laine has the played. Anderson-Dolan played in five games in 2018-19 and four more shot, the one that just blows by goalies, and the one-timer that does too. this past season. And Carl Grundstrom already has 28 NHL games on Laine has the spotty defensive play when he doesn’t have the puck. his resume, including 13 games in 2019-20. Gabriel Vilardi played 10 this Laine isn’t the fastest player in the world. It’s not a crazy comparison, past season. Of note, goaltenders were not included in this exercise. even though Laine has a couple inches on Kaliyev. That Laine is the only player in the league with parallels really speaks to the problem some Alex Turcotte evaluators have had in projecting Kaliyev.

High-end comparable: Jake Guentzel Dillman’s take: Here’s another comparable: Thomas Vanek. That came in right after the Kings drafted Kaliyev in the second round (No. 33), from Low-end comparable: Jaden Schwartz one of their amateur scouts who coached Vanek at the University of Wheeler’s take: There’s something to be said for pace. You can have Minnesota. Vanek scored 373 goals in 1,029 games, so it’s music to the unique puck skills, or a hard shot, or an ability to make plays through ears of the front office of the goal-starved Kings. Kaliyev has such great seams, or standout footwork and speed. But there are players who never natural offensive instincts when it comes to finding space and the ability optimize the use of those skills and reach their ceiling because they don’t to generate something out of nothing, and the proof is in the production: play with enough tempo. Turcotte has some of those skills, particularly 44 goals this past season and 51 goals in 2018-19. The Vanek puck control and playmaking, but you can also count on him to get the comparison also extends to the aspects of the game that need work — most out of what he has because he never stops moving, and pushing, skating, play without the puck, consistency and accountability. Kaliyev and chasing, and fighting. Guentzel and Schwartz have become top won the OHL’s Jim Mahon Memorial Trophy as the league’s top-scoring players on their teams — and in the former’s case, in the league — by right wing, following in the footsteps of a former King (Tyler Toffoli) and a blending skill with a dogged approach. I think you can feel comfortable current broadcaster (). knowing that Turcotte also has both of those things going for him. Tobias Bjornfot Dillman’s take: Sometimes you know when a player is ready to take the High-end comparable: Dmitry Orlov next step. But that wasn’t necessarily the case after Turcotte’s one and only season at Wisconsin, an up-and-down campaign. “It’s a tough one Low-end comparable: Connor Carrick with those guys that are right in between,” said an NHL scout, speaking of Turcotte and Tyler Madden. “Would another year have helped both Wheeler’s take: Finding players who look and play like Bjornfot was one those players? Yes. Does it hurt that they’ve turned pro? No, because of the easier tasks on this list because his game is what it is and it’s not they’re going to attack the off-ice and address some of the things they going to change a great deal. He’s not big but he’s strong. He’s not fast need to do.” The expectation is that Turcotte, initially, will go through the but he’s smooth. He’s not a goal-scoring defender but he can score. He’s regular transition from college hockey to the AHL. But Turcotte has the not a playmaking defender but he can make plays. And he’s a polished ability to play wing and center, and the pace he plays at is so high, he defensive defender who makes the simple play with his feet or a pass to enables himself to get in position to let his skills take over. escape pressure and advance the puck up ice. Orlov is the king of that kind of game and Carrick is the player who has all of those tools but Tyler Madden never quite puts them all together to rise above being a third-pairing option. High-end comparable: Nikolaj Ehlers without the top speed Dillman’s take: When the Kings took Bjornfot at No. 22 in the draft last Low-end comparable: Conor Garland June, almost no one thought he would be in their opening-night lineup in Wheeler’s take: Madden is a hard player to project forward in an exercise October against the Edmonton Oilers. Bjornfot had his welcome-to-the- like this because there just aren’t very many players in the NHL today NHL moment that night against Connor McDavid and played in two more who play like him, or look like him. One of the problems many evaluators games with the Kings before they sent him to AHL Ontario. That move have with comparables is the leaps you have to make to connect a indicated how highly the Kings thought of him, as they wanted to keep a singular player to someone else. closer eye on his development, rather than letting him go back to Sweden. He won’t lift you out of the seats with an end-to-end rush, but on If Madden makes it, he’s going to be his own player. I think the Garland the other hand, he won’t lift you out of the seats with a bone-headed play. comparison might be the closest. Because one of Ehlers’ defining tools coach Mike Stothers, in a recent chat, called him “Mr. (his skating) isn’t matched by Madden, that comparison could plant the Reliable,” which is high praise indeed, considering Bjornfot turned 19 on wrong image in your head. But there are definitely other skills in their April 6. games that mirror each other, both in the way they handle the puck and navigate through pressure and in the variety of different ways they go Samuel Fagemo about getting to the slot — and getting the puck there. High-end comparable: Tomas Tatar Dillman’s take: Madden is aiming to be a second generation NHLer. His Low-end comparable: Frank Vatrano father, John, won three Stanley Cup championships, two with the New Jersey Devils and one with the Chicago Blackhawks. Tyler’s game has Wheeler’s take: I’m pretty comfortable with the skills-based similarities the attention to detail you would expect to see from the son of an NHLer Fagemo has with Tatar and Vatrano. Tatar has a line-driving element to and a professional hockey coach. Florida Panthers skills coach Paul his game and puck skill that Vatrano lacks, but I wouldn’t be surprised to Vincent told me that he projects Tyler as a top-six forward for the Kings. see Fagemo go in either direction as he progresses. He’s got the hands An NHL scout noted how Turcotte and Madden are wired the same way, and the talent needed to complement his excellent release and follow in Dillman’s take: Hults just turned pro after three years at Penn State and if Tatar’s footsteps. But I could also envision him playing a little lower in the he has any measure of NHL success, I can foresee a future The Athletic lineup with a more puck-dominant player, and being asked to be more of story: A reassessment of the Kings’ 2017 draft. This month, Hults was a give-and-go trigger man, like Vatrano has become. He’s not going to be named Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. He a star but he has what it takes, like both of his comparables, to make an was taken in the fifth round (No. 134), following Kings picks Vilardi, impact in a middle-six role on a good team while playing the flank or the Anderson-Dolan, Matt Villalta, Mikey Anderson and Markus Phillips. Our bumper on the power play. scout brought up the name of an Eastern Conference defenseman, Travis Sandheim of the Philadelphia Flyers, as a comparison. Dillman’s take: The Kings’ top European amateur scout, Christian Ruuttu, found his attention constantly shifting back to one of their top prospects, “He is a little smaller but much wider,” the scout said. “He thinks real Fagemo, during the world juniors. quickly with the puck on his stick and has good instincts. That would have been like Matt Roy’s game, too. But I think Hults might have a little “You’re supposed to watch the others,” Ruuttu told me in December. bit – at least at this stage – a little more secondary offensive through “Like Fagemo. You don’t have to, but all of a sudden you’re watching puck movement.” Fagemo, ‘Oh Jesus Christ.’” There was considerable reason Fagemo was drawing his attention and everyone else’s. The Swedish forward Sean Durzi would go on to lead the tournament in scoring with 13 points in seven games. High-end comparable: Dylan DeMelo

“Fagemo is an attack-oriented player, shoots the puck extremely well and Wheeler’s take: I feel like I should preface this by saying that Durzi’s goes to the hard areas in order to score,” an NHL scout said. “I thought odds of getting to the NHL and sticking as the second-pairing option that as he has matured as a player. The game has slowed down a little bit for DeMelo has become are slim. He’s a good prospect, to be sure. And he him and you are starting to see him score in different ways. There was has a real chance. But he’s probably the weakest prospect on this list natural progression in his game.” and there’s an equivalent risk that comes with projecting that forward. With that said, however, Durzi and DeMelo are both righties of similar Rasmus Kupari height and weight who can move the puck and walk the line but aren’t ever going to break down a player one on one, or try the tougher play High-end comparable: Shorter Pavel Buchnevich when the simpler one is available. There’s also a reliability to their games Low-end comparable: Filip Chytil without the puck, where you know they’re not going to cheat and their level doesn’t suffer game to game like some other players. Wheeler’s take: Kupari is a bit of an antithesis to the modern NHL player. Even as the game becomes more and more of a track meet, the players Dillman’s take: Durzi was one of the three pieces the Kings acquired in who fit inside it are increasingly built to play a small area east-west the Jake Muzzin trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He suffered a game. Kupari is much more of a north-south player, using his speed to concussion in October, early in Ontario’s season, which was a setback at play in transition. He’s got a decent shot, so he can score in that role. the start, and he later had to deal with extra numbers on defense in He’s got decent hands, so he can play in tight if he has to. And he can Ontario. definitely identify his linemates and get them the puck. But he’s less “It gets you out of the rotation in a hurry,” Stothers said. “He’s got a real effective inside the offensive zone than many of his peers these days. offensive upside as far as a puck distributor. I’ve never seen a young guy Chytil and Buchnevich have found a nice niche playing that style of game have a more deceptive seam pass on a power play from side to side, as middle-six options, though I think Chytil is more of a third-line player setting up somebody up for one-timer. than a second-line one, like Buchnevich has proven to be. Kupari has a chance to be a 40-to-50 point player while offering something a little “His passing is exceptional. He’s undersized. I don’t think he’s a poor different to a lineup. He’s not going to be a star though. skater, but he’s not a great skater like Kale (Clague). This kid can really make some plays and because he is so coachable, I think there’s a lot to Dillman’s take: Kupari suffered a left knee injury — a torn ACL that work with there.” required surgery — in Finland’s opening game at the world juniors. Kupari played in 27 games with the Ontario Reign, and had six goals and Akil Thomas two assists. His first season in North America was marked by the inconsistency you might expect from a teenager. Kupari turned 20 on High-end comparable: March 15. The coaches don’t want to stifle Kupari’s creativity but need Low-end comparable: Lucas Wallmark him to realize there is a time and place for it. Wheeler’s take: Thomas is that player who is just good at everything, a “I thought he was good, and I think there was more there,” Stothers said. little better than good as a passer, but not really great at anything. You “He was a guy who has all kinds of ability, all kinds of talent. He was able can count on him to stay above the puck and support the play to get by on that skill and talent at his age bracket. I see a guy that’s got defensively to help get it back when he doesn’t have it. He can play on a great hands, great stick, a powerful skater and a nose for the net. I think second power play unit at the next level. he’s capable of making more plays than he did. He was a little bit guilty with us of trying to take the game on one-on-one.” He’s a fine skater but it’s not a strength. He can handle the puck or play more of a give-and-go game, depending on his linemates. But he’s not a Rasmus Kupari was drafted by the Kings No. 20 overall in 2018. (Gary A. dynamic one-on-one player and he has never taken his goal-scoring Vasquez / USA Today) touch (which is actually pretty good) to the next level, so his offensive Cole Hults upside is going to be at least a little limited as a result. Stastny has made a career of that skillset — of making ordinary work. The fear with Thomas High-end comparable: Brandon Montour is that the outcome for those kinds of players is normally as a third-line forward than as a top-six one. Given the depth the Kings have down the I opted against including a low-end comparable for Hults and Durzi for middle in their pool, he’s probably going to end up fighting Kupari for that two reasons: role because Vilardi and Turcotte are always going to be better suited to 1. There isn’t really a natural fit. play higher in the lineup. The Wallmark outcome is probably the more likely of the two as a result. 2. Their low-end comparable probably isn’t in the NHL. Dillman’s take: The scout moved to the Central Division and offered Wheeler’s take: If Hults does make it, though, it will be as Montour-lite. another comparable — David Perron of St. Louis, who has had three He can run a second power play. He can play on a second penalty kill. separate tours of duty with the Blues. For the purpose of this exercise, And he can play a regular shift while contributing at both ends. But he’s the comparison, more precisely, was with a young Perron. never going to be a go-to guy in those situations. I don’t think Hults quite has the offensive ability that Montour has. He’s probably going to be “Remember when David Perron was coming on … the consistency of more of a 20-something point-producer than a 30-something point- compete didn’t come until he matured as a player,” the scout said. “Their producer. But I’m more concerned about a defender’s ability to defend games are a little different, but you’re looking at the same type of top-six than I am with their production these days. And they mirror each other in talent and learning to mold their game and learning to compete in order approach, size, and skillset. to have that come out. Perron has been a top six and top nine and can fill in a lot of different areas.” Kale Clague

High-end comparable: Justin Faulk

Low-end comparable: Juuso Riikola

Wheeler’s take: It feels like Clague has been around for forever, so you have to consciously remind yourself that he’s only 21 (though he will be 22 on June 5). Clague is mobile, he can play in transition (going both ways), he’s a talented playmaker from the point, but he’s always going to just scrape by defensively at the next level. Faulk has made that work without ever really offering a lot in his own zone. Clague will be no different. His defensive game and decision-making will determine if he can be more than a third-pairing guy.

Dillman’s take: There was no argument from the scout with the Faulk comparison, in terms of the same deficiencies. But he thought Clague had made considerable strides at the AHL level, and suspected that the Kings would have brought Clague back for a few games down the stretch if the season hadn’t been put on pause. Clague did get in three NHL games in December and another in January.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185362 Los Angeles Kings We could pick one or two locations, but that might, if we made the decision today, not turn out to be as good a decision as one that we make three, four weeks from now because things are continuing to evolve in all of the places that we play. BETTMAN, DALY FIELD QUESTIONS ON RETURN TO PLAY PLAN; ’97 STATE OF THE FRANCHISE PHOTOS Q. I’m trying to anticipate, Gary or Bill, in terms of how Boston fans and St. Louis fans in particular view this round robin for the top four seeds. In each of those cities they were the top seed when things went dark, if you will. I anticipate those fans will feel short changed. What do you have to JON ROSEN MAY 28, 2020 say to them, and did you consider any other option?

GARY BETTMAN: Well, the answer is we’ve considered lots of options. National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman and Deputy By getting a bye, they’re going to be facing a team that just came out of a Commissioner Bill Daly held media availability shortly after the league competitive series, and the concern was they needed to have some announced its Return To Play Plan Tuesday afternoon. The transcript, in competition that might not put them at risk in terms of the Playoffs but its entirety, is below. would give them an opportunity to play some real games, and that was the thinking that went into this. That’s really the answer. They needed Elliotte Friedman had a detail on the Los Angeles hub city bid in some games that mattered to some extent in order to be coming against Thursday’s 31 thoughts, which also noted John Stevens is still in the a team that just played a competitive series. The benefit and the curse of running for the open head coaching position in New Jersey. (The Dallas a bye, I suppose. Stars, where he serves as an assistant under Interim Head Coach , will face Vegas, St. Louis and Colorado in the round robin Q. For either Bill or Gary, you mentioned the testing; can you describe as seeding tournament.) much as you know now about what the testing process will be like? Do you have a number of tests that are likely to be needed to get through Stick taps to those who shared this on Facebook this week. Here’s future this? And the cost of those tests and who bears them? I know that’s a lot. Washington GM and former Jim Fox roommate Brian MacLellan and future King Larry Playfair and goalies Bob Janecyk and BILL DALY: Our hope is that by the time we open Phase 2 — and Phase trading blows at The Forum as narrated by Bob Miller and Nick Nickson: 2 is where our clubs can open their training and practice facilities, make them available for small group activities by the players — our strong “He was a good roommate,” MacLellan said of Fox at the 2016 NHL hope is that most, if not all, of the 24 teams coming back to play will have Awards. “We had some good times together. He was always the guy the ability to test their players prior to engaging in Phase 2. And our doing extra conditioning in the room each night – doing sit-ups, while we Phase 2 protocol, I think, specifically specifies testing at least twice were watching TV – instead of going out late.” weekly and perhaps more.

A pair of principal actors above in Jay Wells and recently The League has worked hard in the interim to essentially be able to help joined Nickson on an alumni Zoom chat, as did Mattias Norstrom. clubs in the event they’re in need of testing resources and we’ll be there There’s an Insta-friendly version of their chat here; I’ll post a fancier to help provide those resources for them. version when available. Phase 3 then contemplates the opening of mandatory training camps in And, since we’re talking about The Forum, some long lost photos from a home club cities. And, during Phase 3, we would anticipate that the pace State of the Franchise meeting in April, 1997, courtesy of the LA Kings of testing would increase even further. The Phase 3 protocol is a work in Legacy Collection: progress at this point, so that hasn’t been finalized. And then Phase 4 — which is the competition phase, once we’re in the hub cities — the HOW MANY INSIDERS CAN YOU FIND League is going to be in control of all the protocols related to the games And, now, Actual News. From Tuesday: in the hub cities. And we will have regular daily testing protocol where players are tested every evening, and those results are obtained before GARY BETTMAN: I think it’s been an important day for sports and for the they would leave their hotel rooms the next morning. We’ll know if we NHL in this incredibly unique, difficult and trying time. We hope that this have a positive test and whether the player has to self quarantine himself is a step back towards normalcy. Obviously everything we’re focused on as a result of that positive test. starts with health and safety and people’s well being, but we think we’ve been able to work very collaboratively with the NHL Players’ Association As you mentioned, the testing program we contemplate is rigorous and and the players to come up with a framework that is fair and has integrity comprehensive. It’ll pick up throughout the process. Obviously, initially and should result in a terrific competitive playoffs and ultimately the the clubs will bear the cost of that. Ultimately, the league will bear the awarding of the best trophy in all of sports. cost of that in connection with the competition phase of the tournament. And it’s expensive, as you mentioned, but we think it’s really a Obviously there are lots of things that have to be done, but this marks a foundational element of what we’re trying to accomplish. very important step along the journey that we’re undertaking. Bill, do you want to add anything? GARY BETTMAN: Just to add to what Bill said, if you’re looking for a number, we could be doing 25,000 to 30,000 tests. You just do the math. BILL DALY: Hello, everyone. I just wanted to echo the fact that today You take the amount of frequency with which Bill said we’re going to be obviously represents an important step in the process, but we have a testing, the number of days, number of players — although our medical long road in front of us, and we’re going to keep working hard at it and advisors and some independent medical advisors tell us that by the time listening to our medical advisors and making the decisions that are in the we’re doing this over the summer, that will be a relatively insignificant best interests of our players and our club staff members and our fans as number of tests relative to the number of tests that will be available — we move forward. But hopefully today is a sign of good things to come. and if you do the math again in terms of number of tests, the costs, Q. My question is about the hub cities. What’s going on in the process you’re talking about millions of dollars. now of narrowing those 10 cities down to two or three? Q. Gary and Bill, I wanted to ask a question about the logistics of getting GARY BETTMAN: We believe that all of those cities as a general matter all the players back into their home markets or on to ice. Given that there could be able to host us, the facilities, both the venues and the are foreign travel restrictions both to the U.S. and between the U.S. and surrounding facilities we need. We don’t need to make a decision today. Canada, I’m curious if the league has any plan to deal with that, given We’ll probably need to make one in three to four weeks, and at that point that there is currently a bit of a ban on non essential travel between the we would be able to better evaluate how COVID 19 is in a particular U.S. and Canada? place. That could be a positive or it could be a negative. We need to GARY BETTMAN: Actually, Bill, you’re dealing with that, so why don’t make sure that there’s enough testing available and we’ll be needing lots you answer the question. and lots of testing, but we don’t want it to interfere with the medical needs of the community. That has to come first. BILL DALY: Sure, it’s a very good question, obviously, and something we’ve been focused on from the start of this ever since the world went We want to just be in a position to, in real time, have lots of options once into lockdown and various travel restrictions, various quarantine we understand what the state of play is at the time we need to make the requirements in various jurisdictions. We’ve been tracking that on almost decision. a daily basis with respect to our 31 markets and now in terms of resumption of play it’ll be 24 markets, but we’re fairly comfortable that you get a result and you call Gary and you say, well, this player X got we’re at a stage finally where the vast majority of our clubs — I think, positive. Is it going to be all over again, or you’re prepared to deal with ultimately all of our clubs — will be able to open their facilities consistent the situation and still go on? with local regulations. As our Phase 2 protocol contemplates, there will be mandatory quarantines involved in a lot of cases where players are BILL DALY: I’ll answer it only because Gary didn’t jump in right away. returning to their home markets, either from overseas or from Canada or The bottom line is obviously that’s a key question and something we’ve vice versa, if players are going from the United States to Canada. been in constant communication with our medical advisors on. Their thought process at this point in time is that one single positive test, We have been dealing with the governments in both the United States depending on the circumstance, should not necessarily shut the whole and Canada on these travel restrictions and quarantine requirements. operation down. Obviously we can’t be in a situation where we have an The acting Director of Homeland Security in the last three days I believe outbreak, and that will affect our ability to continue playing, but a single signed an order that made professional athletes essential personnel and positive test or isolated positive tests throughout a two month tournament allows them to travel into the United States. We’ve reached an should not necessarily mean an end to the tournament. understanding with the Canadian government that players can cross the Canadian border, as well, both internationally from overseas but also GARY BETTMAN: And in that regard, that’s why, when I was asked from the United States so they can return to their home city without a about locations, if we got to a place that has less COVID 19 in the problem. community, the likelihood of somebody who’s now been tested through a training period, through training camp and now is centralized, the more The one issue that we continue to work actively on is the mandatory we can sort of create a bubble, the less likely we’ll have it. federal quarantine that is in place in Canada for all people who travel into Canada, and we are having various discussions with various different And your example of Bill calling me in the morning to make the decision, departments, the Canadian government. We don’t have a resolution it’s really the doctors who are going to be guiding us as to what the right there, but it’s an ongoing dialogue for sure. circumstance and response should be, should we have a positive or more than one positive. Q. The pandemic is creating like a financial day of reckoning for society at large in North America and there’s an awful lot of people that are going Q. Just wondering, Gary, you talked about in the press conference going to feel an awful lot poorer when all is said and done. What will be the beyond the first and second and third rounds as far as seedings or pre impact of that on the industry going forward? determined brackets are concerned. Has there been any thought or is there any possibility that perhaps for this one time maybe those top four GARY BETTMAN: Obviously in the short term, the impact has been teams, based on their seedings, could pick their opponent in the next severe. No revenues coming in and expenses still there. And our clubs, I round? think, have been very judicious and sensible in terms of how they’ve been dealing with their own organizations, and they’ve been terrific in the GARY BETTMAN: You know, we’ve had that discussion in a variety of community, whether it’s donating money or food or the like. contexts. We actually had it when teams in the Central play teams in the Pacific and you could elect 2 3 2. Teams I don’t think would want to elect Fortunately our franchises have never been stronger. Our franchises their opponent. Talk about giving somebody an incentive from a have never been better owned in terms of the strength of our ownership, competitive standpoint. I don’t think it’s a great question — but I don’t although my guess is most owners in all sports are probably not as think it’s realistic. wealthy as they were 12 weeks ago. But I believe based on our condition, while it may be painful and some substantial losses in the short The issue is really going to be whether or not we go into brackets or we term and maybe getting to the intermediate term, we will get through this. re seed. And we prefer, as a general matter, brackets for a whole host of We’ll get through this with all of our franchises. And, as we typically do reasons. We’ve told the players who have been debating it internally, if when we come back from a challenge, we’ll come back as strong if not they have a preference we’re happy to abide by it. stronger. Q. I’m just wondering about the next season, just doing the math, we Q. Gary and Bill, once you return, have you decided anything according could be going into October, November, December. How late are you to the broadcast and the media side of the business, like will we be able willing to start 20 21? to attend in one of the hub cities, or we won’t be as reporters able to get GARY BETTMAN: We believe 2020 21 will be played in its entirety the into those buildings to follow what’s going on? way we play a normal season. There’s no magic to starting in October. GARY BETTMAN: From a TV standpoint, we will probably create an Our buildings, our markets can handle it. We can start in November, we international feed for everyone who’s broadcasting out of there. And can start in December, we can start the beginning of January if we had we’re going to have to make arrangements with broadcasters to to. We’re going to be playing over the summer this year, so the answer is determine whether or not they might want personnel in the building far we’ll get through this season and we’ll make sure there’s enough of a away from the ice or whether or not they want to do it remotely, and we’ll pause between the end of this season and next, and then we’ll start up work with that. again.

And with respect to all media, that’s something we’re going to have to We will have to deal with that probably in a couple of months because we work on and make arrangements — although whether it’s media or have to start working on a schedule, but we’re prepared to defer and anyone else, non essential personnel, and I’m talking about players, delay the start of the 2020 21 season by at least, if we need to, a couple trainers and coaches, beyond that — there aren’t going to be a lot of of months. people on the event floor coming anywhere close to the players once we Q. Just wondering on the idea that when the hub cities are picked that do this. the franchise that is in that city will be allowed to have all of its games in I understand that everybody has a job to do, but we’ve got to keep the that city or if there is any inertia for a competitive balance argument to be players safe and healthy if we’re going to be able to see this through. made that they wouldn’t be allowed to? And the more people that they can have contact with, the greater the risk BILL DALY: Obviously we’ve talked about that, and actually I’ve heard becomes. arguments on both sides of that equation. I can’t tell you that that has BILL DALY: We do expect, on the broadcast side, that with respect to been finally decided, but particularly given the fact that there’s no fans in games in empty buildings, it does create some unique opportunities to the stands, we certainly see some merit to moving the club to a different televise the game in new, unique and innovative ways that fans may not market so that any perceived advantages associated with being in a have been able to see before to bring the fans and television viewers home market are eliminated. closer to the action. From that perspective, that’s a positive. Potential GARY BETTMAN: And also, if a team happens to be in its own market, positive anyway. the players I don’t think should be planning on going home. They’ll be GARY BETTMAN: And we’ll be doing things, whether it’s with fans or staying in the same conditions that everybody else is. virtual presence of people to give a sense of live. We will put a lot of Q. Could you go over for me the timetable on determining the draft and attention and focus and money into figuring out a way to make a game maybe what the complications were about having it before the season presentation for television look very attractive. and after? And then the second question would be obviously I cover one Q. And you will take all the precautions in the world for doing this, it’s of the teams that’s going to be off a long time. How much concern is obvious. What if one case happened? One morning you wake up and there about competitive disadvantage for those seven franchises, and might there be any concessions made for them to have potentially more GARY BETTMAN: We’re going to go to the places that in terms of the of a training camp before the next season? logistics, the health issue I talked about, the testing issue I talked about, the governmental issues we talked about, we’re not hung up on east BILL DALY: So obviously there was a lot of debate with respect to the west. For TV scheduling it may be better if we’re in different time zones, possibility of moving the Draft up and staging the Draft before the but we’re going to go to the places that we think are the safest and make resumption of play. We certainly felt like we had an acceptable window to the most sense medically at the time. be able to accomplish that if that was something we wanted to do, and certainly there were reasons why we thought that might be a good idea. Q. And then following up on one of your responses earlier, I understand obviously this season is going to conclude much later than normal and But as with most issues, we brought it to the clubs, and there was not a likely next season also with the late start. Have you guys weighed any strong consensus one way or the other quite frankly on whether we sort of thoughts as to how and when you might readjust in the future to a should do it, and certainly I think the people who were opposed to it felt more traditional kind of October to June schedule? strongly about being opposed to it. GARY BETTMAN: Well, based on what we’re planning for now, that’s Some of the factors, probably the most significant one we gave the most obviously not on the table for the 2020 21 season, and that experience weight to, was the lack of the ability to use the draft as an opportunity, as may give us some more information and data points to make decisions a jumping off place for forming the next year’s roster, resetting in the off going forward. season like many of our clubs do. The inability to kind of have a trademark associated with active players in and around the draft, those There have been a number of our clubs who have over the years were voiced, I thought, very articulately and certainly had a factor, a suggested we shouldn’t start in October, we should start in November. strong factor in what we ultimately decided to do. What we’re learning through this time which is not quite normal, obviously, is there may be some flexibility in terms of the timing with One of the things that went into the decision to create a new lottery which we schedule the season. We’re about to learn. system was for the advantage of the seven clubs who aren’t resuming play, including Buffalo, that they have the ability to engage with their fan Q. I apologize if these were asked, but Bill, on rosters, has there been a base during that long pause between games, and we thought the draft given number yet on what the expanded rosters will be like, and if those lottery was a way to create excitement, create a way for those teams to minor leaguers would be allowed to be put right into a lineup, or would engage with their fan base, get some certainty early on and not go into somebody have to get sick or hurt for them to be eligible? kind of a long slumber of creating noise and buzz over the summertime. BILL DALY: So again, our thoughts and discussions on that, I reported In terms of getting ready for next season, I’d go back to what Gary said. on that to the general managers today. We do envision expanded We have to – we’re dealing with a lot of issues right now. Obviously we’re rosters. Since we’re really moving directly into a modified playoff going to be sensitive to issues like the ones you raised. Competitive, tournament, players would be entitled to play immediately off of that obviously our hockey operations department is focused on that. We’ll expanded roster. focus with the NHL Players’ Association on that. And there may very well be different off season rules because we’ve never been in this type of Q. In terms of free agent status, some guys need a certain amount of situation before, and unique situations sometimes necessitate unique games to be Group 2 versus Group 6. Would these games count in that measures. number, even the qualifying rounds?

We’ll see how to approach that. Obviously we’ll be sensitive to those BILL DALY: Not just yet. One of the many things that will have to be issues. We’ll make the best decisions we can at the time. these are along the lines of transition issues, which we have experience with and which we’ve dealt with before with the NHL Players’ Q. Bill, I was wondering how much thought has gone into the composition Association. I don’t anticipate any major issues in terms of getting to of rosters and who might be eligible to play in these games when they resolution on those issues, but they have to be talked about and agreed come in, the college kids who are signing the contracts or maybe even on. players from Europe who are eligible to sign contracts, whether they could be included in any way. And for Gary, Governor Cuomo today said Q. We know how much gate revenues matter to the teams and the that Long Island was phase 1 reopening tomorrow. Is it your league in general. Looking forward down the line, do you envision being understanding that that will include construction at the Belmont Arena, able to start next season if that’s still the case, and how much is a factor and is it your understanding whether the Islanders will be able to in the longer this goes that the odds might be better that you’ll have fans complete that project on time with the delay they’ve had? back in the stands?

BILL DALY: So with respect to the new player question, very fair question GARY BETTMAN: The issue of gate receipts is one from an economic and one we’re getting regularly from our clubs. I can tell you that as of standpoint that affects all sports. None of the major leagues are able to right now, our position, and this is something we’re going to have to ignore the fact that they’re not getting gate receipts. It’s a significant ultimately resolve with the NHL Players’ Association like so many other revenue item for everyone. Not as significant to us as I read in the paper. contractual issues, but our position, the League’s position right now, and It isn’t even a majority of our revenues. our position with our clubs since the start of the pause, is no club is But having said that, we’re planning on having a 2020-21 season that’s entitled to sign a current year contract. They are free to sign future year full in all ways, and our hope is that we’ll be able to have fans there. If it contracts, so for the 2020 21 season and beyond, perfectly fair game. turns out that due to things beyond our control like COVID 19 and But it would be our position, particularly given the advanced date and government regulations, then we’ll have to deal with it at the time, but given the fact it could affect a lot of the players who might now be able to much like we’re completing this season, we believe it’s going to be play the balance of the season, it may be unfair to let them play the important to play next season, and again, our hope and expectation is balance of the season. We’ve progressed past the trade deadline. Each we’re going to be doing it when we start, which will be later, with people team has kind of set its roster. Its roster reflects and everybody will come in the building. back healthy, which is a benefit to the teams — its roster really reflects its efforts in the 2019 20 season. And to add a couple of, for lack of a better Q. In an ideal situation, an optimum situation moving forward, what’s the term, “ringers” when you’re going into the Playoffs is not the best way for earliest you could play? Late July, early August? sports to proceed in our view. GARY BETTMAN: Yeah, I think – you know, you should view this more GARY BETTMAN: I concur completely, and with respect to your Belmont as a continuum than absolute dates. When we get through Phase 2 we’re question, and I apologize because I think for all of us the days tend to going to get a better sense of when to start training camp and how long blend together, I think they’ve either resumed construction at Belmont or we need for training camp in Phase 3, and then we’ll move to Phase 4. I they’re about to, but the building is proceeding, and I’m told it will still be think it’s conceivable that we’re playing at the end of July, could be the on time or close to on time. So that shouldn’t be an issue. beginning of August, and then playing into September, somewhere around that time frame. Q. I’ve got one kind of simple question and another more complex one. I noticed in the hub cities you’ve got seven Western Conference buildings It may be that things open up quicker, if players get back sooner, they and three Eastern. Is that correct? And if so, are they going to feel they’re in shape, that they don’t want a prolonged training camp, and correspond to the conference they’re already in? Is there some that we’re going to take our guidance from the players on, then it’ll consideration to the Midwestern buildings for the East? accelerate a little bit. But I think realistically if we’re in training camp mid July, that would be a good thing, and if we could be playing by the end of July, beginning of August, that would be a good thing, too. But if it has to slide more, then it’ll slide.

There’s a reason that we’re not giving you dates now because anybody who gives you a date is guessing, and we think we’d rather take a more holistic approach to doing this.

Q. There was obviously some terrific individual performances this year, and those can’t be diminished by a shortened season or a paused season. I’m just wondering if any thought has been put forward to the NHL Awards, when that might happen, and would that be a virtual production?

GARY BETTMAN: If we had to plan it today, it would certainly be virtual. It is something that our events people are thinking about because the recognition that has been earned should be given. But I think as we look at it today and the timing, I think it’s more likely than not that it would be virtual. But I never rule anything in or out until I have to.

Q. Regarding the quarantine situation in Canada, does that hurt the Canadian cities’ chances of being a hub city?

BILL DALY: If, in fact, we’re not able to really – the interpretation of the quarantine consistent with our players’ ability to travel in and not have to do a strict self quarantine in a hotel room, I don’t think we’d be in a position – I shouldn’t say I don’t think. We won’t be in a position to use any of the Canadian cities as a hub city. We’re faced with having to find a solution to that, and hopefully we can.

Q. And the second question, I know you won’t give me specifics on dollars and cents, but can you give me an idea of how expensive this venture is, given you won’t have very much by way of revenue coming in to finish off the season?

GARY BETTMAN: Tens of millions of dollars.

Q. I was interested in seeing Los Angeles on the list of the hub cities today. That was a new addition and intriguing since they won’t be one of the playoff clubs that’s involved. It also got me wondering about players that are currently in cities of non playoff teams, like if a player is living in Los Angeles right now, will the Kings’ facility or the Ducks’ facility be open for them to participate in phase 2?

BILL DALY: We did build in to the phase protocol, you may have seen it in there, the ability of players who may not be in their home cities now essentially to use the training facilities of other clubs, subject to a whole host of qualifications the clubs have to do, subject to the same precautions and the same protocol. That’s certainly a possibility. As I understand it, it happens quite regularly during the off season. This is a little bit different dynamic, so we felt like it was important at the request of the NHL Players’ Association to make it available, but it will come down to the individual club specifics as to whether they can really accommodate those players on any real basis. We’ll wait to see how it plays out, but as your question supposes, there is a provision in our protocol that would allow that to happen.

GARY BETTMAN: Since that was the last question, on behalf of all of us, we wish you and your families and your colleagues health and safety. Be well, stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you sooner rather than later in person.

BILL DALY: Thank you, everyone.

MODERATOR: Thank you, Gary. Thank you, Bill.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185363 Los Angeles Kings “I liked the fact that he had the courage to bring his game to the arena, that’s the type of player that he is,” McLellan said. “He uses his legs, he’s able to jump up and create, he knows his strengths and weaknesses and he was able to check using those, so it takes a lot of courage to play your CLAGUE HEADING INTO CRUCIAL YEAR THREE AFTER NHL first game in the league and I thought he brought his skill set.” DEBUT, AHL ALL-STAR GAME IN 2019-20 Clague got into four games in total with the Kings over the span of a few weeks, before he was assigned back to Ontario to re-assume his role as a minutes eater in the AHL. ZACH DOOLEY MAY 28, 2020 While he did not return to the Kings during he shortened 2019-20

season, his brief time in the NHL left a mark on Kings star blueliner Drew It’s important to see strides of development with younger players. Doughty, who touted Clague’s skating ability as a standout quality.

There’s no one route or path for them to take, there’s no blueprint for how “He can skate like the wind, the way he can move those feet, that’s kind every player should develop, but when a player advances from season- of the way defensemen are going in the league these days,” Doughty to-season, growth in certain areas is necessary and growth was the said of Clague. “They’re looking for guys that can move their feet, go name of the game for defenseman Kale Clague. end-to-end and stuff like that…Kale’s very good at that, you saw that watching him play.” Clague entered the professional ranks as a 20-year-old rookie in 2018 and experienced his share of struggles. Throughout the course of the Doughty touched on Clague’s game still needing work in the defensive season, however, Clague developed from just another guy on the Reign end…“obviously we’ve got to work on a little bit of defense with him”, but blueline to THE guy on the Reign blueline, which culminated in what was complimentary of his young teammate as a whole. would have been an NHL call-up in March, had he not broken his foot on Working on the defensive end is nothing new for Clague, whether it be the eve of the impending recall. from Doughty, Stothers, McLellan, or you name it, really. “One of my problems coming out of juniors is I was able to get away with He’s known since Day 1 that it’s an area of focus for him to progress into things in the d-zone that aren’t going to fly [in the pro game],” Clague a regular in the NHL. The former Braden Wheat King talked about how said, reflecting back. “From the coaching staff, it’s just lots of video and much he was able to get away with defensively in the WHL, because of communication, and they didn’t let me get away with anything, so that his superior skating and puck-moving abilities, that gets punished in the helped me. I think that’s going to help in the long run.” pro game. Fast forward to Training Camp 2019, and while he challenged for an NHL “Mistakes in your own end are going to cost you, so I’m just working on job directly out of camp, the Alberta native found himself back with the consistency side of being strong defensively, and I think that’s what’s Ontario to begin his second campaign as a professional. going to get me to the NHL,” Clague said. “I think my offense, my skating, After he put a slow start behind him, Clague started to his hit his stride in puck moving is going to get me there, but being solid defensively will November and December, as he collected 12 points (5-7-12) from an 18- keep me there.” game span, including five points from six games played in December. 10’s his number, so Kale me maybe! pic.twitter.com/sjvvC0ZMVl The role that he had carved out in February as a top contributor on the Ontario blueline was not only back, but better than ever. — Ontario Reign (@ontarioreign) February 2, 2020

“I wanted to be the guy on the Reign this year,” Clague said. “Practicing With the 2019-20 season now cut short at both the NHL and AHL levels hard every day, playing hard every day and obviously I want to be a guy for the Kings, Clague’s attention turns towards a huge summer, before who can be relied on by the coaches and I wanted to be one of our top what will be his third professional season. players to help the team win every night. I guess that’s a different kind of mindset from year one, when I was learning a lot and just kind of learning LA Kings management has spoken about getting a “little sample” of about the league as well.” Clague, as General Manager Rob Blake put it, and knows the potential that he possesses. Kings Director of Player Personnel Glen Murray Perhaps the highlight of his early season slate was a three-point night on talked about the “taste” of the NHL that Clague got this past season and December 7 against San Jose, in what Reign Head Coach Mike Stothers emphasized the importance of the upcoming offseason. referred to as one of his best games of the season. Clague collected a goal and two assists, and was imposing his game all over the ice as “Clague got two or three games this year, and he actually played pretty Ontario overturned a 3-0 deficit in a comeback win. well,” Murray said. “He got a little taste, and I think he understands how hard it is and in his second year, he’s really progressing well. This is “He was real good,” Stothers said. “He was skating and he was assertive going to be a big offseason for him, an extended offseason, as we talked with the puck. He was showing all the signs that we were expecting of about.” him coming out of juniors. I would agree with you that this was one of his better performances as part of being a defender, and that’s where he’s For his part, Clague knows how crucial of a summer, moving into next still lacking. I think it’s been presented to him in a number of different season, he has in front of him. He’s already committed to improving his ways, so hopefully he’s applying it.” strength and feels that would go a long way towards proving he deserves one of the open spots on next season’s Kings blueline. Clague’s successes were rewarded on two fronts – his first career NHL callup in mid-December, as he joined the Kings on an East Coast trip “I think if I can take a step with my strength it’s going to go a long way, so following his hot start to the month in the AHL, and his selection to the I’m working out really hard and have a little bit more time to prepare for AHL All-Star Classic. next year,” he said. “Right now, it’s using that extra time to really prep and get stronger. I think this is a really huge summer for me, going into The recognition on a league-wide level selected him to play in the All- my third year. I want to take that next step and become a full time NHL Star event on home ice in Ontario, in a special moment that not only player, and I think getting stronger will have a lot to do with that.” recognized his play on the ice, but also allowed him to share in a one-of- a-kind experience with family, friends and Reign fans in the All-Star LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.29.2020 setting.

“It was awesome,” Clague said of the experience. “They support us so much all year, the fan support has always been great since I’ve been here, we’re so lucky to have such good fans. Obviously [All-Star] Weekend was really special.” via

After he was a healthy scratch in his first two games with the big club, Clague made his NHL debut in Buffalo on December 21 and Kings Head Coach Todd McLellan was happy that the 21-year-old went out and played the game that got him there. 1185364 Minnesota Wild @Canucks "And starting on right wing, I can't believe it, Brock Boeser!"

Duke and Laurie Boeser read the #Canucks starting line-up Saturday. Back in Minnesota, Brock Boeser ready for a very personal Canucks- Wild series Embedded video

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By Michael Russo May 28, 2020 8:37 PM - Mar 25, 2017

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Whenever Brock Boeser’s back home in Minnesota, he’s kind of like the 1,106 people are talking about this Vincent Chase character in Entourage. “Yeah, my parents are excited about us playing the Wild, and most of my The sniper lives in a big shack overlooking Prior friends are still Wild fans, so they’re just giving me crap right now in the Lake. Four buddies live with him at any given time, and they’re with each group chat,” Boeser said. “As for my roommates, I hope they root for us, other constantly. They go rollerblading, they go jet-skiing, they play or else I might disown them and kick ‘em out of the house.” Ultimate Frisbee, they help their pal with the household chores. While some NHL players have been vocal about their reservations with “My roommates love fishing, and I don’t, so they sit on the dock and fish returning to play, Boeser is absolutely ready to once again slip on his a lot,” Boeser said. “Kinda drives me nuts.” sharp blue No. 6 Canucks sweater this summer.

Friends come over a lot, and the one thing the 23-year-old Boeser knows When the NHL paused 2 1/2 months ago, Boeser had just played his first from growing up in Minnesota, almost all of his buddies are Wild fans. game after missing a month with a rib injury. Before the injury, he had gone 11 games without a goal and was downgraded out of Vancouver’s Sure, they’ve transitioned over to rooting for the Canucks, too, but in their top-six. heart of hearts, they still love the Wild. So the right-winger was really hoping to finish the season strong and That’s why this is going to be really fun. show head coach Travis Green “how much I’ve improved and how much Later this summer, provided the NHL and NHL Players’ Association can I care about that two-way game.” put the finishing touches on negotiations that allow the players to But it was just last week when Boeser truly realized he was ready to play approve the innumerable details needed to make summer hockey during hockey again. a pandemic a real thing, the Canucks will take on Boeser’s childhood team in a best-of-five qualifying round. “I’ve just gotten real bored. Like, so bored lately,” Boeser said. “I know there’s so much stuff that goes into playing again, like side of If the Canucks can eliminate the Wild, they’ll advance to the playoffs for things and the testing and being trapped in quarantine (in a hotel), and the first time in five years. it’s obviously going to be different without fans and stuff like that, but just “When they made it official, my friend goes, ‘Well, get ready for 1,000 text to get some more normalcy back in our lives, it would be good for messages after each game,’” Boeser said a few hours after the NHL everyone. made its return-to-play format official Tuesday night. “All of Minnesota will “Honestly, I figured out that my to-do list when you own a house never be watching hockey and I’ll get all these texts and everyone will be giving ends. It sucks. When you cross off one thing, you’re probably adding me crap after every game, so I really can’t lose this series.” another thing. Me and some friends laid mulch in my yard the other day. There’s something fitting about Boeser potentially playing Minnesota for There’s like six of us, so it took three, four hours, and I remember the right to make the playoffs for the first time in his NHL career. thinking, ‘I wish I was playing hockey right now.’”

His parents, Laurie and “Miracle Duke,” and sister, Jessica, live 15 Boeser thinks Canucks-Wild could be a great matchup. The Wild went 2- minutes from downtown St. Paul, and he says the “cherry on top” would 1 against the Canucks, including a shootout win in the last meeting, “but be if Minnesota is chosen as one of the hubs to host 12 teams. just based off how we played each other this year, I think it could go to five games,” Boeser said. But, even though Boeser hails from Burnsville and still has faint memories of being 6 years old when the Wild stunned the Canucks by Brock Boeser rallying from a 3-1 series deficit in the second round of the 2003 playoffs, Boeser has a goal and two assists in seven career games against the there’s almost a little rivalry between Boeser and his home state and Wild, the hometown team that passed on drafting him in 2015. (Brace favorite team as a kid. Hemmelgarn / USA Today) Instead of choosing the University of Minnesota, which is 20 minutes The Canucks are a fast, hard-working, high-event team with solid north of his childhood home off I-35, or the University of Minnesota- goaltending. Duluth, the high school and junior star first committed to neighboring University of Wisconsin. He then changed his mind and picked the State “We really talked about that at the beginning of this year and the culture of Hockey’s other border rival, the detested University of North Dakota, we were trying to build this year,” Boeser said. “We thought just coming where he won a national championship. into the season, we really knew we needed to take that next step and make that transition from a bunch of young guys to make the playoffs And when it comes to the Wild, not only did a team in dire need of a goal- and get that playoff experience. I was really excited for the last 12 or 13 scorer wind up passing on the sharpshooter with the 20th overall pick in games and really thought we were going to make a push. the 2015 draft, Boeser made his NHL debut at Xcel Energy Center less than two years later and capped the dream-come-true game with his first “I thought we were heading in the right direction. We traded for (Tyler) NHL goal in a Canucks win over the Wild. Toffoli, and he is a great addition to our top- ix. But getting J.T. Miller at the start was huge. Not only is he a great player for us, he’s a big voice in “I had no idea where Vancouver was when they drafted me,” Boeser the locker room. He was good for us young guys. He cares a lot about said, laughing loudly. “I thought I was going straight north of Minnesota winning, and I felt that it fueled us young guys and I feel like him and like deep into the frozen snow and stuff. But then somebody showed me (Elias Pettersson) got some good chemistry this year. pictures of Vancouver, and I was like, ‘Holy crap, this place is beautiful.’” “Like, honestly, Millzy was sick this year, and he and Petey were so good In a touching moment, it was his parents who announced the Canucks’ together.” starting lineup in Xcel Energy Center’s visiting locker room before his NHL debut. Last week, Boeser traveled to South Dakota, which has never put into place a COVID-19 stay-at-home order. Former NHLer Mark Parrish’s Vancouver #Canucks brother, Geno, got some ice time and ran some skates for pros. Boeser ✔ grabbed a couple buddies, like his college roommate, Hayden Shaw, and drove to Sioux Falls. “We skated a couple hours a day for four days. That was nice to get back on the ice and shake off the rust,” said Boeser, who plans to begin skating and working out Monday at a suburban Minnesota rink in small groups with other NHLers.

Once the NHL’s Phase 2 begins, non-Wild NHLers are technically allowed to start skating and working out at the Wild’s practice facility. But Boeser thinks that would be pretty peculiar, especially since he’s supposed to play the Wild at some point in late July.

As of now, only one non-Wild, Minnesota-based NHLer — James van Riemsdyk — has requested to skate at TRIA, so Boeser will probably continue skating elsewhere with other NHLers.

He’d love to go back to Vancouver, but the second he would touch down there, he’d have to follow Canadian government guidelines and self- quarantine for a mandatory 14 days.

“So, I feel I better stay here to train and get ready for the season,” Boeser said. “I’m going to be waiting here until they set a camp date and see from there.”

Other than that, Boeser will continue to hang out with his entourage, which includes recent Boston Bruins signee Jack Ahcan from St. Cloud State, plus his dog, Coolie, which he got during the 2018 NHL All-Star Game in Tampa when he was named MVP, and his new puppy, Milo.

He’ll also continue to spend as much cherished time as he can with his parents.

By now, lots of people know about his father, Duke.

In 2010, Duke was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In 2012, he was in a car accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury, several broken bones and a lacerated spleen. In 2017, he was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer and underwent radiation, chemotherapy and an operation that removed part of his left lung. Last June, his lung cancer returned, only it metastasized to his liver and spots were found on his ribs and sternum.

A month later, a piece of a blood clot broke off of Duke’s groin, traveled to his pulmonary artery and triggered heart failure. He had to be revived multiple times, both at home and in the hospital, then spent three weeks in ICU and several more weeks in a hospital and rehab.

Well, “Miracle Duke” not only survived, he’s back home and “doing great,” Boeser said, other than the fact that Duke recently underwent surgery because of a fall that broke his collarbone.

“I was outside with my mom and my dad comes out and goes, ‘I broke my shoulder,’” Boeser said. “But he’s come a long ways since last summer, and to see that, it’s a miracle. I don’t know if he fully understands exactly what happened to him last summer, but I think he does a little because sometimes I’ll joke around with him how he has nine lives, and he’s like, ‘No shit.’”

So it’ll be pretty neat this summer if Laurie and Duke get to watch their beloved Brock play his hometown Wild on TV.

It’ll be even sweeter for them if they get to see Brock go on a playoff run.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185365 Montreal Canadiens

Safety of NHL players biggest concern for Canadiens' Brendan Gallagher

Author of the article:Pat Hickey • Montreal Gazette

"Players are going to have to be comfortable that they're being looked after," Canadiens Brendan Gallagher said about the NHL's planned return to action.

Brendan Gallagher said there are a number of items still to negotiate before the NHL returns to play, but added there’s one item that is non- negotiable.

“The most important thing is the players’ safety and (the safety of) coaches and everyone involved,” said Gallagher, who joined fellow NHLPA player rep Paul Byron on a Canadiens conference call with the media Thursday afternoon. “They have to assure the players are going to be safe and go forward from there.

“There are definitely players with fear of the virus, but if we do come back we’re going to have to put a lot of trust in the NHL to keep us healthy,” Gallagher added. “Players are going to have to be comfortable that they’re being looked after.”

Byron said the step-by-step approach to resuming play is a test of the 50- 50 business partnership between the NHL and the players and he and Gallagher both said they were cautiously optimistic that play will resume this season.

The NHL has been paused since March 12 because of COVID-19, but the league and the NHLPA unveiled this week a multi-phase Return To Play Plan for a 24-team post-season tournament to decide a Stanley Cup winner. The games would be played in empty arenas in two centralized hub cities.

The NHL plans to conduct between 25,000 and 30,000 COVID-19 tests, beginning with training camp in July and continuing through the post- season.

The NHL decided to expand the post-season from 16 to 24 teams because there were a number of teams that might have climbed into a playoff spot if the season had continued. The Canadiens weren’t one of those teams, but came in through the back door as the 24th team to fill out the bracket with a 31-31-9 record and 11 games remaining on their schedule.

Gallagher said the 24-team format wasn’t anybody’s first choice.

On Thursday, Paul Byron and Brendan Gallagher shared some insight on the NHLPA's discussions with the League.#GoHabsGo https://t.co/QCSNKDGeRn

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 28, 2020

“I think the first choice was to finish the regular season and then go into the playoffs, but as time went on it became less likely and they had to get creative,” Gallagher said. “It was the only opportunity that worked for the league and the players without taking the opportunity away from a team that had 10 to 14 games to go and could have made a push. And then there were teams like ourselves that were given a second life and we’ll try to take advantage of that as best we can.”

The Canadiens will be underdogs if they do face the Pittsburgh Penguins in a best-of-five series in the first round, but Byron said it’s a chance for a reset.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185366 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens fans might see Alexander Romanov on blue line in playoffs

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

The NHL and the NHLPA are still negotiating the details surrounding the 24-team playoffs and one of those details concerns the eligibility of Canadiens defenceman Alexander Romanov.

During a conference call this week, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly ruled out the possibility of including players in the post-season who signed after the suspension of play in mid-March. That group would include NCAA players and players like Romanov, who were moving from Europe.

“It would be our position, particularly given the advanced date and given the fact it could affect a lot of the players who might now be able to play the balance of the season. It may be unfair to let them play the balance of the season,” said Daly.

“We’ve progressed past the trade deadline,” he added. “Each team has kind of set its roster. Its roster reflects — and everybody will come back healthy, which is a benefit to the teams — its efforts in the 2019‑20 season. And to add a couple of, for lack of a better term, ‘ringers’ when you’re going into the playoffs is not the best way for sports to proceed in our view.”

The key words in that statement are “it is our position” because the position isn’t necessarily shared by the players’ association, which is charged with looking after the players’ interests.

The stance proposed by Daly would hurt players like Romanov, who would be deprived of an opportunity to burn a season of their entry-level contracts. This is important because it would bring a player one year closer to eligibility for arbitration and free agency.

When Romanov signed his three-year entry-level contract on May 8, the Canadiens said there was no starting date for a deal because they were hoping he would be eligible to play if the season resumed, despite the NHL placing a moratorium on contracts for the 2019-20 season after play was halted.

In normal times, there would be no question about Romanov’s availability. NCAA players have stepped into NHL rosters when their college seasons ended and Vladislav Gavrikov joined the Columbus Blue Jackets after last year’s playoffs began.

Agent Dan Milstein, who represents Gavrikov and Romanov, said their situations are the same and he believes Romanov should be eligible to play this summer. Romanov in , but Milstein told The Gazette his client is anxious to move to Montreal as soon as travel restrictions are eased.

TSN’s Darren Dreger reported yesterday that Romanov’s situation will be part of NHL-NHLPA decision to extend the June 1 signing deadline for entry-level deals for drafted players by a month.

General manager Marc Bergevin is hoping those talks favour the Canadiens.

“Yes, we’d like Alexander Romanov to participate when things get going again,” said Bergevin. “The decision belongs to the NHL, but also to the NHLPA. It’s a delicate situation. Personally, I can’t convince anyone. There are rules in place, and there are other teams in the same situation. I hope that we’ll have an answer as early as possible regarding Romanov.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185367 Montreal Canadiens remain to be negotiated with the NHL. As difficult as it was, coming to an agreement on a return-to-play format sounds like it might have been the easiest part of the whole process. The hard part comes now, nailing down all the tiny details that will go into the conditions of implementing Paul Byron and Brendan Gallagher lay bare the real complications of this plan. NHL’s return “I don’t think there’s ever been too many negotiations between the two sides that have gone perfectly. But you hope that both sides can work together and come to an agreement,” Gallagher said. “As players, we By Arpon Basu May 28, 2020 have certain things that we need met in order for us to come back and play. I’m sure the league feels the same way, but that’s where the strength of the union has to be strong.” Marc Bergevin, when speaking to the media Wednesday, was asked a straightforward question about what he finds most difficult about being “Cautiously optimistic is the best way to describe it. Do I anticipate a the general manager of the Canadiens during a pandemic. difficult negotiation? I mean, I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Byron added on the state of those negotiations. “However, more now than ever, Bergevin provided a straightforward answer. the 50-50 partnership between the NHL and the NHLPA, let’s see it right now. The whole world is in a pandemic right now, we know what’s going “The unknown,” he said. on in the world and we have to find ways to get out of this together and If Bergevin finds the unknown unsettling, imagine the players, who now find ways to negotiate together and find a solution for everybody. It gives have a concrete plan in place with the NHL on a return-to-play format but me optimism because more now than ever, I feel like any other have no idea whether that plan will ever be put into place. They need to bargaining situation it’s kind of (one-sided) whereas now we have two prepare for it, for the conditioning required, for the possibility of being sides working together towards one goal. So that gives me optimism.” away from their families, for the possibility a COVID-19 outbreak could So yeah, the heavy lifting is still to come. put an end to all of it and, perhaps most importantly, that they are putting themselves at risk of contracting the novel coronavirus itself. This is not to brush aside how monumental a task it was to come up with the return-to-play format itself, because it was indeed difficult. The But they don’t know how, or if, they will get to that point. NHLPA is made up of men whose No. 1 personality trait is extreme “We’re young, we’re healthy, they say if we get it, we’ll be fine. But it just competitiveness, and there were obviously teams that have not come out takes one case to go south to change life for anybody,” said Paul Byron, on the winning end of this new arrangement. The Boston Bruins jump to one of the Canadiens’ NHLPA player representatives, on a conference mind. They now have to play a round robin to ensure the top seed in their call Thursday. “These are things the union and the league is looking into conference, something they had essentially locked up when play was to make sure we’re taken care of. This is the challenge of why we don’t suspended. Or the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Canadiens’ opponent in the have an agreement to play yet because we just don’t know yet. There’s play-in round, who went from a playoff lock to a 2-in-three chance of so many protocols that have to go in place to keep something like that winning that five-game series against Montreal. from happening. If one guy tests positive, I see it as unlikely that other And yet, only two teams opposed the plan, which left Byron pleasantly guys don’t test positive. But if they’re testing everybody, I have to believe stunned. they’ll probably find it. What happens if half your team or five or six guys test positive all at one time? I don’t know. “I thought there would have been more objection than that,” he said. “I thought 29-2 was a shockingly high representation. “Let’s hope that’s not the case, but I don’t know.” “How would we have made a decision to cut down to 16 teams? I just Byron is a father of two young children whose job means going out on a don’t see how we would have been able to do that. I know a lot of teams sheet of ice and playing a game in which social distancing is a probably would prefer that scenario, but to me, I think the 24-team completely foreign concept. There will be risks, and hopefully by the time scenario works the best for the teams that were on the bubble, the teams these games happen late in the summer, those risks will be mitigated. that were on the cusp of making it.” But no one knows if they will. It also works pretty well for the Canadiens, who were nowhere near the “Everybody is a little bit in the dark right now,” Byron said. “That’s playoff bubble and showed no signs of making a push to get there, losing unfortunate, but that’s kind of what’s going on in life right now. their three final games before play was suspended. Everyone’s excited for hockey to return; if it’s safe to do so, I think it could be great for a lot of people.” “When we got the call to vote, there weren’t even any other options on the table,” Byron said. “It was the committee that did everything. All the VIEW THIS POST ON INSTAGRAM things we heard were through the media. We knew where we were when HAPPY NEW YEAR! WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY, HEALTHY 2020 the NHL shut down, so when we heard for the first time that we would have a chance to play in the playoffs, it was a surprise, for sure. But of all the options, this one made the most sense. A POST SHARED BY PAUL BYRON (@PAULBYRON.41) ON JAN 1, 2020 AT 3:56PM PST “It’s an unusual and bizarre scenario, so this is the positive of a negative situation for us. There are teams that don’t agree with the situation, but It is, however, a risk Byron seems willing to take, largely because of what there’s a lot of people who don’t agree with the situation with COVID. It’s he just said; that hockey returning would be great for a lot of people, just something people will have to deal with.” providing a respite, a distraction, from everything that has dominated all our lives for the past 11 weeks. Adding to the unknown is the more imminent implementation of Phase 2 of the NHL’s return-to-play protocol, which allows players to enter team “It’s going to be difficult. How long I’m away for, no one knows for sure training facilities under some strict guidelines, but which is also voluntary. yet. It could be two weeks, it could be a month, it could be two months. I Montreal being the epicentre of the pandemic in Canada, it is pretty guess it’s something that will have to be crossed when we get to that unlikely we will see Canadiens players flocking to the city anytime soon. path,” Byron said. “My kids are obviously accustomed to being around me 24/7 the last eight weeks and they obviously have a certain “I have everything here back in B.C., I have all the facilities and the attachment and it’s going to be difficult. opportunities that I’m going to need to stay ready,” said Gallagher, who said he’s been skating at his local rink for weeks now. “I’m going to stay “At the same time, we’re hockey players, that’s our job, and there’s points here as long as possible. Hopefully, it becomes a better situation back in the year where we have to leave for two-week road trips. there in Montreal. I’m assuming that will be similar for a lot of the guys, Unfortunately, that’s just part of our job and something that we’ve learned but I can’t really speak to what they have around or if guys are going to to live with. Through technology and FaceTime and stuff like that, you need the facility.” learn to connect with your family even if you’re not there.” Byron, on the other hand, has stayed in Montreal the whole time, so he Byron and his fellow Canadiens NHLPA rep, Brendan Gallagher, said the plans on being in Brossard as soon as he’s allowed. But for anyone who idea of allowing players to bring members of their immediate family to the is in Europe or the U.S., this will be another tricky decision. hub cities if play is ever resumed is among a very long list of things that “I think the biggest challenge for that is having to come to Montreal and sit and do nothing for two weeks,” Byron said. “That quarantine period is eliminating two weeks of training, two weeks of skating and guys are going to have to ask themselves, if they want to go to Montreal, is it worth skating early, or do I stay in my spot now where I have access to training, skating? And maybe the laws and regulations are more open where they are and they feel more comfortable being there. It’s a tough decision for everybody. The earlier you come, the earlier you leave your family behind, is that something the older guys want to do? I can’t answer that question for them.”

With Byron and Gallagher speaking, it became obvious that the format for the return to play and the draft lottery that was announced Tuesday made for great conversation and debate, but it doesn’t even begin to address the most important concerns of the players. Yes, some disagreed with the return-to-play format because their team was disadvantaged in some way, but now is when real-life issues will be addressed.

This is why Byron sees it as inevitable that the NHLPA will have to do a vote of its full membership — and not simply the player reps, as was the case with the vote on the return-to-play format — when it ultimately comes time to decide whether the players are, in fact, coming back to play.

“There’s definitely players with fear of the virus; it should be feared to a certain extent,” Gallagher said. “Obviously, if we do end up coming back and playing, we’re going to have to put a lot of trust in the NHL to keep us safe and keep us healthy. That’s a major, major step to take.”

The unknown is difficult to manage right now.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185368 Nashville Predators

With uncertainty of Predators season, Bridgestone Arena renovations won’t happen this summer

Paul Skrbina, Nashville Tennessean Published 5:03 a.m. CT May 28, 2020 | Updated 5:37 a.m. CT May 28, 2020

Usually, the shows and the games must go on.

But nothing has been going on at Bridgestone Arena since the building closed its doors indefinitely in mid-March, when the SEC men's basketball tournament was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What the coming days, weeks and/or months bring remains to be seen, though one thing is for sure: This summer won't be normal at Bridgestone.

Scheduled renovation projects, part of a 20-year, $350 million plan, have been postponed. The Predators, who signed a lease last year that will keep them in the building through 2049, had six regular-season home games remaining when the season was paused March 12.

They could be playing sometime this summer, though it possibly won't be at Bridgestone, or in front of fans, even though ice in the building has been kept intact throughout the suspension of the season.

"This summer we did carve out three seven-day blocks where we have no events, that we take on fairly aggressive renovation plans," Predators president and CEO Sean Henry told The Tennessean. "Those are off the table now, for a lot of reasons."

One reason is the calendar needs to be open and flexible given the number of events that have been postponed.

"We’re not ending this year where you’d want to be," Henry said. "You also don’t know when we’re going to pick back up with events coming back into the building. You want to make sure you’re as open as possible if something were to come about.

"It’s almost like you’re losing an offseason for venue improvement, something we enjoy doing each year."

Last offseason a new scoreboard was installed, among other improvements.

The Predators, who were in the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference when play was halted, always hope to be playing into June, though these circumstances weren't what anyone had in mind.

Tennessean LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185369 Nashville Predators works, it doesn’t feel right. Coaches or managers interacting all the time, it’s totally different.

“I’ve thought about, like, what happens when a goal is scored? How Rexrode: If the Preds win the Cup in an empty building, do you make a much do you react on your bench, when the other bench is looking at sound? you? Where’s the camera pan? Usually, they show the fans or something like that. It’s totally different. We’re gonna have to experience it to see what it’s gonna be like. I want to play and this is the way we have to play it, so we’re gonna find out. And I guarantee you, whatever I’m thinking By Joe Rexrode May 28, 2020 today it will be totally different. It will be something I never thought of or didn’t imagine how it would be. But I’d love to play it, love to play in it for a long time to see exactly what it is.” If you were here and involved, you will never forget it because it was a manifestation of the power of sports like few, if any, you’ll experience And he feels like that’s possible. Poile has that classic sense of mid- again. pandemic, paused-season optimism about him.

It was a lot of good hockey, too, that 2017 Stanley Cup Final run for the The magic of three years ago may be remembered first for the way Nashville Predators. But if you were asked to list the handful of things Predators fans embraced it, but it happened because of the Predators. you remember most from that spring in Nashville, how many of those Every memory isn’t of a towel flurry. Rinne, Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, things would be hockey plays? My mind goes right to the June 3 scene Viktor Arvidsson, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm, Craig Smith, on Lower Broadway before Game 3 of the championship series, when a Colton Sissons, Calle Jarnkrok, Austin Watson and Yannick Weber are crowd estimated at 50,000 and seeming like 500,000 invaded space like members of this team who had moments then, some of them several. a 1980s video game. Oh, the noise and pools of sweat and Sissons’ clinching goal to eliminate Anaheim in Game 6 of the Western overshadowed bachelorette parties that day. The noise inside Conference Finals and give himself a hat trick is an all-time Nashville Bridgestone Arena, too. sports moment. Rinne’s consecutive at Chicago, Johansen’s mastery of Jonathan Toews, Kevin Fiala’s overtime goal against the That comes next to mind. The timeouts. The ear-endangering ovations. Blackhawks and season-ending injury against the Blues, and Johansen’s The towels. Charles Barkley was making his twirl at one point. I feud with Ryan Kesler and season-ending injury against the Ducks linger remember thinking, several times that spring, that there was no way the in memory. Same with two calls that cost the Preds in Game 1 and Game Predators could not be energized, and the opponent demoralized, by 6 against the Penguins. Same with P.K. Subban and Sidney Crosby what was happening in the stands. I remember “Catfish” Jake Waddell trading shots, barbs and bad breath — no social distancing between arrested in Game 1 in Pittsburgh for tossing to the ice one of those dead those two. vertebrates best used in a po’ boy and later deemed an “instrument of crime” by Pittsburgh Police. And I think of the moments of unintended Once everyone adjusts to the inability of the surrounding atmosphere to silence, too. Especially in Chicago’s United Center and Anaheim’s Honda supply energy, it will be found on the ice. It will be the same compelling Center, made possible by Predators stars such as and Filip hockey. Played by the best players in the world, for the sport’s ultimate Forsberg, and Predators extras such as and Pontus prize. Aberg. Fan participation and fan elimination are both significant “At the end of the day, whatever it’s like, if 20 men are facing off against components of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. When someone wins the thing, 20 men and somebody beats you or you beat them, you tip your hat,” the shared euphoria is hard to match. In no other sport does the object of said Johansen, who needs to find his game after this pause for the John pursuit double as a giant goblet. Pass that over here. Someone sneezed Hynes-coached Preds. “They outplayed you, they outworked you as a in it? Who cares? Drink! team and they were better than you, or you were better than them. That’s And that is all gone in 2020. And this is not a complaint. all it would be. No excuses. Everyone in the same boat.”

Actually, a bit more regard for personal space and germs would be OK, And if you want to find a positive in a sitcom with no live studio audience even when we’re not in a global pandemic. And if we get an August and and no laugh track, maybe some of those vicious comments that were September of playoff hockey — preferably intertwined with NBA playoffs coming three per second whenever Johansen and Kesler locked snarls and MLS action while football season gets going as scheduled, and let’s will be picked up by the microphones now. Maybe bench celebrations just pretend baseball doesn’t exist right now until baseball finds a clue — that we can hear will be interesting. you’re damn right we’ll take it. All in one building, no fans, no noise, all of And if you want to put an asterisk on any of this, don’t. A hashtag like it feeling like overexuberant practice sessions. While Predators fans #awkward or #WTF, sure. But none of this amounts to a “less than” watch at home, or at establishments with proper spacing and championship run from whichever team makes it, even if the 24-team precautions. Sounds wonderful. decision feels suspiciously like a way to get undeserving Chicago and After the cancellation of March Madness and the college baseball and Montreal and their invaluable markets involved. softball World Series, with everything else on pause in nearly three If the first and second rounds are seven-round series as usual (they century-like months of limbo, a crazy late summer and fall of sports could end up shorter), the Predators would be looking at a maximum of sounds like exactly what this country needs. It is not the most important 33 games to win the Cup. It’s 28 in a normal year. Tournaments don’t get thing, not with more than 100,000 Americans and counting killed by longer and more rigorous and become less rewarding. The eight teams COVID-19 and many more destitute and in peril because of a devastated that bypass the preliminary round may not have 28 as a max, but they’ll economy. But if it can be figured out and executed safely, it can be a tiny have four rounds and opponents. Whoever wins the Cup will deserve nudge to that economy and toward normalcy. their names on it along with the reveling, hugging and champagne It’s just going to be so weird — way beyond the ideas of 24 postseason popping that comes with such achievement. teams and a “qualifying round” of the bottom 16 that will see Nashville They just won’t be able to share it with the people who make their way of play Arizona in a best-of-five series if this happens. Predators general life possible. Not in the moment, anyway. manager David Poile came up with some oddities I hadn’t considered on a Wednesday Zoom session with media (speaking of weird, how many “I have thought of it and, I mean, you’ve got to have a parade,” Poile said people would have understood that sentence in February?). of a problem he and 23 other GMs hope to have at the end of September. “I mean you’ve got to find a way, a virtual parade, something “Hockey players, I mean, I think they’re friendly with each other,c but like that.” when you’re playing against each other you don’t talk very much to each other,” Poile said. “Guys who know each other might say hello after the So maybe this isn’t the year you want your team to win. A foundational game, but you’d never talk to a player (on the other team) before a game. part of the process is temporarily unavailable. But competition and It’s a physical game and obviously you’re playing a playoff series and diversion are powerful, too. you’re really gonna dislike the other team and their individuals as the games go along and the contests get more heated. So the fact that we The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 could all be in the same hotel, you’d be thinking like, “We’re on the mezzanine floor, this is where the Predators meal room is,” and right beside you, you could have Arizona. I mean, I don’t know how that 1185370 Nashville Predators Mason: I’ll go with Paul Kariya again. I don’t know if it was OCD, but he had a routine that was just locked in. He would have to sit in his stall, and he would have his water or Gatorade or whatever. He would have to swirl it, I don’t know the exact number, but five ways to the left in a circular Predators alumni roundtable, Part 1: Former players share their favorite motion and five ways to the right before he had a drink of it. stories When we would go to dinner the night before (a game), he would have to chew each bite of his food at least 20 times. Everything would have to be a certain way. I’ve never seen anything like it. The stuff that he had to do, By Adam Vingan May 28, 2020 it was next level. It’s what made him great, but it was like nothing I’d ever seen, just the amount of different things that he had to do to get ready for a game. Recently, five of the Predators’ most popular former players agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion about their careers with the team. This is not 100 percent confirmed, but the second part of the story is, because I saw it with my own eyes. One time we had a function. It was a They are: fundraising thing where the wives were involved. Paul was such a stickler about his routine, and everything had to be done a certain way. This is • Chris Mason: The goaltender appeared in 146 games during three the part that’s the legend — Paul was driving down to the rink, and he stints with the Predators. He is the color analyst for Predators television had to bring his girlfriend. We’d heard that when he got into the parking broadcasts on Tennessee. garage that she got out of the backseat. Because he went to the rink • : Hartnell, the No. 6 pick in the 2000 draft, compiled 235 every day by himself, he had to stick with that routine, so he made her points in 498 games with the Predators. After 10 years elsewhere, he ride in not just the backseat, but the third row of his SUV. returned to the team for his final NHL season in 2017. I can’t confirm that. He denies it. But once I was driving to the rink with • : Timonen was the Predators’ first standout Jeremy Stevenson. We usually went down at the same time as Paul. We defenseman, spending the first eight years of his career with the passed him on the highway, and as we were passing him, the back franchise. He served as captain during the 2006-07 season before being window goes down, and Scott Walker’s in the backseat laughing. I don’t traded to the Philadelphia Flyers with Hartnell in June 2007. know if they were just messing with us, or if he made Scott Walker get in the backseat because he had to do his routine. That part’s true. I can • Jordin Tootoo: The pugnacious forward was beloved by the Predators’ confirm that. fan base. Over eight seasons, Tootoo amassed a franchise-record 725 penalty minutes in 486 career games. Hartnell: Cliff Ronning. He was very superstitious. He didn’t like black tape anywhere near his stick. If someone missed the garbage can and • J.P. Dumont: Dumont recorded at least 65 points in three of his five black tape was on the floor, he’d run over and pick it up. seasons with the Predators, including a career-high 72 in 2007-08. He is one of three players in team history to register 70 points in a season. Timonen: My really good buddy (Hartnell) had some bad habits. He was so superstitious. I’m going to name one more — Cliff Ronning. He The second part of the roundtable will run Friday. Responses have been couldn’t stand black tape anywhere. You couldn’t leave a black tape roll edited for clarity. on his seat. If you did, you were going to hear from him. He would get In terms of skill, which of your Predators teammates left you most in mad. That was kind of odd. He wouldn’t use black tape anywhere, and it awe? couldn’t be near him.

Mason: Paul Kariya is an obvious answer, just because of the star power Tootoo: Paul Kariya. I was fortunate enough to room with him on the road that he had — the skill, the flash, the speed, the hands, the shot, the while he was there. In my eyes, not that I’m a doctor or psychologist or whole package. But the level of work and dedication that he put into his anything, but I could see a lot of OCD. Everything was done with craft, everything that he did was to make himself better and prepared to perfection, right from organization in the hotel room to having a specific play hockey. He left an impact on me for that, but just his raw skill as routine, down to taping his hockey sticks, tying his laces, taping his shin well. pads. Everything.

Another guy that blew me away because he was a virtual unknown was Dumont: Obviously, goalies don’t count because they’re in their own Marek Zidlicky. That guy had so much skill. In terms of just raw talent, I class. It would have to be Paul Kariya again. He had that routine that he think he could be one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen in terms did before games. It was like a religion pretty much. of his hands, his shot, his skating ability, his deception with the puck. He Scott Hartnell played 498 games with the Predators across two stints was a guy that nobody had even heard of, and he came over here and with the team. (Christopher Hanewinckel / USA Today) blew everybody away and just exceeded all expectations. The talent level was just incredible. What was your favorite on-ice moment during your time with the Predators? Hartnell: Well, Filip Forsberg in the new generation. He can do so many incredible things with the puck — passing, picking up passes with his Mason: There’s three that I would probably put up there. The first one skate, with his stick. One time in practice, he switched his stick around was when I played in my first NHL game (Dec. 16, 1998). It was in from right-handed to left-handed and went bar down on Pekka (Rinne), Anaheim. It was kind of an unfortunate circumstance. I think we were and the whole practice just erupted in applause. It was so flippin’ cool to losing 6-0 after two periods. I got put in, in the third period. I had a feeling see this guy do that, and at high speed, too. I think he dangled Roman that maybe (Barry Trotz) was going to do it. They were only going to play Josi to get in on Pekka like that. me if they had absolutely had to, and that was one of those games where they wanted to get (Tomas) Vokoun out of there. When (Trotz) told me I Another guy was Paul Kariya. He was so competitive. Every little thing was going in, it was an out-of-body experience. When I was on the ice, I was a game for him, whether it was pingpong or a tipping drill after felt like I was looking down on the situation. I will just never forget that practice. feeling because I couldn’t believe that I had played in the NHL. Timonen: So many good players went through my time there. I’m going Everybody was obviously upset because we got beat really bad, but to name David Legwand for his skating ability. I’ve never seen somebody inside, I was on cloud nine. I just couldn’t believe that I played in the skate that smoothly. I would also say Steve Sullivan for his hands and NHL. scoring (ability). The other one was when I got my first win against Colorado (on Jan. 8, Tootoo: We had a lot of unbelievable players come through the 2004). That’s when they had (Joe) Sakic, (Peter) Forsberg, (Teemu) organization when I was playing there. One guy that took everything to Selanne, Kariya, (Rob) Blake, all those guys. We weren’t expected to win the next level was Paul Kariya. that game, outside of the dressing room, anyway. Last was my first and only playoff win at Bridgestone Arena (against the San Jose Sharks on Dumont: Alexander Radulov had unbelievable skill. But overall, for me, it April 21, 2006). That was a special moment. I have a picture of it here at would be Paul Kariya. home. It is one of the few pictures that I actually have up in the house.

Which of your teammates had the most peculiar habits? Hartnell: My first game (Oct. 6, 2000) was really special. It was in Tokyo, Japan. We played the Pittsburgh Penguins, and my first shift was against (Jaromir) Jagr, (Mario) Lemieux and (Jan) Hrdina. The shift lasted like five seconds, because (Trotz) told us to change, so we skated from the offensive zone all the way back to the far blue line. It probably lasted four or five seconds, and I was like, “Whoa, what a first NHL shift that was!”

Timonen: Obviously my first NHL game (Dec. 16, 1998). That’s memorable. My first NHL goal was against Florida (on March 26, 1999). That’s second. And then making the playoffs for the first time (in 2004). I remember Barry Trotz almost crying.

Tootoo: I would have to say the first time I jumped over the boards to play my first NHL game (Oct. 9, 2003). Second would be the first time we clinched a playoff spot and that first (playoff) game at home. It was just electrifying.

Dumont: As a team, when we beat Detroit 8-0 at home (Feb. 28, 2009). I could feel the energy from the fans. It was just crazy being part of a game like that. Individually, I would say my short-handed goal against San Jose in the (2007) playoffs. It felt like the building was going to explode. The crowd was so loud. It was amazing.

What was the best piece of advice, either professional or personal, you received from Barry Trotz?

Mason: I was playing in Milwaukee. After my first year with the organization, I was talking to (the coaching staff). We were going over the year and my development, and Barry said to me, “Mace, I think you’ve got the potential to play in the NHL. Do you want to play in the NHL?” I said, “Yes, I want to play in the NHL more than anything.” He said, “Well, if you want to play in the NHL, you have to start working harder off the ice.” It was a time when goalies didn’t quite work out the same as players. We had a long discussion about the dedication it takes away from the rink. He said, “You work harder than anybody on the ice. Your work ethic, we have no issues with that. But in the gym, you’ve got to commit to it.” That summer, I went back (home), lost 18 or 19 pounds and was probably in the best shape of my life. I came to camp and had a great camp. At that moment, a switch went on for me. That discussion sticks out in my head about the level of commitment that it takes to make it to that level. It really changed my life.

Hartnell: Just how to be a professional. My personality as a player was to maybe goof around a bit too much. He taught me some lessons about how if I was going to screw around or fool around, I was not going to play as much. It really made me focus on knowing there were times to have fun and joke around, but there’s a fine line. He definitely taught me to be a professional, which helped me probably stay in the league as long as I did.

Timonen: This is a funny line I remember him saying — “If you are scared (on the ice), get a dog.” I think he used that on me back in the day.

Tootoo: I could talk for days on this topic. (Trotz) was and still is a players’ coach. He always cared about Jordin Tootoo the person, not the hockey player. Early in my hockey career, I never really felt that from any of my coaches. We had countless meetings and talks about life. The biggest thing for me that stands out is that he cared about my well-being.

Dumont: (Trotz) was really big on treating people the way you wanted to be treated and always being respectful so that people will be respectful to you as well.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185371 New Jersey Devils

What Devils players, prospects can do while 24 teams are in playoffs

By Randy Miller

The Devils need more post-coronavirus clarity from the NHL, which announced its return-to-play plans Tuesday.

If the clubs participating in the bigger-than-ever, 24-team playoff field get permission to bring in black aces for a postseason taxi squad, the Devils would like the opportunity to work with their prospects during an offseason that could last until November or December.

Could the Devils hold a mini development camp if prospects are willing to make a late summer or early fall trip to Newark? This issue is one of many that the NHL needs to settle as it continues to get new information on safety guidelines.

“This is potentially an eight-plus month hiatus for seven teams,” Devils interim GM Tom Fitzgerald said. “The six other general managers and I have been in touch with each other discussing this stuff over and over.

"Is there a possibility of us being able to work with our players over the summer because we’re not going to be able to bring in young prospects to New Jersey like other cities are going to be able to do to work with them? Even in a black ace type of role, (playoff teams) would still be able to put their hands on them to help them get ready.”

The Devils are happy that their roster of players will be able to return to Newark for on and off ice workouts at when the NHL goes into phase two of its return plan, then practice in bigger groups when playoff teams go through a training camp during phase three.

“If guys are comfortable enough to come back to New Jersey and want to settle in and feel comfortable in their own little nest … absolutely,” Fitzgerald said. "But they’re going to have to go through the same protocols that the other teams are doing with return to play. That’s an option for our players.”

Regardless of who the Devils get to work with before next season’s training camp, all of their players – prospects included – will be given strict training guidelines to follow during their long offseason.

“We’re in uncharted waters here on how to lay out a development plan for all of our players in the organization, even our non-pros because college hockey may not start, junior hockey may not start,” Fitzgerald said. “So that’s going to be the task of our sports science department and our development department to formulate a plan.”

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How Devils intend to get Jack Hughes to ‘grow into a man’

By Randy Miller

If you press the Devils for reasons why Jack Hughes didn’t live up to his hype as a rookie, they’ll mention that the first pick of the 2019 NHL Draft had to deal with adversity that is unusual for most 18-year-olds.

For instance, interim GM Tom Fitzgerald began his assessment of Hughes on Tuesday with this:

“There’s probably no young player in the league who's probably gone through some adversity that he's gone through having a coach fired, an interim coach, a general manager fired, an interim general manager.”

His skating and offensive skills were as advertised, but the center’s size and strength led to the 5-foot-11, 170-pounder being pushed around by bigger, stronger and more experienced opponents. Throw all of that into a blender, and what came out during the Devils’ now-completed coronavirus-shortened season was just seven goals, 21 points and team- worst minus-26 over 61 games.

“The production wasn't probably where he thought it was, but he still just turned 19,” Fitzgerald said. “I think the experience that he went through this year is only going to make him a much better hockey player … and quicker.”

That’s probably true, but Fitzgerald didn’t just makes excuses for Hughes’ growing pains.

Fitzgerald stressed that Hughes needs to get a lot stronger during the Devils’ long offseason, which could last until November or December because this season’s playoffs won’t be completed until late fall.

“He knows he's got a big summer ahead of him,” Fitzgerald said. “He can’t just put on 20 pounds. It's a process. So his off-ice conditioning will be a big part of his success this upcoming year until he continues to grow into a man.”

That “grow into a man” line wasn’t meant to be degrading. It’s just the simple truth that most teenage NHL players have to face, especially the ones who have a frame similar to Hughes.

“We have time, and that’s the positive,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve got a lot of time and he’s got a lot of time. With a lot of young athletes, strength conditioning is at the forefront.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185373 New Jersey Devils

Examining the biggest what-ifs in Devils’ and Islanders’ history

By Larry BrooksMay 29, 2020 | 2:03am

In a weeklong series, The Post is looking at alternate realities in New York sports. Today’s edition looked at what would have happened had the Rangers acquired a 19-year-old Eric Lindros in 1992. Here are some Devils and Islanders What-ifs:

What-if Devils

The fate of the franchise would have turned on its head had arbitrator Judge Edward Houston awarded Rod Brind’Amour and to the Devils rather than Scott Stevens as compensation from the Blues for the signing of free agent Brendan Shanahan in July 1991.

Back in those days, arbitration decided compensation for signing what was then a Group I free agent if the clubs could not agree. The Devils and Blues could not agree. St. Louis offered the 19-year-old center and the 22-year-old goaltender, each of whom had been in the NHL for two seasons. New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello requested Stevens.

Forget, for a moment, the complications that might have arisen in nets if Joseph had been added to the organization that in 1990 had drafted Martin Brodeur, who still had another year of junior and one full season in the AHL before breaking into the league with his Calder-winning 1993-94. Forget, too, that for whatever reason, Brind’Amour was hustled out of St. Louis shortly thereafter the decision, sent to the Flyers with in exchange for and .

Consider only that Stevens was indispensable on and off the ice through the Devils’ three championships in the nine years beginning with 1995.

No Stevens, no Stanley Cups.

No what-if’s about it.

What-if Islanders

Maybe the Islanders would not have beaten the Canadiens in the 1993 conference finals if had been at full strength and maybe the Islanders would not have then defeated the Kings in the final to win the Stanley Cup even with a healthy No. 77, but we’ll never know, will we?

That is the what-if that hangs over the franchise that was deprived of having its most dynamic player at the height of his powers after ’s cowardly hit from behind on Turgeon while the center celebrated the goal that gave the Islanders a 5-1 lead midway through the third period of what would be the clinching Game 6 of the first round.

Hunter was suspended for the first 21 games of the following season, but that was hardly salve for the Islanders or Turgeon, who had recorded 132 points (58-74) during the year but would miss the next round against the Penguins with a separated shoulder. That was the series in which the Islanders prevailed in seven over the two-time defending champion Penguins on ’s Game 7 overtime goal.

Turgeon did return for the final four games of the conference finals, and though he recorded five points (2-3), he was compromised throughout. Those charismatic Islanders of Steve Thomas, Derek King, Benoit Hogue, , Pat Flatley, Vlad Malakhov, and Co. fell short, losing in five to Patrick Roy and the Montreal team that would conquer the Kings in five in the Cup final.

Could the Islanders have beaten the Great Gretzky for Cup No. 5 with a healthy Turgeon? They’d sure have had a pretty darn good shot. They’d sure have liked to know.

New York Post LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185374 New Jersey Devils described as a “sensibility” in New York comedy clubs at the time. Making fun of New Jersey was par for the course.

“It’s a little less sophisticated,” said Stoller, credited as a writer for “The A salute to David Puddy, the true sports fan from ‘Seinfeld’ Face Painter,” in recalling what New York-based comedians might have said years ago.

As the episode began to take shape, Mehlman kept thinking about how a By Joshua Kloke May 28, 2020 devout hockey fan might act in the middle of the day while his favorite team was in the middle of a playoff series. The minutiae of someone’s

day-to-day life that often made “Seinfeld” writers tick. Puddy was no It began with a simple question that and other “Seinfeld” different. writers had been kicking around for years: what would compel anyone to “Hockey fans are always so rabid and you just can’t imagine how they paint their face? can turn it off during the day and actually go about their jobs and take The personality quirk kept coming up in conversation among the writers. care of their families. It’s building and building and then when they get It just had to fit into a storyline. into that arena, just like Puddy, they’re insane,” said Mehlman.

Enter David Puddy, to in season six of the Mehlman said Warburton delivered that intensity by taking the script to a show. The simpleton mechanic, with his squinting and entertainingly place “you never really thought of.” (Through a representative, Warburton monotone voice, became one of the seminal side characters in “Seinfeld” declined an interview request.) history. Warburton revealed in 2019 that while auditioning for the role, he was “He didn’t seem like the type of character that was smart enough for toying with making the character more brutish. Instead, he made Puddy Elaine,” said Fred Stoller, a “Seinfeld” writer. “When you analyze it, you far more tempered. go, ‘He’s kind of stupid. I guess they were having great sex.’” “He’s so controlled. Everything he does is kind of grim. You always get Like so many now-iconic “Seinfeld” storylines, the personality quirk came the feeling like he’s going to explode at any minute,” said Mehlman. to life in a memorable character as Puddy painted his face in support of Early in the episode, Elaine taunts Puddy, off-screen, about the Devils. the New Jersey Devils in “” episode, which aired May He responds to his girlfriend: “Hey no way, man. We’re primed.” 11, 1995. “He didn’t sound exactly unhinged, but you knew he was so fanatical,” Puddy’s face painting might not immediately top the list of sports said Mehlman. references in “Seinfeld.” George spent three seasons working for the New York Yankees. Jerry spent an entire episode trying to become Puddy reveals himself in a Martin Brodeur Devils jersey and a face friends with New York Mets legend Keith Hernandez, an episode that painted perfectly in red, green and black to make him look, naturally, like longtime “Seinfeld” writer Peter Mehlman said tops his list of sports a Devil. references in the show because of its “transcendent brilliance.” “Y’know, support the team,” he said, showing no sign of emotion. But Puddy’s face painting should stand alone in the “Seinfeld” sports universe for a completely different reason: For once, in a show full of “It’s his delivery that makes the show so great,” said Mehlman. dark humour, the good guy wins. At the game itself, Puddy shows that fanaticism as he bangs on the glass First, a question: Why did this outrageous act have to take place at a and taunts Rangers legend . Elaine implores him to tone it hockey game? down.

“I think in the eyes of Larry and (Jerry Seinfeld) and all of us writers that “Elaine, her character was from Baltimore, she probably didn’t grasp the were sports fans, hockey fans are crazier than the rest,” added Mehlman. total intensity of it,” said Mehlman.

By that point in the “Seinfeld” run, the major characters had already It’s the kind of unadulterated joy we rarely see in Seinfeld. attended live baseball, basketball and football games. And if you’re the type who has supported a team as Puddy did, this might Hockey, in Mehlman’s estimation, “just fit Puddy’s character.” be the sports-related appearance you appreciate the most. Because when you combine Warburton’s performance with the fact that it’s a rare “Basketball was just a little too cultured for David Puddy,” said Mehlman. win for a simpleton in the show, Puddy succeeded in the “Seinfeld” sports universe where many others failed. When Jerry lucks out by getting four prime seats up against the glass to a playoff game between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Take another one of Elaine’s boyfriends, the unfortunately-named Joel Devils, Elaine unwittingly suggests bringing Puddy, a “big Devils fan.” Rifkin. He feels forced to change his name after he is embarrassed at a New York Giants game. Jerry flies down to Miami to attend the Super We learn that Puddy has been a Devils fan since he was a kid, and that Bowl but ends up seated to his arch-nemesis, Newman. George is he is originally from New Jersey. Warburton himself was born in ridiculed on TV because of his messy eating at the U.S. Open. Paterson, N.J. In the series pilot, Kramer, in his first scene, spoils the result of a taped Still, from the very genesis of “The Face Painter,” it was clear Puddy Mets game Jerry had been waiting all night to watch. would have his back up against the wall. Sports is about wins and losses. And in Seinfeld, despite the affection He was never going to be a Rangers fan. It’s possible that David didn’t many characters have for sports, they often lose. want Puddy’s obtuse behavior soiling the reputation of his beloved Rangers. David Puddy as “The Face Painter” is a rare occasion when a character who does not meet the sky-high societal standards of Elaine, or one of “Larry and I had a running joke,” recalled Mehlman. “I’d just walk up to the other main characters, ends up finding happiness because of their him and say ‘The Rangers lost again last night. You know, they’re just behavior. not playing good hockey.’ I didn’t know much about hockey at all. Larry would just crack up.” Check out the look of sheer snobbery Elaine flashes Puddy, behind his back, as he’s just trying to mow on some dip for dinner while sitting on The sports fans on the Seinfeld writing staff believed Rangers fans were the floor. (Who among us, right?) more raucous than Knicks or Yankees fans. But even their sheer passion couldn’t compete with their neighbors to the west. And so it’s easy to root for Puddy and Devils fandom because by that point in the “Seinfeld” run, it was enjoyable to see one of the four main “There’s that attitude of New Yorkers towards New Jersey,” said characters fall off their moral high horse. Mehlman. “Like, they’re even crazier than Rangers fans.” Schadenfreude in the Stanley Cup playoffs, as it were. And in the So Puddy was written as a Devils fan. That sense of disdain that Puddy “Seinfeld” sports universe, there is no greater triumph than Puddy’s rallied against throughout the entire episode stemmed from what Stoller against the forces that conspire against him. “At a hockey game,” said Mehlman, “that’s his chance to really let go.”

He epitomizes an underdog prevailing against its upper-class foes.

“He’s an unfettered hockey fan,” said Mehlman. “There’s no moral complexity about who he’s rooting for. He doesn’t complain about management. New York fans, they know who the general manager’s assistant is. New Yorkers are such information freaks. And Puddy, he’s just rooting for that uniform. All the other stuff doesn’t matter. A guy like that is ultimately going to win, because whether the team wins or loses, he won’t recognize it. With Jerry and George, their team could win but something could taint the victory on a personal level and ruin it for them.

“But Puddy is simple: winning is good, losing is bad.”

It’s worth remembering that Puddy’s underdog status was further cemented by the fact that, less than a year earlier, the Devils lost a heartbreaking double-overtime Game 7 to the Rangers in the 1994 Eastern Conference finals.

As Puddy skips down the street taunting Kramer, he proves to the naysayers that his belief in his team, and his belief in his ugly show of affection, was justified.

So while Jerry obsessed over taped Mets games, George wanted to name his first-born child Seven after Mickey Mantle, Elaine refused to take off her hat at , and Kramer threw a hot dog at Indiana Pacers guard Reggie Miller in defense of Knicks superfan Spike Lee, no appearance brought out the inner sports fan of so many “Seinfeld” writers like Puddy in “The Face Painter.”

“Comedy people, or people in showbiz, a lot of us like sports because showbiz is so nebulous and subjective. (Sports) are very black and white. You’re faster, you hit more home runs,” said Stoller.

Less than two months after the episode aired, the Devils swept the Detroit Red Wings to win their first-ever Stanley Cup.

At the following season’s Stanley Cup banner raising ceremony, Warburton dropped the ceremonial first puck.

He appeared with his face painted. After dropping the puck, he accidentally fell. But when he rose back to his feet, he stripped off his shirt to reveal a giant red “D” painted on his chest, just as Puddy had painted in his second appearance at a Devils game in the episode.

“I was so thankful I had that D painted on my chest,” Warburton said in 2012. “The whole place went crazy.”

Warburton, just like Puddy, came out on top against the odds. He continues to bask in the glow of that episode, including dropping the puck ahead of a February 2019 Devils game while in full face paint.

In the words of Elaine herself, to the victor go the spoils.

And Puddy, for thriving in a sea of cynicism as the show’s true sports fan in Seinfeld, deserves all the spoils.

“It was,” said Stoller, reflecting on the episode, “the seminal Puddy moment.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185375 New York Islanders

Examining the biggest what-ifs in Devils’ and Islanders’ history

By Larry Brooks May 29, 2020 | 2:03am

In a weeklong series, The Post is looking at alternate realities in New York sports. Today’s edition looked at what would have happened had the Rangers acquired a 19-year-old Eric Lindros in 1992. Here are some Devils and Islanders What-ifs:

What-if Devils

The fate of the franchise would have turned on its head had arbitrator Judge Edward Houston awarded Rod Brind’Amour and Curtis Joseph to the Devils rather than Scott Stevens as compensation from the Blues for the signing of free agent Brendan Shanahan in July 1991.

Back in those days, arbitration decided compensation for signing what was then a Group I free agent if the clubs could not agree. The Devils and Blues could not agree. St. Louis offered the 19-year-old center and the 22-year-old goaltender, each of whom had been in the NHL for two seasons. New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello requested Stevens.

Forget, for a moment, the complications that might have arisen in nets if Joseph had been added to the organization that in 1990 had drafted Martin Brodeur, who still had another year of junior and one full season in the AHL before breaking into the league with his Calder-winning 1993-94. Forget, too, that for whatever reason, Brind’Amour was hustled out of St. Louis shortly thereafter the decision, sent to the Flyers with Dan Quinn in exchange for Ron Sutter and Murray Baron.

Consider only that Stevens was indispensable on and off the ice through the Devils’ three championships in the nine years beginning with 1995.

No Stevens, no Stanley Cups.

No what-if’s about it.

What-if Islanders

Maybe the Islanders would not have beaten the Canadiens in the 1993 conference finals if Pierre Turgeon had been at full strength and maybe the Islanders would not have then defeated the Kings in the final to win the Stanley Cup even with a healthy No. 77, but we’ll never know, will we?

That is the what-if that hangs over the franchise that was deprived of having its most dynamic player at the height of his powers after Dale Hunter’s cowardly hit from behind on Turgeon while the center celebrated the goal that gave the Islanders a 5-1 lead midway through the third period of what would be the clinching Game 6 of the first round.

Hunter was suspended for the first 21 games of the following season, but that was hardly salve for the Islanders or Turgeon, who had recorded 132 points (58-74) during the year but would miss the next round against the Penguins with a separated shoulder. That was the series in which the Islanders prevailed in seven over the two-time defending champion Penguins on David Volek’s Game 7 overtime goal.

Turgeon did return for the final four games of the conference finals, and though he recorded five points (2-3), he was compromised throughout. Those charismatic Islanders of Steve Thomas, Derek King, Benoit Hogue, Ray Ferraro, Pat Flatley, Vlad Malakhov, Glenn Healy and Co. fell short, losing in five to Patrick Roy and the Montreal team that would conquer the Kings in five in the Cup final.

Could the Islanders have beaten the Great Gretzky for Cup No. 5 with a healthy Turgeon? They’d sure have had a pretty darn good shot. They’d sure have liked to know.

New York Post LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185376 New York Islanders Coskey, a seventh-round pick in 2019 and Blade Jenkins, a fifth-round pick in 2018.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.29.2020 Islanders coach Barry Trotz says goalies will be crucial when NHL restarts season

By Andrew Gross

All players will be crucial to the Islanders’ effort if the NHL is able to resume play this summer.

The goalies just a little bit more so, Barry Trotz believes.

“Goaltending can steal you a series,” the Islanders coach said during an interview with Alan Hahn and Bart Scott on ESPN-98.7 FM on Thursday. “Especially early in the season, they need more game time to get it right. And some goalies need less. If you get goaltending above the curve, you have an immense advantage.”

The seventh-seeded Islanders will face the 10th-seeded Florida Panthers in an Eastern Conference best-of-five qualifying series for the 16-team playoffs under the NHL’s return-to-play model.

Two-time Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky (23-19-6, 3.23 goals- against average, .900 save percentage) is the Panthers’ No. 1 goalie. Trotz will choose between Semyon Varlamov (19-14-6, 2.62 GAA, .914 save percentage) and Thomas Greiss (16-9-4, 2.74 GAA, .913 save percentage).

But there’s still a long way to go between now and any potential puck drop after the season was paused on March 12 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are still details to be settled in the return-to-play model, including which two hub cities will host 12 teams from each conference.

Health concerns may still scuttle any attempt to resume play. But the NHL is hoping to open its team facilities to small-group workouts by early June and conduct formal training camps in July, though possibly not until the middle of the month. It’s likely no game will be played before August.

“I was very confident we were going to play all along,” said Trotz, whose Islanders went into the forced hiatus 35-23-10 and on an 0-3-4 skid. “I’ve kept a pretty rigorous schedule. Every day, I do hockey-related stuff all morning. I’m doing calls with my own coaching staff. We looked at ourselves, a self-evaluation from the coaching staff to the team knowing we’d get back playing, so what can we do to get an edge?”

Trotz said the Islanders will benefit from top-pair defenseman Adam Pelech, out since Jan. 2 with an Achilles tendon injury, as well as fourth- line center Casey Cizikas (leg laceration) and defenseman Johnny Boychuk (eye laceration) all being available. He added in-season trade acquisitions Jean-Gabriel Pageau and defenseman Andy Greene will benefit from having a training camp with their new teammates.

But new injuries will be a concern with few players skating much, if at all, during the break.

“The most important part in all this is the trainers and the players,” Trotz said. “They’re going to have to let me know where they are so we put them in the right situation so they don’t have setbacks. Some guys are going to be behind.”

Which brings it back to how well the goalies can perform.

“I think special teams in this short playoff are huge,” Trotz said. “We’ve got two capable goalies. Our defense is at least eight deep. We’ve got five, veteran lines. We’re not known as the most explosive offensive team but we’re going to have to get to that three-goal line every night. Lock it down and keep the other team below that.”

The Islanders will also have to adjust to playing at a neutral site without fans in the building instead of the raucous NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum.

“It’s going to be strange, the fans do have an effect on that,” Trotz said. “I don’t even know if I’ll be right behind the bench. I might be three rows back.”

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Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon expects 'no secrets' when they play the Islanders

By Andrew Gross

A best-of-five series affords very little time for sluggish play.

Which is why Florida Panthers president and general manager Dale Tallon knows his team must be at its sharpest against the Islanders. The teams are pitted in a qualifying series into the NHL’s 16-team playoffs — not likely to begin until August — under the league’s return-to-play model. The season was paused on March 12 in response to the COVID- 19 pandemic.

“There will be no secrets,” Tallon said Thursday on a Zoom teleconference with the media. “The Islanders are very well-coached, very well-prepared. They play their best every shift. They’re disciplined so we can’t get frustrated with them. We just have to be patient, compete and not have any bad sequences.”

The Islanders are seeded seventh in the Eastern Conference while the Panthers are seeded 10th. The games will be played at a neutral, hub city.

“Some sacrifice has to be made for this,” Tallon said of neither team playing home games in front of their fans. “The first priority is to stay safe, make sure nobody gets infected with this dreadful disease. We can’t force people into the building and that’s sad.”

The series would feature the NHL’s two winningest active coaches. The Islanders’ Barry Trotz has 845 regular-season wins and one Stanley Cup with the Capitals in 2018. That leaves him second behind the Panthers’ Joel Quenneville, who has 925 regular-season wins and three Cups with the Blackhawks between 2010-15.

They have met once in the playoffs, in 2010 when the Blackhawks eliminated Trotz’s Nashville Predators in six games in the first round.

This season, Islanders swept a tight, it-could-have-gone-either-way, three-game series. They won 3-2 in a shootout at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on Oct. 12 to start a team-record 15-0-2 streak, 2-1 at Barclays Center on Nov. 9 and 3-1 at Florida on Dec. 12 as defenseman Adam Pelech scored an empty-netter with 3.0 seconds remaining.

“We’re comparable,” said Tallon, adding his team will be fully healthy just like the Islanders, who will have Pelech (Achilles tendon), Casey Cizikas (leg laceration) and defenseman Johnny Boychuk (eye laceration) back.

NHL awards: The NHL on Thursday announced the Boston Bruins as the Presidents’ Trophy winner with a league-best 100 points. The Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl (43 goals, 67 assists) won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s scoring leader with 110 points. The Bruins’ David Pastrnak and the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin shared the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy with a league-high 48 goals. Ovechkin has won the award nine times. Bruins goalies Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak, a former Islander, shared the William M. Jennings Trophy as the Bruins allowed a league- low 174 goals.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185378 New York Rangers What was it that Colin Campbell, then the Rangers coach, said so famously following a game in Philadelphia where No. 88 had ridden roughshod over his team? Oh, right: “Lindros commits a major penalty on every shift.” The quote was so good and so on point that Smith the other Young Eric Lindros wouldn’t have assured Rangers Stanley Cups day said he might have said the same thing.

Anyway, Lindros rode roughshod over the NHL from his Calder Trophy- winning rookie season of 1992-93 until he sustained his first concussion By Larry Brooks May 29, 2020 | 12:47am on a blow from Pittsburgh’s in November 1998. The idea of the Rangers being able to send out twin pillars Messier and Lindros in concert with a young and a young In a weeklong series, The Post is looking at alternate realities in New in front of a young Richter is irresistible. No one would have touched a York sports. We are examining “what if” scenarios for our teams, soul on that team. Havoc would have been wreaked. reversals of fortune that would have radically changed not only the franchises themselves but dramatically altered their leagues, too. There But would the Rangers have won a Cup? Well, the Flyers sure didn’t, are two rules: The scenario must be grounded in reality and have taken even if blame for that largely rests on deficient goaltending when No. 88 place within the last 30 years. was at his peak between Legion of Doom mates Mikael Renberg and John LeClair. The Blueshirts would not have had to contend with Just as Harry Bailey wouldn’t have been there to save the transport in problems in nets, but you are a better person than I if you can fill in the World War II if he hadn’t been rescued as a child by big brother George, blanks up front that would have been left in the wake of the trade with Tony Amonte wouldn’t have been there to trade for Stephane Matteau Quebec and then build a roster strong enough to have gotten through (and Brian Noonan), Doug Weight wouldn’t have been there to trade for New Jersey in 1994. (The Flyers didn’t beat the Devils in 1995.) Esa Tikkanen and Alex Kovalev wouldn’t have been there to score the first goal for the Rangers in the We’ll Win Tonight Game 6 at the No Kovalev. No Amonte (or Matteau and Noonan). No Weight (or Meadowlands, which never would have occurred, anyway. Tikkanen). No Steve Larmer, either, if Patrick had wound up going to the Nordiques because then he wouldn’t have been available to ship out as That’s because Amonte, Weight and Kovalev would have been in part of the deal for the winger. So I am checking out the young forwards Quebec (or Colorado) if arbitrator Larry Bertuzzi had ruled that the within the organization at that time and here’s who I see: Darren Nordiques had in fact not traded Eric Lindros to the Flyers before then Turcotte, Corey Millen, Steven King and Peter and Chris Ferraro. Maybe trying to trade No. 88 to the Rangers in June 1992. I missed someone. Problem is, the Rangers would have been missing almost everyone. Full-scale free agency didn’t kick in until the later-’90s, That “What-if?” — as in what if the Blueshirts had acquired Lindros as a and by the way, the Rangers weren’t very good at that. 19-year-old — represents arguably the greatest unknown in franchise history. What if Bertuzzi had led the Rangers through the other sliding (Oh, and obviously with Messier and Lindros on the hypothetical 1996-97 door? roster, would never have found his way to New York.)

The crux of it is simply this: Would the Rangers have won more Stanley Honestly, as much hype as Lindros generated and as dominant as he Cups with Lindros joining a 31-year-old Mark Messier on the team that was through the ’90s when he was the league’s most compelling athlete, had won the Presidents’ Trophy the previous year than they did without it seems as if the Rangers probably dodged one when Bertuzzi ruled the him? other way. Doesn’t it?

“It’s the question every Rangers fan asks me. ‘Would we have done “I never felt that way,” Smith said. “I was in disbelief when I heard the better?” then-GM said by phone on Wednesday. “Do you ruling. We wanted him. Ownership wanted him. It wasn’t a, ‘Thank God it know what I say? Thank God we were able to win one [Cup]. didn’t go through because I didn’t really want to do it.’ That wasn’t it at all.

“Let’s not be too greedy.” “I think we could have won with Eric. But we did win without him. Would we have done better? Would we have won three or four? I’m just thankful Greedy would have been the perfect description of the dealings of we got one. I always will be. Quebec president Marcel Aubut, who turned out to be a literal two-timer in dealing with the Flyers and the Rangers in the matter of Lindros, the “It worked out the way it was supposed to.” first overall selection in 1991 who refused to sign with the Nordiques. First, Quebec accepted an offer from Philadelphia. Double dipping, he New York Post LOADED: 05.29.2020 then accepted an offer from Smith.

As contemporaneously reported, the various iterations of the deal the Blueshirts thought they’d made with Aubut included or , Kovalev, Amonte, Sergei Nemchinov, James Patrick, two first-rounders and $20 million of owner ITT’s money. Smith, though, corrected the record.

“Ricky was never in it,” the Rangers’ only living Cup-winning GM said. “Johnny was, but there was a kind of an asterisk on that because there was a question about him becoming an unrestricted free agent that summer. If he had become unrestricted, then James Patrick would have been substituted for Beezer. It was never going to be Patrick and Vanbiesbrouck.

“I don’t think Sergei was included, but Dougie Weight was. So it was the first-rounders, the money, and Kovalev, Amonte, Weight and either Vanbiesbrouck or Patrick for Eric. I know it seems like a lot, and it would have been, but you have to remember that Lindros was going to be The Next Great One, and everyone, starting with our ownership and [team governor] Stanley Jaffe, wanted him badly.

“And even though I wouldn’t have been jumping up and down with glee at trading all of those young assets, we would have been getting a special player we all thought was worth it. Remember, Eric was 19.”

(And healthy).

The offer, in fact, was in line with the Flyers ultimately sent to the Nordiques that featured , the rights to (selected sixth overall the previous year), Mike Ricci, Steve Duchene, Kerry Huffman, , a first-rounder and $15 million. 1185379 New York Rangers

Hurricanes’ Rod Brind’Amour not thrilled about facing Rangers

By Mollie Walker May 28, 2020 | 11:34PM

Following the release of the NHL’s 24-team playoff format, which has the Rangers facing the Hurricanes in a play-in round, it was revealed Carolina was one of the two teams who voted against the proposal.

Coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed his team’s disappointment with how the format panned out for the Hurricanes on the “ESPN on Ice” podcast Wednesday, saying the organization was reportedly pulling for a different plan entirely.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported in his “31 Thoughts” column Thursday that the Hurricanes had their own “Carolina plan” for the playoffs. One suggestion proposed that instead of a play-in round, the league would weigh the 12 teams in each conference by the percentage chance they had to make the final 16. Each team would then play three games to calculate the “final” regular-season standings.

The second suggestion was to force the Rangers to win four of the five games. Under that scenario, if the Hurricanes won twice, the series would be over and Carolina would automatically advance.

Both proposals were obviously rejected, per Friedman.

“I think the bigger issue felt like, and especially our guys, was like, ‘What was the 68 games we played for? What did we grind for?’ The bulk of the season was completed, and they just threw that out, and I think that’s how [the Hurricanes] felt,” Brind’Amour told ESPN. “I think that’s justifiable in a way.”

Speaking with reporters Thursday afternoon, Rangers president John Davidson said he was excited about a potential matchup with the Hurricanes.

“It’ll be fun, it’ll be great hockey,” he said. “They worked hard over the years, they have some good young talent, they have some smart veteran players and we played them well. … I like the matchup for both teams, it’s going to be tight. It’s going to be real tight.”

The Rangers went 4-0 against the Hurricanes this season, outscoring them 17-9. When play was suspended March 12, the Rangers were just two points behind the Hurricanes in the standings.

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Kaapo Kakko’s diabetes may keep him from Rangers if NHL returns

By Mollie Walker May 28, 2020 | 8:56PM

Rangers president John Davidson says he promises to listen to science when it comes to the safety of his players amid the NHL’s plans to open club training facilities for small-group workouts.

With Kaapo Kakko, who has Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, on the roster, Davidson said there has been extensive discussions internally regarding how to best handle the rookie’s medical conditions.

“I know that he’s skating and working out like mad men to try to get ready to come back. I’m sure he’s going to want to play, but at the same time, again, it’s important for everybody to be taken care of regarding their health,” Davidson said on a Zoom call with reporters Thursday. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a 19-year-old young player or if you’re an older executive. Everything has to be done in the right fashion.

“If he, hypothetically, cannot play, he can’t play. We’re going to take care of him, he’s a big part of us. If he can play, he’s going to play and I’m sure he’s going to want to play. But we listen to the science, we listen to the medical people, they’re going to tell us what to do.”

According to the 22-page memo released by the league on Monday, no more than six players at a time will be permitted in a team’s facility and coaches will not be allowed to participate in any on-ice activity during Phase 2 of its reopening. Teams are responsible for testing players for COVID-19 at least twice a week as well. Testing is expected to ramp up when training camps actually begin during Phase 3, which players were informed Thursday afternoon won’t be before July 10, according to Sportsnet.

Players who are returning to their team’s respective home cities via public transportation, including commercial air travel, must self- quarantine for 14 days before joining workouts. Davidson didn’t reveal if any of the European players had plans on returning to New York for the voluntary workouts.

“I think that right now we’re on hold, we don’t even know when Phase 2 is going to happen yet, we haven’t been told when we’re going to be able to open the facility,” Davidson said.

However, Davidson said Rangers personnel, including coach David Quinn and the training staff, has been in contact with all the players — including Lias Andersson, whom the Rangers loaned to HV71 of the after he asked for a trade in December — since play was suspended. The team has kept track of each player’s health, training and access to rinks and facilities.

The organization has also sent slide boards to each and every player to help with training and maintain their feel for the game. There have also been Zoom yoga classes made available to players.

“I know that some guys, in both Europe and North America, there’s private places they go to, some of them haven’t skated because they haven’t been able to depending on where they live,” Davidson said. “That’s why the slide boards come in handy.”

The league has yet to inform teams of how many players will be allowed at training camp or brought to the hub cities, according to Davidson.

“One thing we all have to remember here is, this is a fluid situation regarding dates of when we’re going to have a camp, when we’re going to play,” Davidson said. “Who knows?”

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Rangers president John Davidson eager to watch team's goaltending battle when season resumes

By Colin Stephenson

News trickled out Thursday afternoon that NHL players were notified that training camps won’t open before July 10, so there’s still a long way to go before the league will be playing hockey again.

But whenever NHL camps do open again after hockey was paused March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rangers president John Davidson will be excited to see who emerges as David Quinn’s choice as the No. 1 goaltender for the Blueshirts’ play-in series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

“This is going to be a coach’s decision,’’ Davidson, speaking on a conference call with reporters Thursday, said of the starting goalie against Carolina. “I think they’re going to watch and see how camp goes. This is going to be a battle.’’

“I can hardly wait till whenever the puck drops for training camp, just to watch.’’

The Rangers finished the regular season with three goaltenders: franchise icon and two 24-year-old Russians, rookie Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev. When the season was paused, Shesterkin had established himself as the team’s No. 1 goaltender, having put together a 10-2 record, with a 2.52 goals-against average and .932 save percentage after being called up from the minor leagues in early January. Georgiev (17-14-2, 3.04 GAA, .910 save percentage) had settled into the backup role, while Lundqvist (10-12-3, 3.16, .905), had fallen to the No. 3 spot.

But after two months of no games, coach David Quinn will have to see how all the goalies look when they return for training camp before he picks his starter for the best-of-five series against the Hurricanes. And he’ll have to seriously consider the fact that Lundqvist, the face of the franchise for 15 years, has dominated the Hurricanes in his career – 33- 12-1, 2.00, .934 against them in his career – including 3-0 this season, with a .947 save percentage and 2.33 goals-against average.

“That one game down in Raleigh (a 4-2 win Nov. 7, in which Lundqvist made 45 saves), he actually stole that game,’’ Davidson said of Lundqvist. “He was outstanding. It was the best game I saw him play all season long.

“But at the same time, we have two other young goalies that are very good,’’ he said. “I like our depth in that position.’’

ILundqvist has been back home in Sweden during the pause, and has been able to skate because Sweden never had any type of stay-at-home order or social distancing. Georgiev, who went to Finland during the pause, also has been skating. Davidson, who had spoken to Lundqvist, said he didn’t know if Shesterkin has been skating, “but I can tell you (Shesterkin and Georgiev) have been working.’’

Davidson was speaking from St. Louis. He and his wife had driven to Michigan and St. Louis to see their daughters and their families, and to meet their newest grandson, who was born in March. He planned on driving back to New York Friday.

On the call, he spoke about how the training staff had been in contact with each player throughout the pause, and how there had been Zoom yoga classes, and the team had sent each player slide boards, so they could work on their skating technique at home, without ice. He and the management team have been preparing for the upcoming draft – which is not yet scheduled – and have been very busy throughout, he said.

As far as details of training camp, Davidson said he doesn’t know yet how many players the Rangers will bring in. He did say former first-round pick Lias Andersson, who left the team and went back to Sweden after having been assigned to the minor leagues, would be a consideration. He said both he and Quinn have been in contact with Andersson.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185382 New York Rangers and what I saw, we did well. Now it’s a different phase with coming back, starting over a little bit with training camp, and then getting into a short series. You want to start quick and you want to be good early and it will be interesting to watch. But I think we’re up to it. I really do.” ‘Busy from top to bottom’: How the Rangers are preparing for what comes next He remembered a best-of-three series against Los Angeles in 1979 – he didn’t mention that a banged up goalie named John Davidson came back from injury for that series – and how it started a roll to the Stanley Cup final. By Rick Carpiniello May 28, 2020 “I like our team,” Davidson said. “Using the word team. I like our

mentality. I like the way they’re coached. And I think it will be a great So many unknowns still surround the return to play – or the plan to do so experience for them.” – for the NHL and its teams. As a goalie who once had a run to the final, but finished without the One of those, for sure, is about the handling of players with underlying ultimate goal (not to mention one who wore No. 30 when he played), health issues that could make them more vulnerable to Covid-19. Davidson addressed the situation regarding Henrik Lundqvist coming out of the break. In Sweden, Lundqvist has been able to skate during the In the Rangers’ case, that means rookie Kaapo Kakko, the 19-year-old pause, and his record against Carolina (24-4-0, 1.73, .947 since 2011 who suffers from Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. If it’s determined to including three stellar wins this season) at least suggests he might be be a risk for Kakko, the Rangers are prepared to sit him out. considered as the play-in series starter, though Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev were clearly Nos. 1 and 2 when the season stopped. “Yeah, we’ve thought about that quite a bit,” Rangers president John Davidson said Thursday. “We’ve had internal discussions. I know that “I know all three are excited,” Davidson said. “I know Hank’s been he’s skating and working out like a madman to get back. I’m sure he’s skating. I think, frankly, from my point of view, this is going to be a going to want to play. But at the same time … it’s important for everybody coaching decision. That’s who it’s up to. The coaches make decisions to be taken care of regarding their health. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 19- and I think they’re going to watch and see how camp goes. This is going year-old young player or an older executive. Everything has to be done in to be a battle. If they feel Hank’s the guy – and I know he had a good the right fashion. record against them this season without question. That one game down in Raleigh, he actually stole the game. He was outstanding. It was the “Now, hypothetically, if he can’t play, he can’t play. We’re going to take best game I saw him play all season long. But at the same time we have care of him. He’s a big part of us. If he can play, he can play, and I’m two other young goalies that are very good. So we have three guys going sure he’s going to want to play. But we listen to the science. We listen to in. I like our depth at that position. … I can hardly wait for training camp the medical people. They’re going to tell us what to do.” when the puck drops.” Like many of the team’s players, Kakko is working out at home, in The Rangers having won 31 of their last 37 against Carolina, including all Finland in his case. The Rangers have spared no expense to help their four this season – Shesterkin won the last meeting, one of the team’s players remain up to speed during this “pause” while holding out hope of best games all season – won’t necessarily give the Rangers an edge. resumption of the 2019-20 season. Davidson said that stat is “under the bridge” though he allowed “it doesn’t The team’s training staff has been in constant contact with players, giving hurt us.” them workout videos and yoga Zoom classes. Players were sent slide boards, on which skating can be simulated. When resumption of play arrives, the Rangers will have to set a roster, including an as-yet unofficial number of call-ups. Lias Andersson, with “One thing about our head coach, David Quinn – he doesn’t slow down,” whom Davidson has remained in contact, is a possibility. Davidson also Davidson said. “This is a day-to-day thing with him and he’s in constant said he doesn’t yet know what punishment will be faced by Brendan dialogue with everybody – his own coaches; they’ve had assignments. Lemieux, who is suspended for a hit on Colorado’s Joonas Donskoi in He’s talked to the players and (is) trying to get a feel for where they are, the final game in Denver. their thinking.” “We don’t know where we’re going to go,” Davidson said. “We don’t even Davidson added that the management staff has had dozens and dozens know the exact roster (limit) number just yet. … We’ll go through that and dozens of Zoom calls, including discussions with draft-eligible stuff once we get this a little bit more organized and try to get the players players. in that we want to get in here. Of course, you need a good roster for this “We’ve been busy, and I mean busy from top to bottom,” he said. thing. You’re going to have a training camp to go through, then you have, hopefully, quite a number of games – not only the play-in round, but you As the season turned into January – and immediately after goalie Igor hope to win that and move forward and depth makes a difference when it Shesterkin made his NHL debut – so too did the Rangers’ fate turn. They comes to that stuff. So we’ll work at all those options.” put themselves right into contention for a playoff spot, though they were a couple of points out with 12 games remaining when the music stopped. Davidson said that the Rangers, throughout the pause, were willing to go As they climbed into contention, the team’s coaches, management and along with whatever the league and the players’ union decided. players spoke often about how critical an experience that would be for “My opinion was, representing the Rangers, that we’re all in a tough the youngest team in the league and for so many of its novice players. spot,” Davidson said. “It’s something that no one in the whole wide world Now they’re, at least according to plan, going to be part of a play-in best- could have predicted happening, so my discussion with them was simple: of-five series against Carolina to get into the 16-team Stanley Cup We will do what the league and the players’ association think is right. If tournament. we’re in, we’re in; if we’re out, we’re out. We’ll abide by whatever the rules are. Whatever the conditions that will be set in place will be. And we “I think it’s invaluable, I really do,” Davidson said. “We were starting to have zero complaints, one way or the other. … We will go with whatever get to that phase when the pause happened, playing in Dallas, we went they do because we think they’re doing the right thing.” into Colorado on a pretty good roll and feeling good about ourselves. And you watch a lot of times, when you get into these playoff races – down Davidson called the situation “fluid” since really all that’s in place are the stretch they go – you look at a horse race. Some horses get tired and protocols for returning to play, no dates or sites as of yet. The hope is for they just fade off. Other horses, they dig in and they go. I think we’re one players to return in small groups around July 1, with camps in mid-to-late of those. We were digging in. We had our coaches pushing, we had July. Again, all fluid. So there are no exact plans yet as to when players players playing … to the heights of their talents. We had combinations on make their way to New York or when they would even be allowed to the ice with (Artemi) Panarin and (Ryan) Strome, with (Mika) Zibanejad, travel back. and (Pavel) Buchnevich was starting to go, (Chris) Kreider was going to Whatever, wherever or however this plays out, Davidson promised that come back (from a broken foot). the Rangers will be ready. “The whole thing was starting to really go and I liked what I saw with our “When we do get ready to have the players come into the training center, group. You can talk about a team quite often, and team – we were really I’m telling you, there might not be a germ within six blocks of that place,” becoming a team and that’s one of the disappointments, of course, when he said with a chuckle. “I’m telling you, they’re really doing things here to this thing happened. But I feel strongly now that we’ve gone through that make sure there’s no germs available to any people.” Then he joked that right across the parking lot from the Rangers’ practice facility is Regeneron, a huge biotechnology company.

“Maybe they’re finding the vaccine,” he said. “Who knows?”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020

1185383 Ottawa Senators past two seasons coaching the Vienna Capitals in Austria … As much as he wants to make the next step, there’s talk Marco Rossi could wind up back with the 67’s if he doesn’t crack the roster of the NHL team that drafts him. Some GM’s would be more comfortable with him in the Cracks of Don: Not since Civic Centre days has Senators attendance environment created by James Boyd and Andre Tourigny than playing in sunk so low Europe … Rossi was formally declared the CHL’s Top Scorer of the Year on Thursday. His 120 points bettered QMJHL scoring champ Alexis

Lafreniere (112 points) the WHL title taker, Adam Beckman (107 points) Don Brennan … Beckman is a third round pick of the Wild … One tradition killed by COVID that media covering Senators loved — Garbage Bag Day. To be clear, media didn’t love the day, but that it was killed by COVID.

Now that all the regular season stats are final, the Senators wound up THINKING OUT LOUD leading the league in one important category. Max Scherzer says he’s talked “with the rest of the players” and there’s Very positive is their 25 percent chance of landing the first pick in the no reason to engage MLB in any further compensation reductions. First, entry draft. how many is “the rest”? Second, that’s easy to say for a guy who’s on a 7-year, $210 million contract. What about players on minimum salaries or The elephant in the room where ’s deepest thinkers all the minor leaguers teams have released the last couple of days? … At plop their brass, however, is the percentage of the arena that was un- least the champion Blue Bombers — who for the seventh filled for the team’s homes games this season. season will have North Bay’s Mike O’Shea as their head coach — were That ain’t positive. It’s embarrassing. greenlit to open their facility Thursday. The Argos, who are coming off a 4-14 season and will have a new head coach in , are Shameful enough it is for Canadians to look at the NHL attendance looking at a June 8 opening, while no date has been set for the report on ESPN.com and see that one of our seven teams was dead-last Redblacks, who were 3-15 and have a new coach in Paul LaPolice. Is in the league, with 12,618 as its average crowd. But at least the Senators that an advantage for the team that doesn’t need it as much as the other had a shot at getting out of the cellar by moving past the 30th place two? It’s not a disadvantage. Islanders (12,810) with huge turnouts for their meaningless final four home games. FINISHING TOUCHES

Much worse is the next column, which indicates percentage of building If you think what COVID has done and could continue to do to the world capacity that was filled. The Senators were bottom of the barrel there, is scary, ex-NBA player Stephen Jackson says the Minneapolis police too, with an ugly 65.9 percent. In this category, they were nowhere close officer who was involved in the death of African-American George Floyd to the team ahead of them, which again was the Islanders with an 81.3 should “fry” in an electric chair, while former 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick percent. is calling for a revolution. “We have the right to fight back,” he tweeted … I don’t remember former Atlanta Braves catcher/third baseman Biff Hockey hotbeds of Sunrise, Fla., home of the Panthers, and Glendale, Pocoroba, who passed away this week at the age of 66, which is odd for Ariz., were third and fourth last at 82.8 and 85.3 percent, respectively. a few reasons: That’s one of the best baseball names ever. A friend of One upon a time the Senators were among the league leaders in mine, Biff Weatherall, played third on our team. Pocoroba spent his entire attendance, but not since their Civic Centre days have they failed to 10-year career with the Braves and was an all-star in 1978. How? That average at least 13,000 fans. And not since 1994-95, when they played season he had six homers, 34 RBI and a .242 batting average. “Poco in their 10,500-seat original home, have they drawn fewer customers once threw out 11 straight base stealers in spring training,” tweeted than any other team. Even that year their average attendance was 9,879, former Braves star Dale Murphy … I also don’t remember the Canucks so their percentage capacity was quite high. beating the Bruins 9-3 on Feb. 22. Did that really happen? … Because YOU demanded it, Cracks of Don goes from four to five days (Monday- In 2018-19, the Senators were 27th in average attendance with 14,553, Friday) starting next week. Thanks. I didn’t need that extra day of rest so this season they dropped significantly with 1,935 fewer fans per game. anyway … How is it possible is not in the Canadian Sports Hall Their capacity percentage, though, has been the worst in the NHL for two of Fame? years. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.29.2020 Things are sure to brighten up next season — especially if those 25 percent odds win them the lottery.

Otherwise, they might try drafting some fans.

TOP OF THE ORDER

More final numbers — according to CapFriendly.com, both the Maple Leafs ($95,178,332) and the Coyotes ($85,089,798) had a final cap hit that left them with zero space, but with long-term injury reserve used made it to the $81.5 million ceiling. Every other team had at least a little wiggle room, while the most belonged to the Devils, who had a final cap hit of $72,724,318 and a final cap space of $8,775,682, and the Senators, who had a final cap hit of $74,319,369 and final cap space of $7,180,631. The floor was $60.2 million … The Bruins won the Presidents’ Trophy for the third time since 1986, when the league started presenting it to the regular season champs. They wound up with 100 points, which was six more than the Blues. And what does it get them? No home ice advantage through to the Cup final, as it normally would. No anything, really, except the Presidents’ Trophy, for what that’s worth. Only eight times — and not since Chicago in 2013 — has the team that won that gone on to capture Lord Stanley’s mug … Senators GM Pierre Dorion needs to change his thinking. Judging by Thursday’s zoom call, he actually should let his girlfriend cut his hair. Or wear a cap on zoom calls.

CONNECTING THE DOTS

Former Senators coach Dave Cameron is rumoured to be a top candidate for the bench boss job with the QMJHL’s Saint John Sea Dogs. The 61-year old Cameron, whose longtime pal Gerard Gallant won two championships with the Sea Dogs in 2011 and 2012, has spent the 1185384 Ottawa Senators Dorion didn’t broach the subject of UFA blueliners Mark Borowiecki and Ron Hainsey along with goaltender Craig Anderson during the call with local reporters.

SNAPSHOTS: Josh Norris wins AHL honours and could be ready to That’s because the club hasn’t held its exit meetings with players in make next step Belleville and Ottawa.

The Senators were waiting to see what would happen with the season officially. That means the Belleville meetings will take place around June Bruce Garrioch 8 while the Ottawa sessions will likely start around June 15.

Dorion and Smith will hold separate meetings via Zoom. “The one good thing is that if we want to talk an hour to a guy we might talk for an hour,” Josh Norris turned a few heads with the this season. Dorion said. “We might extend those, not just a five, 10 or 15 minute And, people around the American Hockey League took notice. process. If a player wants to talk to us for an hour about our team, himself or where we’re headed, we’ll have a lot of time to do that.” Norris, a key piece brought back in the deal that sent Erik Karlsson to the San Jose Sharks in Sept., 2018, was selected as the AHL’s rookie-of- Goaltender Anders Nilsson has been given clearance to return to the ice the-year Thursday and will receive the Dudley (Red) Garrett Memorial after missing the second half with post-concussion syndrome. Award which is voted on by players, coaches and media members in all “He’s feeling great, he’s exercising, working out, he’s in Sweden and now 31 markets. he just needs to get on the ice,” Dorion said. “Once he gets back on the Norris finished with 31 goals and 61 points in 56 games and was tied for ice, and stops a few pucks, he’ll be back to 100%” third overall in AHL scoring. Nobody is sure when free agency will happen because, at this point, “Josh Norris just became a man amongst boys at the American league camps aren’t scheduled to open before July 10 and it could be October level,” Dorion said in a Zoom call with local reporters Thursday. “For a before the Stanley Cup is awarded. 20-year-old to win the rookie of the year just says something about where The Senators won’t be doing a lot of shopping on the market, but they we feel he will end up for us. He plays the game at an extremely high may bring in the odd veteran player or two to help them guide the young pace, his skating, execution, ability, he’s someone that’s got offensive players. flair and he does everything the right way.” “Last year, we felt we added veterans that help the growth of our players Norris hadn’t played in six months after suffering a shoulder injury during and the growth of our team,” Dorion said. “It’s something we’ll look at in the world junior championships in Vancouver in Dec., 2019. He decided the short-term, but as far as adding UFA’s for multiple years in the long- to leave school last spring and turn pro which was the right decision for term it’s probably not something we’re going to look at.” everybody involved. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.29.2020 “Once he signed after the shoulder surgery, he came to Ottawa and he made sure he spent extra time in Ottawa to be ready for the 2019-20 season,” said Dorion. “He comes from a hockey family and he does things the right way. We know that we have a future star in Josh Norris whenever he joins the Senators.”

READY FOR A LONG OFF-SEASON

During the conference call with GM’s Tuesday, deputy commissioner Bill Daly told one of the teams not participating in the Play-In games if they wanted to bring their players in for a camp in the summer that possibility existed.

Dorion isn’t quite sure how the club is going to access it players during this lengthy break and will take direction from the league. He does believe exceptions will be made for the seven teams not playing because the 24 returning will have the advantage of being on the ice.

“We have to accept what’s happened here and the world is changing,” Dorion said. “We know that 24 teams will have the advantage of playing before we get a chance to play. I’m sure the NHL will look at it and will look at the matter and look at what can be done. I’m sure a plausible solution will be found for the seven teams not playing.”

The Senators will discuss the possibility of holding their annual development camp and naturally a decision has to made on what happens with a possible rookie tourney.

“The NHL will have guidelines and we’re going to follow those guidelines,” Dorion said. “They’ve got some really smart people there. They came up with a great plan for a Play-In. Whatever the guidelines are for our prospects, potential development camps or rookie camps we’re just going to follow the guidelines.

“We know we just can’t go into the season without having some forms and shapes of camp and prospect camps.”

Norris will be among those that will challenge for a spot in camp and will help the club improve next season.

“As part of the plan we want to continue growing,” Dorion said. “We want to field a very competitive team in Ottawa and Belleville. We want to see the growth in our players. We’ve got to start moving up in the standings. A lot of the work we’ve done in the last two years, I think our fans will start seeing and we’re really excited about the upcoming season.”

THE LAST WORDS 1185385 Ottawa Senators Dorion wouldn’t say whether he would use all the picks he has in the draft and did leave the door open to make deals for help right away if the club gets the right offer.

GARRIOCH: Pierre Dorion confident the Ottawa Senators are headed in “I don’t want to tip our hand on what we’re going to do with our picks,” he the right direction said. “I’m sure as we get closer to the draft there will be multiple discussions. We know that we have a plan in place, we’re going to follow that plan, we know we’re not going to rush things.

Bruce Garrioch “We’re going to do things properly and that’s part of having a long-term success of building a championship-calibre team in Ottawa if we do the

right thing with this draft.” Pierre Dorion called this season a step in the right direction. The Senators have already interviewed approximately 50 prospects for And, whenever the 2020-21 campaign gets under way, the Ottawa the draft and, at some point in the next month or two, they will hold their Senators’ general manager is confident with the right decisions made scouting meetings to make their final lists. The reality is they’ve got lots with the prospects in the NHL draft and the proper changes to the roster of time to prepare and they’re going to take it. the club will be competitive under coach D.J. Smith with the right pieces “We know our draft will be very good hands with Trent handling it,” put in place. Dorion said. “We’ve had preliminary meetings with areas and we’re still Dorion is hopeful the fan base will start seeing the fruits of the club’s doing some interviews. We know time is on our side here and the draft labour in this rebuild. won’t be until much later on. Right now, we’re no rush, we’re going to have meetings in the next month or so but we’re going to take our time “It wasn’t a full season but it was close enough that we got a good and do it right. evaluation of our team,” Dorion said in a Zoom call with local media Thursday. “We felt we made great progress, we felt were very “It’s not a race here, it’s to make the best list possible going into this competitive and we were very happy with the job D.J. and his staff have draft.” done. We felt we were progressing well and following the plan of this Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.29.2020 team getting better.

“Lots of our good, young players in Ottawa improved and got better. We had some good veterans that we counted on. At the same time, the development of the players in Ottawa and in Belleville was very good. It’s unfortunate what happened in Belleville, with their season coming to an end, but we knew they were gaining valuable minutes there.

“I thought we made great gains in how we play, compete, team structure and we feel the plan that (owner) and myself put in place in Feb., 2018 is on the right path and on schedule to bringing a lot of success down the road.”

The NHL draft this summer is going to play a big role in where this rebuild is headed. The club has three picks in the first round, including two that are guaranteed to be in the top six, seven in the first two rounds and 13 in total with the draft lottery set for June 26 while the draft itself will be held sometime in the summer or when the season is completed.

The rules of the lottery were laid out by commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly Tuesday and the good news for the people in Ottawa is the Senators will retain their 25% odds of getting the No. 1 overall selection. The club has a 13.5% chance with its own pick and another 11.5% opportunity with the selection the received from the San Jose Sharks.

You aren’t going to hear complaints about the format from Melnyk and Dorion.

“The NHL made a good decision and they consulted with many teams, including us,” Dorion said. “We’re very happy with the how the draft lottery will proceed. We know we’re going to get two players in the top six in the worst-case scenario and in the best-case No. 1 and No. 2 and we’re looking forward to the draft lottery.”

That’s why Dorion noted Ottawa targeted this draft when it started the rebuild because they know it’s deep with talent and one of the best in years. The club not only has a shot at Alexis Lafreniere of the Rimouski Oceanic, Tim Stuetzle of Germany and Quinton Byfield of Sudbury are both highly-rated as well while the Senators also have the New York Islanders top selection from the Jean-Gabriel Pageau deal.

Dorion is confident chief scout Trent Mann and his staff are prepared.

“We always knew this would be one of the best drafts in the last 10-to-20 years and that’s why we stocked so many picks,” Dorion said. “We wanted to get ready for it and we feel that we’re in a very good position with nine picks in the first three rounds and three picks in the first round.

“We feel we’re in a good position to help our rebuild and our long-term success by stockpiling so many picks for this year’s draft. We feel it’s a really quality draft and in the first 15-to-20 you’re going to get really good NHL players and in the top three rounds we feel you’re going to get really solid NHL players also.” 1185386 Philadelphia Flyers

NHL won’t return until at least August

by Sam Carchidi,

So much for resuming the NHL season in late July.

Players were informed Thursday that training camps won’t start before July 10, according to Sportsnet in Canada.

Earlier this week, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said camps might start July 1, but probably not until later.

Even if camps open July 10, the season wouldn’t be able to start until August. The league has said camps will last about three weeks.

When play resumes in August -- that is, if all medical issues and other concerns are resolved -- it seems more likely that next season wouldn’t start until January.

This year’s season was suspended March 12 because of the coronavirus outbreak

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185387 Philadelphia Flyers Flyers rookie Joel Farabee getting a fist bump from after scoring against the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 1.

The play-in round will be great theater, and those competing in those Mixed emotions about NHL’s plan to return, but Flyers in a good position games will have to win five rounds to win the Stanley Cup. The top four to make some noise teams in each conference, including the Flyers, will have to win the usual four rounds to be declared champs.

The Flyers have a lot going for them. They had won nine of their last 10 by Sam Carchidi, games when the season was suspended. Will the stoppage cripple their momentum? Maybe, but all teams will have rust in the early stages of

their returns. From here, the swagger and the confidence the Flyers had It’s good to finally be writing about NHL games that are on the horizon, built is something they can fall back on, something that will make it easier but something still feels empty. for them to regain their mojo when the season resumes.

It’s good to have plans for an NHL tournament, even if it is watered down Nice blend and includes a Montreal team that had nine more losses than wins. The Flyers have a perfect blend of veterans and young players. The Gov. Murphy says pro sports teams in N.J. ‘can return to training and youngsters, like rookies Joel Farabee, Phil Myers, and Nic Aube-Kubel, competition’; Sixers and Flyers could begin practicing soon and sizzling second-year pro Carter Hart, may have been about to fade from playing their first full (or significant) NHL seasons, so the break It’s good that the Flyers, who were the NHL’s hottest team the last time might be a blessing for them. we saw them, will have a chance to win their first Stanley Cup since 1975, but it’s sad fans won’t be allowed to sit in the Wells Fargo Center They have hungry, on-the-rise young players like Travis Konecny, Ivan and make it percolate like in the unforgettable 2010 playoff run. Provorov, Travis Sanheim, Robert Hagg, and Scott Laughton who will be trying to make a playoff impact. Unlike me, most fans don’t have mixed emotions about hockey’s returning. They just want it back. Yesterday. The veterans, such as Sean Couturier, , Jake Voracek, , James van Riemsdyk, Kevin Hayes, Justin Braun, et al, In a Twitter poll I started Wednesday morning, 81% of the first 1,000 will keep everyone focused. responders said they were thrilled about the NHL’s return-to-play plans, which the league outlined Tuesday. Just 19% said the season should They know the Flyers haven’t won a playoff series since 2012. They have been canceled. know they can’t use the long layoff as an excuse because every team is in the same position. Part of me feels excited about the NHL’s planned return, about the chance to see if the Flyers can continue their growth under coach Alain The Flyers (41-21-7) also may have caught a break because they have a Vigneault and his terrific staff. chance to win the Eastern Conference’s top seed -- and potentially get an easier road to the Stanley Cup Final -- in a three-game round-robin Part of me feels that the resumption of the season is forced, that the tourney with Boston, Tampa Bay, and Washington. The round-robin season should have been bagged and that too much can go wrong (read: setup seems unfair to the Bruins, who had a league-best 100 points -- 11 the coronavirus spreads through a team or two) once the games return. more than the Flyers in the regular season.

But here we are. Getting ready to watch games, place bets, and make That said, seedings don’t matter much if you get hot at the right time. the TV ratings soar. Remember 2010, when the seventh-seeded Flyers faced eighth-seeded Montreal in the conference finals? “We hope this is a step back toward normalcy,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday. Oh, and finishing with the No. 1 seed isn’t as important this season because no fans are expected to be in buildings anyway, eliminating the A short time later, he estimated that 30,000 coronavirus tests will be home-ice advantage. For the Flyers, who had an NHL-best 25-6-4 home performed on players and staff members. record, that stings. So much for normalcy. But at least the season, provided some medical problems and other Plans are coming together. Games will return in late July or early August, concerns are resolved, will return and a Stanley Cup champion will be without fans in attendance, and the made-for-TV playoffs could drag into crowned. October, causing the next season to possibly start in — wait for it — And maybe, just maybe, the Flyers will have a magical run that will end January. with Hart impersonating from a less-complicated era. Normalcy? Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.29.2020 A diversion

Proponents of resuming the season say it will be a diversion from the 100,000 coronavirus deaths that have made the United States the world’s epicenter.

Opponents say resuming the season -- after having nearly five months off -- is just a money grab for the NHL because it will generate as much as $500 million in TV revenue.

The money is needed to prevent the league’s salary cap from dropping drastically next season.

Speaking of next season, Bettman said the league plans to play a full 82- game schedule and hopes to have fans back in the seats. He added that the season might not start until January.

Now that seems like a money grab. Play 70 games, tops, and end next season’s playoffs in June, not when the leaves are changing colors.

Back to this season. Assuming there is no hitch and the league returns, 24 teams will have a chance to win the Stanley Cup. That’s about three times too many teams in this chaotic situation, but, hey, the NHL has bent over backward to accommodate those that had even the slightest chance to make the playoffs when the season was stopped March 12. 1185388 Philadelphia Flyers “We hope this is a step back toward normalcy,” Bettman said of the NHL’s planned return.

The commissioner said after play-in games are finished, it has not been NHL training camps won’t start until July 1 at earliest; Flyers could get decided if the teams will be reseeded, which is the players’ choice. top seed in East The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will be best-of-seven series. The length of the first two playoff rounds, Bettman said, has not been decided yet; they will be either best-of-five or best-of-seven series. by Sam Carchidi, It should take a little over a month to play the play-in round and the first two playoff rounds, Bettman said.

NHL training camps won’t start until July 1 at earliest; Flyers could get As for Phase 2 of what the NHL calls a four-part return-to-play plan, only top seed in East six players will be allowed to be on the ice at the same time and they will not be permitted to have contact. The Flyers’ training facility is the Skate Nearly 11 weeks after the NHL suspended its season because of the Zone in Voorhees. coronavirus outbreak, commissioner Gary Bettman gave a fuzzy outline on the league’s return-to-play plan Tuesday. National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman outlined his league's plans Tuesday. Bettman did not give precise dates on when voluntary small-group workouts could begin, or when training camps would start, or when the No coaches will be allowed on the ice, but they can observe the players, season would resume. the NHL said.

The league did reveal that the top four teams in each conference that Players would be tested for the coronavirus two days before they return play in a round-robin tournament before the playoffs will each be to small-group sessions, and they will be tested twice each week. In competing for the No. 1 seed. addition, their temperatures will be checked daily. Teams will assume the costs of testing until games are held, which is when the NHL will be In other words, the Flyers, fourth-seeded in the Eastern Conference, responsible for the bills. Bettman said the NHL may do between 25,000 could become the No. 1 seed if they win the mini-tourney -- despite and 30,000 tests. collecting 11 fewer regular-season points than Boston. Phase 3 is training camp, which is expected to last three weeks, and The round-robin is for seeding purposes only, and the top four East Phase 4 is the resumption of the season. teams are Boston (100 points), Tampa Bay (92), Washington (90), and the Flyers (89). On Friday, the NHL Players’ Association’s executive committee overwhelmingly approved a 24-team format for when the league returns. If the Flyers remained at No. 4 and the NHL used a seeding format, they The vote was 29-2, and the Flyers voted in favor of the plan. would face the Pittsburgh-Montreal play-in winner in the first round of the playoffs. The Flyers (41-28-7) had won nine of their last 10 games and were the league’s hottest team when the season was halted. They had advanced Small-group workouts will begin in early June, and a 24-team tournament into second place in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the will be used when the season restarts. After a play-in round, 16 teams Capitals (41-28-8). will compete for the Stanley Cup. Teams had from 11 to 14 games remaining when the season was “We anticipate playing over the summer and into the fall,” Bettman said, stopped. adding “things are evolving rapidly.” Bettman said the regular season has been completed, so final stats and Said Bettman: “Fans are telling us in overwhelming numbers they want to awards will be based on what has already transpired. complete the season.” As for next season, Bettman said the NHL plans to play a full 82-game The NHL plans to make as much as $500 million in TV revenue if the schedule. Next season could start as late as January, he said. playoffs are completed, according to reports. Here are the best-of-five play-in matchups: Bettman reiterated that the season wouldn’t continue until medical experts said it was safe. EAST

Bettman said that “anybody who gives you a date [to resume the season] Pittsburgh (5) vs. Montreal (12); Carolina (6) vs. Rangers (11); Islanders is guessing,” but added that late July or early August were possible. (7) vs. Florida (10); Toronto (8) vs. Columbus (9).

In another matter, Bettman said the NHL draft, originally scheduled to be Top seeds before round-robin tourney: Boston, Tampa, Washington, held June 26-27 in Montreal, will take place after the playoffs. The draft Flyers. lottery will be held June 26 and it will determine the order of the top three picks. Fifteen teams can win one of those picks: the seven that are not WEST playing in the tournament, and the eight teams eliminated in play-in Edmonton (5) vs. Chicago (12); Nashville (6) vs. Arizona (11); Vancouver rounds. (7) vs. Minnesota (10); Calgary (8) vs. Winnipeg (9). As had already been made public, Bettman said 24 teams -- 12 from Top seeds before round-robin tourney: St. Louis, Colorado, Vegas, each conference, based on points percentage -- will compete in the Dallas. NHL’s tournament, and each conference will be assigned a still-to-be- named hub city. Each club can bring 50 personnel members to the Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.29.2020 games.

The plan, Bettman said, will produce a “worthy Stanley Cup champion."

Philadelphia is not being considered as a hub city. The cities under consideration include Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Las Vegas (the West favorite), Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pittsburgh, Toronto, and Vancouver.

The NHL is considering not allowing teams to play in their own hub city, thereby removing any perceived advantage, according to Bill Daly, the league’s deputy commissioner.

Bettman said a formal training camp can begin no earlier than July 1, and probably later. That means the 24-team tourney can’t start until late July or early August. 1185389 Philadelphia Flyers

Devils reportedly interested in former Flyers head coaches Peter Laviolette, John Stevens

By Jordan Hall May 28, 2020 6:35 PM

With the NHL's 24-team return-to-play plan, naturally some hockey fans have enjoyed poking fun at the seven clubs left out of the field.

The Devils being one of them.

But not is all bad for the Flyers' Metropolitan Division foe. New Jersey has a 7.5 percent chance to earn the No. 1 overall draft slot after landing the top pick in 2019 (Jack Hughes) and 2017 (Nico Hischier). For the 2020 draft, the Devils could end up with three first-round selections.

Not an awful spot.

New Jersey is also in the market for a head coach after finishing the 2019-20 campaign with interim bench boss Alain Nasreddine. There are some big fish out there and the Devils could reel one in — possibly a former Flyers head coach. According to a report Thursday by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts column, New Jersey is eyeing at least four candidates for its vacancy.

Two of them spent time behind the Flyers' bench in 2009-10, when the club made a run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Per Friedman:

As for the coaching search, word is the Devils are eyeing at least four candidates. I believe that includes incumbent Alain Nasreddine, along with Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette and John Stevens. There may be one more. The wrinkle here is that [interim general manager Tom Fitzgerald] did the initial interviews, and will any of them want him as their boss should they be choice? It’s also possible ownership will want a conversation before any decision is made. It’s a unique time to try and hire someone.

Flyers fans had it difficult enough seeing in Devils red for most of this season. Laviolette attempting to lead New Jersey back to playoff hockey for just the second time in nine seasons would be interesting to follow from afar. Nobody would doubt his ability to do it. Laviolette, who was fired by the Predators in January, has taken all four teams he has coached to the playoffs and three of them to the Stanley Cup Final, winning it all with the Hurricanes in 2006.

Stevens hasn't been an NHL head coach since 2018-19, when he was fired by the Kings 13 games into the season. He led the Flyers to back- to-back playoff appearances from 2007 to 2009 and was let go by the club 25 games into the 2009-10 campaign, opening the door for Laviolette's tenure in Philadelphia.

They had no idea. pic.twitter.com/R2VrisybEx

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) May 14, 2020

If Laviolette goes to the Devils, he'll have coached four teams now currently in the Metropolitan Division. (Rangers, Flyers), Barry Trotz (Capitals, Islanders) and John Tortorella (Rangers, Blue Jackets) have also coached multiple clubs in the division.

Laviolette would certainly give the division another heavy hitter behind the bench.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185390 Philadelphia Flyers of toughness. Finally, two voters advocated for Gritty to be given a wife, or at least a sidekick of some sorts. Get on that, Flyers marketing department.

Flyers fan survey results, Part 1: Your thoughts on the roster and the 3. Who is the Flyers’ top prospect? players Morgan Frost ran away with this one, nabbing nearly 83 percent of the vote. Only Cam York, the team’s first-round pick in 2019, garnered enough support to be viewed as a remotely worthwhile contender, though By Charlie O'Connor May 28, 2020 it’s mildly interesting that Yegor Zamula — ranked No. 4 in our last top prospects list — received more votes than Bobby Brink (No. 3).

Wade Allison collected a vote as well. Somebody out there in Flyers Last Monday, with the NHL in the midst of an indefinite pause and no end world is a really big fan of yours, Wade. Don’t let that person down. in sight, The Athletic Philadelphia launched its first Flyers fan survey, consisting of 26 questions on the players, team, management and 4. Who is the Flyers’ best under-25 player right now? organization overall. At the very least, it promised to provide interesting content in the absence of hockey, right? This question felt like a legitimate toss-up going into the survey, and the voters did not disappoint — even if 98.51 percent of the 1,208 total votes Of course, over the past 10 days, the league has made real strides in its were distributed among only three players. attempt to return to action, and it now looks like hockey could return in a slightly adjusted form this summer. (If you missed it, check out our Flyers’ Ivan Provorov, Carter Hart and Konecny were clearly the preferred return to play guide.) That doesn’t make our fan survey any less relevant, choices, with Provorov and Hart viewed as a cut above Konecny despite though. If anything, it means the questions and answers will leave the the winger’s breakout season. The No. 1 defenseman and No. 1 goalie realm of the theoretical much sooner than we originally thought. jockeyed for position during the week of voting, but Provorov emerged triumphant by a razor-thin 18-vote margin. More than 1,200 subscribers participated in the survey, and thanks to all who shared their opinions. Today, we reveal the results of the 17 In truth, a case could be made for any of the three. But Provorov’s questions that focus primarily on Flyers’ roster and the individual players; rebound season — and the fact that his track record of high-level play is tomorrow, we’ll do a deep dive into the questions that relate more to the more robust than Hart’s or Konecny’s at this point — likely gave him the front office and organization as a whole. edge.

1. On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate the overall health of the 5. Who do you think the Flyers will lose to Seattle in the 2021 expansion Flyers organization? (1 least healthy, 5 most healthy) draft?

What a difference a year makes. The 2018-19 Flyers season was marred This question generated a wide range of answers, which makes sense by turmoil; general manager Ron Hextall and head coach Dave Hakstol considering the myriad of factors that will decide which player the Flyers were fired, sparking a complete organizational restructuring. Chuck relinquish to the Seattle No-Namers during the 2021 offseason. Which Fletcher took over as GM. Alain Vigneault was hired as the new head players will the front office protect? Which players won’t even be on the coach. Paul Holmgren retired from his role as team president. Sure, a roster by the expansion draft? Whose value will dramatically change in few big names stuck around — Ian Laperriere remained an assistant 2020-21? What will the 2020-21 season even look like? coach, though his role changed, and Scott Gordon stayed on board as Still, James van Riemsdyk is a reasonable choice for “most likely to be the ’ head man — but for the most part, the poached.” As a high-end, true-talent scorer best served in support duties, Flyers made sweeping changes to their internal structure. he’s something of a luxury piece for the Flyers, and his $7 million cap hit So far, fans seem happy with the results. means that they very well might leave him unprotected and bank on the possibility the money could scare off Seattle. But JvR’s underlying Of course, the on-ice success plays a big part in their satisfaction. If the numbers were stellar this year, just as they were in his final seasons with team were sitting on the playoff bubble when the season was paused — the Maple Leafs, and Seattle has positioned itself as an analytically instead of being the hottest team in the league — we presumably focused organization. Perhaps taking on what essentially will be a two- would’ve gotten a lot more 2s and 3s in the voting. Instead, 4 was the year, $14 million contract for a play-driving 30-goal scorer won’t seem too most popular answer, by far, and the overall average was 4.15 — hinting daunting. There likely won’t be many of those on the market. at a real sense of contentment with the overall direction of the franchise. In fact, 99.33 percent of the 1,192 people who answered this question certainly could be a candidate, as the Flyers seem considered the health of the organization to be somewhere between poised to protect defensemen Provorov, Travis Sanheim and Philippe acceptable (3) and thriving (5). Wonder what that percentage would have Myers in 2021, leaving him exposed. The real question is whether looked like in December 2018? Gostisbehere will still be a Flyer when the expansion draft rolls around or if he departs sooner via trade. Scott Laughton feels like a good fit for 2. What is the Flyers’ most pressing need that should be addressed from Seattle, and could price himself out of Philadelphia, but his contract outside the organization? expires around the time of the expansion draft, which complicates a potential selection. Then there are the 79 voters who think Jakub Flyers fans are just never going to stop wanting a sniper. Over 50 Voracek will be the one traveling to the Pacific Northwest, though it’s fair percent of the 1,202 voters who responded to this question still long for to wonder if that’s more wishful thinking from the contingent of fans who that elusive, shoot-first goal scorer to pair with the team’s many pass-first believe his contract is destined to become an albatross. forwards up front, even though the “perfect fit” that sparked this dream in the first place — the open left wing spot on the top line with Claude Props to the 47 voters who picked Nicolas Aubé-Kubel, though — he Giroux at center and Jakub Voracek at right wing — is no longer really strikes me as a real dark horse possibility. He’s young, he’ll have a low available, now that Giroux is also a left wing and Voracek bounces back cap hit, he’s far enough down the lineup that the Flyers likely won’t and forth between Lines 1 and 2 due to the emergence of Travis protect him, and his underlying metrics are strong. It’s not difficult to Konecny. imagine NAK being very attractive to Seattle.

A pure goal scorer would certainly help the Flyers, and the front office 6. Who is your favorite current Flyers player? isn’t blind to the stylistic benefits of adding such a player — it’s not just fans who get frustrated with the team’s inclination to overpass in key Claude Giroux still reigns supreme, but he’s got real competition. Sean situations. But it’s very, very difficult to find true snipers. The shoot-first, Couturier’s two-way dominance has him as the clear No. 2, while 40-goal-per-season sniper always struck me as more of an ideal luxury Konecny leads all of the young guns on the club. Props to Kevin Hayes, addition for the Flyers than a true necessity. Clearly, a large portion of who tied for fifth place in his first full season with the club. our readership disagrees. Eighteen players received at least one vote, including a surprise write-in The 28 write-in votes offered some noteworthy suggestions. Four voters nomination for … David Kaše? Sure, why not? viewed the team’s most pressing need as more salary cap space, 7. Which person in the organization will be most important in driving the probably remembering why the last competitive Flyers era ended. outcome of the next 10 years of Flyers hockey? Another four voters argued the already-deep Flyers need to become even deeper, and four others worried the team needs a dramatic infusion On some level, I expected Hart would lead the way for this question. over three-quarters of the voters think Patrick will develop into an NHL After all, the 21-year-old has shown extraordinary promise as a starting top-sixer. A pessimist would note that most have seemingly given up on goaltender — the most impactful position in hockey, and the one Patrick turning into a true star player (just 1.65 percent still hold that Philadelphia has struggled to resolve for decades. I didn’t expect Hart to view) or even a first-line caliber player (13.15 percent). run away with the vote to this extent, though — 765 total votes for a 63.43 percent share. No one else even came close. In the end, the two most popular answers pegged Patrick as either a second-liner (64.35 percent) or a third-liner (20.02 percent). In other Yet it’s easy to understand why he was such a popular choice. Hart is words, an above-average middle-sixer. That’s a surprisingly reasonable young enough that it’s easy to envision him playing with the Flyers for the expectation for Patrick from the fan base. next ten years, something that can’t necessarily be said for Giroux (0.41 percent) or even Couturier (3.98 percent). Fletcher and Vigneault 12. Should the Flyers trade Shayne Gostisbehere this offseason? certainly aren’t guaranteed to last the next 10 years in their respective The Gostisbehere question was the tightest vote in our survey. Who positions either, considering turnover rates in the NHL. could have seen that coming? Just 23 votes separated the contingent The one person whom I thought could receive a larger vote share than that feels the Flyers should hang onto Ghost and the group that believes he did was CEO and Chairman Dave Scott (1.41 it’s time to move on from the embattled 27-year-old blueliner. percent), who has essentially taken over ’s role of overseeing 13-15. Should the Flyers bring back pending unrestricted free agents the Flyers organization. Perhaps doubts remain about his willingness to Justin Braun, Tyler Pitlick and Brian Elliott? take a heavy hand in hockey-related decisions, as Snider did. Or perhaps Scott is not well-known enough among fans yet. The latter, at least, Of the Flyers’ three highest-profile pending unrestricted free agents, should change in the coming years. voters were most enthused about the possibility of re-signing goaltender Brian Elliott to back up Hart. Elliott’s statistics in 2019-20 — both basic 8. If the season resumes (and the playoff structure remains the same as and advanced — weren’t anything special. But most regular observers of usual), the Flyers will… the team came away satisfied with his play, and he’s built a positive How optimistic are fans about this Flyers team? How about “95.26 relationship with Hart off the ice. Elliott may not be a flashy choice as percent think they’ll win at least one playoff round if hockey returns in backup for 2020-21, but fans likely feel he’s a safe and relatively 2019-20” levels of optimistic? affordable one.

During the voting period, the exact nature of a potential 2019-20 Justin Braun was the only one of the three to get the collective thumbs- postseason was unclear. Fortunately, the NHL’s chosen format keeps the down from our voters, though 571 people still want Braun back. (For what spirit of our question intact, as the Flyers will jump right into “Round 1” of it’s worth, I’d count myself among that group.) Respondents were more the 16-team format that the league considers as the actual Stanley Cup open to the idea of re-signing Pitlick, despite the fact that the Flyers have playoffs. Nearly half of our voters were confident that, if the playoffs can far more NHL-ready forward prospects (capable of filling a bottom-six be held, the Flyers won’t just win their first-round matchup — they’re role in the near future) than defensemen. Apparently, our voters really going to win Round 2, as well. like Pitlick’s relentless and aggressive play.

Considering the Flyers haven’t won a playoff series since 2012, that may 16-17. Will Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost develop into impact NHL come across as irrational optimism to outsiders. But those who watched forwards, capable of thriving on a team’s top two lines? the team for 69 regular-season games seem confident — so confident, in I expected fans to feel good about Joel Farabee’s chances of becoming a fact, that 12.80 percent believe Philadelphia is destined to break its long high-end scoring forward after his promising Draft+2 season, during Cup drought if the postseason occurs. which he established himself as a useful NHL player before turning 20 There were only 57 pure pessimists out of the 1,203 who cast votes — years old. It’s surprising, however, that nearly identical optimism extends that’s how many think the Flyers will bow out in Round 1. I commend to Frost, despite the fact that he failed to stick in the NHL this year, his you, brave Negadelphians, for staying true to yourselves even in the Draft+3 season. midst of a fun Flyers season. Clearly, fans still believe in Frost’s talent and weren’t dissuaded by his 9. Will the Flyers win at least one Stanley Cup in the next five years? inability to lock down a full-time job with the big club in 2019-20. Expectations remain high for both Farabee and Frost. More optimism! Famously, the Flyers haven’t won a Cup since 1975 (as Pittsburgh Penguins supporters love to point out), but the vast majority of The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 polled fans believe the drought will end in the next five years, due to the enviable collection of young talent and effective veterans that the GM duo of Hextall and Fletcher have compiled.

10. In six years, when Kevin Hayes’ seven-year, $51 million contract has reached its end, how will fans view the deal?

Now, we return to the realm of more reasonable optimism. Unsurprisingly, after Hayes met all realistic expectations in his first season with Philadelphia, fans seem confident that his massive contract won’t be a total disaster. But the smart money has always been on it getting a bit ugly at the end, when Hayes will likely be in at least a degree of decline. The votes reflect that assumption — 65.15 percent believe that in 2026, the Hayes deal will be viewed as one with positives and negatives.

However, 33.36 percent of voters held that the contract would be remembered as an unqualified win, while just 1.49 percent have serious worries that it will be a disaster. Considering the skepticism that greeted the deal last summer, the turnaround in Hayes’ perceived value is pretty remarkable.

11. Assuming Nolan Patrick returns to full health and resumes his career, what caliber of NHL player will he ultimately become?

Ah, the Nolan Patrick debate. The 21-year-old’s absence from the lineup due to his migraine disorder has put the back and forth about how good a player he actually is on hold. But it’s still a worthwhile discussion, especially because Patrick is expected to eventually resume his career.

It somehow feels appropriate that the results of the poll can be interpreted both positively or negatively. An optimist could point out that 1185391 Pittsburgh Penguins Nyberg has the base components to be an NHL-er just with his skating and a strong shot. But he’s still very unpolished. If Nyberg has an NHL future, it will be a stretch to see him realize it any time soon.

Penguins A to Z: John Nyberg filled a need, but what’s his future? Tribune Review LOADED: 05.29.2020

SETH RORABAUGH | Thursday, May 28, 2020 6:30 p.m.

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While the NHL is on hold because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 54 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid- level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Player: John Nyberg

Position: Defenseman

Catches: Left

Age: 23

Height: 6-foot-3

Weight: 195 pounds

2019-20 AHL statistics: 35 games, 10 points (two goals, eight assists)

Contract: Final year of a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $745,000. Pending restricted free agent this upcoming offseason.

Acquired: Trade, Jan. 17, 2020

This season: The Penguins needed some depth on the back end for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lineup when they acquired Nyberg from the Dallas Stars in a transaction that sent once-intriguing but ultimately disappointing forward prospect Oula Palve to the Lone Star State.

At that time, injuries had ravaged blues lines for both the NHL and AHL rosters, and Nyberg was a semi-regular scratch for the AHL’s Texas Stars, who had some bloated numbers on defense.

Nyberg played in 19 of a possible 38 games with Texas during the 2019- 20 season and recorded six points (two goals, four assists).

He didn’t exactly light it up once he got into Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lineup, but the fact he was actually in the lineup far more regularly than he was with Texas was a step forward for him. Before the AHL season season shutdown in mid-March, he had dressed for 16 of a possible 23 games for the Penguins and recorded four assists.

Towards the end of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ season, Nyberg had settled into the left side of the second pairing with Zach Trotman while also getting some minutes on the penalty kill.

By many accounts, Nyberg offered a stable defensive-minded presence as desired with a lengthy reach thanks to his his 6-foot-3 frame. He also provided a touch of offensive acumen. Three of his four assists with the Penguins came off point shots teammates redirected for goals.

(Video courtesy Syracuse Crunch)

The future: Even though he was sixth-round draft pick (No. 165 overall) by the Dallas Stars back in 2014, Nyberg, a native of Sweden, is relatively new to North American hockey as the 2019-20 campaign was only his second full (or close to full) season on this continent.

So it’s fair to say he’s still has some development to do even if he’s approaching his mid-20s.

Re-signing Nyberg is hardly a priority for the organization, and with fellow defensemen Niclas Almari, Kevin Czuczman, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Jon Lizotte (AHL deal), Cam Lee, Will Reilly, Trotman and David Warsofsky each under contract for 2020-21, Nyberg could run into the same problem he faced in Texas with regards to the numbers on the blue line.

That said, there appears to be a level of trust in Nyberg with Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Penguins coach and general manager Mike Vellucci, who has near-complete control on that team’s roster. And as a restricted free agent, the organization controls his signing rights. 1185392 Pittsburgh Penguins Under the NHL’s plan, training camps, with full participation, could open by July.

“When you go into training camp, teams really trust their players to do the Concerns remain, but Penguins’ Kris Letang eager to play again work in the offseason, which is training hard, get stronger, better conditioning,” Letang said.

“As you get into training camp, you try to work two things. You try to work Seth Rorabaugh collective (team) stuff, and also they try to bring you up to speed. In Phase 2, the informal skates, I think it’s going to be up to the players to

really ramp up their work and make sure they simulate the conditioning of Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, a style of game. When training camp is going to start, I really think Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. coaches are going to focus on the collective side of things. Because you don’t have that much time. You’re going to get right into it. You’re going Kris Letang has seen things get ugly between the NHL and the NHLPA to want to make sure your team’s game is top notch. It’s going to really before. be up to the players to do the work in that Phase 2 on the ice and off the ice.” The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman sat through the NHL’s lockout in 2012, which limited the 2012-13 season to strictly the 2013 calendar year If nothing else unforeseen occurs, NHL games could resume by late July and a 48-game regular-season schedule. in one of two hub cities — Pittsburgh being one of the candidates — but with no fans in attendance. The two sides have had a pretty cantankerous relationship over the past two-plus decades, with four work stoppages over collective bargaining While that surely will be an alien environment for what are typically high- disputes. intensity confrontations, Letang doesn’t foresee it being a difficult adjustment. Yet, amid a work stoppage unlike anything seen since 1919, when the Stanley Cup Final was canceled because of an influenza outbreak, the “It’s going to be so different,” Letang said. “But honestly, guys will get two entities are seemingly engaged in a harmonious engagement as they used to it quick. They’re going to be in the zone. They’re going to be work together — while being physically apart — to figure out a way to focusing. It’s going to be so different, but eventually, after maybe a period conclude the 2019-20 season. or two or maybe a game, they’re going to get used to it. It shouldn’t affect the guys at all. You know what you’re playing for and your focus should “We want the best for our sport and the safety of people around us,” said be on that.” Letang, who serves as the team’s representative to the NHLPA. Even with the optimism created by Tuesday’s developments, concerns The rapport between the NHL and NHLPA to find a way to emerge from still linger for players with regards to health and the prospect of being the hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic comes in stark contrast sequestered in a hotel or practice facility, away from family members for to the rancor between MLB and its players’ association. several months potentially. “Everybody wants the same goal here,” Letang said. “To grow the game “Obviously the safety of the players, the safety of the (team employees) and make sure we make our sport proud. But at the same time, every that will be traveling and will be part of the group that goes (to a hub city), question about the safety, which is the most important thing for that’s the No. 1 thing,” said Letang, a father of two. “Guys want to be everybody, I think that’s what it’s been the focus on. The NHL and the secure there. And the families, too. It’s a situation that’s it’s not a road trip NHLPA agree on that.” for seven games or 10 days like we’re used to in the season. Guys are That common focus led to the NHL’s announcement Tuesday of a plan to going to be away from their family for an extended period of time, and include 24 teams in a postseason format that would be played in late their kids.” summer and early fall. Having suffered a stroke in 2014, Letang indicated he has been assured That didn’t mean there wasn’t debate among NHLPA members on that there would be no additional ramifications with his previous health woes plan. and potential exposure to the coronavirus.

“There’s a lot of discussion,” Letang said. “Obviously, bringing everybody “I’ve had my fair share of questions, and they’ve all been answered,” up to date was the most important because it was a long process. The Letang said. “Certainly, I can say I would be safe to play.” process going into that was not only to make it fair, but it’s to make it a Ultimately, that’s what Letang and most other NHLPA members want to number that is working with the eight-teams-per-site formula. It was do. tough to take the points that you get in the season, your (place in the) standings in your division, also the fact that teams were on the verge of Play. making the playoffs and mixing everything with the amount of teams that would make it work. And 24 was always the best number.” “The guys have been sitting home,” Letang said. “They don’t really know what to expect. Then we have a plan. Obviously, there’s a long way (to There still are considerable details to iron out. go) but if you have a plan established, it’s already a good sign. We just now have to make sure that guys are getting ready in the safest Under this format, the Penguins will face the Montreal Canadiens in a environment possible.” best-of-five series in the qualifying round. The winners of those series will advance to the first-round of the playoffs. The league and the players Tribune Review LOADED: 05.29.2020 association still have to agree if the first two rounds will be best-of-five or best-of seven.

The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final will remain best-of-seven.

The NHL has not used best-of-five series since the divisional or first rounds of the 1986 postseason.

“I talked to a bunch of guys,” Letang said. “I think it’s just an easier thing to just put a best-of-seven because everybody knows what to expect and you have no excuses of not being prepared for that.”

Getting prepared will be the next step for Letang and his peers. On Monday, the NHL unveiled guidelines for what it described as “Phase 2,” which will allow players to work out in limited groups at team facilities in “early June.” On Wednesday, Gov. Tom Wolf approved professional sports teams to practice or even play actual games, provided the venues they utilize reside in counties that are in the yellow or green phase of the state’s plan for reopening businesses. 1185393 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins waive forward prospect Linus Olund

SETH RORABAUGH | Thursday, May 28, 2020 12:54 p.m.

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The Pittsburgh Penguins placed forward Linus Olund on unconditional waivers for the purposes of terminating his contract.

Olund, 22, is in the second year of a three-year entry-level contract with a salary cap hit of $925,000. He was a fifth-round pick (No. 155) of the Penguins in 2017.

If no other NHL team claims the Swedish-born Olund by noon Friday, he will be free to sign elsewhere.

In April, Swedish newspaper Kvallspoten reported Olund had agreed to a three-year contract with Byrnas.

The Penguins loaned Olund to Byrnas of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) this season. In 49 games, he had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists).

His only season in North America was in 2018-19 with the Wilkes- Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. Appearing in 61 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that season, Olund had 15 points (six goals, nine assists).

Olund’s impending departure will leave the Penguins with 54 players under NHL contract, including players signed for the start of the 2020-21 season.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185394 Pittsburgh Penguins

How and when you watch the Penguins in the rebooted NHL may be a little different

Tim Benz

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Nothing about the partially completed plan to resume NHL play is normal.

Hub cities. Quarantine. Buildings without fans. The playoff structure itself.

Just to scratch the surface.

Something else that may be odd is how we watch the games. From their start times to how they are called.

We’ve all known that the league is going to try to minimize the amount of people in attendance whenever the league tries to reboot. The goal is to halt the possible spread of the coronavirus between players..

To what extremes will the league go? Well, it’s possible the network television play-by-play guys may not even be allowed in the venues of the games they are calling.

TribLIVE Penguins beat writer Seth Rorabaugh joined me for Thursday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast. And he says be ready for the potential of remote broadcasts.

“I’m hearing not even the network guys will be allowed in the buildings,” Rorabaugh said. “They’ll be in a studio in Connecticut maybe. Or Toronto. You may only have cameramen at the games.

“They want to limit, severely, the number of people in the buildings.”

That has been happening on those ESPN broadcasts of KBO games. But baseball is one thing. Hockey is a different beast, given the pace and speed of the game. Also the fluidity of the line changes. Number identification will be a bear for the play-by-play guys. And in terms of color commentators being unable to see the whole ice, that is going to be really hard to provide insight beyond where the puck is.

However, as Rorabaugh points out, that has been done before by NBC broadcasts for some games overseas.

In terms of local radio broadcasts, Rorabaugh says it’s unclear whether they’ll be allowed in the building or have to do it off a monitor back home. I talked to someone associated with the local radio broadcasts yesterday, and I was told they have been given no plans yet.

The times you watch the games may be very different, as well. Or, maybe it’ll just be very different for the players.

Remember, the prospect exists that both hub cities for playoff pods could be out West — even for the Eastern Conference games. So that could cause for some really strange start times back East. And some really early start times in the buildings for the players.

How does a 3 p.m. (ET)/12 p.m. (PT) faceoff on a Tuesday sound to you? It’s going to feel like the Olympics for potentially two months.

Beyond the television angle, Seth and I talked about a number of different aspects to the potential reboot. We get into Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford’s reaction to playing Montreal in a first-round series, Nick Bjugstad’s latest injury, Dominik Simon’s surgery and the confusion over that draft pick heading to Minnesota for Jason Zucker.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185395 Pittsburgh Penguins Salamone is a board member for the National College Players Association, one group that does advocate for athletes, albeit with limited power.

Joe Starkey: As sports reopen, a question looms — who do you trust? “I think one of my favorite things from the Pac-12’s ‘voluntary’ return,” she said, “is that nothing that comes from coaches is ‘voluntary.’ Most people understand that.”

Joe Star•key I was heartened to see the UCLA student council, according to USA Today, ask California Gov. Gavin Newsom and several university officials

to “guarantee a series of coronavirus-related protections that include People absolutely hate baseball at the moment — mainly the fact that allowing student-athletes to decide whether or not to participate in team “millionaires and billionaires” are fighting over how to split the riches with activities without fear of ‘cancellation of their scholarships, threats, or 41 million Americans out of work. retaliation.’”

I’m not especially fond of the public haggling, either, but I’ll say this: At The resolution also asked that “athletes be included on all COVID-19 least it’s honest. Nobody’s saying, “Look, this isn’t about the money.” task forces [and] be informed about the risks COVID-19 poses to themselves and their families.” It’s ALL about the money, as is the massive push to reopen the sports world. Which is not the same as saying the push is irresponsible or hasty. Did I mention how badly universities need that football revenue? It can’t It could be neither. It could be both. happen without the players. They should realize how much leverage they have. Who’s to say? Dr. Ellen Staurowsky, a former Division III athletic director, current Drexel Who do you trust? professor and NCPA board member, put it this way:

We’re living in a house of mirrors these days. What’s real is fake, what’s “Looking at what the stakes are right now, this is a moment where we fake is real. A virus has killed more than 100,000 Americans in 10 weeks, see just how valuable athletes really are.” and we can’t even seem to agree it exists. Post Gazette LOADED: 05.29.2020 But I know this much, as it relates to sports and life: Wherever big money lives, motives are murky.

Is the NHL putting hundreds more people at risk than necessary by creating a massive 24-team playoff? Is the tournament designed simply to maximize revenues by including big-market teams — New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks — that were out of playoff position?

One could make that argument.

Then again, at least professional athletes have a voice. They have unions. They can argue for their fair share and bargain for their safety, and their leagues have already promised massive COVID-19 testing programs upon return.

What about college athletes?

If I’m the parent of one, I don’t trust decision-makers’ motives in the best of times. I sure don’t trust them when a university’s entire economic model might depend on the timely return of football in the midst of a pandemic.

Sorry, the “voluntary” return. That’s what they’re calling it in the Pac-12 and other places, in regard to workouts beginning in June.

Again, I’m not necessarily arguing against workouts in June. I believe there can be a safe avenue to return to sports.

But I’m with USA Today’s Dan Wolken, who says it's the perfect time for student-athletes to form a union. Administrators, after all, are pushing for the return of sports “with limited information about what will happen when hundreds of college athletes start congregating around dorms and weight rooms again [and] doing it without the input or consent of anyone whose sole responsibility is to advocate for the athletes and their safety.”

Young athletes will want to play. We know that. But their union leaders could at least bargain on their behalf for, say, thorough testing programs.

Maddie Salamone is a former Duke lacrosse player and former chair of the NCAA National Student Athlete Advisory Committee, where she saw first-hand how athletes were relegated to the kids table when the real bargaining began.

If they had more of a voice, it’s likely the NCAA, as an example, would provide some semblance of long-term health-care or funding to those dealing with chronic injuries from their college athletic careers.

“Even the most well-intended individuals — and there are many — have to answer to their employer, and that’s the university,” Salamone said. “It’s the nature of the beast. People can go only so far in advocating for what athletes may need. And athletes don’t have any bargaining power to demand what they want.” 1185396 Pittsburgh Penguins Even with some issues to iron out, players should be returning to work soon.

As a part of the NHL’s Phase Two, small groups of Penguins could begin Penguins' Kris Letang 'not at all' worried medical history could keep him skating in player-led workouts at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex from playing this year sometime in early June. Letang said he plans to be part of these voluntary workouts, which will be the first time many of the players have stepped on this ice in about 12 weeks.

Mike DeFabo “In those Phase Two informal skates, it’s going to be up to the players to ramp up their work and make sure they’re able to really simulate the

conditioning style of a game,” Letang said. “When training camp is going Plenty of questions will need to be answered before the NHL can pull off to start, I think coaches are really going to focus on the collective side, its ambitious 24-team postseason plan. But, at least for now, Kris because you don’t have that much time and you’re going to get right into Letang’s health doesn't appear to be one of them. it.”

“Not at all,” Letang said on a conference call with Pittsburgh reporters on Post Gazette LOADED: 05.29.2020 Thursday.

In 2014, Letang suffered a stroke, a scary ordeal that sidelined the All- Star defenseman for six weeks. Doctors believe the stroke was caused by a hole in his heart that didn’t close properly during his development.

When it comes to COVID-19, the 33-year-old would not be at any greater risk of contracting the virus. However, some – including Letang himself – had questioned if his pre-existing condition might increase his chances of a bad outcome should he contract the virus, considering COVID-19 has been found to cause strokes in otherwise young and healthy individuals.

“I had my fair share of questions,” Letang said. “They’ve all been answered. Certainly, I can say I’ll be safe to play.”

Over the last couple weeks, Letang has been forced to think about a lot more than his own participation in the playoffs.

As the Penguins’ player rep, he’s been at the center of many return-to- play discussions. Friday, he was part of the 31-player group that voted in favor of a 24-team format. Letang said the players had to juggle the desire to make the format fair for the teams on the edge of earning a playoff berth while also finding a number that made sense.

“Twenty-four has always been the best number,” Letang said. “Unless you decide the season stops and you take the first eight teams of each conference.”

This format will ultimately match the No. 5 seed Penguins against No. 12 Montreal Canadiens in the so-called “qualifying round.” Though the Penguins are heavily favored, Letang expects a young, fast team with great goaltending.

“Every single team in this league is a good matchup,” Letang said. “We know it because all year we have to battle against teams. It didn’t matter where they were standing in the league.”

Should the Penguins advance, it remains unclear who their opponent will be or how long that series will be. The NHL and NHLPA have already agreed upon a best-of-five format for the qualifying round and best-of- seven format in the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.

But the league is still trying to decide between five or seven for the first round (round of 16) and the second round (round of eight). Letang seems to favor seven games throughout.

“Everyone is used to best-of-seven,” he said. “You know how it’s structured. You know how it feels if you lose the first two or win the first two. You know all the scenarios that can go through in a best-of-seven. I don’t know if there’s any players in this league right now that played back in the day in the best-of-five.”

Even with the format decided and Letang confident he’ll be able to participate, the players probably still have another vote or two ahead of them before they officially agree to return. Letang said safety is the biggest concern.

“That’s the No. 1 thing,” Letang said. “Guys want to be secure.”

The other main issue that will have to be settled is what to do about families. Several players around the league expressed concerns about leaving their loved ones for a significant period of time during a pandemic.

“It’s not a road trip for seven days or 10 days like we’re used to in the season,” Letang said. “Guys are going to be away from their families for an extended period of time.” 1185397 Pittsburgh Penguins In the PowerPoint presentation Morehouse gave to league decision- makers, the Penguins highlighted their experience hosting big-time hockey events. PPG Paints Arena and the City of Pittsburgh met the league’s requirements for things such as NHL-caliber locker rooms, team 'Let's take a shot': Why Pittsburgh is in contention to host NHL playoff meeting space, available practice ice in the area and the number and action quality of hotels downtown.

“They’re very familiar with and comfortable working in our environment,” McMillan said. “We knew that would be a plus. There would be no Matt Vensel Pittsburgh Post-Gazette question marks in their mind that we would be able to pull this off logistically.”

In the weeks that followed the March 12 shutdown of the NHL season The Penguins also made sure to tout their partnership with UPMC. The due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league let its 31 teams know it was team’s practice facility in Cranberry, UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, is considering having multiple “hub cities” serve as neutral-site locations if the NHL’s only practice rink in the same building as a medical facility. the season were to resume and encouraged them to submit bids. Leslie Davis, chief operating officer for UPMC’s health services division, The Penguins started scrambling. said it is prepared to be hands-on if the NHL selects Pittsburgh as a hub city, making specialists and infectious disease physicians available to the “We thought, ‘What better place to get this all started again than league and its teams. Pittsburgh?’ ” Penguins president and CEO told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It would be a great opportunity for Pittsburgh, just to be able to get these businesses back again and get more activity into the city and into the The process would be unlike another of the others the Penguins had airport, the hotels, catering,” Davis said of working with the Penguins on done, with little time to put together a bid and a lot of uncertainty due to a their pitch. nationwide health crisis. But the organization liked its chances. For example, UPMC staff could handle administering tests to everyone, In their pitch to the NHL, the Penguins pointed to three things they hope oversee health protocols and track and trace any potential outbreaks. will put them over the top: modern hockey facilities, experience hosting Davis said the corporate partners envision a setup similar to an Olympic major events and their partnership with health-care giant UPMC. village.

That Pittsburgh is not currently a COVID-19 hot spot is also a critical “[In the hub], the players would be able to play, practice, train,” she said. factor. “We’d be able to take over some of the hotels. And they could feel quite safe.” “There’s a lot going for Pittsburgh, so we said, ‘Let’s take a shot,’ ” said Penguins VP of communications Tom McMillan, who helped put together For safety reasons, fans are not expected to be allowed in the hub the bid. arenas, so Pittsburgh being selected should not cause a major logistical headache amid a pandemic when it comes to public transportation and On Tuesday, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman revealed that Pittsburgh larger crowds. was one of 10 cities still under consideration. The NHL plans to pick two hub cities to host its unique 24-team postseason tournament. Conference The NHL has indicated each team will be allowed a traveling party of 50. affiliation will not be a factor in that decision, so both cities could be west It has not been decided whether families will be permitted to stay with of the Mississippi River. players and team employees in hotels. Assuming they are not, and also factoring in essential NHL employees, that should be fewer than 1,000 Bettman said he anticipates a final decision in three to four weeks. He people. also said the NHL has not yet selected cities because “things are rapidly evolving” and “we want it to be based on the best-available information at “They’ve got a pretty good plan in place,” Fitzgerald said. “I think the the time.” state feels comfortable with it. We certainly feel comfortable with it locally. … This isn’t like what they’re talking about in Charlotte, bringing Bettman added the hub cities will ultimately be chosen based on in 50,000 people in for the Republican convention or something like that.” “COVID-19 conditions, testing availability and government regulations.” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald says the region is in Still, the Penguins needed buy-in from political and business leaders as relatively good shape there. the city was designing its own plans to eventually emerge from the pandemic. “As we are starting to open up, in the yellow [phase] and hopefully we’ll be green in a couple more days, we’ve seen our numbers remain low “There’s a lot of cooperation here. They’re not on an island,” Fitzgerald even as we went into yellow,” Fitzgerald said Wednesday, a day when said. “The city, the county, our health people, our VisitPittsburgh and our Western Pennsylvania reported two new COVID-19 deaths. “I think this hotel industry, everybody’s kind of working together to make it work as will be a good boost and a shot in the arm for this region to see best we can.” something like that come here.” That includes Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, who on Tuesday issued this Other NHL markets in contention are Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, statement: “The city supports the NHL getting back to business safely. Edmonton, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Toronto and Our focus is on resuming activities in a way that is safe for fans, players, Vancouver. residents and all personnel.”

“We knew there would be competition,” McMillan said. “There’s a lot of Now, the city awaits word on whether it will host another major hockey good cities. Everybody has their selling points. We think ours are very event. strong.” “What a great thing it would be for not only the Penguins, but the city, to The NHL is certainly no stranger when it comes to hockey in Pittsburgh. be on the forefront of starting to come out of this,” McMillan said.

Since PPG Paints Arena opened in 2010, the Penguins have hosted an “We’ve got great support from the business community and our political NHL draft, games and the NCAA’s Frozen Four. leaders, and, obviously, we think Pittsburgh’s the best hockey town in the You may recall there being a couple of Stanley Cup finals in the building country,” Morehouse said. “We’re honored to be a finalist and we’d love too. Plus, in the past decade, the Penguins put on two outdoor games at to be chosen as one of the hub cities.” Heinz Field. Post Gazette LOADED: 05.29.2020 But this hurried process was unlike bidding for those events.

“It’s not the kind of annual bid you make where you know all these categories,” McMillan said. “We didn’t have much time. It’s a very complicated, one-of-its-kind scenario. Our whole senior staff was involved. We kind of dropped everything for a while and were just working to put this together very quickly.” 1185398 Pittsburgh Penguins 13-14-5 A high-stakes series against the Canadiens would, under traditional

circumstances, appeal to Letang. He is a Montreal native and has few Kris Letang ‘will be safe to play’ when Penguins return peers among this era’s French-Canadian players in the NHL.

A homecoming isn’t in the cards, however.

By Rob Rossi May 28, 2020 Staying in his adopted home when the NHL returns could be, as Pittsburgh is a finalist to be one of two hub cities where the play-in, round-robin and first two rounds of the Cup playoffs will be staged. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Athletic that no decision has been At one point Thursday afternoon, Kris Letang reeled off cliches with the made on if clubs will be allowed to remain in their city if it is selected for frequency that he usually racks up points for the Penguins. one of the hubs. “It’s so different,” he said of the NHL plan to return from its pandemic “We have considered the pros and cons of both,” Daly said. pause with 24 clubs competing for the Stanley Cup in a couple of hub cities where fans won’t be allowed in arenas. Letang said that staying in Pittsburgh for the play-in round — and possibly beyond — would not prevent players from following quarantines “Guys really are starting from scratch. There’s no momentum going in. protocol that is still being negotiated by the NHL and NHLPA. “From what There’s no favorites. Everybody’s starting equal. I heard, guys would — even if they play in their home city — would be in “So, I think it’s a great opportunity for every single team.” a hotel, away from everybody,” Letang said. He added there “wouldn’t be much” of a home advantage for the Penguins to return for games at PPG It’s an opportunity Letang will take, too. Paints Arena, other than “knowing the boards in your own building.”

While speaking with members of the Pittsburgh media on a video call, For going on a decade now, Penguins such as Letang have been thought Letang said his medical condition — he was born with a hole in his heart to own the advantage of experience in the postseason. Despite missing and is a stroke survivor — will not prevent him from playing for the the 2015 and 2017 Cup playoffs because of a stroke and neck injury, Penguins in play-in series against the Montreal Canadiens. Asked if he respectively, Letang ranks 10th among active players with 132 held reservations about playing while COVID-19, the coronavirus disease postseason games dating to 2007. that studies have shown can cause severe blood clotting, Letang offered a matter-of-fact “not at all.” He is one of only 87 players to appear in at least 70 postseason games over that span, and Letang will have company when the Penguins are “I’ve had my fair share of questions, and they’ve all been answered,” able to again gather as a team. Letang said. “Certainly, I can say that I will be safe to play.” Been there, done that It’s a sign of these strange times that Letang’s availability is more of a sure thing than sites, dates, times and even the formatting for tournament Sidney Crosby to determine which NHL club will claim the Cup. But to borrow one of 164 Letang’s favorite cliches back from when he would speak with reporters after a practice of game, “it’s the world we live in.” 2

Letang’s media call was conducted a day after general manager Jim Rutherford spoke on the return-to-play details that NHL commissioner Gary Bettman unveiled Tuesday afternoon. Like Rutherford, Letang was 162 forced into a position most club personnel often go to great length to 3 avoid: addressing hypotheticals. Kris Letang A good many of those involve the best-case scenario for the NHL and its Players Association. That would be training camps opening around (but 132 not before) July 1 and the completion of a play-in round, round-robin games for clubs with byes and four rounds of the Cup playoffs being 10 completed without interruption by late summer. Patrick Marleau

If all goes well, the Cup will be awarded near the dates on the calendar 140 when training camps would open for a new NHL season. 12 All rarely goes well in a hockey season, though. And don’t the Penguins know it. Patric Hornqvist

Over a span of 17 days before their last game, a win in New Jersey on 86 March 10, the Penguins went from tied-for-first to third place in the Atlantic Division. That 3-6-0 stretch, during which the Penguins were 52 outscored by a margin of 34-26 and held to two or fewer goals five times, Brian Dumoulin cost them one of four byes awarded to the top clubs in each conference. It also tasked them with winning a best-of-5 series against the 70 Canadiens, whose best player — goaltender Carey Price — has fared slightly better in recent seasons than he has all-time against the 84 Penguins. Patrick Marleau’s next game will be his first with the Penguins in the Price is Right-er playoffs. Still, Letang will be one of eight returning Penguins who have played in at least 50 postseason games with the franchise. That means Last 2 seasons at least 26 percent of the Penguins’ roster (before expected expansion) will have played in the equivalent of roughly seven best-of-7 series. .917 “Obviously, experience is a big factor,” Letang said. “In this case … I 2.42 don’t think it’s a better or worse (opportunity) for any teams. I think the 2-2-1 fact we’ll have been in a stoppage for maybe four months before we really start playing games, there’s no real advantage for anyone.” Career Statistics researched at the following website: NHL.com, Hockey- .907 Reference.com

2.95 The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185399 Pittsburgh Penguins being late or forget to tape his stick. It was always something he was forgetting.

Kennedy: When I was a young guy, our veterans were always good Penguins alumni player poll: ‘That’s such a Sid thing to do, so I owe him’ about picking up the bill. If it happened, it would have been a younger guy, so it was probably Chris Conner.

Where in Pittsburgh was the best place to celebrate a big win? By Rob Rossi and Josh Yohe May 28, 2020 Kennedy: The South Side, for sure. Either Mario’s South Side Saloon or Diesel, especially back in the day. Those were the hot spots. A lot of great nights. Few NHL franchises have been able to equal the star power in Pittsburgh over the past 35 years. From to Sidney Crosby, and with Errey: Station Square was our place. It had a little bit of everything back enough other current and future members of the Hall of Famers to crowd then. We went to Chauncy’s a lot. And there was dancing, if you can a bench, the Penguins might just as well be Ursa Major in the hockey believe it. galaxy. Trottier: Can I just say it was any place that had Phil Bourque? He But Pittsburgh isn’t a constellation, and the Penguins’ roots are as blue usually found the best spots. Sometimes, it was totally by accident. We’d as the collars most of their earliest fans wore to work. start out at some place on Carson Street and end up under a bridge somewhere. Or we’d meet at his house and a party would break out. For all the seeming hockey gods to grace their city since the late 1980s, Pittsburghers have always been equally taken by the mere mortals who Phil always found the party. He still does. were supporting characters on the Penguins’ five Stanley Cup clubs. The likes of , , Bob Errey, Phil Bourque and Byran Lovejoy: Down along Forbes Avenue. In the bed of a pickup truck. Trottier might not be household names everywhere — well, Trottier’s Bourque: Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, our go-to place for a probably should be — but in Pittsburgh, those five former Penguins are celebration dinner was The Grand Concourse. Rick McMaster was the among the many who will forever be beloved because they were general manager; he always made sure, whether we were two people or champions. 20, that we had a river-view table. The food and drink was always The Athletic caught up with those Penguins alumni for what Bourque amazing. would call “great hockey talk” during these strange late-Spring days The opponent we had the most trouble with was _____ because _____ ? without hockey. Bourque: When you look at the overall record for the first 25 years of the What do you remember about your first goal with the Penguins? franchise, we didn’t win many games no matter where they were played. Tyler Kennedy (2007-13): No one knew it was in beside me. The play We had the most trouble with the Canadiens, and our record at the was still going on. It was against Rick DiPietro on Long Island. I went to was abysmal. I’m sure a part of it was how much fun we the bench to celebrate, and everybody was, like, “keep playing.” I was, liked to have going out in Montreal the night before. “No guys, it went in!” I knew. They didn’t. It was a pretty exciting time because I worked my butt off my entire life for that moment — and I was Lovejoy: The Devils, at the Prudential Center. They were so stingy and only guy in rink celebrating. patient. They would slow down the game so much. Early, in my first stint in Pittsburgh, this really frustrated our team. We would get so few Bob Errey (1983-93): almost taking my head off. That’s what chances, and then Martin Brodeur would be there to back them up on the I remember. How could I forget? And it was a power-play goal. rare chances we got. Bryan Trottier (1990-92, 1993-94): Gotta think hard here. OK… (coach) Trottier: I always say our biggest nemesis was Washington, for a whole Bob Johnson, that morning, said, “I’m putting you with Joey Mullen, and bunch of reasons. It was a rivalry that brought out the best in both teams. Joey loves to score goals.” I said, “Not as much as I do, Badger.” And I They had big defensemen who were active. It was fun playing against popped one that night. I came back to the bench, looked at Badger and that style. They also had a little bit of fire-wagon hockey to them, but with he said, “You do like scoring goals.” an edge. Ben Lovejoy (2008-13, 2015-16): Everything about it. I pinched down the I loved our games against the Capitals. They’d have us on the ropes, and right wall and just tried to get the puck on net. It deflected off of a we’d roar back. It happened the other way, too. But we did it to them a Panthers’ defenseman’s shin pads and went by Scott Clemmensen. It lot. Most of our games against them were drag-them-out affairs. was the same game that I was hit in the face by a Brian McCabe slap shot and turned me into a reality TV star/meme on HBO. Errey: Philadelphia. C’mon, that’s the obvious answer, isn’t it? That streak. Every year going there and never winning. Some of our players After the game, Mario came looking for me to congratulate me. After had what I called The Philly Flu. It has to be the Flyers in Philly. Has to speaking about my goal for a moment, he said, in a very friendly, non- be. condescending way, “Only 689 more until you catch me.” Kennedy: Probably Detroit, and probably (the Red Wings) were just so Phil Bourque (1983-92): I remember my first goal was scored in good. It wasn’t their building. People think we didn’t play well at Joe Louis Vancouver against Frank Caprice. It was a pass from behind the goal Arena, but nobody did against them. It was because they were like us, from , and I scored on the backhand. I had one of the only with more experience. They had the puck a lot, played with speed, worst backhanders in the league and somehow it found a hole. were never out of a game. They were just tough. Which teammate was most likely to forget his wallet for a meal on the Who was your most underrated Penguins teammate? road? Kennedy: Either Joe Vitale or Deryk Engelland. They were both solid, Bourque: Rob Brown might’ve been the guy to accidentally-on-purpose really great teammates. Always there for you, easy to talk to, and never forget his wallet when we were going out for a big steak dinner. I love the said much. guy and he’s one of my best friends from my playing days, but was very frugal with his money. Errey: Larry Murphy. He was so smooth, so composed, so awesome.

Probably something we all admire more now that we’re in our latter Trottier: Holy cow, that’s a great question. Let me put the old thinking cap years. back on.

Lovejoy: Probably me. Not because I was cheap, just because I would For me, go back to the 1992 playoffs, and it was Shawn McEachern. He lose my wallet. was a menace. I watch those games now and forget how fast he was for that time. He could be on the ice with me, Ronnie (Francis) or Mario, and Trottier: Gordie Roberts was forgetful at a whole bunch of things. Not he would always be generating something. intentionally. He was just a forgetful guy. It got to point where we wondered if he was doing it on purpose. He pushed the envelope on Can I also say that if you stack up our entire defense together from 1991, that whole group was underrated. I mean, scored the Cup winner for us that year. And we had Paul Coffey. Think about that.

Lovejoy: In the city of Pittsburgh? . He did so many things right and so many things well. It makes me sad he never won the Cup.

Outside the city of Pittsburgh? Kris Letang. He’s the most talented defenseman I have ever seen. For over a decade, people spoke about trying to find wingers for Sid. Letang is Sid’s wingman. Very few defensemen in the game are as capable of getting the best player in the game the puck as well as Kris, all while matching up against the other teams’ best players. A truly amazing talent.

Bourque: Randy Hillier was probably the most under-appreciated player I played with. People forget how solid a defenseman he was and how well he played with Coffey. And he also was an assistant captain, which tells how much he was respected in the locker room and how much of a leader he was for our teams.

You have the puck on a 3-on-2 with Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby. The defensemen you’re up against are and Kris Letang. Marc-Andre Fleury is the goalie. What is your play?

Bourque: There’s only one play for me: go to the net as hard as I can. Then I’ll lean on my stick. I’d expect a perfect pass for a tap-in.

Lovejoy: Try to drive the middle with the puck, cross the blue line, kick it out to Sidney or Mario, then drive the net hoping to drag a defenseman with me to give time and space to the two superstars. I don’t even look to get the puck back, I’m just trying to create chaos by middle-lane driving.

Trottier: I’m throwing the puck to right side, to Mario, and I drive the middle. I’ll be pulling either Letang or Carlyle to the net, and I’m getting into Fleury’s grill. Gonna let Mario and Crosby do some crisscrossing, and I’ll do whatever I can for any rebound. That’s my go-to play.

I know when it’s on Mario’s stick, he’s going to do something great. If one of those defensemen steps up on me, I’m going left with the puck, getting it to Sid, and letting him and Mario go in on a 2 on 1.

My thinking is, I’m looking for the easy forehand pass first. It’s the simplest play. But it’s the smart play. And I was really good at soft picking to tie the stick up and give that guy a chance get a shot.

Errey: I’d just give the puck to Mario and go to the bench. You know what? I probably did do that a few times when I was on his line.

Kennedy: I’m doing with TK always does — I’m going high-glove.

Actually, I’d probably give it to Sid. I’ll never forget how he gave me a wide-open net one time and I buried it. I was in a slump, and he gives it back to me. That’s such a Sid thing to do, so I owe him.

What is your favorite goal call?

Kennedy: “He picked his pocket like he was walking down Fifth Avenue.”

Errey: “Scratch my back with a hacksaw.”

Trottier: “Get in fast lane, grandma — the bingo game is ready to roll.”

Every one of them I love. We’d get Penguins games on radio back when I was with the Islanders, and I loved his calls. He told me most of the stories behind them. They’re all great.

Lovejoy: I got to know Mike Lange early in my career. I was assigned a seat next to him on the team plane while black-acing in (the playoffs) 2009. This was before iPhones, iPads and Netflix streaming, so we talked a lot and got to know each other well. However, Mike was on the radio since I joined the organization; I don’t think I have ever had the pleasure of really listening to him call a game.

After winning the Stanley Cup in 2016, one of our players walked around partying for the week saying, “Elvis has just left the building.” So that will always stick with me.

Bourque: “Let’s go hunt moose on the Harley.”

I have been up in northern New Hampshire and Vermont, and moose hunting is fairly common. Whenever I drive through there, I think of Mikey’s and some guy with a big, burly beard and mustache, riding his Harley, snow in his beard, and a large shotgun strapped to his back.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185400 San Jose Sharks The Sharks first feel, though, that the change has to start from the players already on the team.

That’s what happened after the 2014-15 season, Couture said, when the San Jose Sharks hope to show dismal season was just a ‘fluke’ Sharks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003, then came back the following year to advance to their first Stanley Cup Final.

“I think a lot of guys went home and in their summer, they made it a By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: May 28, 2020 at 1:28 p.m. | priority to be in better shape, to come back with some bite to their game,” UPDATED: May 28, 2020 at 4:26 p.m. Couture said, adding that Wilson “challenged a lot of us to step up our games, improve as players and to come into next year and show people

we’re still a good team here in San Jose. An excruciatingly long offseason is already underway for the Sharks. By John McCarthy, assistant coach with Sharks affiliate, lauded for the time they return — whenever that may be — motivation, in their eyes, leadership, dedication will not be as issue. “I believe that summer, a lot of people wrote us off, that the window’s “As a group, we know that every single person needs to be better next closed. This team’s done. Stick a fork in them. I think that lit a fire for a lot year,” Sharks captain Logan Couture said Thursday. of us, and it’s going to be the same thing this year. There’s going to be “With this long break, it adds time for guys to get prepared. Motivation people that are going to write those same articles, there’s going to be should be at an all-time high for everyone. When you have a year like fans that are going to say the same things. The only way that that can this, you want to come back and prove to people that it was just a fluke. change is if we go out and make a change, show them that we’re still a We believe that we’re a good team, and we have all of the pieces in that good team. room to be successful. We just have to go out and do it.” “We still have the pieces, in my mind, to compete. That’s all we can do. Tuesday’s announcement by the NHL that it would try to resume play Work as hard as we can this summer, be as prepared as we can into with an adjusted playoff format officially ended the Sharks’ dismal next camp.” season. With the postseason possibly not starting for two more months, San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.29.2020 there’s a very real chance the Sharks may not play another meaningful game until November, December or later.

“There’s not a lot of positives you can take from that, other than not wanting to go (through it again),” Sharks defenseman said. “It’s not fun. It’s frustrating. Even not playing now, you’re going to have to train for seven, eight months. That sucks.”

“There’s so much that unknown right now,” Couture said, “I don’t think anyone’s going to commit to a schedule at this time.”

It’s a long time to wait, but perhaps the Sharks can use it to their advantage, as a handful of players — including Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl — gain an opportunity to come into next season fully healthy.

Last season, coming off his May 31 groin surgery, Karlsson wasn’t able to train as he normally would in the summer before the start of camp. That affected his conditioning, and he and the Sharks got off to a slow start last October.

Hertl suffered torn anterior and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee on Jan. 29, and also might be able to use the extra time to strengthen his leg. He doesn’t have to rush, anyway.

The Sharks need both players to be at their best to have any chance to succeed next season.

“Every time you enter the summer starting a rehab, it’s never easy,” Karlsson said. “Throughout all of my injuries, it’s always been at the end of the year. You’re in a situation where you’re either playing through it and risk moving forward, or you sit out in the playoffs, and that’s never been an option.

“Every time you have an opportunity in the summer to spend some extra time on some other things than just playing hockey, I think is always very beneficial.”

Regardless of their motivation, it will be a long road back for a Sharks team that finished 15th and last in the Western Conference, missing the playoffs for the second time in six seasons.

By the time next season begins, they will only have three legitimate stars still in their 20s — Evander Kane, who will be 29 in August, Hertl, who turns 27 in November, and Timo Meier, who turns 24 in October.

Any significant roster changes general manager has in mind also may be hamstrung by the lack of flexibility the Sharks may have under the NHL’s salary cap, which is expected to remain flat at $81.5 million or decrease for next season.

“This isn’t ordinary for this organization to have a year like last year,” Couture said. “I’m sure Doug’s going to try and put all the pieces out there for us. Who we come to camp with and go from there, it’s in their minds. Hopefully we’re going to have enough pieces to compete and be a good team this year.” 1185401 San Jose Sharks

Logan Couture believes Sharks' ambition must be high in long offseason

By Scott Bair May 28, 2020 4:38 PM

The Sharks will miss the NHL playoffs for the first time in five seasons, and just the second time since the 2002-03 campaign.

They struggled so much and things got so bad they didn’t even qualify for a modified 24-team playoff format designed to wrap the season after the coronavirus pandemic forced the NHL to hit pause in mid-March.

Disqualification is an odd feeling for most veteran Sharks, especially after a season that started with promise ended in disaster.

San Jose's path to redemption won’t start for months. It may be well into the winter before next season ramps up, meaning the Sharks have plenty of time on their hands to ponder what went wrong and how to make it right.

They want to find old form at the next available opportunity. Logan Couture believes that should push them through a long and uncertain offseason.

“As a group, we know that every single person needs to be better next year,” the Sharks captain said Thursday on a video conference with Sharks reporters. “I think, with this long break, it adds time for guys to get prepared. Motivation should be at an all-time high for everyone because you want to come back and prove it was just a fluke. We believe that we’re a good team. We have all the pieces in the room to be successful. We just need to go out and do it.”

That’s not outside the realm of possibility, though there are as many -- or more -- question marks surrounding the team than in recent memory.

Those will be answered by management as the Sharks try and build the depth required to weather a long season and, if all goes right, playoff intensity.

The current issue is to keep players focused and training on their own so they’re ready to return when the time comes.

“Players are creatures of habit,” Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports California’s Brodie . “The cycles of training and preparing of training and getting ready. This will be the longest time off our team and players have ever had.

"And you’ve got to use that time very well. You don’t want players under- training, or over-training. We’ve talked with our strength and medical people, trying to figure out the best way to get the programs in place so when they come into camp, they’re ready to go.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185402 San Jose Sharks

Sharks' Tomas Hertl vows to be 'better than before' after knee injury

By Scott Bair May 28, 2020 2:56 PM

Tomas Hertl stood before the media just a few weeks after tearing the ACL and MCL in his right knee and vowed to be ready by Sharks training camp. That seemed like a bold proclamation at the time, a promise his rehab should let him live up to.

The All-Star center provided a progress report on his physical condition during a Thursday video conference with the media, saying he’ll be ready for the 2020-21 campaign even if it starts as scheduled in October.

Dropping the puck on time seems highly unlikely after the NHL hit pause on the 2019-20 season due to the coronavirus pandemic and announced plans to pick it back up with a modified, 24-team playoff format. That could push next season further into the winter, allowing Hertl to downshift his rehab some and focus on getting strong over getting back on the ice.

“I can do almost anything,” Hertl said. “I am able to run, not full speed, but I can do almost everything I was doing before. I was actually surprised about that after not even four months. If we knew the season was starting in October, I would probably start skating in a few weeks. If there’s extra time it might help me, but I think I would be ready for the season even if it starts when it always does. I should be 100 percent ready for next season whenever it happens.”

Well in line to keep his initial promise, Hertl went a step further Thursday by saying he’s not just looking to regain previous form. He wants to improve upon it.

That would be good news for the Sharks and would continue the 26-year old’s steady ascent as a top-shelf player. He has improved considerably in recent seasons while beginning to maximize great talent, becoming a vital component of the Sharks attack.

Hertl considers this latest knee injury as a speedbump, not a permanent roadblock. He has dealt with knee issues before and always comes back strong. This experience, he says, should be no different.

“I feel like I have proved the past couple years that I can be one of the top players, one of the top centers on the team,” Hertl said. “I want to keep working on that. I have had some setbacks, but I’m not scared about it. I always come back. The experience has made me stronger. I am taking [this rehab] like another challenge.

“I was named an All-Star and it was a great experience for me, and it makes me want to go back. I want to be there for my team, and that’s why I have been working every day for four months even with the season so far away. My next goal is getting back and being better than before. I know I can do it. I have to give it everything I can to get back.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185403 San Jose Sharks Couture was a part of the most recent Sharks team to miss the playoffs in 2014-15, but even that was a squad that was competitive for most of the season. A horrid February knocked the Sharks out of the playoff picture that season, while the front office decided that preserving salary- Logan Couture believes he can learn a lot from this stumbling Sharks cap space for the 2015 offseason was more important than trying to push season for a championship. That turned out to be the right move, as the Sharks made some key additions and ended up advancing to their one and only

Stanley Cup final in 2016. By Kevin Kurz May 28, 2020 What Couture’s remembers most about that previous non-playoff season was that many in the hockey community were suggesting a further decline was coming for the team. The 2013-14 season ended with the It makes perfect sense that something was off from Day 1 on a team that infamous reverse sweep to the Kings and was followed by the first went on to finish in last place in the Western Conference in the playoff-less season since Wilson took over in 2003. pandemic-shortened 2019-20 season. “I believe that summer (in 2015) a lot of people wrote us off and said the A poor training camp followed convincing preseason game defeats window is closed and this team’s done, you know? Stick a fork in them,” followed an 0-4 start to the regular season, and it never got much better Couture said. from there. A 6-2 loss in Chicago on March 11 dropped the Sharks to the conference basement, and that’s where they’ll stay, as the league Suggestions that the Sharks won’t be able to quickly rebound could be formally canceled the rest of the regular season on Tuesday. even louder now, considering that they don’t have nearly the same kind of salary-cap flexibility as they did in the 2015 offseason. What made this season’s Sharks so perplexing, and, for their fans, so frustrating, is that this was a team that was still built to compete for a Still, Couture suggested that many players on the current team can be playoff spot at the very least. Yes, there were some changes made to the better next season than they were this season and it’s hard to argue that 2018-19 Sharks squad that advanced to the Western Conference final, point, as there really wasn’t anyone on the 2019-20 roster who exceeded but the roster still featured a sprinkling of supposedly elite players. expectations.

What happened? “We’re not used to losing or having a losing season here. So it wasn’t fun,” Couture said. “I think as a group we know that every single person Let’s check-in with the captain. needs to be better next year. I think with this long break, it adds time for guys to get prepared. Motivation should be at an all-time high for “We just weren’t sharp,” Logan Couture explained on Thursday on a everyone. Zoom conference call with the media. “Not to make an excuse, it’s tough when you come off a Western Conference final, summer is short. You “When you have a year like this, you want to come back and prove (to) still kind of have that feeling that you’re a really good team and you people that it was just a fluke. And we believe that we’re a good team. maybe think it’s just going to come to you, but you’ve really got to work at We have all the pieces in that room to be successful. We just need to go it. out and do it.”

“You look at our preseason games, we got spanked in a lot of those In the meantime, Couture, like most every other hockey fan, is hoping games. Things didn’t start off too hot. So, as a group, it’s been that the league can stage a Stanley Cup playoff later this summer, discussed, and I believe that we’re going to be better in camp (next although he admitted that there’s still “a long way to go” before that season) and preseason and into Game 1.” happens.

One of the primary changes, of course, was a leadership transition from “I’m cautiously optimistic that it’s going to happen. I hope so,” he said. “I , who served as captain for four seasons — the most think our game desperately needs it. This is a time right now where productive four-season stretch in franchise history — to Couture, who people in this world have some gigantic things that they’re going through. seemed perfectly suited to have the “C” stitched to his jersey as an And if sport and hockey can create a small amount of energy or accomplished veteran who plays his best hockey in the playoffs and happiness in their life, then I really, really hope that we can come back should still be in the prime of his career. for those fans and those people just to give them some type of spark to get through what they’re probably going through right now.” The last-place finish is obviously not all on Couture’s shoulders. In 52 games, the 31-year-old posted 16 goals and 23 assists for 39 points, The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 while his even rating was actually the highest on the team among players that skated in more than 20 games. Couture played just seven games after an ankle injury on Jan. 7.

To be fair to Couture, replacing Pavelski as the team’s official leader was probably an impossible task. At the time of the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, there were only a handful of players in the league comparable to Pavelski in terms of the ability to inspire and bring together a 20-man dressing room on and off the ice. More importantly, the 2019-20 roster was decidedly weaker after management didn’t do much in the offseason to replace key forwards.

Still, the results should have been better and it’s pretty clear that there was something fishy going on in the dressing room. Interim coach Bob Boughner and goalie Martin Jones both suggested there wasn’t much cohesiveness in the room, particularly when things started going off the rails, and general manager Doug Wilson agreed with that on Tuesday.

So did Couture.

“When you’re losing and things aren’t going your way frustration builds, and it builds quickly,” Couture said. “And with us, a lot of guys in our room have never gone through a season like that. Some may have years ago, but not recently. I don’t think, from top to bottom, anyone handled it the best possible way. I’m obviously in that group.

“There’s a lot that I think I can learn from this year. And really that’s all we can do now, is move forward, learn from this, come together. Everyone needs to buy in, everyone’s got to get on the same page. Like I said, get a good training camp underneath us and get going from there. But everyone will learn from this year and it’ll make us stronger.” 1185404 St Louis Blues

Digest: Some NHL regular-season awards announced

Staff

Since the NHL is planning to go straight to the playoffs, it’s handing out a handful of trophies for the regular season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

The league on Thursday announced the winners of its regular-season awards. Play was halted March 12.

Washington’s Alex Ovechkin and Boston’s David Pastrnak share the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the top-goal scorer after tying with 48.

Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl won his first Art Ross Trophy for leading the league with 110 points.

Boston Marathon canceled for first time: Organizers canceled the Boston Marathon for the first time in its history, bowing to the social distancing requirements of the coronavirus outbreak and ending a 124-year run.

Horse racing’s Nadal injured: Nadal, one of trainer Bob Baffert’s early favorites for the Triple Crown, injured his ankle after a workout at Santa Anita on Thursday and is out of contention for the races. Baffert said Nadal could return to racing after a 90-day recovery period. However, he would miss the Belmont Stakes on June 20, the Kentucky Derby on Sept. 5 and the Preakness on Oct. 3.

John Deere golf event canceled: Two weeks before the PGA Tour is set to resume its schedule, John Deere Classic officials decided Thursday to cancel what would have been the fifth tournament back.

Tournament director Clair Peterson said there were too many obstacles to overcome involving too many risks from the COVID-19 pandemic, and that it made financial sense in the long run to not hold the tournament.

Premier League to start June 17: The Premier League plans to restart on June 17 after a 100-day shutdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with new staggered kickoff times to make sure every match can be shown on TV as fans are prevented from attending games.

The clubs agreed Thursday that the competition should resume with a Wednesday night doubleheader featuring Manchester City playing Arsenal and Aston Villa hosting Sheffield United — two matches that were postponed during earlier rounds.

MLS gives OK for workouts: Major League Soccer gave its teams the go- ahead Thursday to begin small voluntary group training sessions outdoors.

The group sessions, which must comply with local public health and government restrictions, are the next step in the league’s efforts to return to action after suspending the season earlier this year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Panthers sign CB Apple: The Panthers have agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Eli Apple.

The move gives the Panthers the experienced cornerback they coveted after James Bradberry signed as a free agent with the Giants.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185405 St Louis Blues • Buffalo Sabres GM Jason Botterill kept his job despite his team’s enduring futility. He can turn out a bunch of forwards with expiring contracts – including useless former Blue Vladimir Sobotka – while Gordo on the NHL: Lightning oppose expanded playoffs, fear early exit hoping to get more out of young forward like Tage Thompson, the former Blue who suffered a shoulder injury this season.

"It's a situation where I think I touched on before, we have to do a better Jeff Gordon job of creating more offense throughout our four lines, of having more depth scoring throughout the entire lineup," Botterill told reporters this week. "As a GM, I have to give our coach Ralph Krueger the ability to The Tampa Bay Lightning will step into the NHL’s expanded playoff change different lines up, to have more depth through his four groups. ... bracket grudgingly. And I will certainly always support and I truly believe in a lot of our young players that we have within our system here." The Lightning voted “no” on the 24-team postseason proposal. So did the Carolina Hurricanes. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.29.2020

All the other teams bought in. So what was the Lightning’s beef?

They piled up 92 points in 70 games this season. They resented the fact that eight extra teams reached postseason play, thus diminishing the value of regular-season success.

When the pandemic hit, some of those eight extra teams appeared unlikely to reach the usual 16-team bracket.

So why should they get a second chance? Also, the losers in the play-in round also get a shot (however long) in the NHL Draft Lottery.

More critically, Lightning players aren’t looking forward to playing their first-round series against a team that just won a play-in series and gained momentum in the process.

They know what it feels like to get caught flat-footed. Last season the Lightning rolled to a 128-point finish. They went weeks without playing a meaningful game.

Then the playoffs started and the scrappy Columbus Blue Jackets swept them in four first-round games. The Lightning were eliminated before they could find their postseason gear.

This season the Lightning earned a bye as one of the top four finishers on each side of the league. These top four will play each other in round- robin series of tune-up games while the other teams are playing elimination games.

So the Lightning are in the same boat as the Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers.

These top teams must get up to speed quickly . . . or else.

AROUND THE RINKS

• The Montreal Canadiens went 31-31-9 through the 71 games. They were 10 points out of the Eastern Conference playoff bracket when the pandemic hit. GM Marc Bergevin was focused on the NHL Draft and potential trades to speed his ongoing rebuild.

And then the NHL gifted the Canadiens a play-in postseason slot – even though the team made bail-out moves ahead of the trade deadline.

If Montreal goaltender Carey Price plays like his old self, the Habs could pull an upset. “I think our chances are as good as any of the other eight teams that have been awarded a playoff spot, to be honest with you,” Bergevin said,

• Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman elected to give coach Jeff Blashill another year despite the team’s dismal 17-54-5 finish. The Red Wings will continue their youth movement in the 2020-21 season and Yzerman sees Blashill as a worthy mentor.

“I think Jeff has done a good job,” he told reporters in teleconference. “I think it’s been a difficult position in his tenure here. The Red Wings are in a rebuild and have been for a while, and for the last two, three trade deadlines, the team has traded good players, valuable players, for future assets. And Jeff has, with his head held high, diligently worked hard, done a good job in coaching this team in a difficult situation throughout that.”

• The Minnesota Wild hoped to get elite forward prospect Kirill Kaprizov out of the KHL for the 2020-21 season. But with the pandemic turning the sports upside down, it appears Kaprizov may stay home in Russia for another year. 1185406 St Louis Blues Rutherford: Robert, I went over there a couple of years ago to write a story about Chantal and Mother’s Day and how she’s the captain of that household, and it was a blast for the couple of hours that I was over there. But I do remember leaving and jumping in my car after witnessing We Went Blues: Robert Thomas on the fairness of the NHL’s new format Walt and Brady and Matthew and I drove down the road and said “That and more just happened.” What’s been the moment that sticks out in your mind where you’re just like, “Oh my gosh.”

Thomas: I would say the biggest thing would be, it’s kind of funny when By Jeremy Rutherford May 28, 2020 you come up from the basement and Big Walt is sitting there making you dinner. You’re looking at a Hall of Famer making you dinner. It’s pretty funny. Blues center Robert Thomas joined former Blues defenseman Barret Jackman and myself on Episode 49 of our podcast, “We Went Blues,” on Jackman: So you spend a lot of time with Big Walt. What do you guys Thursday. Several subscribers have asked us in the past if we’d ever do? Do you guys sit there and watch games together and get some transcribe an episode for readers. The answer: We will occasionally, and advice, or is Big Walt just cracking jokes and telling everybody on the we decided to do so with this fun conversation with Thomas. Enjoy! screen to play better?

Editor’s note: Transcript edited lightly for clarity. Thomas: A little bit of both. No, every night hockey is on, usually we’ll sit on , and he’s got his chair, and we’ll watch games. If Matthew Rutherford: Welcome to Episode 49 of “We Went Blues,” the podcast, or Brady is playing, we’ll watch them, and that can get a little funny when with former Blues defenseman Barret Jackman and Jeremy Rutherford of he’s yelling at them. But yeah, for the most part, we’re always watching The Athletic St. Louis. Barret, we’ve been doing these podcasts going games. He’s always got some little things that he sees on the ice that back to October and it seems like with the pandemic and the stoppage, most people don’t see, whether it’s stick-positioning or getting a little we find you in a different city a lot. It’s Cabo, it’s Nashville, not St. Louis. aggressive in front of the net, little tricks like that that his boys definitely Where do we find you this time? know. Yeah, for me, it’s been awesome.

Jackman: Right now, I’m up in Northern Idaho, a little golf community, Jackman: Is Big Walt giving you some of the stories of his days being where a lot of hockey players like to come to. So we’re just up here for a around the (Blues), or is he pretty censored on what he lets you into? week to try and clear our heads and get ready for the start of some youth More, I’m just kind of wondering if he said anything about me? baseball and hockey in St. Louis. Thomas: Ha ha. He’s been a little censored. There’s been a couple of Rutherford: Yeah, and you can make an All-Star team out of the guys times he’s given me a couple of stories, but you’ve been off the hook so that hang out in that area. You could be the Zamboni driver for the team. far. I’ll have to get him a couple more Tito’s drinks and maybe I’ll hear a Who are some of the guys on that All-Star roster? couple about you.

Jackman: Yeah, we’ve got a couple of Hall of Famers: Brett Hull, Wayne Jackman: I’ve always been babysitting, so I get the stories about him. He Gretzky, , … Ray Whitney, Sheldon doesn’t have any about me. Souray … might be between the benches on the mic … Russ Courtnall, Bobby Ryan, Tyler Johnson … and Jon Cooper, the Rutherford: Big Walt censored, ha ha. That’s the biggest lie I’ll hear all head coach behind the bench. Yeah, we’ve got a good list of guys, so it’s day … Hey Robert, you’ve been in Toronto and I just wondered, do you somebody to have some coffee or sodas with and hit the links as well. keep in touch with your teammates? I hear a lot of teams have the group (text) chats and was just curious how that goes. Who’s the funniest in the Rutherford: Well, to the listeners, watch out for your toes, wear your group chat and who won’t shut up? steel-toe boots because Jax is dropping names there. He had fun doing that. But Jax, we have a player who everyone around the NHL knows Thomas: Funniest? I’m not going to give you the funniest guy because and he’s going to be a household name for years to come, and that’s there’s always someone making a joke. The guy that won’t shut up is Robert Thomas. Thanks for joining us on “We Went Blues!” How are you definitely (David) Perron. He’s always texting, always sending stuff in doing, Robert? there, so I’d say the most active user is Perron, 100 percent, and then it kind of dips down a bit. (Tyler Bozak) is always making jokes, so if I had Thomas: Doing well. Thanks for having me, guys! to pick one, it would be him. It’s always tough when you go from seeing the whole team every day to being isolated from them. So yeah, group Rutherford: What do you think about that list? texts, video games, those are the kinds of things we’re doing to stay in Thomas: I mean, yeah, you weren’t kidding; he was dropping a lot of touch. names there. I think (Alexander Steen) is looking into it, too. I’m not sure Rutherford: Yeah, speaking of video games, the Blues had an NHL20 if that has a lot of traction, but that would be another guy to add to the tournament and you were on the Xbox side. You went five rounds in the list. tournament and I watched a couple of your moves, a little dangling Jackman: Yeah, Steener does have a lot up here, but we haven’t spent a there? lot of time together, just maybe about a week together two years ago. Thomas: Yeah, I didn’t think I was going to make it that far. I got lucky a We’re waiting for him to come back, but I know this summer is kind of out couple of games, but it was an awesome time connecting with some of the question for him. But yeah, speaking of name-dropping, you’ve got Blues fans and playing against them, and with the live stream, I had a three people that you’re living with temporarily in St. Louis (Keith, bunch more watching me. So, a really cool event they ran there and I Matthew and Brady Tkachuk) and probably the two that don’t get talked was happy to play in it. It was actually a ton of fun. about are Taryn and Chantal. What’s it like living in the Tkachuk household, and how did you end up being with Big Walt and the family? ROBERT THOMAS BREAKS DOWN THE ONE-HANDED DEKE HE SCORED ON DURING THE BLUES GAMING NHL 20 SHOWDOWN Thomas: Yeah, it was kind of a funny story of how I ended up there. The AND MORE … HTTPS://T.CO/03WNGF7FSH #STLBLUES whole thing was Matthew’s idea. He loves taking credit for it. Throughout the time he was (in Toronto) living with me training, we were talking — JEREMY RUTHERFORD (@JPRUTHERFORD) MAY 19, 2020 about next year and there was a possibility I could make the (Blues), and he was like, “You know what would be amazing if you just live at our Jackman: Were you always a video-game guy or more of a “go outside house. You can take the whole basement to yourself.” I was just thinking, and play” (guy)? I know a lot of kids these days, a lot of the younger NHL “Really, that’s actually not a bad idea at all.” So then he got Walt and players are more into the video games. When I first started playing, it Chantal on it and they talked to (Blues general manager Doug was two buttons and the old Tron paddle board. We didn’t have anything Armstrong), and that’s kind of how the whole thing came about. You cool, where you could see your face and your mannerisms. Is it know, I had so much fun there the first year and I just couldn’t leave the something you always did or just something you kind of got into now that second year. So I might be overstaying my welcome a little bit, but it’s an you’re locked into your house? amazing place to stay. Chantal keeps the whole family together and Thomas: No, I always played video games. I’ve never played the amount Taryn is just like Big Walt — she’s always stirring the pot. I’m playing in the last month or two, but I’ve always been into it. It’s kind of another way to connect with your buddies when you’re at home. It’s kind of been the main concept of me playing; I don’t like playing them Thomas: I’ve been fortunate to be on some good teams, so a lot of other alone, but when you’re playing with buddies, it’s a ton of fun. people to thank for those. I got pretty lucky.

Jackman: So now that you’re back in Toronto, what are the restrictions Rutherford: We want to talk to you about what you bring to the table. I going on there? Are you able to start doing some on-ice stuff in small know it’s real tough for you to talk about yourself, but Jax and I watch you groups? Are there any kind of gyms open so that you can get that in? all the time and just can’t believe the vision and the skating. Just when What have you been doing to try to stay in shape? did you start to believe that you could be one of those upper-echelon players in the NHL? Thomas: I’ve had access to a private gym, so I’ve been able to do that throughout the week, and that’s been my main thing for staying in shape, Thomas: I would say it took quite a while for me to realize myself that I going for runs and that kind of stuff. I hate running, by the way, it’s the had a good shot at making the NHL. It took me until my draft year in the worst. OHL till I really started to think that I could play in the NHL. I had a long way to go from that stage, but I would say that was the moment when I Jackman: You’re not really built for the running, are you? started to believe in myself a little bit more and get that feeling that if I Thomas: No, definitely not built for that, that’s for sure. The shins are not work hard, I’ll have a good shot at this. feeling great. But yeah, we were supposed to get ice put in soon, just a Jackman: With the skill set that you have, your vision, strength on the little 3-on-3 rink. So hopefully when the rules get lifted a little bit, we can puck and your ability to find the open guy, is that something that you kind get back out there. of work on, or is it something that you were gifted with as far as hockey Rutherford: Hey Robert, Barret was a little bit embarrassed to ask this, so sense? I’ll ask it for him. He wanted to know if any more games have come out Thomas: For me, the way I think the game, I’m always watching hockey since Pac-Man? and I think that’s the best way to learn. You pick up little things from Thomas: Just a couple, just a couple. different guys if you just watch the game. You can pick up a skating tip from, let’s just say (Edmonton’s Connor) McDavid, the way he turns, the Rutherford: One of those is Fortnite. The NHLPA just had a tournament way he positions his feet. I look for all of those things when I’m watching and the St. Louis Blues won that. Who was it, you and Jordan Kyrou and hockey with Big Walt. So it’s all situational stuff that you can see on the Vince Dunn? You guys won $100,000 and donated that to charity. Tell us ice, how a guy reacted off this turn and which way is his head looking off about that. the turn. So I try to pick up little things like that just watching games.

Thomas: Yeah, I’m just going to say it: I was the weak link on the team. Rutherford: I want to set up a hypothetical: Take us through the situation Dunner and (Kyrou) were carrying me for that one. But yeah, it was where you enter the zone, you’re getting the puck deep, maybe you’re actually a really cool event. It turned out really well and was a great way circling the net. I know every play is different so this is difficult to to interact with the fans, and obviously all the money that was donated describe, but just take us through what you’re thinking in terms of trying for charity was unbelievable. Fortunately we took the win and were able to set up a scoring chance? to help out St. Louis charities. Thomas: Yeah, for the most part, when I’m entering the zone, I’m just THIS IS HOW THE BLUES' ROBERT THOMAS, VINCE DUNN AND looking over my shoulder. You can kind of see the play develop, and JORDAN KYROU HAVE DIVVIED UP THEIR $100,000 WINNINGS FOR when you play with guys, you kind of know their tendencies, where THE NHLPA FORTNITE TOURNAMENT: ST. LOUIS CHILDREN’S they’re going on the ice. So playing with (Steen), I know he’s going right HOSPITAL ($50,000), MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY CANADA’S FILL THE to the net. (Bozak) finds those soft areas around the slot. So if I were BOOT INITIATIVE ($25,000), ST. LOUIS AREA FOODBANK ($25,000). going behind the net, I would kind of be looking to draw the defender on the weak side in, just so it opens up that little slip play into (Steen) or — JEREMY RUTHERFORD (@JPRUTHERFORD) MAY 20, 2020 (Bozak). If it doesn’t open up there, I’ll just keep skating around and Rutherford: How good is Vince Dunn? The Athletic named him the best hopefully find a little bit of a passing lane. So I think it’s more just NHL player at Fortnite. knowing who you’re playing with because everyone tends to go to the same spots. I think it’s looking and waiting for something to open up. Thomas: Really? Look at that! Jackman: Yeah, Big Walt used to survey the ice, go stand in front of the Jackman: Is that really a title that you want? net and hope nobody gave the puck to me so that he didn’t have to skate to the other end of the ice. … So going back to your juniors years, there Thomas: I think in quarantine, you want that title. He’ll take it. Yeah, he’s are a lot of things in hockey players’ lives that shape them as people and pretty good. Kyrou is also really good, so (Dunn) is fortunate to have as players and you had a billet brother, Owen (McGonigal), that you lived some good partners. with. Can you talk about your relationship with him and what he’s meant Jackman: So now that they’re going to this 24-team format and the to your upbringing and your character? season is over, congratulations, you’re the Central Division champs! How Thomas: Yeah, Owen was a huge influence on my life and hockey does that feel and what are your thoughts on the upcoming playoff career. He’s such a special young man; just his outlook on life was the format? biggest thing on me. I mean, you look at a young kid who has been Thomas: Actually, I haven’t looked fully in-depth on the whole format yet through so much, even up to 14 or 15 years old, surgeries and in and out because they just put in the plan. But yeah, I’m really excited. At least it of the hospital. It’s a tough life and he makes the most of it. He’s a kid gives us a picture of how hockey is going to return and gets us back out who never sees himself as having muscular dystrophy. He lives like a there. For the 24-team format … there are some rivals teeing off in that. It normal kid, and I think that was the biggest thing for me to look at and should be a lot of fun, and I’m guessing there are going to be some realize how lucky I am. I’d come home and maybe didn’t have the best upsets. I think it’ll be pretty interesting to watch. game and he would just cheer me up and talk to me. He’s a big hockey fan, so he’d come to all the games at home and sit in the scouting box, Rutherford: You know, the NHLPA had a vote, each team voted and the and I think that’s why I got drafted by St. Louis — he was talking the two that voted against the format were the Carolina Hurricanes and the scouts’ ears off about me. Every game I’d come home and he’d tell me Tampa Bay Lightning, and both of them were kind of open about it. They what the scouts are thinking and all that stuff, so it was pretty cool. He’s a said, “Hey, we played a long, hard regular season and finished most of it, special young man. I’m very fortunate to have him in my life. and we think this is a little bit unfair, who we could play.” I know you can’t say much about these private conversations, but what was the gist IN A TIME WHERE SUPPORTING PEOPLE IS MORE IMPORTANT among the St. Louis Blues about how fair this would be playing those top THAN EVER, @RTHOMAS_27'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS BILLET four teams in the conference for seeding? BROTHER – WHO SUFFERS FROM A FORM OF MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY – SHOULD SERVE AS A MODEL FOR ALL OF US. Thomas: For us, you kind of figured when you’re coming back that you’d HTTPS://T.CO/KEC4ZMTWFF #STLBLUES have to compromise a little bit to help out the overall plan. I’m not sure if that makes sense, but that was kind of our thinking. — ST. LOUIS BLUES (@STLOUISBLUES) MARCH 25, 2020

Rutherford: So Memorial Cup, World Junior Championship gold medal, Rutherford: Well, Robert, we’re looking forward to the playoffs and one Stanley Cup, Fortnite … Do you ever lose at anything? thing I wanted to talk about was playing center. You really do prefer to play there — that’s your natural position — and hopefully you’re there to stay.

Thomas: Yeah, I was fortunate enough to make the jump there. I definitely feel more comfortable. I hadn’t played a lot of wing before last year, so definitely feel a lot more comfortable and feel like I can utilize a little more space that I get in the middle, and kind of use your lateral quickness to get into the zone. Obviously, Bozak has been huge for me, (helping) with faceoffs, the positioning and all that stuff. He’s helped me understand that at the NHL level and preparing me to play center. It’s been good.

Jackman: So playing with (Steen) and (Bozak), what are some of the things that you’ve learned from those two just being around them everyday? What are some things that they’ve passed along to you or you’ve picked up your first two years?

Thomas: I think off the ice, just kind of growing up a little bit. You can’t get away with some of the stuff that you get away with (on the ice) in juniors at the next level. For me, on the ice, those two guys have been amazing. Even last year when (Steen) wasn’t on my line, he was always talking to me, giving me tips and little tricks, dealing with the coaches and stuff like that. Yeah, those two have been huge in developing my game so far.

Rutherford: Alright Jax, let’s find out which teammates he really likes the best. Robert, as you’ve heard, you’re going to be (practicing) in small groups back in St. Louis in early June. They’re going to limit you guys to six guys on the ice together. If you had to pick the six, who would you pick to be in a group with? Or I guess five because one of them is you.

Thomas: Oh boy, putting me on the spot here … Um, geez, I’ll start with (Ryan) O’Reilly. He has a lot of skill drills, and I don’t think I could put all the drills together by myself. Maybe a couple defensemen, so I’ll pick Dunn. I don’t want to go against (Colton) Parayko, he’s too big and strong.

Jackman: So you’re saying Dunner’s weak? OK, I’ll pass that along.

Thomas: Oh God, there it is, you can’t go right. I’ll pick Parayko, too. I can’t pick Perron because he doesn’t shut up. I’ll pick (Brayden Schenn) and (Sammy Blais). Blazer keeps it interesting. He always screws up the drills, so …

Jackman: You’re not going to pick an old-school Steve Ott with his full gear on?

Thomas: I’ll pass on that one. I like my shins.

Rutherford: Well, we’ll see if your picks ruffle any feathers because I just tweeted it.

Thomas: Oh great! Awesome!

Rutherford: Well, Robert, we really appreciate it! We’ll let Jax send you on your way here. I know he’s a big fan.

Jackman: Yeah, Robby, I appreciate your time and really look forward to you continuing with this successful career, albeit only a couple of years in. I look forward to you getting back to St. Louis, or whatever (hub) city you’ll be playing in. But I appreciate your time and good luck to you!

Thomas: Awesome! Thank you Jax!

Rutherford: Thanks, Robby!

Thomas: Yep, thanks JR!

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185407 St Louis Blues I’ll make dinner.” And I was like, “this is the best food I’ve had in a long time.” He made us steaks and salads and baked potato. It was like we were on a date. It was awesome. Robyn Regehr, too. I think Reggie could figure out anything. He’s a really smart guy. He was like: “I’m just 20 Questions with Jamie McLennan: On OverDrive, Nickelback and a going to make dinner, I’m going to fix your car, I’m going to go build a boy named Shaky fence.”

4. In which NHL market was it hardest to find a good meal?

By Sean Fitz-Gerald May 28, 2020 I want to say Ottawa, and the reason being was that, if we were staying out (in Kanata), you had to travel. There was some stuff around —

Montana’s and stuff like that — but if you really wanted to dig in, you had Jamie McLennan, the former NHL goaltender and current broadcaster, to travel. I think that’s changed. The other one which was surprising for was trying to illustrate a point in a manner that has become familiar to his me was Detroit … (The hotel) was in a rough area. You weren’t straying listeners: He told a story. too far. This was long before Skip The Dishes.

The question had been about the chronic blandness of nicknames in 5. What is your culinary specialty these days? modern hockey, which McLennan argued was true only in public. It was I’m good on the BBQ. I could do anything chicken. The other day, I made different behind the closed doors of the NHL dressing room, and he some teriyaki chicken. I pan-fried it. Obviously, a pre-made sauce. It’s not started talking about a fourth-line grinder with whom he played in like I’m making it from scratch. BBQ chicken yesterday. Burgers. All of Minnesota. that. This grinder was smart, he said, and there were legends about his SAT 6. Besides Noodles, what other names have been attached to you? scores from high school. He was an excellent golfer, as well. McLennan said they played together at Pebble Beach once, and he watched his Shaky. And that started when I was, like, six years old … I want to say teammate shoot par while essentially wearing a pair of flip flops on the the story was that I faced a ton of shots one night. It was 100, or some course. crazy amount. My parents arrived late. My dad asked, “How’s Jamie doing?” And (another father) is like, “he’s been really shaky today — “We used to call him ‘Pig Pen,’ or ‘Captain Caveman,’” McLennan said. really shaky.” It was a joke. I was playing very well. It stuck with me … “We’d go on the road for 10 days, and I swear to god, this guy would Chris Pronger calls me “meat,” and I don’t know why. Meathead. (laughs) bring a toothbrush and a suit. That’s it.” Once in a while, I’ll get a text like: “What’s up, Meat?” Those nicknames were terms of endearment among teammates, he said, 7. Jarome Iginla and Chris Pronger are two of your close friends: What and they were never splashed around for public consumption. nicknames did they have? “There’s always a meaning behind it,” he said. “But it’s tough to explain to Prongs, I call “Hook.” I call him “Dr. Hook,” from “Slap Shot,” because of people if you walk up and you’re yelling at somebody: ‘Hey Uglyface,’ or the guy who would, like, carve your eye out. In my phone, he’s under ‘hey Stinky,’ or ‘hey Pig Pen.’” ‘Hook.” Iggy? I’m trying to think. I played cards with Iggy on the weekend. McLennan, meanwhile, is known widely by his nickname, Noodles, which We have a Zoom poker game. He’s a close friend. But I don’t really know he acquired riding the bus in junior hockey. He prepared his own meals if I have a nickname for him. on a hot plate rather than eat at the highway rest stops en route to the 8. (McLennan sends a follow-up text, several hours later) next game. We call him One/Two. Another name for 12. His journey took him across the hockey landscape to 254 regular-season games in the NHL, with stops in Long Island, St. Louis, Calgary, 9. What is an “ass marshmallow?” Minnesota, Florida and New York. The game took him to the minors, to Russia and, ultimately, into broadcasting. (laughs) I mean, you want to talk about hazing and stuff like that. Believe me, I’m glad it’s long gone, in the crazy junior stories of hazing. There Today, the married father of two young children is a co-host on were four chairs. Guys were naked and had to pick up the marshmallow OverDrive, which helped TSN 1050 to an unprecedented ratings victory with their butt and walk over to the other chair. And if you lost, you were just before the pandemic shuttered the world of sports. The show has threatened with having to eat the marshmallow. What would that be? continued from home, with co-hosts Bryan Hayes and Jeff O’Neill (O- Hepatitis, with that kind of nonsense? That was a thing that I never had Dog) also working remotely. to do, because I don’t know why, as a rookie, they just left me alone.

McLennan took time out from another workday to field 20 Questions from 10. How many of those rituals do you think persist in the game today? The Athletic, talking about OverDrive, Nickelback, and a boy named Shaky. Zero, I would hope. Nowadays, I think there’s a lot more sensitivity to what guys are going through. And to be honest? I think those leagues 1. Spaghetti, penne or macaroni? have gotten younger, too. If you’re a really good junior player, maybe you’ve got an opportunity at 20 to move on. My understanding — and Oh, penne. It’s not even a choice. I’m not a big al dente guy, but I do like one of my best friends is a junior coach — is it’s just a different dynamic. it a little firmer. And I feel that with penne, you can manage what you put I think it’s become more of a big business. on it because it’s a little bit bigger. You get into the macaroni, it’s a little smaller. And spaghetti is a gong show because you’re constantly rolling it 11. You spent five days in an intensive care unit with bacterial meningitis up. in 1996: What impact does that experience have on you when you watch the news today? 2. How do you strain noodles on a moving bus? I think there’s a slight flashback, as to maybe what people could (McLennan laughs) It’s very difficult. I didn’t have to early on, because I potentially go through. You see that there’s a lot of people who are was just making Kraft Dinner. The sauce was the water. And then you surviving through COVID. But then there’s these outlier stories of a just add the cheese. It was a poor man’s mac and cheese. There was no healthy 40-year-old, or a healthy 30-year-old, who gets it and maybe had milk, there was no butter. You cook the noodles, you pour the cheese some form of condition that we didn’t know about or it’s hit them a lot powder in, stir it up, and that’s it. There was no straining it out the window harder. I think what it’s brought back is a slight layer of fear. I was a or whatever. You’re cringing about that, but the funny thing is, I chose healthy 25-year-old pro athlete … It’s just given me a little bit of pause. that food over the food they offered me on the road. 12. Who has been doing the grocery shopping? 3. Give me the teammate who had the best secret superpowers in the kitchen. Um, Instacart. (laughs) We’re on Day 76 here, so I have the groceries delivered. We wash them with Lysol wipes and bring them in. We’re just Blake Sloan. He was a right-handed, fourth-line winger in Calgary. Kind adhering to the rules. I would do it. But we have the option: There’s a of a little, gritty, hard-working guy. He lived by himself. In Calgary, the Fortinos up the road that offers delivery, so we’ve just chosen that. single guys kind of all hung out. He was a unique guy. I remember going over to his house. We were going to go out for dinner, and he’s like, “No, 13. How often do you leave your house? Every day. I walk to the mailbox. My son, who’s two, loves excavators. So we’ll go for a drive. I’ve got a pool, so the kids are in the pool. I get outside, but I haven’t left the proximity of my neighbourhood very much, at all.

14. What is the toughest part of working from home?

The interaction with people. I think our shows have been good, with OverDrive. Some of the best parts of my job with TSN — being on the road, colour, working with Gord Miller and Chris Cuthbert and the guys behind the scenes … the camaraderie. You miss that human contact. I miss, when we’re in a commercial break between segments, (O’Neill’s) banter, and Hayes’ banter. We got into a routine every Friday. We were ordering pizza.

15. When would you feel comfortable returning to work inside an NHL arena?

Honestly? People think that I’m this germaphobe. If they say, “we need you to call games in July, Jamie, and it’s going to be at Scotiabank because Toronto is going to be one of the hubs,” I’m there. And the reason being is I believe the NHL is not just going to hand you a Lysol wipe and go, “good luck.” I think they are going to create an environment where everyone’s going to feel safe.

16. How does Jamie McLennan end up in a helicopter — with help from Nickelback’s lead singer, Chad Kroeger — racing to meet his NHL team bus in Vancouver?

(smiles) Too much alcohol. No alarm clock set. So many things went south. People know that I am close with Chad from Nickelback. He’s an Alberta boy. We have a lot of crossover with family and friends from growing up and stuff. Bandmates, too … The night slips away, and we end up back at his place in Abbotsford, which is 45 minutes from downtown (Vancouver). Chad had a driver named Tommy who was supposed to wake me up at 8:30. I laid down and, when Tommy came to wake me up, it was 10:30, and he was asking me, “what time was I supposed to wake you?” You want to talk about somebody jumping out of bed when you’re in a hungover/still drunk stupor … you get that sobering, “hey, there’s a chance you’re going to miss that noon bus, which is downtown, and you’re 45 minutes out and you don’t know where your shoes are.” I was so rattled … Ultimately, that’s where you can rely on somebody to throw you in a helicopter and, seven minutes later, you’re in downtown Vancouver and at the hotel collecting your stuff.

17. Who is the Chad Kroeger of OverDrive?

I want to say (O’Neill). Behind the scenes, I have a lot of friends with crossovers into acting and music and stuff like that. But I still think it’s O, because O, right from 19 years old in the NHL, has kind of done it his way. It’s not even living like a rock star. It’s just randomly, “Oh, I golfed, and then Michael Jordan showed up.” I think the rockstar life that Chad lives, I think O has either lived that, or his mentality is like that. He lives life to the fullest. He embraces his family. He’s a guy who kind of brings everyone in. And Chad’s a lot like that. Chad’s very generous with his friends and his family.

18. Give me the key to surviving sports talk radio when there are no sports to talk about.

(laughs) Honestly? I think our shows have been pretty good, and we have nothing to talk about. I think the beauty of our show is, it’s three friends who talk every day at 4 p.m. I have best friends I talk to almost every day. Well, that’s what these guys are. It’s just with microphones on.

19. What have you been watching at night without sports?

I love movies, and all that. But I watch about five series at the same time: “S.W.A.T.,” “SEAL Team,” “Blacklist,” “Billions.” Those are the shows on my iTunes. On my Netflix, it was: “Peaky Blinders,” “Money Heist,” the Jordan documentary. It was “Tiger King.” I have Prime Video, too.

20. Finish the following sentence: “Old goaltenders never die, they just …”

(laughs) Let’s say they evolve. That would be a good word. I’ve evolved. You try to step outside your comfort zone and learn a little bit about politics and all that other stuff. I don’t like talking about it, but I’m more just trying to soak in life. The evolution of Jamie McLennan. And believe me, I’ve got a long ways to go. (laughs)

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185408 Tampa Bay Lightning The league believes, based on consultations with public health officials, that its access to tests would not take resources away from “publicly necessary testing” and has asked teams to confirm that with their municipalities. What will Phase 2 of return-to-play plan look like for Lightning? Each organization would have to appoint a “Club Facility Hygiene Officer” who would have to be a nurse, occupational health and safety professional, or infection prevention and control professional. That DIANA C. NEARHOS person would be responsible for ensuring compliance with the league’s protocol. Teams also would have to take on an infectious disease expert as a consultant. The NHL anticipates getting back on the ice in early June, but it’s a slow process from there to games. The Lightning haven’t appointed anyone to either position but have been working with the medical team at USF. Lightning forward Alex Killorn announced “The Boys Are Back in Town” with his latest video Thursday. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.29.2020

The NHL anticipates moving to the second phase of its return-to-play plan, featuring players voluntarily skating in small groups, in early June. But it’s not as simple as saying, “Feel free to hop on the ice.”

The coronavirus has added layers of guidance and restrictions. The league released a 29-page document titled “NHL Phased Return to Sport Protocol” on Monday. And that’s just for Phase 2.

What does this mean?

In Phase 2, groups of six players would be allowed to skate in no-contact sessions starting on a date to be determined where such gatherings would be allowed. Coaches wouldn’t be allowed to have player contact; medical and training staff would. The groups’ makeups could not change once set so players’ exposure to others could be limited. Players could do weight training as long as they didn’t need a spotter and also could do circuit-based resistance training, cardio and endurance training. They could not work out or skate at public facilities.

The players likely requested to start without coaches because they do not want to be assessed before they have a chance to get back into hockey shape.

Killorn, the Lightning’s representative to the players association, said the focus would really be on “getting our hockey legs back.” With reports Thursday that training camps won’t start before July 10, players would have time to get to where they felt comfortable before camp.

Would players need to maintain social distancing?

Yup. Players would have to maintain a distance of 6 feet between each other, including in the dressing room. The only direct contact allowed would be medical staff treating players; the league recommended assigning specific trainers to each group as much as possible. Sessions also would have to be scheduled so all players had cleared the building before the next group arrived.

The Phase 2 setup would have two categories of personnel: “Player Access” (players, medical and equipment staff) and “No Player Access” (everyone else, including coaches). They could not mix.

Further, all areas that players access would have to be disinfected before the next group arrived at the building.

“You just have to make the best of the situation,” Killorn said. “We’re doing whatever it takes to make sure we’re able to play.”

Would all players participate?

Probably. With the sessions voluntary, the Lightning could not require players who went home to return to Tampa to join small groups, but some might choose to return to do so. Players also would have the option of joining groups in the city where they are sheltering in place.

How would this be different from practice?

These would be kind of like captain’s practices. Players probably would start with a lot of conditioning skating (laps, sprints, etc.) and also do basic puck-handling drills. But players wouldn’t be able to skate with units to set up game-like scenarios.

How would coronavirus testing work?

All players would have to test negative for the coronavirus within 48 hours of their return to team facilities. After that, they would have symptom and temperature checks within two hours of reporting to the rink and again when they got to the rink. 1185409 Tampa Bay Lightning UP NEXT:What we know, and don’t know, about the NHL’s plan to return Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.29.2020

Lightning’s Alex Killorn drops a new video, parodying ‘’

Staff

The “Dock Talk With Killer” host gathers his teammates in the Flying V formation for a campy, terrific take on the opening scene of “D2.”

After a week of teasers, Alex Killorn on Thursday dropped his “directorial" debut on Twitter and Instagram. He was still aboard a Sea-Doo, but it wasn’t an Instagram episode of Dock Talk With Killer.

Killorn and six of his Lightning teammates hopped on the personal watercrafts in a direct reference to arguably the best of hockey movies: The Mighty Ducks.

The moment @NHL says you can skate again! #boltsflytogether #directorialdebut #breakoutinfluenceroftheyear pic.twitter.com/YiSD8kjV88

— Alex Killorn (@Akillorn19) May 28, 2020

Killorn and his friend/“creative director” Peter Mant were out in-line skating one day and Mant suggested making a play on the opening scene of . Killorn liked the idea but decided to stick with his new influencer brand of Sea-Doos.

Killorn, playing the role of Ducks coach Gordon Bombay, calls to Steven Stamkos (the role of Charlie Conway) as Thin Lizzy’s The Boys are Back in Town starts playing. They then gather up , Anthony Cirelli, Mikhail Sergachev, and Erik Cernak — just as Charlie and Jesse gathered the Ducks in the opening scene of D2.

RELATED: The story behind "Dock Talk with Killer"

You can hear the duck call as Stamkos yells “Vasy!" Cirelli is waiting tables and drops a tray of drinks to rush out to the water, a mix of The Mighty Ducks’ Averman (working at a movie theatre) and Goldberg (working an empty restaurant). Sergachev — of course, walking his cat and wearing his Dock Talk fanny pack — appears with his girlfriend, just like Guy and Connie in the movie.

Vasilevskiy, doing biceps curls and telling himself “You’re a man,” is incredible but not a specific reference — making it all the better.

The video, shot on the waterways south of Amalie Arena, is amazing, but it raises questions:

Where did Coburn find wood to split in Tampa? Why is Cirelli waiting tables in jeans, then hopping on a Sea-Doo? Who was the poor soul they recruited to wear Bruins and Maple Leafs shirts to be sprayed and shoved in the water? Why is Cernak’s watercraft drifting off out of the overhead shot?

(Answers: All servers at Harbour Island’s American Social wear jeans, and another Killorn friend took one for the team by playing the villain).

Even former Lightning goaltender Louis Domingue, the team’s previous reigning leader of amusing funny videos, had to give it props.

OK don’t tell Killorn I said this but... this is WAAAAAAAY better than my win videos ! Aside from the fact that this is operating at a much higher budget though...... @Akillorn19 @TBLightning https://t.co/k3WQplPDpd

— Louis Domingue (@domingue35) May 28, 2020

All the players were good sports about doing what Killorn asked. The group of people, including Lightning employees and his friends, behind his Dock Talk ideas helped brainstorm the video.

“Coburn looks like a lumberjack; we all think of him that way,” Killorn said. “Sergachev and his girlfriend are big on the Instagram influencing thing, and we always make fun of him for walking his cat.”

Killorn wanted someone to be the Goldberg character having gotten an offseason job, hence Cirelli as a server. For the most part, players trusted Killorn “blindly," even though it took four hours to shoot a 2:12 clip. 1185410 Toronto Maple Leafs “Ultimately, we beat this thing to death,” he said. “This just seems to check off most of the boxes for most teams. We just have to live with that and play the games and see what happens.”

Connor McDavid says NHL format is ‘not perfect, but it’s the best we got’ The NHL has said it will require up to 30,000 COVID-19 tests for players if the season resumes, adding that a positive result wouldn’t necessarily derail the 24-team format.

Joshua Clipperton Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse was on Thursday’s call with McDavid, and was asked about how comfortable he’d be with continuing if a

teammate or opponent tested positive. Connor McDavid now considers himself a Zoom expert. “Every single person is at a different comfort level,” said the 25-year-old. He probably should be – the captain of the Edmonton Oilers has had “It’s easy for a lot of people to sit back and say, ’You guys are in a low- plenty of practice. risk demographic.’

“Never been on a Zoom call until this whole thing happened,” McDavid “This is an area that we’ve never had to deal with ... no matter what the said Thursday. “Definitely been on a fair bit.” format, the testing’s going to be huge.”

The 23-year-old superstar was part of the NHL/NHLPA committee that Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto are among 10 cities short listed by worked remotely via the video-conferencing platform the past number of the NHL as potential hubs for the 24 teams that would likely have to stay weeks to come up with the league’s return-to-play blueprint should in a bubble away from the pubic, and potentially away from family, for hockey be allowed to resume its season this summer. months on end.

“Definitely exciting to be part of the process,” McDavid said. “There was McDavid, who finished second to fellow Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl in lots of back and forth.” the overall scoring race, shot down the argument a team would have an advantage playing in its home rink. If the NHL, which paused its schedule March 12 because of the COVID- 19 pandemic, gets the green light from government and health officials, “It’s gonna feel weird in that building no matter where you play, no matter 24 teams would be left to compete for the Stanley Cup. if you’ve played there 100 times,” he said. “The building is going to feel weird just with no fans being in there.” There’s been grumbling in some markets, but McDavid said no plan was ever going to please 31 clubs and more than 700 players. The return-to-play plan was an important step for the NHL, but also just that – a step – in its aim to salvage the 2019-20 campaign. The league “This is a format that is obviously not perfect,” he said on a Zoom call hopes to open team facilities and allow players to skate in small groups with reporters Thursday. “But it’s the best we got ... so that’s what we’re starting next month, hold training camps in July and get back to game going with.” action three or four weeks after that.

The Top 4 teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences would play But McDavid, who got an up-close look at just one part of the process, separate mini-tournaments to determine seeding, while the remaining knows there’s lots of work still to do. franchises would battle in best-of-five qualifying round series to complete 16-club playoff bracket. “It’s exciting,” he said. “We’re working toward getting back to playing hockey, which is what we all want to do.” McDavid was joined on the return-to-play committee by Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares, Winnipeg Jets centre Mark Scheifele, Only time will tell if that actually happens again this season. Ottawa Senators defenceman Ron Hainsey, Philadelphia Flyers winger Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.29.2020 James van Riemsdyk, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and deputy commissioner Bill Daly.

“I can’t say that everyone agreed on everything,” McDavid said. “But that was the point of the committee, to debate stuff and take it to a larger sample size.

“I feel like we’ve done our job.”

McDavid, whose Oilers would match up against the Chicago Blackhawks in the “play-in” round, said putting what was good for the league ahead of individual teams was paramount.

And he would know.

The Oilers sat second in the Pacfic Division and fourth in Western Conference – according to sportsclubstats.com, the team had a 95-per- cent chance of making the postseason at the pause – but would have to win a best-of-five series against three-time Cup champions Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane just to make these playoffs like no other.

Edmonton was also 11 points better than Chicago, which had just a 2.6- per-cent shot of qualifying for the postseason before the novel coronavirus outbreak brought most of the sports world to a screeching halt.

“You have to do what’s best for the league,” said McDavid, whose team was edged out for fourth in the West by the Dallas Stars on points percentage. “You need to take a step back and look at it unselfishly.”

Tavares said Wednesday the players were intent on making sure there’s no asterisk if a team eventually lifts the Cup in an arena without fans.

“Anyone who gets their name on it wants to earn it,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a very worthy and deserving Stanley Cup champion.”

McDavid said settling on the number of teams included was a “huge issue” to tackle. 1185411 Toronto Maple Leafs It worked for one round, a dramatic sweep of top-ranked Tampa Bay, then quickly fizzled in the second round. Panarin, Bobrovsky, Duchene and Dzingel all bolted for preferred destinations. So did Davidson, who took the highly skilled Panarin to Manhattan with him when he left. Leafs vs. Jackets — somewhere in the summer — is what you get when the NHL doesn’t know when to quit This season, both the Leafs and Columbus played 70 games, and both compiled 81 points. Neither was having a particularly memorable campaign, although every season in Toronto is certainly eventful. On the surface, the matchups will be something like Seth Jones vs. Matthews, By Damien Cox Contributing Columnist veteran trickster John Tortorella vs. rookie coach and maybe Elvis Merzlikins vs. Freddie Anderson between the pipes.

The way in which NHL owners and league executives are willing to twist Where this series would take place is unknown. Both Toronto and and contort their competitive framework these days is truly fascinating. Columbus are among 10 possible hub cities under consideration to host games. Like other Canadian candidates, Toronto likely won’t be used if Check out the league’s latest draft lottery proposal. Nobody can easily the Canadian government is still insisting on a two-week isolation period explain it, or express exactly what the purpose of such a complex for people entering the country. process might actually be. It’s just a scheme they’ve invented. Mediocre teams such as Montreal and Chicago saw their lottery odds reduced. The At the same time, players are already voicing concerns about the Maple Leafs will be participants in the upcoming post-season, but could competitive advantage if teams are allowed to play out of their own rinks. also end up winning the lottery. So the Leafs-Jackets series likely won’t happen in Ohio, either. In some empty rink somewhere in North America, this series could happen. In a larger sense, the owners and commissioner Gary Bettman seem extraordinarily focused on having two compromised seasons — both the These are the unusual situations that are going to be created because 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns — rather than just one. the NHL is determined to declare a 2020 Cup champion and fulfil commitments to television rights-holders to deliver a proper playoff To finish 2019-20, the league wants to push the ’20-21 start into season. December. Or possibly January. The alternative would be to cancel ’19- 20 and focus all of their energy and resources on constructing as normal Is this something to get excited about? That depends on your level of a ’20-21 season as possible. devotion to the NHL. It’s hard to imagine what a televised game in early August between Toronto and Columbus — staged in Las Vegas or St. Venerable sporting events such as the RBC Canadian Open (116 years), Paul — will feel like, even to the most passionate fan. Like “Hamlet” Wimbledon (143 years) and the Boston Marathon (124 years) have performed on a deserted island? Like the Grey Cup game played at an essentially decided to do just that: cancel and try again next year. Every empty Wrigley Field? other hockey league has done that, but the NHL seems to be steering in another direction. Curiouser and curiouser, this continues to get.

This is, to be sure, a truly terrible financial problem. Owners want to Toronto Star LOADED: 05.29.2020 resume business indoors, where the coronavirus is most dangerous, and they want to do so while asking players to absorb the bulk of the risk under conditions yet to be detailed. There’s been no mention of danger pay.

It’s been about 11 weeks since the last NHL game was played, and it will be at least another nine weeks until the next one. For Leafs fans, all that was really revealed earlier this week was the identity of a playoff opponent. Or rather, an opponent in a best-of-five series to get into the 16-team playoffs. Nobody has figured out what to call this post-regular season, pre-playoff round yet. Purgatory?

If the NHL really can get this ramped up, it will be the Leafs against the Columbus Blue Jackets. These clubs have about as little to do with one another as any two NHL teams could — beyond their mutual participation in the bizarre David Clarkson for Nathan Horton salary-cap deal five years ago, and the fact that both used to be members of the Western Conference but now play in the East.

The Leafs were founded in 1917, haven’t won a Cup since 1967 and haven’t won a playoff series in 16 years. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, were founded in 2000 and won a playoff series for the first time last spring. They are a singularly unaccomplished franchise.

So it’s the ancient against the relatively new, two teams with little record of meaningful success in the salary-cap era. They’ve never played each other in the playoffs. In fact, they’ve only ever met 30 times in 20 years.

The Leafs have been slowly building with young players such as Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and William Nylander since Brendan Shanahan arrived in 2013. Shanahan signed on at the same time Masai Ujiri was hired to run the Raptors, and the fact that Ujiri now has a championship under his belt has certainly shifted the goalposts rather dramatically for the Leafs boss.

The Jackets, by contrast, threw caution to the wind last year and went for the Cup. Or, at least, they went for the Cup as emphatically as a team with no actual chance to win the Cup possibly could.

It was completely reckless and mostly entertaining. John Davidson and Jarmo Kekalainen abandoned any pretence of caution by not only keeping free agents-in-waiting Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky past the trade deadline, but also adding pending free agents Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel from Ottawa. 1185412 Toronto Maple Leafs “When we looked at our team on paper heading into camp, we were really excited about not just our back end but really top to bottom, the way the group has been built,” Tavares said. “As you usually get close to the playoffs, there is nicks and bruises, not just us but around the league. All things considered, questioning Stanley Cup integrity is off the mark Every team is going to be pretty much at full strength.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Terry Koshan TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on Thursday that the NHL and NHLPA are expected to push the June 1 signing deadline for entry-level contracts

back one month. The Leafs have two draft picks — forward Riley Stotts The 2020 Stanley Cup winner — provided there is one — won’t need an (83rd overall in 2018) and goalie Zachary Bouthillier (209th in ’18) — who asterisk beside its name. would re-enter the draft if they are not signed by the deadline … The majority of the Jackets’ injured players would be set to return to play the We’re on board with the sentiment coming from the men who will play for Leafs, including Seth Jones, Cam Atkinson and Oliver Bjorkstrand, while the Cup some time later this year (as long as it’s safe to do so in the Josh Anderson (shoulder) is possible and Brandon Dubinsky (wrist) midst of the COVID-19 global pandemic) that the integrity of the Cup would remain out. won’t come into question. Maple Leafs captain John Tavares put it well during a conference call with media on Wednesday, saying “considering Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.29.2020 all that we’re going through and what it’s going to take to get this done, I think it’s going to be a very worthy Cup champion.”

And this from Columbus Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, whose club is slated to meet the Leafs in the qualifying round with a berth in the first round of the playoffs on the line: “A Stanley Cup championship is a Stanley Cup championship in my eyes, and nobody can take that away from you … It will be a great story to tell one day (for the winner), so I don’t really buy into that (asterisk) stuff.”

To say the circumstances surrounding the competition for the Cup in 2020 are different wouldn’t, of course, begin to tell the story. Any team that manages to win the Cup after, we presume, months of living in a quarantined bubble, with little or no access to family and in a city other than the one it calls home, would be to use Tavares’ words, a worthy champion.

We don’t expect the competitive nature of the playoffs to be any different than any other year. We expect NHL players will have left everything on the ice after mentally getting past the bizarre, truly unprecedented nature of day-to-day living. They’ll have worries about their own health, about that of their families — and then go attempt to win a Stanley Cup while trying to keep those concerns at bay.

Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano said this week that this year would be the “most difficult ever” to win the Cup. Considering everything unfolding in the world and with no vaccine for the coronavirus coming soon, we couldn’t agree more.

HEALTH MATTERS

Tavares, a key voice on the Return to Play Committee, said the players aren’t looking for any advantages in their potential return to the ice over everyday citizens. Included in that is undergoing the 14-day quarantine upon returning to Canada.

“Hockey being such a fabric and important part of our culture of who we are, (a return to play) would be a nice way to bring back some normalcy and really uplift our communities, but that does not mean we get to look for any type of exception or favouritism,” Tavares said. “We want to continue to follow guidelines set out for us and do the best we can and hopefully things improve to a point where those things could be possibly loosened up, not just for us but for all of society. It means we would be in a much better place in our communities, and our world and our country.”

D CORPS FULL

Once the post-season tournament starts, and if there are no injuries during training camp, Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe will have a full defence corps at his disposal.

That wasn’t an option for Keefe or Mike Babcock in large chunks of the 2019-20 regular season, as Morgan Rielly, Jake Muzzin, Travis Dermott and Cody Ceci all missed a significant amount of time because of injuries.

Among Leafs regulars on the blue line, only Tyson played in all 70 games, though Justin Holl was in the lineup for 67 in a row after sitting two of the first three matches in October.

Muzzin, who missed the final six games with a finger injury, is expected to be cleared by the time the qualifying round begins (ditto for winger Ilya Mikheyev, who has not played since Dec. 27 when he suffered a lacerated wrist against New Jersey). Only Andreas Johnsson (knee) might not be back. 1185413 Toronto Maple Leafs I’ll make dinner.” And I was like, “this is the best food I’ve had in a long time.” He made us steaks and salads and baked potato. It was like we were on a date. It was awesome. Robyn Regehr, too. I think Reggie could figure out anything. He’s a really smart guy. He was like: “I’m just 20 Questions with Jamie McLennan: On OverDrive, Nickelback and a going to make dinner, I’m going to fix your car, I’m going to go build a boy named Shaky fence.”

4. In which NHL market was it hardest to find a good meal?

By Sean Fitz-Gerald May 28, 2020 I want to say Ottawa, and the reason being was that, if we were staying out (in Kanata), you had to travel. There was some stuff around —

Montana’s and stuff like that — but if you really wanted to dig in, you had Jamie McLennan, the former NHL goaltender and current broadcaster, to travel. I think that’s changed. The other one which was surprising for was trying to illustrate a point in a manner that has become familiar to his me was Detroit … (The hotel) was in a rough area. You weren’t straying listeners: He told a story. too far. This was long before Skip The Dishes.

The question had been about the chronic blandness of nicknames in 5. What is your culinary specialty these days? modern hockey, which McLennan argued was true only in public. It was I’m good on the BBQ. I could do anything chicken. The other day, I made different behind the closed doors of the NHL dressing room, and he some teriyaki chicken. I pan-fried it. Obviously, a pre-made sauce. It’s not started talking about a fourth-line grinder with whom he played in like I’m making it from scratch. BBQ chicken yesterday. Burgers. All of Minnesota. that. This grinder was smart, he said, and there were legends about his SAT 6. Besides Noodles, what other names have been attached to you? scores from high school. He was an excellent golfer, as well. McLennan said they played together at Pebble Beach once, and he watched his Shaky. And that started when I was, like, six years old … I want to say teammate shoot par while essentially wearing a pair of flip flops on the the story was that I faced a ton of shots one night. It was 100, or some course. crazy amount. My parents arrived late. My dad asked, “How’s Jamie doing?” And (another father) is like, “he’s been really shaky today — “We used to call him ‘Pig Pen,’ or ‘Captain Caveman,’” McLennan said. really shaky.” It was a joke. I was playing very well. It stuck with me … “We’d go on the road for 10 days, and I swear to god, this guy would Chris Pronger calls me “meat,” and I don’t know why. Meathead. (laughs) bring a toothbrush and a suit. That’s it.” Once in a while, I’ll get a text like: “What’s up, Meat?” Those nicknames were terms of endearment among teammates, he said, 7. Jarome Iginla and Chris Pronger are two of your close friends: What and they were never splashed around for public consumption. nicknames did they have? “There’s always a meaning behind it,” he said. “But it’s tough to explain to Prongs, I call “Hook.” I call him “Dr. Hook,” from “Slap Shot,” because of people if you walk up and you’re yelling at somebody: ‘Hey Uglyface,’ or the guy who would, like, carve your eye out. In my phone, he’s under ‘hey Stinky,’ or ‘hey Pig Pen.’” ‘Hook.” Iggy? I’m trying to think. I played cards with Iggy on the weekend. McLennan, meanwhile, is known widely by his nickname, Noodles, which We have a Zoom poker game. He’s a close friend. But I don’t really know he acquired riding the bus in junior hockey. He prepared his own meals if I have a nickname for him. on a hot plate rather than eat at the highway rest stops en route to the 8. (McLennan sends a follow-up text, several hours later) next game. We call him One/Two. Another name for 12. His journey took him across the hockey landscape to 254 regular-season games in the NHL, with stops in Long Island, St. Louis, Calgary, 9. What is an “ass marshmallow?” Minnesota, Florida and New York. The game took him to the minors, to Russia and, ultimately, into broadcasting. (laughs) I mean, you want to talk about hazing and stuff like that. Believe me, I’m glad it’s long gone, in the crazy junior stories of hazing. There Today, the married father of two young children is a co-host on were four chairs. Guys were naked and had to pick up the marshmallow OverDrive, which helped TSN 1050 to an unprecedented ratings victory with their butt and walk over to the other chair. And if you lost, you were just before the pandemic shuttered the world of sports. The show has threatened with having to eat the marshmallow. What would that be? continued from home, with co-hosts Bryan Hayes and Jeff O’Neill (O- Hepatitis, with that kind of nonsense? That was a thing that I never had Dog) also working remotely. to do, because I don’t know why, as a rookie, they just left me alone.

McLennan took time out from another workday to field 20 Questions from 10. How many of those rituals do you think persist in the game today? The Athletic, talking about OverDrive, Nickelback, and a boy named Shaky. Zero, I would hope. Nowadays, I think there’s a lot more sensitivity to what guys are going through. And to be honest? I think those leagues 1. Spaghetti, penne or macaroni? have gotten younger, too. If you’re a really good junior player, maybe you’ve got an opportunity at 20 to move on. My understanding — and Oh, penne. It’s not even a choice. I’m not a big al dente guy, but I do like one of my best friends is a junior coach — is it’s just a different dynamic. it a little firmer. And I feel that with penne, you can manage what you put I think it’s become more of a big business. on it because it’s a little bit bigger. You get into the macaroni, it’s a little smaller. And spaghetti is a gong show because you’re constantly rolling it 11. You spent five days in an intensive care unit with bacterial meningitis up. in 1996: What impact does that experience have on you when you watch the news today? 2. How do you strain noodles on a moving bus? I think there’s a slight flashback, as to maybe what people could (McLennan laughs) It’s very difficult. I didn’t have to early on, because I potentially go through. You see that there’s a lot of people who are was just making Kraft Dinner. The sauce was the water. And then you surviving through COVID. But then there’s these outlier stories of a just add the cheese. It was a poor man’s mac and cheese. There was no healthy 40-year-old, or a healthy 30-year-old, who gets it and maybe had milk, there was no butter. You cook the noodles, you pour the cheese some form of condition that we didn’t know about or it’s hit them a lot powder in, stir it up, and that’s it. There was no straining it out the window harder. I think what it’s brought back is a slight layer of fear. I was a or whatever. You’re cringing about that, but the funny thing is, I chose healthy 25-year-old pro athlete … It’s just given me a little bit of pause. that food over the food they offered me on the road. 12. Who has been doing the grocery shopping? 3. Give me the teammate who had the best secret superpowers in the kitchen. Um, Instacart. (laughs) We’re on Day 76 here, so I have the groceries delivered. We wash them with Lysol wipes and bring them in. We’re just Blake Sloan. He was a right-handed, fourth-line winger in Calgary. Kind adhering to the rules. I would do it. But we have the option: There’s a of a little, gritty, hard-working guy. He lived by himself. In Calgary, the Fortinos up the road that offers delivery, so we’ve just chosen that. single guys kind of all hung out. He was a unique guy. I remember going over to his house. We were going to go out for dinner, and he’s like, “No, 13. How often do you leave your house? Every day. I walk to the mailbox. My son, who’s two, loves excavators. So we’ll go for a drive. I’ve got a pool, so the kids are in the pool. I get outside, but I haven’t left the proximity of my neighbourhood very much, at all.

14. What is the toughest part of working from home?

The interaction with people. I think our shows have been good, with OverDrive. Some of the best parts of my job with TSN — being on the road, colour, working with Gord Miller and Chris Cuthbert and the guys behind the scenes … the camaraderie. You miss that human contact. I miss, when we’re in a commercial break between segments, (O’Neill’s) banter, and Hayes’ banter. We got into a routine every Friday. We were ordering pizza.

15. When would you feel comfortable returning to work inside an NHL arena?

Honestly? People think that I’m this germaphobe. If they say, “we need you to call games in July, Jamie, and it’s going to be at Scotiabank because Toronto is going to be one of the hubs,” I’m there. And the reason being is I believe the NHL is not just going to hand you a Lysol wipe and go, “good luck.” I think they are going to create an environment where everyone’s going to feel safe.

16. How does Jamie McLennan end up in a helicopter — with help from Nickelback’s lead singer, Chad Kroeger — racing to meet his NHL team bus in Vancouver?

(smiles) Too much alcohol. No alarm clock set. So many things went south. People know that I am close with Chad from Nickelback. He’s an Alberta boy. We have a lot of crossover with family and friends from growing up and stuff. Bandmates, too … The night slips away, and we end up back at his place in Abbotsford, which is 45 minutes from downtown (Vancouver). Chad had a driver named Tommy who was supposed to wake me up at 8:30. I laid down and, when Tommy came to wake me up, it was 10:30, and he was asking me, “what time was I supposed to wake you?” You want to talk about somebody jumping out of bed when you’re in a hungover/still drunk stupor … you get that sobering, “hey, there’s a chance you’re going to miss that noon bus, which is downtown, and you’re 45 minutes out and you don’t know where your shoes are.” I was so rattled … Ultimately, that’s where you can rely on somebody to throw you in a helicopter and, seven minutes later, you’re in downtown Vancouver and at the hotel collecting your stuff.

17. Who is the Chad Kroeger of OverDrive?

I want to say (O’Neill). Behind the scenes, I have a lot of friends with crossovers into acting and music and stuff like that. But I still think it’s O, because O, right from 19 years old in the NHL, has kind of done it his way. It’s not even living like a rock star. It’s just randomly, “Oh, I golfed, and then Michael Jordan showed up.” I think the rockstar life that Chad lives, I think O has either lived that, or his mentality is like that. He lives life to the fullest. He embraces his family. He’s a guy who kind of brings everyone in. And Chad’s a lot like that. Chad’s very generous with his friends and his family.

18. Give me the key to surviving sports talk radio when there are no sports to talk about.

(laughs) Honestly? I think our shows have been pretty good, and we have nothing to talk about. I think the beauty of our show is, it’s three friends who talk every day at 4 p.m. I have best friends I talk to almost every day. Well, that’s what these guys are. It’s just with microphones on.

19. What have you been watching at night without sports?

I love movies, and all that. But I watch about five series at the same time: “S.W.A.T.,” “SEAL Team,” “Blacklist,” “Billions.” Those are the shows on my iTunes. On my Netflix, it was: “Peaky Blinders,” “Money Heist,” the Jordan documentary. It was “Tiger King.” I have Prime Video, too.

20. Finish the following sentence: “Old goaltenders never die, they just …”

(laughs) Let’s say they evolve. That would be a good word. I’ve evolved. You try to step outside your comfort zone and learn a little bit about politics and all that other stuff. I don’t like talking about it, but I’m more just trying to soak in life. The evolution of Jamie McLennan. And believe me, I’ve got a long ways to go. (laughs)

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185414 Vegas Golden Knights door. It could be George, could be anyone. Could be any of the coaches or even Bill Foley himself.”

Golden Knights’ AHL team to be called Henderson Silver Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.29.2020

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

May 28, 2020 - 7:26 PM

Updated May 28, 2020 - 11:46 PM

The Golden Knights gained a trusty steed Thursday.

The NHL team announced that its new American Hockey League affiliate will be called the Henderson Silver Knights and the logo will be a silver war horse.

The name, one of the final three owner Bill Foley considered for his NHL franchise, along with Desert Knights, wasn’t much of a surprise. The logo, which features a large silver “H,” a silver shield and golden eyes, was more unexpected, but it had Foley beaming with pride.

“What a great combination, having the knights and the war horse,” Foley said before describing how his two teams would terrify medieval opposition.

With the name and logo unveiled, the Knights are one step closer to making their dreams of having a local AHL affiliate a reality. Foley revealed several other key details on the one-hour special on KSNV-TV, Channel 3, such as the NBC affiliate will broadcast 10 home games live next season.

Foley also said the team has 7,600 season-ticket deposits and that tickets will start at $10. He said jerseys have been designed but won’t be unveiled for a couple of months. In the meantime, fans can purchase merchandise at VegasTeamStore.com or at The Arsenal at City National Arena.

“It’s a pretty awesome logo,” Knights prospect Ben Jones said. “I think it’s going to look pretty great on the jerseys. The whites and the blacks.”

The night showcased how quickly the Knights’ AHL plans have come together.

Foley said the organization first began thinking about having a local affiliate a year ago, with president of hockey operations George McPhee and general manager Kelly McCrimmon leading the charge. The Knights waited for an opportunity and made their move in February.

They purchased the San Antonio Rampage with the intention of moving them to Henderson, and the sale was quickly approved by the AHL’s board of governors.

The Silver Knights will initially play at Orleans Arena while its Henderson rink, which will replace the Henderson Pavilion at Green Valley and Paseo Verde Parkway, is being built. The $80 million, 6,000-seat arena was approved 4-1 by the Henderson City Council on May 19 despite fierce, vocal opposition from some who live in the area.

Foley, who saw final presentations from prospective designers Thursday, tried to assuage residents’ fears.

“(The designers are) very cognizant in terms of the traffic situation,” Foley said. “How people get to the games, how many parking spots are on site. This is really not going to be much different than what the pavilion was in Henderson. And at night, when the games are happening, or there’s a concert, it’s going to be enclosed. There will be very little noise pollution in terms on this site, this location.”

The Silver Knights will be headquartered in Henderson at Lifeguard Arena, which will occupy the site of the Henderson Convention Center at Water Street and Atlantic Avenue. Foley said the building should open about Sept. 15.

It will be the latest step for an organization that already has grown leaps and bounds since it started play three seasons ago.

“Just playing in Henderson is going to be amazing,” Jones said. “Even just being 10 minutes down the road from the big club. It’s going to be interesting to keep you honest. You never know who’s going to pop in the 1185415 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 05.29.2020

Henderson Silver Knights: AHL hockey in town gains an identity

By Justin Emerson (contact)

Published Thursday, May 28, 2020 | 7:35 p.m.

Updated Thursday, May 28, 2020 | 9:30 p.m.

It’s only fitting that the Golden Knights will develop their prospects in silver.

The Golden Knights announced Thursday that their new American League Hockey affiliate, set to begin play in the valley next season, will be called the Henderson Silver Knights.

The Silver Knights will serve as the top minor league team for its parent club and will play their home games at Henderson Event Center beginning in 2022. Until that time, they will play at Orleans Arena.

The Silver Knights will train and be headquartered at Lifeguard Arena in Henderson, a new facility scheduled to open later this year. The downtown arena on Water Street will be to the Silver Knights what City National Arena in Summerlin is to the Golden Knights.

“Home is Henderson for us,” Golden Knights and Silver Knights owner Bill Foley said. “I’m thrilled with our partnership with Henderson and I really appreciate their help in bringing this all together because it made it possible, frankly. Just couldn’t have done it without Henderson.”

The Silver Knights logo takes its lead from the parent club. The armored war horse is in the shape of an ‘H’ for Henderson, mirroring the negative space of the Golden Knights logo forming a ‘V.’ Same with the shape of the background shield. The golden eyes of the logo represent the drive to become a Golden Knight, and the 20 links of chainmail and 21 rivets are for the inaugural season of 2020-21.

Foley was determined to have an armored war horse as a logo, even as other possibilities were bandied about. He also said other names were discussed, but everything kept coming back to Silver Knights.

“What a great combination of having the knight and the war horse,” Foley said. “We’re thrilled about it and I’m wearing my logo proud right now.”

Merchandise is available now at VegasTeamStore.com as well as at the team store at City National Arena. Jerseys are finalized, and Foley said those will be revealed in a few months.

Vegas and Henderson will become the fifth set of NHL-AHL affiliations to reside in the same metro area. NHL teams use the AHL to develop their prospects and make many roster transactions involving the two throughout the season. Just this year, Golden Knights center Nicolas Roy was assigned to or recalled from AHL Chicago 29 times. Having the AHL team in the same area provides the NHL team with flexibility, and the players with certainty knowing they will spend the full season in the same area.

Tickets to Silver Knights games will be significantly cheaper, with season tickets starting at $10 per game. Practices at Lifeguard Arena in Henderson, like Golden Knights practices, will be free and open to the public.

The Silver Knights are expected to spend two seasons at Orleans Arena before moving into the newly built Henderson Event Center, a 6,000- seat, multipurpose venue that is replacing the Henderson Pavilion on Green Valley Parkway.

“Honestly if the fans are half as passionate and half as driven for Henderson as they are for the Golden Knights, it’s going to be a pretty great fanbase,” said prospect Ben Jones, who figures to play for Henderson next season. “Even before tonight, you can tell you’re part of something extraordinary.”

The Golden Knights’ AHL affiliate for the past years had been the , which won the Western Conference and advanced to the Calder Cup Finals last season. The Golden Knights purchased the AHL San Antonio Rampage in February with the intent of moving it to the valley. 1185416 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 05.29.2020

NHL awards regular-season trophies for season cut short

By Stephen Whyno, Associated Press

Thursday, May 28, 2020 | 11:14 a.m.

Since the NHL is planning to go straight to the playoffs, it's handing out a handful of trophies for the regular season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic.

Not long after unveiling a 24-team right to the playoffs format, the league on Thursday announced the winners of its regular-season awards. Play was halted March 12 with 189 regular-season games remaining.

Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Boston's David Pastrnak share the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy as the top-goal scorer after tying with 48. Although Ovechkin was stopped short of a ninth 50-goal season, his ninth goal-scoring title extends his NHL record.

Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl won his first Art Ross Trophy for leading the league with 110 points, which he accomplished in 71 games. Oilers general manager Ken Holland praised Draisaitl for producing at that clip playing with and apart from captain Connor McDavid.

“It's a credit to his commitment, his passion, the hard work he's put in, the determination over the last three, four, five seasons,” Holland said. “He’s the player that has the most points in the league and he’s a 24-year-old player. He continues to take steps forward in his career. A tremendous accomplishment.”

Along with Pastrnak's individual award, the Boston Bruins get the Presidents' Trophy for leading the league standings with 100 points and goaltenders Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak earn the William M. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals.

The Bruins, who got to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final last year before losing to the St. Louis Blues, won't get any of the usual benefits of the Presidents' Trophy winner if the NHL resumes this summer in two host cities without fans.

They're not even guaranteed the top seed in the Eastern Conference under this playoff format, which will make them play a three-game round- robin tournament against Tampa Bay, Washington and Philadelphia to determine the order of the top four.

“It's never a perfect scenario,” captain Zdeno Chara said. “It’s not going to be as set in stone as you would have after an 82-game regular season.”

Through 70 games, the Bruins had leads of eight points over the Lightning, 10 over the Capitals and 11 over the Flyers. Team president Cam Neely expressed his feelings about the format during calls with the NHL in recent weeks but acknowledged this is “uncharted times for everybody.”

“A little disappointed with what the team was able to accomplish the first 70 games and kind of the point spread we had between not only the teams in the league but the teams in our division or conference,” Neely said Wednesday. “To kind of have three games dictate where we fall in the conference standings is a little disappointing.”

Neely said in a statement Thursday, "Although the regular season did not end the way anyone hoped, we are honored to win this award for the second time in seven years."

Even though they're playing each other for seeding, the top four teams in each conference get a bye into the round of 16 while the other teams play best-of-five series to qualify.

“By getting a bye, they’re going to be facing a team that just came out of a competitive series, and the concern was they needed to have some competition that might not put them at risk in terms of the playoffs but would give them an opportunity to play some real games,” Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “They needed some games that mattered to some extent in order to not be coming in against a team that just played a competitive series. The benefit and the curse of a bye, I suppose.” 1185417 Vegas Golden Knights But the Stars are the immediate threat. The Golden Knights split the season-series against Dallas, with a 4-2 loss in November and a 3-2 overtime win two weeks later, both on the road. The fact that Vegas scored four goals combined in six regulation periods is the epitome of A look at how the Golden Knights match up with initial opponents in Stars hockey. season reboot They’ve allowed the seventh-fewest expected goals per 60 minutes in the NHL. Vegas managed 1.71 and 2.03 in the two meetings, well below their season average. By Justin Emerson (contact) Dallas’ combination of goaltending and defense has been hard to break Thursday, May 28, 2020 | 2 a.m. through. Throw in the tight nature of playoff games where defense is amplified, and the Golden Knights are unlikely to be lighting up the scoreboard against the Stars. There’s some good news for the Golden Knights when the season resumes: Regardless of the outcome in their initial three games, they will St. Louis Blues advance to the round of 16 in the league’s 24-team proposal to crown a The Golden Knights’ record against the Blues this season appears champion. impressive, but some cracks emerge when looking closer. Yes, they won The first three games — against Colorado, St. Louis and Dallas — are two of three meetings but both victories came after erasing multiple-goal strictly for seeding and to shake off the rust from inactivity. It’s a reward deficits. for winning the Pacific Division. It says something that they were able to come back to win those games, Seeding may not matter as much as usual considering there's no home but it may say more that they were down big in the first place. ice, and all Western Conference games will be contested at a single host The Blues led the Golden Knights 3-0 in January at T-Mobile Arena, and site. Las Vegas is one of 10 destinations being considered for two “hub then 4-2 in a February return trip. Vegas roared back to tie both games in cities,” with one expected for each conference. But being the No. 1 is still the third period and won in overtime, the only two times this season preferable to the No. 4, especially with the NHL mulling the possibility of they’ve rallied from being down by two goals or more to win. reseeding teams after every round. That also accounted for two of Vegas’ four all-time wins against St. Louis So how do the Golden Knights stack up against the teams they’ll with none coming in regulation. St. Louis therefore sits at 5-0-4 all-time compete against for the top slot? In short, not well. against Vegas, grabbing 14 out of a possible 18 points in the standings. The Avalanche have the Golden Knights’ number, especially this season. The Golden Knights lost to the Blues 4-2 in December on the road, a Colorado has owned Vegas in two meetings between the teams, winning case of a team struggling to keep up against the defending Stanley Cup both by a combined 13-4 scoring margin. champions in their own building. St. Louis smothered Vegas in the Those victories have given Colorado a 4-3-1 edge in the all-time series second period, outshooting them 17-8 and scoring three goals to run with a plus-3 scoring differential. The only reason those numbers aren’t away with the game. worse is because of a Nevada Day beatdown in 2017 when the Golden The narrative during the Blues’ Stanley Cup run last year was that they Knights walloped the Avalanche 7-0 in a matinee home game. played, “heavy hockey,” and opponents couldn’t keep up. It’s true that the Why does Colorado excel against Vegas? Unlike a lot of teams the Blues are a bigger team than average, but they also have everything else Golden Knights have struggled against, the Avalanche don’t have a star anyone could want in an elite team. goalie or suffocating blue line. Selke Trophy-winning center? Check. Playmaking forwards up and down They’re the top-scoring team in the NHL this season, however, and their the lineup? Check. Stout blue line? Strong goalie? Terrific coach? Check, offensive prowess seems to match up well against the Golden Knights. check and check. Particularly, the way the bottom of the lineup scores goals seems to have The Blues don’t have a weakness, and that makes them tough to game frustrated the Golden Knights. plan against. Three months off between games also allows the Blues to The Golden Knights naturally prefer to deploy their top defensemen shake off the fatigue most defending Stanley Cup winners experience in against Colorado’s top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog the following postseason. and Mikko Rantanen. In the two meetings this year, Vegas overloaded They followed their championship season by leading the Western Brayden McNabb to defend those three, swapping between Nate Conference through the regular season for a reason. The path to the top Schmidt and Shea Theodore as his partner for the two games. It worked, seed goes through the Blues. as Colorado’s trio combined for no points and negative puck possession at 5-on-5 against McNabb and his partner.

But with MacKinnon and his cohorts occupying the Golden Knights’ top LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 05.29.2020 pair, the Avalanche feasted on the bottom of the Golden Knights’ defense. Colorado scored eight even-strength goals on Vegas, and only one came with McNabb or Schmidt on the ice — and they weren’t together for that goal.

The defense wasn’t necessarily to blame for all those goals — Mark Stone had two uncharacteristic turnovers that led to scores — but slowing the bottom of the Avalanche lineup might be key to knocking them off for the first time this season.

Dallas Stars

The Stars are the type of team the Golden Knights have always struggled against. They don’t score a ton, but they are a lockdown defensive team that limits opportunities.

And when a shot does get through to the goalie, there’s a Vezina Trophy finalist in waiting to swat it away.

Dallas is one of 11 teams that Vegas has scored less than three goals per game against all-time. The rest of the list is littered with the usual suspects of strong defensive teams: the Wild, Bruins, Islanders, Predators and Coyotes. 1185418 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights’ New Minor League Team Has A Name: Henderson Silver Knights

May 28, 2020

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

The Henderson Silver Knights as the name of the VGK’s Triple A minor league team was not exactly a mystery or surprise when the Las Vegas- based NHL team unveiled its AHL affiliate’s name Thursday night.

In fact, the promotional digital trucks were ready to roll from City National Arena tonight. Take a look.

Less than two weeks ago, the Golden Knights took care of their minor league team arena by partnering with the city of Henderson, which is using $42 million in public money to help provide the venue where the VGK’s new minor league team will play.

Then, the Knights partnered with local TV station Channel 3, an NBC affiliate, to announce the news of the American Hockey League team’s name and logo during an hour-long show on Channel 3 that began at 7 p.m. The Knights’ own Daren Millard and Gary Lawless hosted the “reveal” announcement on TV and various social media platforms. The Knights’ majority owner, Bill Foley, was also part of the show and announced the team name. Here’s a summary of the timeline.

People were expecting Henderson Silver Knights as the team’s name and that’s what the “historic announcement” revealed, with a silver warhorse as the logo. The horse has gold eyes, representing the Silver Knights’ players’ desire to make it to the big club, the Golden Knights.

Here’s the VGK explanation behind the Silver Knights’ logo”

“It’s as powerful as the Golden Knights logo,” Foley said on the TV show. He also liked Henderson. “It’s a family deal. Families can go . . . and it’s affordable.”

The TV announcement show itself had four sponsors, showing the Golden Knights’ popularity during a pandemic crisis that ended the NHL regular season. Now the three-year-old NHL team heads into a 24-team playoff format that will likely start in mid-summer. Two NHL cities will host the playoffs in each of the two conferences, with Las Vegas among 10 teams vying to be a NHL playoff host hub.

The Silver Knights will begin play at the Orleans Arena while the city of Henderson turns the Henderson Pavilion into a 6,000-seat arena. The AHL team will be based at the Golden Knights’ new community ice center called Lifeguard Arena at 240 South Street in Henderson. The American Hockey League is like the Triple A of professional hockey, the highest ladder step before players make it to the NHL club.

At a Henderson City Council meeting May 19 when the city’s governing board voted, 4-1, to pay $42 million toward the $84 million venue rehab project, a majority of the comments read into the public record opposed the city paying public dollars to renovate the pavilion to house the VGK’s AHL club. The opponents said public money should not be used, it was the wrong location and there should be a public vote on the pavilion- arena project.

The Knights will like having their minor league team in their back yard in Las Vegas because there will be no more trips and flights for players to Chicago and back to Las Vegas.

Foley said Silver Knights tickets will start at 10 bucks in Henderson and there will be no $25 hot dogs, only $4 or $5 hot dogs at the AHL Henderson games.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185419 Washington Capitals

Report: NHL training camps won't start before July 10

By J.J. Regan

May 28, 2020 6:08 PM

Tuesday's announcement of the NHL's return to play plan was a step in the right direction towards resuming the 2019-20 season, but we are still a long way off from that point. According to a report from TSN's Pierre LeBrun, NHL training camps will not start before July 10.

That does not mean July 10 is now the set return date, it simply means training camps will not begin before then.

The NHL has organized its return to play plan into four phases. Opening training camps is considered Phase 3 of that plan. The league is still in Phase 1, which is self-isolation.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday he was hopeful Phase 2, players returning to team facilities for voluntary activities, could begin in late June. Even if that were the case, an early July return for training camps would have been ambitious. Given that, the report that camps would not be able to return until at least mid-July should come as no surprise.

As for how this will affect the 2020-21 season, the NHL has been adamant that it intends to hold a full 82-game season, even if it means pushing the start back into December and cutting out both the All-Star game and bye weeks. For now, there is no reason to think that plan will change based on LeBrun's report.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185420 Washington Capitals

Sergei Ovechkin meets baby brother Ilya

By J.J. Regan

May 28, 2020 6:43 PM

Where would we be through this pause in the NHL season without baby news? Alex Ovechkin is now a father of two with the birth of his son Ilya on Wednesday. After a few years of Sergei stealing the hearts of Capitals fans, no doubt Ilya will be as cute and fans can't wait to meet him...but we'll have to get in line.

Before we can meet Ilya, he first had to meet big brother Sergei. Luckily, the moment was captured on camera and shared on Instagram.

It's as adorable as you would expect.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185421 Washington Capitals than Edmonton, get a bye through the play-in round and won't have to play St. Louis, Colorado or Vegas in the first round.

Losers: Trade deadline sellers Winners and losers from the NHL's 2020 playoff format Chicago knew it wasn't going to make the playoff and traded goalie to the Vegas Golden Knights at the trade deadline. Montreal traded away Ilya Kovalchuk, Nate Thompson and Nick Cousins. My By J.J. Regan favorite of all is the fact that the New York Rangers traded Brady Skjei to the Carolina Hurricanes...who they will now play in the play-in round. May 28, 2020 6:00 AM Are those trades still made if Chicago, Montreal and New York expected

to make the playoffs? I seriously doubt it. Hockey is not back quite yet, but we know what it is going to look like Winner: Teams that lose the play-in round when it does return. The NHL revealed its playoff format for when the 2019-20 season resumes and 24 teams will get the chance to compete Getting eliminated in the play-in round and seeing the postseason end for Lord Stanley's Cup. Since finishing the regular season was not before it ever really got going would be a blow to any team, but a chance feasible, a change to the playoff format for this season was warranted. at a top-three draft pick is a pretty darn good consolation prize. When you change the postseason rules midseason, however, it is not going to affect every team the same way. Some teams will benefit from Stick with me here. The rules for the NHL draft lottery this year are those changes and others will not. complex to say the least, but I will try to explain it as best I can. The lottery will take place on June 26 and three teams will be selected. The After a few days to digest and analyze the new format and what it will teams in the draft lottery are the seven teams to miss the playoffs plus mean, here are the big winners and losers. eight placeholder positions. Since the lottery is taking place before the play-in rounds can be played, the league is reserving eight spots for the Winner: Chicago, Montreal teams that lose in that initial round. If all three lottery picks go to the With tight playoff races in either conference, you can understand why the seven teams that are not in the playoffs, the draft lottery is done. If a NHL felt it would be fair to allow more than just 16 teams the chance to placeholder gets picked for any of those three slots, however, there will compete for the Cup. Having said, that, most people probably would be a second phase to the lottery between the eight teams eliminated in have been fine with just 20 teams, maybe even 22. But inlcuding teams the play-in to determine those picks. All eight teams at that point will be like the Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens with 24 teams? given equal odds of winning. That's a bit of a stretch. So basically if you lose the play-in round and a placeholder gets selected Chicago and Montreal were not going to make the playoffs. Sure, we in the draft lottery, congratulations, you now have a chance at a top-three have seen some crazy finishes to the regular season before, but . Blackhawks had just 12 games left to make up a six-point gap and jump The Pittsburgh Penguins were third place in the Metropolitan Division over four teams just to make the second wild card spot. The Canadiens when the season paused, six points ahead of the first team out of the had dug themselves an even deeper hole with 10 points separating them playoffs. The Penguins were going to reach the postseason which means from the second wild card. they would not have been a lottery team and would have been out of the We all know why the NHL would want to do this. When you cast the sweepstakes for Alexis Lafreniere, the projected first-overall pick in the postseason net wide enough to include Chicago and Montreal, you've 2020 NHL draft. Now they will have to face Montreal and, though they just added to major markets that the league would not have gotten in a should win that series, what would happen if goalie Carey Price stands normal season. And you know what? I'm OK with it. on his head and Pittsburgh is eliminated? Suddenly the Penguins would be in the running for one of those top three picks. The same goes for a Every sports league that has seen its season interrupted by the team like Edmonton who will play Chicago. It is not outside the realm of coronavirus is trying to find ways to recoup losses. It's pretty obvious this possibility that the OIlers could lose to the Blackhawks, but then they is why the NHL went with 24 teams, but I'll take this approach over the could possibly get the chance of adding another star player through the MLB's. Better the NHL open the playoffs to a few extra teams to get draft. those markets instead of the highly contentious negotiation in the MLB over how much the players will get paid this season. Loser: The top four seeds

Loser: Edmonton With no fans, the top seeds were already going to lose out on home-ice advantage, but the NHL did not do enough to reward them for their There is only one team that sits in second place in its division that did not regular season. In fact, I would go so far as to say the top seeds are at a receive a first-round bye as a top-four seed and that team is the disadvantage in this playoff format. Edmonton Oilers. The Oilers, who have 83 points, lost out on the last top seed in the west to the Dallas Stars, who have 82 points. Since the No team is a bigger loser from this format than the Boston Bruins who seeds are based on points percentage and not points, Dallas was able to boasted an eight-point lead in the conference and six-point lead in the sneak in over Edmonton. league on March 12. The top seed in the East was all but wrapped up. Now with all four seeds competing in a round-robin tournament, the The fact that the Oilers do not get a first round bye is not why they are Bruins will have to earn the top spot they essentially already earned all one of the losers of the playoff format, however. In fact, that may actually over again or they could fall to as low as fourth in the east. be a good thing (we'll get into the byes later). The issue is more about their first-round opponent, Chicago. And then there's the bye. At face value, of course a bye past the play-in round is an advantage. Upsets happen all the time in the NHL so getting The Blackhawks did not have a good season overall and, in a normal to skip a round is great. The problem is that the top teams will have to year, would not be in the playoffs. Having said that, now that they are in, play teams coming off of playoff series wins and the only game action there are few teams anyone would want to play less in the play-in round they will have to prepare is three round-robin games. I would be shocked than a Chicago team featuring Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Alex if the top seeds have a winning record in the first game of their playoff DeBrincat, Duncan Keith and Corey Crawford. series. There is no way a team can match the intensity and cohesion of their opponents after just three round-robin games. It's not the same as a If you want to win the Cup, you are going to have to beat good teams do-or-die playoff series and I think that puts the top seeds at a anyway and Edmonton will have no excuse if they lose to the disadvantage after the play-in round. Blackhawks, but it sure seems like the Oilers are not getting much of a reward for finishing second in their division this season. Winner: Alex Ovechkin

Winners: Dallas The end of the regular season means that Ovechkin has officially won his ninth Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's leading scorer. He finished The Stars sat in third place in the Central Division when the season was tied with David Pastrnak with 48 goals. This is the third straight season paused. Had they remained there, it would have meant a first-round Ovechkin has claimed the title. matchup against either St. Louis or Colorado. Instead, Dallas managed to sneak into the top four in the conference despite having one less point Loser: Alex Ovechkin The end of the regular season also means Ovechkin will not reach 50 goals. Had he done so, he would have joined Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy as the only players in NHL history to reach the 50-goal milestone nine times.

At 34 years old, each year it becomes less and less likely that Ovechkin will be able to continue scoring at the rate that he does. If he is not able to reach 50 goals again, it will certainly feel as if he was robbed of his chance to reach another significant career milestone by the coronavirus.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185422 Washington Capitals Hershey that he got a second call-up prior to the trade deadline so that the coaches could get another look at him. Ultimately, the Caps decided to get aggressive and traded for veteran Brenden Dillon, but Fehervary’s first pro season reaffirmed what management saw: He’s got what it takes Capitals black aces: Who are the players who could fill out an expanded to become a stalwart on Washington’s backend for many years, perhaps roster? as soon as the 2020-21 season.

With seven proven NHLers ahead of him on the depth chart at the moment, though, Fehervary would likely need an injury – or someone to By Tarik El-Bashir struggle badly – before being thrust into his first high-stakes NHL contest. May 28, 2020 Tyler Lewington, D

A top pair, defensive defenseman in Hershey, Lewington has spent a Earlier this week, we discussed how the NHL’s 24-team Return to Play considerable amount of time in D.C., as a spare over the past couple of format would impact the Capitals. years, so he’s got a comfort level on the ice and in the room, and vice versa. The 25-year-old saw six games in Washington this season and Now, we’re taking a look at one of the emerging details: the number of would be an option on the right side of the bottom pair if there’s an injury players Washington and the 23-other clubs will be allowed to carry if and or two. when hockey returns this summer. Beck Malenstyn, F The NHL has reportedly advised general managers to prepare for a roster of 28 skaters and an unlimited number of goaltenders for training A bottom-six forward in the minors and the big leagues, Malenstyn, 22, camp, and the games that follow a few weeks later. Sportsnet’s Elliotte knows his role and plays it well. For the remainder of this season, the Friedman, though, also noted that those numbers still could change. 2016 fifth-round pick probably will be looked upon as Leipsic’s replacement as the 14th forward – meaning he’s likely a couple of “We do envision expanded rosters,” deputy commissioner Bill Daly said injuries away from being tapped for game action. Tuesday. “Since we’re really moving directly into a modified playoff tournament, players would be entitled to play immediately off of that Long term, however, the coaching staff in Washington likes Malenstyn’s expanded roster.” physicality, aggression on the forecheck and upside as a penalty killer. And depending on what the salary cap looks like next season, he could So what could the Caps’ expanded roster potentially look like in that be a relatively inexpensive option ($736,666 cap hit) as the team’s fourth- format of 28 skaters and unlimited goalies? line left wing.

Let’s start with what we know. There are currently 22 players (13 Connor McMichael, C forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies) on the Caps’ roster after the termination of Brendan Leipsic’s contract earlier this month. We also The 2019 first-rounder had an epic season for London (OHL), racking up know that goalie Pheonix Copley and winger Beck Malenstyn of the 47 goals and 55 assists in 52 games. He’s the organization’s best overall AHL’s are expecting to be called up; both said on a prospect and on Wednesday was named to the OHL’s second all-star recent Zoom call with reporters that they’ve been informed that they’ll be team. among the extras if Washington’s season resumes. Meanwhile, touted It remains unclear if the 19-year-old will ultimately join Washington, and blue line prospect Martin Fehervary told Hockey Slovakia in April that even if he does, it would seem unlikely that he’d make his NHL debut he’s anticipating a call from the Caps, as well. under such circumstances. But there is a lot of value in allowing None of that should come as a surprise. McMichael to soak up the experience of watching Alex Ovechkin and Co. go through a postseason run. A call up would also allow the Caps Copley spent the 2018-19 season in Washington as ’s coaches to work closely with McMichael, who is losing summer backup. Malenstyn made his NHL debut this season and showed development camp and the September rookie camp because of the promise as an injury replacement in November. Fehervary, meantime, reconfigured schedule. It could also give the club a better feel for whether saw NHL action in six games this season. he’s ready to make the jump from junior to the big club, or if he needs another year of seasoning with the Knights. Under the current rules, he’s “There hasn’t been any timeline reiterated to us,” Malenstyn said. “So it’s not eligible for Hershey next season. really just staying ready for when that time comes and being prepared to figure out how to get there however we can.” Daniel Sprong, F

Although Caps management is said to still be finalizing its list of extras, Dealt by Anaheim to Washington in exchange for Christian Djoos at the here’s a dive into who could garner consideration for a spot among the trade deadline, Sprong didn’t have a lot of time in Hershey before the “black aces.” season was scuttled. But he was productive in what little time he got, racking up a goal and five assists in five games for the Bears. Pheonix Copley, G Although he’s only 23, Sprong has suited up for 97 NHL games for the Even before the AHL canceled its season, it had been a weird year for Ducks and Penguins, who selected him in the second round in 2015. Like Copley. The 28-year-old enjoyed a good 2018-19 campaign as Holtby’s Malenstyn, Sprong could be an inexpensive option next season for a trustworthy backup in D.C., amassing a record of 16-7-3 in 27 bottom-six role in D.C., where there could be a couple of holes to fill. He appearances. But when Copley arrived in training camp last September, earned $750,000 on a one-way deal this season and is due to become a he found himself in a difficult spot. With Holtby’s contract set to expire at restricted free agent with arbitration rights, according to Cap Friendly. season’s end, the salary cap-strapped Caps needed to find out if rookie Ilya Samsonov was ready for NHL duty. Samsonov also cost less than Mike Sgarbossa, C Copley, who ended up among the last players cut. After getting over the disappointment, Copley put together a solid season in Hershey, where he A top-six pivot in Hershey, Sgarbossa got two games with the Caps this went 17-8-6 with a .905 save percentage. season as an injury fill-in. In his career, he’s appeared in 50 NHL games for the Avalanche, Ducks and Panthers. Set to turn 28 in July – and If the season resumes, Copley would be next in line if something were to playing a position where the organization is especially deep – a call up happen to Holtby or Samsonov. And with Holtby’s status for next season would be a nod to his play in Hershey, where he earned all-star honors up in the air, Copley, who is on a one-way contract the next two seasons, and racked up 13 goals and 27 assists in a regular season that was will also be eager to show the Caps that he deserves to be in the running shortened to 39 games due to injury. for the backup role next season if Holtby walks via free agency. If something did happen to one of the Caps’ centers, Sgarbossa, who is Martin Fehervary, D essentially the organization’s fifth center on the depth chart, could plug in as a short term replacement. The smooth-skating, left-shot blueliner is the most NHL-ready prospect in the organization. He made the Caps’ opening night roster after an Vitek Vanecek, G impressive training camp and stuck around for three games before a cap crunch required him to be demoted. The 20-year-old played so well in Named to the AHL all-star game for a second straight season, the 2014 second-round pick posted a career-best .917 save percentage with the Bears while sharing the net with Copley.

Vanecek has made big strides the past couple of seasons, and if Holtby does walk, he could find himself battling Copley for the backup job a few months from now. And, like many of the farmhands who get called up, Vanecek will be looking to impress to position himself for next season’s camp. Also worth noting: Vanecek, like Copley, is on a one-way contract the next two seasons, though his $716,667 cap hit is lower than Copley’s $1.1 million price tag.

Although none of the above players are expected to show up and challenge a current veteran on the Caps’ roster, the black aces are not unimportant – particularly for teams that expect to go on long, grueling playoff runs. In addition to serving as practice bodies, they’re occasionally pressed into service due to multiple injuries and/or suspension. Remember Nathan Walker’s primary assist in Game 6 vs. the Penguins in 2018? It came in Walker’s one and only appearance during the Caps’ championship run, and it helped them to a series- clinching 2-1 overtime victory in Pittsburgh.

Although there’s now a plan in place, there’s still no timeline for a resumption of play. So the potential black aces will continue to do what the Caps’ regulars are doing at the moment: training and waiting for the call.

“We know it’s a possibility,” Copley said. “So we’re doing what we can to stay in shape and be ready for the possibility.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185423 Winnipeg Jets

Tam: NHL proposal being 'reviewed,' mandatory quarantine remains in place

Staff Report

By: The Canadian Press

Posted: 05/28/2020 3:30 PM | Last Modified: 05/28/2020 3:41 PM

OTTAWA - Canada's top health official says proposals are being reviewed from sports leagues looking to resume play — including the NHL — but the mandatory 14-day quarantine for people entering the country remains in place for now.

Dr. Theresa Tam said Thursday that protecting Canadians remains the key objective when considering a resumption of activities that were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including professional sports.

Tam's comments came two days after the NHL announced its plans to resume its 2019-20 season, which calls for games to be played out of two hub cities.

Edmonton, Vancouver and Toronto are among the 10 cities shortlisted by the NHL as potential locations, but deputy commissioner Bill Daly said those markets would be out of the running if the mandatory quarantine at Canada's international border remains in place.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for assistance in coming up with a solution to allow NHL players based outside of Canada to get into the country.

A number of NHL players are currently based in the United States or Europe.

The U.S. began allowing foreign-born professional athletes to enter the country exempt from travel restrictions last week.

The NHL said it expects to make a decision on the hub cities in the next three or four weeks.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 05.29.2020 1185424 Winnipeg Jets Still, that goaltender is so clearly ahead of David Rittich and Cam Talbot in the Calgary goal and we all remember how good the Morrissey/DeMelo pairing looked and suddenly, this far away from a return to action, it seems that Winnipeg has every chance to win their Why not Winnipeg? On the Jets’ Cup chances, lottery odds and non-hub play-in round. city status If they succeed, Jets fans will be happy.

If they fail, Jets fans could suddenly face the prospect of drafting as high By Murat Ates as first overall.

May 28, 2020 The draft lottery could happen in two stages this year. It will start on June 26th, with three separate lotteries to award the first, second and third

overall picks. From now until the moment Winnipeg’s best-of-five play-in series against The twist is that the seven teams at the bottom of the standings will have Calgary is decided, the Jets have a roughly equal shot at winning the a chance to win but so too will the teams that end up losing the play-in Stanley Cup as drafting first overall. round in July. I suppose that’s one version of parity. If the top three picks are all won by the bottom-seven teams, then that’s it It’s also yet another hallmark of the uncertain circumstances the NHL is – the draft lottery is over and the top of the draft order is determined. facing as it plans for a return to play. However, if any of the three draws are won by a team in the next group – the play-in round losers – then a second lottery will be held after the play- For all of the talk of 24 teams, a play-in round (that the Jets get to in round. Each of the eight play-in losers will be given identical 12.5 participate in) and new, convoluted rules to the draft lottery, the fact is percent odds of winning that pick. there are still a ton of unknowns. Here are the odds for the first lottery, as per the NHL. For starters, we don’t know when or where the games will be played. If you add up the odds for Team A through Team H (or team 8 through Sure, we know that puck drop is part of Phase 4 on the NHL’s path back team 15, if you prefer) you get a 24.5 percent chance of a play-in loser to action. We know that Phase 4 will only happen if Phase 3 (training drafting first overall. Divide that by eight – the number of play-in losers – camps) go smoothly and we know that will only happen if Phase 2 and you get a 3.1 percent chance for each play-in loser. Call the (workouts in NHL facilities with up to six players at one time) can be Winnipeg/Calgary series 50/50 and you get a roughly 1.5 percent chance completed without a major hitch. There are a lot of stages between today that the Jets will draft Alexis Lafrenière. and puck drop and that’s by design. Tiny? Sure. But if you’re going by the numbers, Winnipeg has better odds “There’s a reason that we’re not giving you dates now,” Gary Bettman of drafting at the top than sipping from Lord Stanley’s mug. said in a teleconference on Tuesday. “Anybody who gives you a date is guessing and we think we’d rather take a more holistic approach to doing Of course, May percentages may mean just as little by the time the puck this.” drops. Based on the strength of the Jets’ goaltending and what should be a top forward group, Winnipeg could emerge as a popular dark-horse We do know that the earliest training camps can start is July 1st. That pick if it can prove itself healthy. Odds aside, the most accurate thing to would imply puck drop between Winnipeg and Calgary taking place in say is we don’t know how this will all go down. late July or possibly early August. Under ordinary circumstances with four best-of-seven rounds, it takes approximately two months to settle the Similarly, we don’t know where the playoffs will take place – only that playoffs. Where will you be at the end of September? Can you imagine a there will be two hub cities and that the possibilities are Las Vegas, Stanley Cup being awarded at that time? Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Edmonton, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, Toronto and Vancouver. Can you imagine Winnipeg winning it? Why not Winnipeg? The Jets’ current route – through Calgary and then an assortment of the best the West has to offer – is full of pitfalls. While the NHL’s commitment After all, the city’s track record facing COVID-19 is as good as it gets in to its initial bracket could give way to re-seeding, Winnipeg could easily North America. If public health is a primary concern for the NHL – and it face Calgary, St. Louis, Dallas and Colorado on the way to the Cup final. is – then certainly there is a case to be made for the Jets to host one of the 12 team tournaments that will begin the 2020 playoffs. And you might recall, that the Jets were not exactly a juggernaut in the regular season. They were outshot, out-chanced and outscored at 5-on-5 Except “hosting” is a misnomer. The Jets wouldn’t be hosting anything – and ran the 15th best power play and 22nd best penalty kill. Connor no host city will get to play in its home rink. Hellebuyck is not only the heavy favourite to win the Vezina Trophy – This means that Winnipeg can only play in Columbus, Pittsburgh, he’s the biggest reason Winnipeg has made it this far at all. Toronto, or Los Angeles – the three Eastern Conference cities and the Due to a combination of roster quality and their difficult route to the finals, one Western Conference city whose team hasn’t qualified for the round- no oddsmaker is giving the Jets much of a shot at the Stanley Cup. of-24.

The highest Vegas odds I can find put Winnipeg at 50:1, while millennial That’s why, when asked if he had a favourite city to resume play in on chart maker Dom Luszczyszyn gives the Jets a 41.2 percent chance to Wednesday, Andrew Copp’s first answer was Columbus – not beat Calgary and a 0 percent chance to win the whole thing. Vancouver, Edmonton, or Vegas.

Still, the Jets are getting healthier. Sami Niku and Luca Sbisa are It’s also why Jets fans shouldn’t be too concerned that Winnipeg isn’t a healthy, as per , and Bryan Little is a possibility hub city – not only would fans not be allowed in the building, the Jets pending further testing later this summer. themselves would be in a different city altogether.

The Jets went into the break hot and it doesn’t take mental gymnastics to But seriously, why not Winnipeg? point to the health of Adam Lowry and Mathieu Perreault, plus the The answer comes from the NHL’s hub city criteria: a combination of acquisitions of Dylan DeMelo and Cody Eakin as viable reasons for that public health, available ice, dressing room facilities, arenas with the heat. requisite back-end for broadcasts and five-star hotel accommodations. But is their play before the break a fair representation of the Jets? Too It’s my understanding that last criterion – availability of five-star hotel soon to tell. accommodations – that knocks Winnipeg out of the running. While every team will be facing the same task – starting from scratch in While visiting NHL teams traditionally stay at the Fairmont or Delta Hotels the middle of summer – the Jets’ good health and suddenly level playing downtown, 12 teams and 50 staff per team make a minimum of 600 field doesn’t mean they automatically stack up against teams like the rooms a necessity. And while those two hotels have 743 rooms between Blues, Golden Knights and Avalanche. I suspect they’ll still be leaning them, a small fraction of those rooms come with the amenities required awfully hard on the league’s best goaltender. by the NHL CBA. No problem when there’s one team at a time coming through the city on a road trip, of course, but it’s an issue now.

Another concern about Winnipeg hosting the return to play format applies to Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton: Canada’s border protocols are much more stringent than the U.S.’s are right now. Whereas the United States has given professional athletes “essential worker” designation, meaning there is no quarantine requirement for U.S. Citizens, Canadians, Finns, Danes and the various other multinational athletes entering the country. Canada has yet to give in to the NHL’s lobbying.

If the Canadian government wanted to allow an American like Andrew Copp or a Finn like Patrik Laine back into the country without first making them self-quarantine for two weeks, it would need to follow the United States’ path and create an exemption.

That said, given the state of COVID-19 in America, I don’t expect it’s wise for any government to emulate the American virus response.

As it stands, the Canadian border is closed to non-essential travel through the end of June 21st. There is no guarantee the border restrictions are loosened on June 22nd and, even if they are, the 14-day quarantine regulation may last well into summer.

That’s why, given the opportunity to come back to Winnipeg now to prepare for Phase 2, the majority of players based elsewhere will likely wait it out.

Take it from Copp, currently based in Michigan.

“I’ve thought about it,” Copp said via teleconference on Wednesday. “Obviously, I want to be on the ice but, in (Phase 2), the two-week quarantine the Canadian government has in right now will pretty much deter me from coming back until the start of training camp or until that gets lifted.”

That’s going to be an extremely common attitude and Copp says it’s about more than the inconvenience – it’s about maintaining his health.

“I might head down to Florida and start skating again because I need to be on the ice,” Copp said. “I’ve been training off the ice and I feel like going back and sitting in my apartment for two straight weeks in Winnipeg is not going to be good for me, mentally or physically. So, pretty much until either Phase 3 starts or that gets lifted, I probably won’t be heading back to Canada.”

I think the 14-day quarantine Canada has in place has the potential to be a sticking point for Canadian teams well beyond the voluntary Phase 2 and well into training camps and the playoff rounds. If the restrictions don’t change, teams like the Jets, Oilers, Flames, Canucks and Maple Leafs might find it easier to coordinate their camps south of the border where restrictions are loose.

And honestly, why should athletes be listed as essential workers? And if an exemption is made for millionaires, then how do you justify it to Joe Fargo from North Dakota who keeps a fishing lodge in Northern Manitoba but still can’t check on his property? That’s a made-up example but sports don’t exist in a vacuum; they exist in the greater scheme of life right now. Speaking as a private citizen, I’m glad we have self-quarantine measures in place. Given that roughly half of all cases in Manitoba are directly linked to travel and another 41.4 percent are linked to close contact with prior cases, I think quarantining for long enough to ensure that symptoms don’t develop is exactly the right thing to do.

That won’t stop the NHL from lobbying the Canadian government. I’m sure that the league would love the idea of making the same amount of money back via TV revenue by choosing a Canadian hub city while also enjoying a nearly 30 percent discount on costs via the Canadian dollar.

For time being, Winnipeg has the safety it needs and the shot at a Cup it wants to shift our focus to playoff hockey. And if that puck does get dropped later this summer, that shot is all anyone can ask for.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185425 Vancouver Canucks On Jan. 28, 2014, he passed San Jose Sharks veteran when he went a whopping 178:55 without allowing a goal.

As for Fiala, who has an AHL history with Evason, and turning the Wild Ben Kuzma: Why the Canucks should be wary of facing wily Wild stopper from sellers before the trade deadline to believers, has the league on Stalock notice.

Jason Zucker was sent to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Feb. 11 for Alex Galchenyuk, a prospect and conditional first-round pick. Still, the Wild BEN KUZMA didn’t have a player in top 50 scoring and only Fiala (23) and (25) cracked the 20-goal barrier, while Eric Staal had 19. The Canucks May 28, 2020 3:57 PM PDT counter with four 20-goal scorers, while Jake Virtanen had 18.

The Wild acquired Fiala at the 2019 trade deadline from the Nashville Who is Alex Stalock? Predators and he’s only starting to hit stride.

He’s the most valuable player for the resurgent Minnesota Wild and a “What Fiala did in the last 20 games was be a real good teammate,” said potential problem for the Vancouver Canucks. Evason, who’s big on communication and accountability. “He has the skill to be an individual dynamic player and take over a game, but the The aggressive goaltender not only supplanted struggling starter Devan difference was he played in the team structure and he had matured so Dubnyk, who left the NHL club in mid-November to care for his three much. young children after his wife faced a major health issue, the backup performed his own rescue mission. “I had him in Milwaukee for 2½ years and we went through a lot of growing pains. But what you see now on and off the ice is that he has Stalock stabilized the club’s climb from a 7-11-2 start — and adjusted to come so far — a good team player, which allows him to have success.” a February coaching change when assistant Dean Evason replaced the fired on an interim basis — to get the Wild to a As for the qualifying series, the Wild are benefiting from a break in which qualifying-round matchup with the Canucks, should the NHL season older players — Mikko Koivu (36), Praise (35), Staal (34) and Ryan Suter resume in late July or August. (34) — are rehabbing and relaxing. The oldest Canuck is Loui Eriksson, who at age 34 probably won’t crack the qualifying-round lineup. In Dubnyk’s absence, the 32-year-old Stalock went 6-2-2 with a .910 saves percentage and .930 at even strength. And from Feb. 2 to March “You get banged up through the year,” said Evason. “Everybody is going 12, when the season was paused because of the novel coronavirus to be rested and ready to go, but we do like where we’re going to be at outbreak, he posted a 9-3-1 record with two shutouts, a .924 saves when we get going. We were just in a grind every night to try and get in percentage and .928 at even strength. and I would assume that all the teams are ecstatic.

Unlike the more stoic 6-6 Dubnyk, a 34-year-old veteran of 12 NHL “And we certainly are. We’re pretty jacked.” seasons with Edmonton, Arizona and Minnesota, the challenging style of When asked about concerns in facing the Canucks, it was interesting that the six-foot Stalock allowed the Wild to thrive when Evason took over and Evason didn’t first mention Markstrom or the club’s leading scorer in the had the club playing more uptempo. driven J.T. Miller. Long the lords of defensive discipline and opportunistic offence, the Wild “One guy in particular,” he chuckled. “I actually had Elias Pettersson’s went 8-4-0 with Evason at the helm and scored a league-high 43 goals older brother (Emil) in Milwaukee, so I kind of get some of the skill set during that stretch. That’s not a typo. that Elias has and the vision they both have. Somebody like that is going With new bench direction and a new starter, the Wild won’t be an easy to warrant special attention from us. out in the best-of-five matchup. Stalock should have a lot to say about “And (Travis) Green has done a great job there. They’re very well the outcome because the St. Paul, Minn. native won’t lack incentive to coached and structured and have young skilled guys mixed in with keep commanding the crease and face Jacob Markstrom, arguably the veterans. And when I look at Markstrom I see the same thing as our guy Canucks’ MVP. (Stalock). It’s the compete level and it’s very high. Stalock made 24 saves in a 4-2 home-ice win over the Canucks on Feb. “I think we’re very similar and I’m looking forward to the battle.” 6. The Wild went 1-1-1 in the season series, but a fourth-ranked Canucks power play will test a 25th-rated penalty kill and Stalock’s resolve. In that sense, the 55-year-old Evason has already created camp competition, something he knows all about. Getting his players past the “He’s as athletic a goaltender as I have ever seen,” Evason said Canucks might help shed that interim label, even though the Wild will go Thursday. “He’s always ready. Everybody always talks about him being a on a head-coach search. But they may already have their man. perfect No. 2 guy, but his skill set is really good and his compete level is super high. Evason was captain of the 1984 WHL champion Kamloops Junior Oilers and played 803 NHL games with stops in Washington, Hartford, San “That’s what allowed him to have success and he’s a huge part of why Jose, Dallas and Calgary. The hard-working centre managed two 20-goal we got in. This guy is an undersized goalie who has battled his whole life. seasons. In the WHL, he coached Calgary, Kamloops and Vancouver He got into a situation here and battled to get those starts and played before landing an assistant position with the Capitals in 2005. more than at any time in his (NHL) career.” Evason got the head gig in 2012 with the Wild’s AHL affiliate in Stalock’s season numbers — .910 saves percentage (35th) and 2.67 Milwaukee, Wisc. before the Flin Flon, Man., native became a Wild goals-against average (21st) — were largely based on pulling the Wild assistant in 2018. And now he’s the big guy in Minny. out of the muck. Once they gained footing, he was as vital as Kevin Fiala, who struck for 26 points (14-12) in the last 19 games before the pause. He had just 26 points (9-17) in the first 45 games. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.29.2020 It’s why training camp should be interesting.

Does Stalock get the net on merit? Does Dubnyk deserve another shot after going 12-15-2 and posting a bloated 3.35 GAA and .890 saves percentage? His career numbers are 2.63 GAA and .913 percentage. Or, will it be an open competition when camps are projected to start on or after July 10?

“I told them that no one guy is our guy,” said Evason. “I don’t like that. The guy who’s in the net is our guy. With Dubnyk’s past and what Stalock has done, they both deserve to be in the net.”

Stalock has had his career moments. 1185426 Vancouver Canucks group chat,” Boeser said. “As for my roommates, I hope they root for us, or else I might disown them and kick ‘em out of the house.”

While some NHL players have been vocal about their reservations with Back in Minnesota, Brock Boeser ready for a very personal Canucks- returning to play, Boeser is absolutely ready to once again slip on his Wild series sharp blue No. 6 Canucks sweater this summer.

When the NHL paused 2 1/2 months ago, Boeser had just played his first game after missing a month with a rib injury. Before the injury, he had By Michael Russo gone 11 games without a goal and was downgraded out of Vancouver’s top-six. May 28, 2020 So the right-winger was really hoping to finish the season strong and

show head coach Travis Green “how much I’ve improved and how much Whenever Brock Boeser’s back home in Minnesota, he’s kind of like the I care about that two-way game.” Vincent Chase character in Entourage. But it was just last week when Boeser truly realized he was ready to play The Vancouver Canucks sniper lives in a big shack overlooking Prior hockey again. Lake. Four buddies live with him at any given time, and they’re with each “I’ve just gotten real bored. Like, so bored lately,” Boeser said. “I know other constantly. They go rollerblading, they go jet-skiing, they play there’s so much stuff that goes into playing again, like the money side of Ultimate Frisbee, they help their pal with the household chores. things and the testing and being trapped in quarantine (in a hotel), and “My roommates love fishing, and I don’t, so they sit on the dock and fish it’s obviously going to be different without fans and stuff like that, but just a lot,” Boeser said. “Kinda drives me nuts.” to get some more normalcy back in our lives, it would be good for everyone. Friends come over a lot, and the one thing the 23-year-old Boeser knows from growing up in Minnesota, almost all of his buddies are Wild fans. “Honestly, I figured out that my to-do list when you own a house never ends. It sucks. When you cross off one thing, you’re probably adding Sure, they’ve transitioned over to rooting for the Canucks, too, but in their another thing. Me and some friends laid mulch in my yard the other day. heart of hearts, they still love the Wild. There’s like six of us, so it took three, four hours, and I remember thinking, ‘I wish I was playing hockey right now.’” That’s why this is going to be really fun. Boeser thinks Canucks-Wild could be a great matchup. The Wild went 2- Later this summer, provided the NHL and NHL Players’ Association can 1 against the Canucks, including a shootout win in the last meeting, “but put the finishing touches on negotiations that allow the players to just based off how we played each other this year, I think it could go to approve the innumerable details needed to make summer hockey during five games,” Boeser said. a pandemic a real thing, the Canucks will take on Boeser’s childhood team in a best-of-five qualifying round. The Canucks are a fast, hard-working, high-event team with solid goaltending. If the Canucks can eliminate the Wild, they’ll advance to the playoffs for the first time in five years. “We really talked about that at the beginning of this year and the culture we were trying to build this year,” Boeser said. “We thought just coming “When they made it official, my friend goes, ‘Well, get ready for 1,000 text into the season, we really knew we needed to take that next step and messages after each game,’” Boeser said a few hours after the NHL make that transition from a bunch of young guys to make the playoffs made its return-to-play format official Tuesday night. “All of Minnesota will and get that playoff experience. I was really excited for the last 12 or 13 be watching hockey and I’ll get all these texts and everyone will be giving games and really thought we were going to make a push. me crap after every game, so I really can’t lose this series.” “I thought we were heading in the right direction. We traded for (Tyler) There’s something fitting about Boeser potentially playing Minnesota for Toffoli, and he is a great addition to our top- ix. But getting J.T. Miller at the right to make the playoffs for the first time in his NHL career. the start was huge. Not only is he a great player for us, he’s a big voice in His parents, Laurie and “Miracle Duke,” and sister, Jessica, live 15 the locker room. He was good for us young guys. He cares a lot about minutes from downtown St. Paul, and he says the “cherry on top” would winning, and I felt that it fueled us young guys and I feel like him and be if Minnesota is chosen as one of the hubs to host 12 teams. (Elias Pettersson) got some good chemistry this year.

But, even though Boeser hails from Burnsville and still has faint “Like, honestly, Millzy was sick this year, and he and Petey were so good memories of being 6 years old when the Wild stunned the Canucks by together.” rallying from a 3-1 series deficit in the second round of the 2003 playoffs, Last week, Boeser traveled to South Dakota, which has never put into there’s almost a little rivalry between Boeser and his home state and place a COVID-19 stay-at-home order. Former NHLer Mark Parrish’s favorite team as a kid. brother, Geno, got some ice time and ran some skates for pros. Boeser Instead of choosing the University of Minnesota, which is 20 minutes grabbed a couple buddies, like his college roommate, Hayden Shaw, and north of his childhood home off I-35, or the University of Minnesota- drove to Sioux Falls. Duluth, the high school and junior star first committed to neighboring “We skated a couple hours a day for four days. That was nice to get back University of Wisconsin. He then changed his mind and picked the State on the ice and shake off the rust,” said Boeser, who plans to begin of Hockey’s other border rival, the detested University of North Dakota, skating and working out Monday at a suburban Minnesota rink in small where he won a national championship. groups with other NHLers. And when it comes to the Wild, not only did a team in dire need of a goal- Once the NHL’s Phase 2 begins, non-Wild NHLers are technically scorer wind up passing on the sharpshooter with the 20th overall pick in allowed to start skating and working out at the Wild’s practice facility. But the 2015 draft, Boeser made his NHL debut at Xcel Energy Center less Boeser thinks that would be pretty peculiar, especially since he’s than two years later and capped the dream-come-true game with his first supposed to play the Wild at some point in late July. NHL goal in a Canucks win over the Wild. As of now, only one non-Wild, Minnesota-based NHLer — James van “I had no idea where Vancouver was when they drafted me,” Boeser Riemsdyk — has requested to skate at TRIA, so Boeser will probably said, laughing loudly. “I thought I was going straight north of Minnesota continue skating elsewhere with other NHLers. like deep into the frozen snow and stuff. But then somebody showed me pictures of Vancouver, and I was like, ‘Holy crap, this place is beautiful.’” He’d love to go back to Vancouver, but the second he would touch down there, he’d have to follow Canadian government guidelines and self- In a touching moment, it was his parents who announced the Canucks’ quarantine for a mandatory 14 days. starting lineup in Xcel Energy Center’s visiting locker room before his NHL debut. “So, I feel I better stay here to train and get ready for the season,” Boeser said. “I’m going to be waiting here until they set a camp date and see “Yeah, my parents are excited about us playing the Wild, and most of my from there.” friends are still Wild fans, so they’re just giving me crap right now in the Other than that, Boeser will continue to hang out with his entourage, which includes recent Boston Bruins signee Jack Ahcan from St. Cloud State, plus his dog, Coolie, which he got during the 2018 NHL All-Star Game in Tampa when he was named MVP, and his new puppy, Milo.

He’ll also continue to spend as much cherished time as he can with his parents.

By now, lots of people know about his father, Duke.

In 2010, Duke was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In 2012, he was in a car accident that left him with a traumatic brain injury, several broken bones and a lacerated spleen. In 2017, he was diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer and underwent radiation, chemotherapy and an operation that removed part of his left lung. Last June, his lung cancer returned, only it metastasized to his liver and spots were found on his ribs and sternum.

A month later, a piece of a blood clot broke off of Duke’s groin, traveled to his pulmonary artery and triggered heart failure. He had to be revived multiple times, both at home and in the hospital, then spent three weeks in ICU and several more weeks in a hospital and rehab.

Well, “Miracle Duke” not only survived, he’s back home and “doing great,” Boeser said, other than the fact that Duke recently underwent surgery because of a fall that broke his collarbone.

“I was outside with my mom and my dad comes out and goes, ‘I broke my shoulder,’” Boeser said. “But he’s come a long ways since last summer, and to see that, it’s a miracle. I don’t know if he fully understands exactly what happened to him last summer, but I think he does a little because sometimes I’ll joke around with him how he has nine lives, and he’s like, ‘No shit.’”

So it’ll be pretty neat this summer if Laurie and Duke get to watch their beloved Brock play his hometown Wild on TV.

It’ll be even sweeter for them if they get to see Brock go on a playoff run.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185427 Websites Kudos to Jim Benning for thinking outside the box when it comes to training camp.

Not to say the Canucks will definitely go ahead and hold their July camp The Athletic / LeBrun: The possibility of trades this summer and in the U.S., but the Vancouver GM at least brought up the possibility this Canada’s training camp concern week when asked about Canada’s 14-day quarantine rules for people entering the country.

After all, the Canucks have 12 players either in Europe or the U.S., all of By Pierre LeBrun whom would face a 14-day quarantine upon entering Canada. At least according to the rules right now. Who knows what the rules will be come May 28, 2020 July?

But with the likes of Elias Pettersson and Jacob Markstrom in Sweden, The draft and the trade deadline. Brock Boeser in Minnesota and Quinn Hughes skating in Michigan right now, I don’t think any of them will be in a hurry to come back to Those are the two heaviest trade periods in the NHL year. Vancouver, not with a 14-day quarantine awaiting them.

This year’s trade deadline back on Feb. 24 for once didn’t disappoint, it Same goes for Auston Mathews and Frederik Andersen; the two Maple was a doozie. Leafs teammates have been hanging out in Arizona during the pause. They’ve got a real good workout regime going. No one will say for sure, But what hits you as the NHL and NHL Players’ Association forge ahead but I’d be shocked if they haven’t been skating. And as I reported on on trying to pull together this 24-team tournament to be played later this TSN’s Insider Trading on Thursday, neither will be in a hurry to jump on a summer is that the next busy trade period won’t be until the fall if there’s plane back to Toronto given the 14-day quarantine that awaits them. indeed hockey. Remember, when Phase 2 starts at some point in June, the small-group It’s just so bizarre to go 6-7 months between the trade deadline and the workouts at NHL team facilities are voluntary. Players do not have to crazy trade period that is the draft. But that’s where we are. come back for them. Well, except for seven teams. Given how good the setup is for Matthews and Andersen in Arizona, it As confirmed with a league source Thursday, there’s nothing stopping makes sense for them to wait a bit at the very least until there’s more Detroit, Ottawa, New Jersey, Buffalo, Anaheim, San Jose and Los concrete information regarding Phase 3 and Phase 4 (the NHLPA will Angeles from making trades with each other since their seasons were have to negotiate those details with the NHL and there will be an NHLPA officially put to rest by commissioner Gary Bettman on Tuesday. Executive Board vote on hub cities/protocol, etc. )

That’s right, those seven teams could make trades with each other now if Sources confirmed Thursday that training camps won’t open before July they see fit. 10, which isn’t to say camps will open that day, but simply that the league is saying camps won’t open before then. Which is no different than when the 15 teams that miss the playoffs in a normal NHL season begin their offseason in April. Except for the most So lots of time for Matthews, for example, to continue his Phase 2 part, those teams normally use the two-month playoffs as a time to plant workouts in Arizona before deciding when he needs to get his 14-day seeds, make calls, but not really get cooking on actual trades until closer quarantine done in Toronto before camp. to the June draft when all 31 teams can get in on the action, not just half Sources indicate Leafs GM and Matthews’ agent Judd the league. Moldaver have chatted regularly over the matter this week and they’re on That’s why it would make more sense, obviously, for these seven teams the same page. So the point here is that Leafs fans shouldn’t freak out if whose seasons are over to wait it out until they can get more dance Matthews and Andersen aren’t in Toronto when small-group workouts partners and flesh out a bigger trade market. begin sometime over the next few weeks. It’ll be the same for certain other players on the Jets, Canadiens, Flames, Oilers and Canucks. I Except for this one thought: This is an unparalleled time. It’s crazy how don’t expect full NHL rosters anywhere in Canada during Phase 2, or much longer the offseason will be for these seven teams compared to the least not at the beginning. other 24. Potentially 9-10 months between actual games depending on how delayed next season is. There’s always hope for them that by the time we know when training camps are officially starting in July that those Canadian quarantine rules So the question I ask is this: Is there any advantage to these seven will have been relaxed or at least for professional athletes. The NHL has teams trying to see if there’s a way to help each other sooner rather than been talking to the Canadian government about this. Then again, those later? To get a jump on the rest of the league that has to wait a few rules may not bend at all anytime soon. In which case players such as months before making trades? Matthews and Andersen would probably return and fit their 14-day For example, can the Sabres find a market among those six teams for quarantine before the end of Phase 2 so that it doesn’t interfere with their Rasmus Ristolainen? This feels like the offseason where he finally gets training camp availability. dealt after about two years of on-again, off-again speculation.

My guess is the Sabres will need a wider pool of teams before getting The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 serious on those trade talks.

Then there’s the uncertainty of the salary cap.

Depending on what kind of player contracts could change hands, these seven teams would want to have at least some inkling as to what’s going to happen with the salary cap next season.

The NHL and NHLPA are going to at least try and hammer away at a CBA extension through all this — who knows if it gets done — and there will be rules and wrinkles from that CBA extension important to know before teams start making roster changes.

But what if CBA talks drag on into next fall?

So much uncertainty. But we know this: there are seven teams that can get a leg up trade-wise in the interim.

The Canadian team conundrum 1185428 Websites website. “We were asking them these are the terms that have to be raised long-term.”

Former NHL goalie Chris Mason has also voiced his support for the The Athletic / Cam Talbot joins fight to save Alabama-Huntsville hockey program. Mason is now the color analyst for the Nashville Predators, program about 100 miles north of Huntsville, and said keeping the program afloat is important to the growth of the sport in the south.

“I think it’s absolutely huge,” Mason said. “Especially when hockey at this By Sean Shapiro point in Nashville is really starting to grow and a big reason why it is is because a lot of the Huntsville players have stayed here and been an May 28, 2020 integral part of growing youth hockey. These are guys that played there and have stayed down here and tried to grow the game of hockey in the south.” Last Friday, the University of Alabama-Huntsville cut its hockey program in a surprise announcement. One week later, a group of boosters and Corbett said the youth program in Huntsville right now has more than 700 coach Mike Corbett are hoping to reverse that decision before Friday’s players. deadline. The program was nearly cut in 2012, but fundraising and admission into Corbett was blindsided by the decision, which came as the University the WCHA for the 2012-13 season saved the program at that time. UAH tries to cut costs during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. He signed two was still scheduled to play in the WCHA for the 2020-21 season, but was players to national letters of intent earlier that week and found out on looking for a conference home in 2021-22 when seven of the 10 WCHA Thursday evening before the Friday announcement. programs announced they would be leaving to re-start the CCHA.

“When this was announced we were never notified or given the Corbett said the long-term viability of the program depends greatly on opportunity before things went to press,” Corbett said. “That’s what kind getting the Chargers into a conference, and he had been campaigning of stews the hornets nest a little bit. If it was just one of those situations and working to get into the CCHA throughout the past season, something where information was being put out there as opposed to just, ‘Hey we’re he thought he was doing with administrative support. dropping the program.’ It’s something that we could have been told about “I was working very hard lobbying the coaches and athletic directors and behind closed doors before without just getting cut. When you come to a presidents of those seven teams that we were the right team to be in that decision like this with college athletics, there are many steps that need to league,” Corbett said. “That was very hard for me. … I spent a ton of time be taken, this information was out there (with the administration) for a strategically placing ourself to be that eighth team. Then for this to come while and we didn’t know about it. That’s the hard part.” down, roughly around the time they would be looking for an eighth team? After the announcement that hockey was getting axed, a group of alumni Personally for me and my staff, to find this out, it was really hard.” started working on a lifeline to save the program. That group is led by Corbett was laid off, he and his staff had 90 days of employment former players Sheldon Wolitski and Taso Sofikitis, who Corbett said, remaining after the cut. He’s hopeful he gets his job back, but he’s “had the financial clout” to get a meeting with the school to try and already had players transfer to Boston College, Arizona State, UMass reverse the decision. Lowell and Lake Superior State. He said he couldn’t tell those players not They were given five days to raise $750,000 to keep the program afloat to take those opportunities with the uncertainty in Huntsville. for the 2020-21 season. Wolitski and Sofikitis have pledged to donate It could be a much more positive Friday after a “heartbreaking” Zoom call $250,000, while a GoFundMe page has been started to raise $500,000. with his players last Friday. “That gets us to a figure that they are able to get the program back and “That is the absolute toughest part, when you are on a Zoom call with 26 stable for one year and then real work will begin to make sure it stays kids … when they came to Alabama-Huntsville, it’s the main reason that after the 2020-21 season,” Corbett said. “As far as I know right now, 5 they came here,” Corbett said on Wednesday. “They trust me and their p.m. on Friday is the final buzzer. We’ll see what happens.” families trust me to take care of them while they are here. It is the worst As of Thursday morning more than $275,000 had been raised, with call. … To be able to do this and watch all their faces, it’s etched in my Calgary Flames goalie Cam Talbot, a UAH grad who played there from brain.” 2007 to 2010, throwing his support to the cause. For now, Corbett is hopeful, so is Wolitski, that they’ll be able to deliver “It’s been a whirlwind of emotions. Last Friday you are angry, your sad better news to those players soon. for the players losing their program,” Talbot said. “When you are given a lifeline it breathes life back into you. … I’ve just been trying to promote it and do my part in any way I can to help save this program.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 Talbot’s involvement has given the fundraising drive the shot it needs to possibly succeed. It’s put the conversation into some NHL circles, Chicago Blackhawks forward Dylan Strome has both Tweeted about the campaign and donated to it. While Wolitski is hopeful that added attention brought by Talbot will put more pressure on the school to help find a solution to save the program.

If the funds are raised and the program is saved for the 2020-21 season, Wolitski said the plan is to build an advisory committee to help layout a better long-term plan.

“That to me was one of the most important things,” Wolitski said. “There are things that need to be done to make the program more visible and get the community involved, and find ways to get students more invested – the rink isn’t on campus. I think with an advisory committee we can tackle these things and find solutions as opposed to just saying, ‘Well this costs money, let’s cut it.'”

UAH president Darren Dawson wasn’t available for comment, while athletic director Cade Smith is “not doing interviews until next week,” according to UAH’s sports information department. Smith confirmed the funding proposition earlier this week to AL.com.

“Dr. Dawson had given them a number, if we can raise this amount for one year, then we can play this next season and that would give time to figure out how they’re going to raise additional funds,” Smith told the 1185429 Websites MLB, which is having ongoing conversations with teams and broadcasters about modifying various aspects of the game presentation with no fans in the ballpark, declined to comment on those talks.

The Athletic / Darkened seats? Virtual fans? What sports on TV could be Mark Gross, senior vice president of production at ESPN, which like with no spectators broadcasts MLB and has been televising Korean baseball games, said he couldn’t yet talk in detail about how he would approach the return of the national pastime. (MLB and MLBPA appear no closer to an agreement to return.) But he offered that there are differences between By Daniel Kaplan the smaller South Korean baseball stadiums, which typically max out at May 28, 2020 30,000 seat capacity, and the larger North American ones. Larger stadiums would echo more with no fans, and perhaps lend themselves to piped-in crowd noise. If there are MLB games, ESPN will experiment with different camera angles, and perhaps station announcers remotely, John Madden called back Fred Gaudelli on Tuesday with an answer. The Gross said. veteran executive producer of NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football had asked his old colleague the previous night how to handle games Who decides when to pipe in crowd noise — the teams, league or potentially played in front of no fans, kept away by COVID-19-related broadcasters — is unclear. NBC’s Gaudelli said conversations are restrictions. ongoing with the NFL on this point, but he expects it to be a league role.

The conventional wisdom is that broadcasters, to mimic games of the “If the NFL says, ‘Hey, look, we want our games presented with crowd past, will pipe in artificial crowd noise during the telecast. The Hall of noise,’ I think they would produce that, what’s called a loop right now or a Fame coach and broadcaster’s reply, Gaudelli recounted: Don’t. mix,” Gaudelli said. “And then they would distribute that to the broadcaster doing the game, I think, control that so (it doesn’t) get out of “He said, ‘When I first left the coaching profession and went to hand and get crazy and get wild.” broadcasting, there was something about it that I just felt was missing and I couldn’t really put my finger on it,’” Gaudelli recalled. “He said, Gaudelli has been watching the return of the German Bundesliga, which ‘Then I realized that I wasn’t hearing the sound that I had grown has been playing in front of no fans with no crowd noises pumped into accustomed to hearing — as a player and as a coach. I never coached the stadiums. Fans at home in Germany can choose between a from the box, I coached from the field.’ He said to me, ‘Fred, you’re going broadcast with fan noise and one without, he said, and that might be the to hear things that even you have never heard, so I’d be really trying to option for the NFL unless the league chooses to pump in noise into the figure out how to best capture those sounds, and present them to the stadium. audience and not worry as much about artificial sound.’” Night NFL games could present a unique opportunity, Gaudelli said. He Piped-in crowd noise is just one of many options on the table for is considering asking the league to darken the seats so that only the field producing games with no spectators as the major sports eye returning, or is illuminated, creating a theater-style setting. in the case of the NFL, starting a new season in the COVID-19 era. The sports that have returned, such as UFC, NASCAR, and to a lesser Officially the NFL has said publicly it expects to play games in front of extent, golf and tennis (exhibitions), have experimented with more audio. fans, though whether that is just marketing talk or a realistic prediction is And WWE has gone so far as to place up-and-coming wrestlers in seats unknown given the uncertainty of the trajectory of the pandemic. as fans, with plexiglass between them and the ring. The United States Tennis Association will decide next month whether to The NBA, which is considering playing the remainder of its season and stage the U.S. Open, the largest annually paid attended sporting event in playoffs at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, said all options are on the world, but it has already begun mapping out what a broadcast of the the table for how to televise games, including using virtual fans. Some event with no fans would look like (given its location in if overseas sports have placed video monitors in the stands with fans the event occurs, it almost certainly would be without fans). ESPN is the essentially taking part in a big Zoom-like call and cheering from the U.S. broadcaster. screens. Digitally inserting sponsor logos, graphics, animations and statistics over “We are right now looking at a number of different technologies,” said the empty seats is one possibility, said Lew Sherr, the USTA’s chief Sara Zuckert, the NBA’s senior director of domestic programming and revenue officer. And looking to replicate the shots of celebrities in the content strategy. “We are looking at all ways for fans to engage, whether crowd, the USTA is considering remote cameras in stars’ homes as they that is virtual cheering and other options, we are really considering many watch the Open. While tennis is known as a quiet sport, the Open is the options.” outlier, and so Sherr sees piping in crowd noise.

Asked whether the NBA would consider using cardboard cutouts of fans “It’s not lost on us that every year we have 850,000 fans that attend the or life-size dolls, as some international games have done such as in the U.S. Open and that’s a staggering number,” Sherr said. “But the reality is Korea Baseball Organization, Zuckert replied the NBA would lean toward we’ve got hundreds of millions of viewers around the world that will never a technological answer. step foot on the grounds and have only consumed the U.S. Open through broadcast, and we want to make sure that is a great experience for them The NHL, which announced this week that if it returns play would and in many cases, it is not going to be different for them.” commence with a 24-team playoff, is not expecting to place fake or virtual fans in arenas, said Bill Daly, the NHL’s deputy commissioner. Part of the spectacle of sports on TV is of course the crowds, their Instead, the league plans to place cameras and microphones around the cheering, and interaction with the athletes. So despite a nation starved rink where they could not have been with fans in attendance. for entertainment, WWE, which has moved production to its Florida training site, saw ratings decline for its Raw events. WWE CEO Vince “These playoffs with no fans in the stands, likely finishing these playoffs McMahon noted on a recent earnings call how hard it is to replicate the with no fans in the stands, I do think it does create a unique opportunity fan energy on TV. WWE considered piping in crowd noise but decided to capture content, to capture video footage from unique angles not against it. having to worry about line of sight for fans in the building, audio devices in places where they might not normally exist,” Daly said. “I just think it’ll “It would have been incredibly phony, you know, it just wouldn’t have provide a canvas to paint maybe a little bit different picture. worked,” said Kevin Dunn, executive vice president of TV production. And on a fake crowd, he added, “So, and believe me, we talked about “And in particular, fans pay lots of money for seats, you don’t want to it….I’ve seen these cutouts of people that I forget what sport that is, obstruct their view, we won’t have the same set of constraints in terms of when they’re putting it out, people in the stands, whatever the Bundesliga not obstructing views. So I think it’s pretty much open season on camera has done, has done that. The Korean baseball has done dolls…it location, and probably even camera size to capture in a world where wouldn’t be authentic.” types of cameras are different… I don’t know exactly how much different or better it will look. But I do expect a lot of experimentation on that side ESPN’s broadcast of UFC, which also doesn’t use artificial noise, has to make a better broadcast.” picked up a lot more conversations, the network’s Gross said, from the fighters to the trainers. And that was Madden’s point to Gaudelli — on-field conversations heretofore masked by crowd noise would now become part of the show.

“There’s talk among offensive linemen you never hear or seldom hear,” the producer said. “There’s talk among defensive linemen, and really the inside linebackers…There’s communication between the safeties, there are coaches yelling, especially when the ball’s between the 35s, the coaches are right there on the line of scrimmage. So I think there’s a lot of the sounds that … are not in the forefront of a telecast.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185430 Websites persons” section that USA Hockey paid $30,420 in the year 2017 to Smith’s company for “printing brochures and misc”

The U.S. Center for SafeSport, which investigates all claims of sexual The Athletic / USA Hockey president Jim Smith under investigation for abuse involving the national governing bodies under the United States handling of abuse allegations Olympic Committee’s purview, has been investigating Adrahtas since 2018. In September of that year, former junior hockey player Mike Sacks sent a letter to the American Collegiate Hockey Association — Robert Morris University (Chicago) is an ACHA member. The letter, which By Katie Strang detailed sexual abuse by Adrahtas over a 20-month span when Sacks was a teenager, was forwarded to SafeSport. Shortly thereafter, Adrahtas left the RMU program. USA Hockey president Jim Smith is under investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport concerning his handling of allegations of sexual Former players who said they were abused by Adrahtas have spoken misconduct and abuse by a youth coach, The Athletic has learned. USA with a special agent in the Chicago field office of the FBI. One local law Hockey has also hired an independent investigator to probe Smith’s enforcement task force with jurisdiction over Bensenville, where Adrahtas business dealings with an Illinois youth hockey affiliate. coached with RMU, is gathering information about Adrahtas’ time at the school. Smith held various positions within the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI), including president (1985-88), when Tom “Chico” The University of Minnesota hired law firm Perkins Coie to investigate Adrahtas, a Chicago-area coach, allegedly sexually abused several allegations of abuse by Adrahtas during the one season (1984-85) he junior players. Those allegations were revealed in a February 21 article in coached at the school. He left that program after multiple people, The Athletic. including at least one player, one alumnus, and one power broker in the Minnesota hockey community reported to the athletic director that A former junior hockey team owner where Adrahtas coached says he told Adrahtas was believed to be sexually abusing players. Perkins Coie’s Smith in 1989 of his belief that Adrahtas was committing sexual abuse; investigation is ongoing according to multiple people who have been multiple others, including one former AHAI board member, said they recently contacted by the firm. believe Smith was aware of long-standing concerns about Adrahtas’ behavior. Those details were included in a May 7 The Athletic article. According to SafeSport’s centralized disciplinary database, Adrahtas is currently serving a temporary suspension. The Center, which has “The U.S. Center for SafeSport has advised us they have taken declined to comment on the case, has yet to render a final determination jurisdiction and are investigating allegations that people within AHAI, on Adrahtas. When reached by phone prior to the February 21 article, including Jim Smith, were aware of sexual misconduct by Thomas Adrahtas said: “I’ve never sexually abused anyone.” Adrahtas and did not take action,” USA Hockey executive director Pat Kelleher said via a spokesperson. Adrahtas, according to property records and people who have spoken to him, currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. Despite being sanctioned Smith said in the May 7 article that he did not recall the conversation with from participating in any USA Hockey-sanctioned activities, Adrahtas has the team owner and added, via a spokesperson: “In my time as president sought out goaltenders for private instruction, according to one person of AHAI, there were no reports alleging misconduct by Tom Adrahtas.” involved in Tampa youth hockey. The state affiliate that oversees amateur hockey in Florida has warned operators of local rinks and A player sent AHAI a letter in 2010 in which he detailed being sexually facilities in the Tampa area about Adrahtas and instructed them not to abused by Adrahtas in 1984. Adrahtas did not show up for an AHAI allow Adrahtas to rent ice time or participate in any hockey activity. hearing to address the allegation and, despite being indefinitely suspended by the organization as a result, he continued to coach the Since January, two civil lawsuits have been filed in New York under the Robert Morris University (Chicago) men’s hockey team for the next eight Child Victims Act that name USA Hockey as co-defendants. Both suits seasons. It is unclear if anyone from AHAI told RMU officials about the allege that USA Hockey, by the power conferred to them as a national letter or the hearing or alerted law enforcement. AHAI has not responded governing body tasked with training and supervision of coaches, “knew or to questions about its handling of the 2010 letter and ejected a The reasonably should have known of the propensities of (the coach) to Athletic reporter from its March board meeting. commit acts of sexual assault, battery, rape and other sexual crimes against (the plaintiff) and other children.” AHAI’s crisis communications consultant declined to comment when reached on Wednesday. USA Hockey did not answer a question about Smith’s current status with the organization. (Smith was elected president in 2015 and re-elected in 2018.) The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020

USA Hockey is also conducting an internal probe into issues raised in the May 7 article, which detailed potential conflicts of interest in business dealings and favor trading within AHAI’s leadership and a culture of silence fostered by those in power.

“We’ve appointed a committee of USA Hockey directors who are outside and independent of AHAI to conduct an investigation, which is consistent with our practice in oversight of our affiliate organizations,” Kelleher said.

“That committee will consider allegations related to governance and operation of the affiliate, including conflicts of interest, lack of financial transparency and handling of complaints by members, as well as other issues that may arise during the process,” Kelleher said.

Kelleher added that USA Hockey is also “retaining the services of an independent third-party investigator to determine if Jim Smith has had inappropriate business relationships or conflicts of interest with AHAI.”

In AHAI’s most recent financial report, the organization notes a contract “with a company owned by the national affiliate president to provide printed material, mailing services and promotional goods totaling $99,873.” Smith is a co-founder of Allegra Marketing, Print and Mail in Elk Grove Village, Ill. (Similar notations of varying amounts appear in AHAI’s financial reports dating back to 2000.)

In USA Hockey’s most recent tax filing (2018) the not-for-profit corporation lists in the “Business transactions involving interested 1185431 Websites highly accomplished veterans in their 30s trying to prove they’re not washed.

Sean says: And this is where the heckling started. The Athletic / What if the 24 playoff teams could each draft a player from Reviewing the Slack timestamps, Mark’s pick had been on the board for the eliminated clubs? less than one minute when a fellow GM asked “Are we allowed to chirp the picks as they’re made?” Another immediately called it an “awful pick.” There were jokes about Doug Wilson changing his phone number and By Sean McIndoe and The Athletic NHL Staff refusing to take Karlsson back at the end of the playoffs. (That may have been me.) May 28, 2020 But to his credit, Mark stood his ground and defended the pick, and his

case isn’t a bad one. We’ve seen an injured Karlsson carry a bad team It started with a question from a reader: What if the NHL held a draft deep into the playoffs before, so I kind of like seeing the Hawks swing for where each of the 24 teams who’ll be resuming the season could pick the fences. one player from the seven outsiders? Besides, Mark has nothing to worry about here – nobody remembers No. Not permanently. Just a loaner, one that would join a contender for the 2. rest of whatever the 2019-20 season looks like, then return to his original 3. Arizona Coyotes – Anze Kopitar, Kings team for next year and beyond. Consider it a temporary boost to a postseason that’s already breaking most of the rules anyway. GM Craig Morgan: The Coyotes have been looking for a No. 1 center since Jeremy Roenick left town in 2001. The void at that critical position Would the NHL ever do this? Of course not, for a million reasons, starting is noticeable in matchups against every other Western Conference team, with the fact that it barely makes sense. But it wouldn’t be completely and it is the greatest impediment to legitimate progress. unprecedented in hockey history. And far more importantly, it would be fun. Arizona thought long and hard about consistent postseason performer Logan Couture. If this draft were about more than this 24-team, don’t- All of this led me to a second question: How can I turn this idea into an call-it-a-playoff format, the Coyotes also would have looked at Dylan article where all the other writers do most of the work for me? Larkin, but for one postseason run, they’ll take Kopitar, a big, two-way After a brainstorming session, some fine-tuning of the concept, a few center who is still productive (21 goals, 62 points) and has oodles of Slack invites that turned into even more invites and, if we’re being postseason experience (66 points in 79 games) from the Kings’ deep honest, more than a couple of mid-afternoon beers, the concept was runs in 2012, 2013 and 2014. born. And we had 24 writers on board to make it happen. Were it not for Kopitar’s $10 million cap hit, the Coyotes would have Then it got weird. inquired about him earlier. He will fit like a glove into Rick Tocchet’s system, while allowing Christian Dvorak, Nick Schmaltz and Derek OK, yes, the whole concept is weird. But then the draft started, and it got Stepan to slot into roles better suited to their current abilities. even weirder. Some picks made sense. There were a few that maybe didn’t. There was a trade. There was instant evaluation. There was trash Sean says: No heckling on this one. We’re back on track with a solid talk. pick.

Welcome to the 2020 NHL supplemental playoff draft. The rules: each of 4. Minnesota Wild – John Gibson, Ducks the 24 postseason teams can draft one player from any of the seven GM Michael Russo: For 19 seasons, the Wild desperately could have other teams, just for this playoff run. Cap hits don’t count, all no- used a No. 1 center. Now, they’ve got a golden opportunity to snag one movement clauses are waived, we’re drafting in reverse order of points … so naturally we’re going to follow Wild tradition and pass up on Dylan percentage and you have to set aside any cognitive dissonance over how Larkin and Logan Couture, one of the best playoff performers in NHL none of this could ever actually happen. Oh, and a different writer will history. draft for each team. The reality is if the Wild want to be a true Stanley Cup contender this This makes no sense. Let’s do it. summer, they may have to upgrade their goaltending (although Alex 1. Montreal Canadiens – Jack Eichel, Sabres Stalock, a career backup, overtook as the Wild’s No. 1 and was great the final month heading into the pause). GM Marc Antoine Godin: Is it really this easy to land a franchise center? Had they known it, the Canadiens probably wouldn’t have wasted 25 Therefore, GM Michael Russo (has a great ring to it, doesn’t it?) selects years trying to find one. We considered other options on the blue line – goalie John Gibson. Thomas Chabot or Rasmus Dahlin would have been a handy addition to Sure, he had a miserable season, but he’ll have had four months off to the left side of the top pair – but there’s no point in overthinking things refresh and reinvigorate. Discount this past season, from 2015-16 when you have the first pick. It’s like shortly before the 2009 draft when through 2018-19, Gibson ranked second in the NHL with a .922 save the rumors that filtered out that Matt Duchene had a shot at going first percentage (minimum 115 games). He’s our guy. overall. Please. It wasn’t going to be anyone other than John Tavares. Sean says: I was wondering where Gibson would go, but this wasn’t the The same holds here – it was always going to be Eichel. A dominant spot I expected. The Wild have Dubnyk signed for another season, so center who changes the complexion of a team like no other player this obvious vote of non-confidence might create some awkwardness. available. The Canadiens are going to wreak devastation on the NHL! Still, the peanut gallery loved the choice, with one observer calling it a (cue the sound of a clock chiming) “great pick” and another giving it the ultimate compliment by calling it “the Sean says: Maybe not a slam dunk pick, but pretty close. anti-Laz.” Congratulations to the Canadiens on finally landing a legit first-line center 5. Winnipeg Jets – Thomas Chabot, Senators for the first time in a generation. Enjoy it for a few weeks. GM Ken Wiebe: My initial thought was to choose Logan Couture of the 2. Chicago Blackhawks – Erik Karlsson, Sharks San Jose Sharks, a consistent playoff performer who could fit well with GM Mark Lazerus: I think five months is enough time to heal a broken Patrik Laine and Nikolaj Ehlers and supply an impressive one-two punch thumb, so I’m going with the most dynamic defenseman of the past down the middle with Mark Scheifele. But during a season that has seen decade. I was tempted to take Anze Kopitar because the idea of having the Jets’ defense corps overhauled completely – from the trade of Jacob Jonathan Toews and Kopitar as the Blackhawks’ top-two centers is Trouba to the departure of Ben Chiarot and Tyler Myers in free agency tantalizing, even if it’s not 2014. But the Blackhawks’ most glaring flaws and the subsequent termination of Dustin Byfuglien’s contract – the are on the blue line and the power play, and Karlsson — even the current opportunity to add a top D-man was impossible to ignore. Karlsson — is a massive upgrade on both. I wouldn’t sign him to an The prospect of Drew Doughty alongside Josh Morrissey was enticing, eight-year deal as he hits 30 next week but certainly he can recapture the but his feelings about not wanting to play this season are well-known. magic for a couple of months. Plus, he nicely fits the whole team vibe of And while the X-factor nature of Brent Burns makes him an intriguing candidate to replace Byfuglien in this scenario, the Jets have more depth These Predators are running out of chances to win the Stanley Cup, and on the right side than the left. Couture, 31, might be as well. It seems like a good match.

That’s why the choice was made to add emerging star Thomas Chabot to Sean says: The Predators will not rest until every player on the roster is a the mix. Chabot’s mobility, puck-moving ability and offensive flair make top-six center with an $8 million cap hit. him a perfect fit to play alongside former D-partner Dylan DeMelo or Neal Pionk. 10. Vancouver Canucks – Drew Doughty, Kings

It’s not every day you add a 26-minute per game, play-driving blueliner to GM Thomas Drance: Considering his comments on returning to play the mix. there’s a motivation concern. And there’s perhaps a fit concern on a team that he provided so much bulletin board material for early in the season, Chabot’s addition would solidify the top four and allow the likes of Dmitry but I’m absolutely taking Drew Doughty. Kulikov, Tucker Poolman, Nathan Beaulieu and Luca Sbisa to battle for ice time on the third pairing. Doughty-Quinn Hughes top pair, anyone?

Sean says: I’ll admit I didn’t expect to see this name so early, but it Vancouver could use a stud RHD more than anything else, and I still makes sense. The Jets clearly need reinforcements on defense, and think he’s got more juice than Damon Severson and provides more while there are bigger names with Norris Trophy pedigrees out there, you defensive value than Brent Burns. can make the case that none are better than Chabot right now. And at least in Vancouver, he’s got a couple of ex-teammates he’s won a 6. New York Rangers – Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Sharks Cup with in Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson to help talk him into reporting. GM Rick Carpiniello: The Rangers haven’t had a legit top-pair left defenseman since trading Ryan McDonagh at the 2018 deadline. They Sean says: This led to an intense discussion in the group chat over used there, or at least in a semi-shutdown role, in 2018-19, whether Doughty would actually report. The consensus: he would not. and attempted to pair Brady Skjei there in ’19-20, with his buddy, newly- Still, I’ll allow the pick because I’m giddy with excitement over a acquired Jacob Trouba on the right. Well, that failed, and after Skjei was Flames/Canucks series where Doughty has to deal with both Tkachuk traded Trouba ended up playing to the “pause” with Brendan Smith, who brothers at the same time. barely played defense this season, or much of last season and instead 11. Toronto Maple Leafs – Brent Burns, Sharks played on the wing. For the Rangers to get through Carolina – and looking ahead, to have any chance in hell against Washington – they GM Sean McIndoe: The Leafs’ ongoing struggle to fill the right side of the need a legit first pair D. blue line has been well-documented, so a righty defenseman was the obvious pick here. But which one? After briefly considering hometown Sean says: Let’s get a live look at New York fans reacting to this pick. boy P.K. Subban, we narrowed it down to Drew Doughty or Brent Burns Rick introduced this pick to the group with the words “I know, I know …” as our pick neared. I may or may not have hired Dom Luszczyszyn as a so he’s aware that this will be a controversial choice given the season consultant to help me choose, but the Canucks made the decision easy Vlasic is having. He’s right about the Rangers needing a top-pair option. by snapping up Doughty a pick ahead of us. Is Vlasic that guy? We’ll see. (Well, we won’t see, but you get what I Is Burns having a rough season? Sure, just like everyone in San Jose. mean.) But he’s one year removed from being the runner up for the Norris, so I’ll 7. Calgary Flames – Brady Tkachuk, Senators take my chances. Fans might have preferred a defensive option here, but as Dom told me, it’s the Maple Leafs and they should know who they are GM Scott Cruickshank: Of course, there is a temptation to snare Drew by now. Doughty. Not only is the outspoken blueliner a solid playoff-tested presence, but the thrill of plopping him in the Flames’ dressing room Sean says: That guy makes a lot of good points. Handsome too. A solid somewhere near Matthew Tkachuk would have been substantial pick for the Leafs. because … well, who knows what would’ve happened? (Perhaps Derek 12. Columbus Blue Jackets – Dylan Larkin, Red Wings Forbort, Doughty’s former partner and Tkachuk’s current teammate, would have had to referee.) GM Aaron Portzline: The Blue Jackets are delighted to select Dylan Larkin from Detroit, and I’m guessing (hoping?) Larkin is just as delighted But, no, the pick here for the Flames feels even more obvious than that to be selected. They need the firepower offensively, and a Dubois-Larkin — left winger Brady Tkachuk, Matthew’s younger (and bigger) brother. 1-2 punch gives them a fighter’s chance. Still fresh is the indignity of last spring when the Calgarians had been overwhelmed by the Colorado Avalanche. Brady gives the Flames a Sean says: Our first Red Wing. I’ll admit that part of me was hoping we’d much-needed gamer. Imagine being able to turn loose a couple of make it through the entire draft with one team being completely ignored Tkachuks — in conjunction or on back-to-back shifts for an entire series and had assumed the Red Wings would be the last team to have a player (or more). selected. Instead, it’s the Devils who are the last team left sadly standing by the chain-link fence and avoiding eye contact with their peers. Sean says: This one got an audible “Oh wow” from me. Such an obvious and perfect pick, not sure why I didn’t see it coming. It’s a good pick, though. I’m sure Aaron makes a strong case for it, but I didn’t read the Blue Jackets section. 8. Florida Panthers – Hampus Lindholm, Ducks That means the Oilers are up next. Or are they? This is something I’ve GM George Richards: There may have been more high-profile always wanted to do … defensemen available, but the Panthers’ GM biggest need this season (save for their final three games) has been strong defensive play from (Awkwardly steps up to the podium to a chorus of boos.) their blueline. By adding Lindholm — who had missed his final few We have a trade to announce! games after being hurt Feb. 25 against Edmonton — Florida gets a solid top-four defenseman who gives them a lot of versatility. As a left-handed The Oilers have traded the 13th pick in the supplemental playoff draft to shot, look for Lindholm to pair up with Aaron Ekblad as the team’s new Dallas in exchange for the 15th pick, plus the Stars’ 2nd and 6th round No. 1 combo. Lindholm doesn’t score a whole lot but that is not what the picks in the 2021 NHL Draft. Panthers need anyway. Dallas is on the clock … Sean says: Great pick. 13. Dallas Stars (via Edmonton) – Anthony Mantha, Red Wings 9. Nashville Predators – Logan Couture, C, Sharks GM Sean Shapiro: Dallas already doesn’t have a second- or third-round GM Adam Vingan: The Predators’ top six centers, Ryan Johansen and pick in 2020, and we couldn’t get GM Edmonton to bite on Julius Honka’s Matt Duchene, were not having stellar seasons when the league went on rights. But this is an older team with a closing window for some of the key hiatus. So why not bring in a ringer with a reputation for producing in the players. Therefore, we’re going all-in on this weird 24-team format and playoffs? adding a player that instantly becomes our third-leading scorer even though he only played 43 games this season. Last year, Couture had 20 points in as many playoff games, including 14 goals. In his postseason career, he has 101 points in 116 games. Sean says: There was palpable excitement in the chat when Edmonton 18. Pittsburgh Penguins – Dustin Brown, Kings GM Jonathan Willis called timeout to finalize a trade. I mean, it’s an Oilers trade, what could go wrong? But it ends up being a deal that GM Rob Rossi says: The Penguins, facing a play-in round against the makes sense for both sides, even if it comes at a high price for a Dallas Canadiens, probably should add a forward capable of scoring. But they team that’s clearly in win-now mode. basically spent the weeks before and day of the trade deadline adding forwards (four), and they’re also adding some winger named Jake 14. New York Islanders – Nico Hischier, Devils Guentzel. None of which is to suggest their feast-or-famine offense won’t be a concern, only that, well, how many forwards does one club need? GM Arthur Staple: The Islanders’ chances for advancing through this wacky tournament rest on finding ways to score goals, something they’d (Checks notes, sees 250-plus combined missed games by Sidney mostly forgotten how to do over the final 13 games before the pause. Crosby and Evgeni Malkin over the years. Slaps self in head. Twice.) Hischier is not a pure goal-scorer, but he is a dynamic player who can slot in at center or wing, add to the power play or the penalty kill and So, knowing their defensive depth is likely to be an issue and that they generally makes his linemates better. It seems like a good fit for an are always a Kris Letang and/or Justin Schultz injury away from being Islander team that needs some skill. short on right shots, the Penguins are pleased to welcome to Pittsburgh … eh, screw it, what’s one more forward, especially a proven winner who Sean says: And there’s our first Devil. Hischier is the youngest player might have a few big goals left? Dustin Brown is the pick. drafted so far, but he’s productive and makes sense for the Islanders here. Sean says: It’s too bad the Penguins didn’t know they were facing the unbeatable Carey Price before the trade deadline, they could have gone 15. Edmonton Oilers (via Dallas) – Kyle Palmieri, Devils harder for Chris “Oops I accidentally drop-kicked your goalie” Kreider.

GM Jonathan Willis: Edmonton would have dearly loved to draft Anthony 19. Philadelphia Flyers – Joe Thornton, Sharks Mantha, and knew that he was unlikely to be on the board even two picks later. Seeing him go to Dallas, a potential first-round opponent, makes GM Charlie O’Connor: Sorry, Boston. As a result of Nolan Patrick’s this decision even more difficult. migraine disorder-driven absence, the Flyers have been forced to cobble together makeshift solutions to the 3C problem all year: moving Claude However, it was necessary to keep the big picture in mind. For a single Giroux back to center, Scott Laughton, Morgan Frost, Derek Grant. But playoff run, the difference between Mantha and Kyle Palmieri is unlikely none qualified as a true “set it and forget it” option in the role, and to be significant. Either player would be slotted in on Connor McDavid’s Patrick’s status remains uncertain. So why not take a shot at the most right wing and will significantly upgrade Edmonton’s first line. Palmieri prominent Old Guy Without A Cup to try and address the team’s biggest adds a right shot to the power play as well but most importantly, he is a hole? diligent two-way presence who can keep up with the league’s best player. Sure, Thornton’s numbers weren’t terribly impressive this year. But after months of rest, the Flyers are banking on getting a refreshed Jumbo Joe, The 2021 second- and sixth-round picks help replenish a stockpile which and obviously no one is going to be more motivated to win a Stanley Cup was badly diminished at the 2020 trade deadline. A steady pipeline of this year than the 40-year old Thornton. Also, imagine the usually-hated young talent is essential for a team which, with careful handling, could Philadelphia Flyers as the team in this tournament with the highest contend for the next decade. bandwagon potential! Hey, it’s a strange year – let’s make it a little stranger. Sean says: By pulling off a reasonable trade in this made-up and completely nonsensical draft, Willis is already the most successful GM Sean says: Thornton not going back to the Bruins with the very last pick the Oilers have had since Glen Sather. of the draft 23 years after they used the first overall pick on him is unacceptable and makes me want to cancel this entire exercise. 16. Carolina Hurricanes – Jeff Skinner, Sabres 20. Washington Capitals – Rasmus Ristolainen, Sabres GM Sara Civian: Some people just like to watch the world burn, and that might explain why the Carolina Hurricanes are re-inviting their once GM Tarik El-Bashir: The Metro champion Washington Capitals are homegrown star Jeff Skinner back onto their roster. Let’s be honest — pleased to select defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen from the Buffalo the team is more stacked than it had ever been when he was a Cane, Sabres. With the addition of Ristolainen, the Caps now have four of the and now he is the perfect complement to the new-look, new-attitude team NHL’s top-20 hitters from the regular season – (third), that’s almost completely different than it was during his time in Carolina. Ristolainen (eighth), Brenden Dillon (13th) and Garnet Hathaway (18th).

With Dougie Hamilton, Sami Vatanen and possibly Brett Pesce coming The move also addresses their biggest weakness: the blue line. When back into the fold for the playoffs, the defense isn’t an urgent need. the round-robin begins, Coach Todd Reirden’s top two pairs figure to be There’s been lack of depth scoring in the Hurricanes’ worst stretches this Dillon-John Carlson and Dmitry Orlov-Ristolainen. Not only does season, and Skinner is an automatic fit alongside Vincent Trocheck and Ristolainen put everyone on their natural side, the 6 foot 4, 220-pound Martin Necas. Not to mention, Skinner’s first playoff appearance finally veteran also adds a measure of snarl to a defense that didn’t always happening where it all began would be a feel-good playoff storyline, no? possess enough of it during the regular season. Ristolainen (6 goals, 27 assists) has a big shot, too, and should add some punch to the second Sean says: That pick makes all sorts of sense, even though I can’t figure power-play unit. Meanwhile, Michal Kempny, Nick Jensen, Radko Gudas out if the Hurricanes bringing Skinner back from Buffalo to remind him and Jonas Siegenthaler will compete for minutes on the third pair. how good they are now is an act of charity or cruelty. (Also, I read Sara’s blurb and went “What, Vincent Trocheck doesn’t play for the Hurricanes,” Sean says: I’d say that this pick is going to raise a few eyebrows in the so apparently my hockey brain needs to get back in game shape before analytics crowd, but they all passed out after the Vlasic pick, so we’re the season comes back.) good.

17. Vegas Golden Knights – Timo Meier, Sharks 21. Tampa Bay Lightning – Jakob Silfverberg, Ducks

GM Jesse Granger: A fantastic all-around player who has played GM Joe Smith: The Lightning’s initial thought was to go for a right shot extremely well against Vegas in the playoffs, will now join Peter DeBoer defenseman like the Ducks’ Josh Manson, who could slide in nicely next on the other side of the rivalry. Vegas addressed defense (Alec Martinez) to Victor Hedman and give them a Manson-Erik Cernak, plus Kevin and goalie (Robin Lehner) at the trade deadline, and this addition further Shattenkirk on the right side. But with Jan Rutta becoming a strong strengthens Vegas’ deep forward group. Meier could skate with Alex partner for Hedman this season, and the Czech D-man finally healthy Tuch on a heavy, dangerous third line. now after the pause, there wasn’t a huge need. Tampa Bay instead goes with Manson’s teammate, Jakob Silfverberg, a veteran, two-way winger Note: Vegas offered side deals to take a team’s two best players instead who can impact all situations. The Swede’s strong shot should provide a of just one, but apparently that only works in the expansion draft. boost on the power play, which struggled in the second half. He could Sean says: This is our first direct rivalry pick, and if Meier doesn’t go in provide some secondary scoring in the middle-six, with four 20-plus goal there on his temporary assignment and just intentionally tank the Knights seasons the last five years. series I will lose all respect for him. He should shoot the puck into his The Lightning already added Sharks center Barclay Goodrow at the own net to cost the Knights a goal. Or take a major penalty to cost them deadline, along with Blake Coleman. But now you can have Goodrow- four. Coleman on one PK, Anthony Cirelli and Silfverberg on the other. Another forward who can shut lines down defensively, while adding an Hailey Salvian, Senators: First, I’m a little surprised to see Karlsson offensive dynamic. With Steven Stamkos coming off core surgery, and picked No. 2 while Chabot was picked fifth. If you want a defenseman, more injuries likely in this resumed season, you can never have enough you’d think you’d want the league leader in TOI over someone who depth, or proven playoff experience, this time of year. missed half the year with a broken thumb. Chabot is younger and not as established, sure, but I’m still going to question Laz for that pick. And Sean says: I can’t express how thrilled I am to see the amount of thought applaud Winnipeg who would be able to reunite the Chabot and DeMelo everyone is putting into these picks. Every year, articles are written about pairing from last season that led to Chabot’s best offensive campaign. how filling out March Madness brackets drains billions of dollars form the U.S. economy? I feel like I did that to The Athletic’s hockey department in The idea of Brady and Matthew Tkachuk on the same team is really one weekend. exciting to me. Given the fanfare around when they play against each other, I can’t begin to imagine what would happen if they were both on 22. Colorado Avalanche – Filip Hronek, Red Wings the Flames in the playoffs. Everyone in Ottawa talks about how fun Brady GM Ryan S. Clark says: Getting more help on the back end might be the Tkachuk would be in the playoffs, why not add his brother to the mix? most pressing area for the Avalanche. That is why going after Detroit Just think about how pissed off their opponents would be going against Red Wings defenseman Filip Hronek makes the most sense at this stage TWO Tkachuks. I feel like I need to see this happen one day. in the draft. Hronek is averaging nearly 24 minutes per game while Kevin Kurz, Sharks: I can somewhat understand why Chicago went with having nine goals and 31 points over 65 games. Hronek’s addition would Erik Karlsson here No. 2 overall. They’re a team that doesn’t have much give the Avs a defensive corps consisting of Mark Barberio, Ian Cole, of a chance to make a deep run, so why not take a shot on a guy that, Samuel Girard, Ryan Graves, Erik Johnson, Cale Makar and Nikita when he’s healthy and motivated, can take games over for weeks at a Zadorov. Offensive production has not been an issue for the Avs this time? The problem, of course, is that version of Karlsson hasn’t been season. The same can be said for defensive reliability as they were one spotted since he suffered a groin injury in January of 2019. It was of the top six defensive units in the NHL. Picture this. Graves and Makar interesting to see a generally ineffective Marc-Edouard Vlasic go ahead as the first pairing. Girard and Hronek as the second pairing while Cole of a declining but still offensively dangerous Brent Burns, while Timo and Johnson would be the third pairing. That way, the Avs have a left- Meier in a Golden Knights jersey would make any Sharks fan lose their right setup throughout their pairings while also having another lunch. Joe Thornton in the orange and black of the Flyers to center one defenseman who can be trusted in late-game situations and the penalty of their bottom two lines makes so much sense that I wonder if it’s a kill. potential fit this offseason.

Sean says: (Pours one out for what’s left of the legendary Wings/Avs Lisa Dillman, Kings: I literally laughed out loud when I saw that colleague rivalry.) Thomas Drance – with a mischievous sense of humor – took 23. St. Louis Blues – Rasmus Dahlin, Sabres defenseman Drew Doughty at No. 10. Doughty, a proud Vancouver Canuck, and new member of THAT team. The only thing even GM Jeremy Rutherford: The St. Louis Blues are proud to take the fourth approaching Doughty to Vancouver would have been Doughty joining player in the draft from the Buffalo Sabres, defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Matthew Tkachuk and the Calgary Flames. They could have talked about Yes, there were still some quality forwards available, such as Anaheim’s Tkachuk’s role behind Doughty’s Secret Santa gift. Ryan Getzlaf, but Blues coach Craig Berube likes his bunch up front and they all play their roles well. The club needed a left-shot defenseman so Otherwise, I would have liked Anze Kopitar going to Columbus since the that righties Alex Pietrangelo, Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk can stick Blue Jackets won’t ever be able to live down not taking him in the NHL on their natural side. Furthermore, Dahlin gives them someone who can Draft in 2005. But Kopitar was never going to last until No. 12. Colleague move the puck and put up points – 40 in 59 games, which ranks 21st Rob Rossi’s decision to bring Dustin Brown to the Pittsburgh Penguins among all NHL defensemen this season. made sense, particularly if you weigh Brown’s playoff pedigree (two Stanley Cups) and believe that a well-rested Brown could do some So with four Buffalo players taken and only one pick left, the Sabres damage in a compacted playoff run. won’t be able to catch San Jose, which has six. But let me hand-pass the microphone to my Boston colleague, Fluto Shinzawa, and see who he Eric Stephens, Ducks: Minnesota traded one of its better goal scorers takes with the final selection in the draft. and fired its coach. The Wild have an aging roster that’s pretty meh at its best. Their No. 1 goalie has been bad. I don’t know how they do it, but Sean says: This will mark the second straight year that the Blues load up they do it – always to an extent. So Mike goes and takes … John Gibson. with a Sabres star. Honestly, Buffalo probably did better on this one. Huh? Actually, I’m liking the pick. Gibson has been far from awesome, but he is refreshed and owns Vancouver to the tune 10-2-1/1.77/.937 24. Boston Bruins – Victor Olofsson, Sabres with three shutouts. Career backup Alex Stalock has had a career GM Fluto Shinzawa: The Bruins acquired Ondrej Kase to serve as David season. Let’s be real, though. Who are you going to take between the Krejci’s right wing on the No. 2 line. It hasn’t gone well so far. In six pre- two in a best-of-five? I thought so. shutdown games, Krejci and Kase were on the ice for zero 5-on-5 goals Max Bultman, Red Wings: Larkin would probably be happy to hang out for and two against. Without regular-season games to extend the with Zach Werenski for a while, and he and Gustav Nyquist could Czechs’ chemistry test, the Bruins need instant pop on the No. 2 line. probably tap into some old on-ice chemistry. And Mantha would definitely Olofsson (20 goals) should deliver as a shoot-first wing. Not only can make Dallas a much more dangerous (and still very large) team, after Olofsson pump in pucks at even strength and on the power play, but he taking another step this season. Mostly, though, it’d be fun for just about can also push Kase down to the third line with Charlie Coyle. everyone to see these guys in a game with real stakes for the first time in Sean says: I did not see a draft-ending run on Sabres happening, but a while. here we are. Corey Masisak, Devils: Several members of the Devils at the start of the And with that, our draft is over. Probably unsurprisingly, the Sharks led season have already joined other clubs and are preparing for the the list with six players taken, because it’s still a star-studded roster playoffs, and now Nico Hischier and Kyle Palmieri can join them. Both despite this year’s disastrous results. The Sabres were next with five, players could have gone a little higher, though Hischier’s production which I didn’t expect. The Kings and Ducks and Wings all had three, slipped a little this season. Hischier could be a better answer for the while the Senators and Devils brought up the rear with two picks each. Islanders’ depth issues at center than Jean-Gabriel Pageau and they didn’t have to overpay to acquire him. Palmieri could be a wonderful fit Most surprising snubs? Ryan Getzlaf is the big veteran name, and P.K. next to Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl for the Oilers. Damon Subban was also passed over. At the other end of the age spectrum, I Severson might be better than at least one-third of the defensemen wondered if somebody might roll the dice on Jack Hughes. Sam Reinhart selected, so he counts as a snub, though given all of the problems New and Rickard Rakell would have had value. And I’m mildly surprised that Jersey had this season, it is forgivable if a couple of their players were nobody talked themselves into a two-time Cup-winning goalie in overlooked for this exercise. . Eric Stephens, Ducks: I’m surprised that Ryan Getzlaf didn’t get nabbed. Before we wrapped up, I wanted to check in with our writers from the Sad This isn’t an 82-game season we’re talking about having him for. He is a Sack Seven to get their thoughts on who their team lost – and who big center built for the playoff grind and he is nearly a point per game in should have been taken but wasn’t. 125 postseason games. I get most of the teams are strong down the middle but, hey, take your chances. Given how desperate Florida is for defense, I’m thinking George might want to keep Hampus Lindholm for the rest of his contract much less one playoff run. And I love Joe’s pick of Jakob Silfverberg. The Lightning don’t need stars. Maybe Josh Manson could have been plucked to beef up the blue line but Silfverberg can play a shutdown role up front and has enough offense to chip in big goals. He’ll do all the stuff that doesn’t get the attention. Just what you absolutely need to win rounds.

Joe Yerdon, Sabres: When you’re the first team out after 24, I suppose that team would be primed to have a lot of players taken. But five Sabres and none of them were Sam Reinhart? That’s just a pile of surprises. Jack Eichel going first after his could’ve-been-a-MVP season is the least surprising choice. Sara going for warm fuzzy feelings and trolling with Jeff Skinner is wonderful and Rasmus Ristolainen getting to recreate the Mike Weber situation in Washington brings back memories. Still, how did Rasmus Dahlin fall to St. Louis? Ah well, it’s not like Sabres go there to win anyway.

And with that, it’s over to you. Did some teams nail their picks, while others whiffed? Let us know. Have thoughts on the controversial Karlsson pick? Let us know. Would you have a new Stanley Cup favorite after the reinforcements arrived? Let us know. Do you think the entire concept is dumb? Don’t bother letting us know, you’re 6,000 words in so you’ve come way too far to bail on us now. But other than that, let us have it.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185432 Websites They spend more time in their own zone than the average NHL team, but they block the highest percentage of shot attempts against (32.3%), a Tortorella calling card.

Sportsnet.ca / Blue Jackets’ defensive mindset will be crucial to beating “We know what we’re in for in terms of style of play,” Leafs GM Kyle Maple Leafs Dubas says.

The trick, particularly in a short elimination series, is this: Who can find their game fastest? Luke Fox | @lukefoxjukebox “What makes you good? What made you successful this season? And May 28, 2020, 12:14 PM how quickly can you get your team wrapped around that?” Foligno says.

“The advantage is going to be huge if you can get out on top early. So, I think that’s gonna be a mindset of ours. We’ve had a lot of practice this “Thank God.” year on what makes us successful and playing as a team, the defensive This is the sound of a relieved Columbus Blue Jackets captain, Nick side.” Foligno, when it’s relayed to him that coach John Tortorella won’t be And if the Maple Leafs push this into a run-and-gun affair? running one his legendary make-’em-sweat-till-they-puke training camps this summer. “It could be ugly,” Foligno says. “We know we’re in tough. It’s a great team we’re playing against, and it’s a reason why it’s gonna make for an “Tortorella’s training camp is notorious for being a real hard training exciting format when we do get back to playing.” camp, and I’m sure he’ll be the first one to say that this time it’ll have to be completely different,” GM Jarmo Kekalainen explains. Few teams have welcomed three months or rest and recovery as much as Columbus, which will welcome No. 1 defenceman Seth Jones, skilled “It will be completely different from preparing for the training camp and winger Cam Atkinson and top sniper Oliver Bjorkstrand off the IR. first game of the season, when you still have 81 left. This will be the first (Centre Brandon Dubinsky, who never dressed this season, will still be game of the playoffs. It will be the most important game of the year.” shelved with his chronic wrist injury.) The Blue Jackets, fashioned well after the man with the whistle dangling “There’s a good chance that we’ll be fully healthy. I think Josh Anderson from his neck, are the poster boys for a grinding, pounding, - (shoulder) is probably the only one where the timeline is going to get eating, suffocating brand of hockey that tends to serve teams well when close to when he would be ready. Everyone else is on schedule and stakes are high. should be ready to play,” says Kekalainen. and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey Foligno couldn’t be more enthusiastic about those returns and how they’ll world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what help the 25th-ranked offence find the net. they think about it. “They’re established. They’re leaders,” Foligno says. “That’s a huge But as they prepare for their best-of-five elimination series against the boost to the morale, first and foremost. Then just the minutes those guys super-skilled Toronto Maple Leafs, they are being mindful not to exhaust can eat will bump everyone back where they need to play and make you themselves before facing one of the youngest, fastest units in the sport. a stronger team. So, we’re thrilled to be able to get those guys back.” As the players begin gathering for minicamps in June, Kekalainen’s Foligno, 32, reminds that he’s in his 13th season. He’s only seen the group will be the healthiest its been in months. The goal now is “to make second round of the playoffs once. There’s a legacy at stake here. sure that we’re staying healthy and not getting any soft-tissue injuries Personally, he feels proud of how the Jackets’ injury- and free-agency- that could easily happen when you grind the players to get ready for an ravaged roster responded to all this adversity. 82-game season.” “We could’ve went one of two ways, and we chose to respond the right “I don’t know,” Foligno responds, with a smirk even visible over the way. Now, it’s time to put all we learned this year to good use and make phone line. “I think Torts is still gonna find a way to grind us. sure it’s not wasted,” the captain says. “It won’t be a normal Torts training camp, but I’m sure when next season “I don’t care if you’re a young player or an old player, they don’t come starts off, he’ll be making up for what he lost out on this last one.” around very often. So, when you get a chance to go to the dance, you Seriously, though. The Jackets’ preparation for the Leafs — and whoever want to make the most of it.” lies beyond — must be modified, because camp will be shorter and the grand prize closer. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.29.2020 An urgency will be placed on structure and details and getting synchronized with the other five guys on the ice. The skating, the stickhandling, the conditioning—those individual skills, Foligno figures, will come back quick.

It’s the muscle between the ears and the reads with your teammates, cornerstones of Columbus hockey, that will at once be the most difficult to tune and the most critical to grasp against an opponent that — let’s face it — is blessed with more God-given talent.

“It’s that team mindset, the system play, where you need to be, that feel…. I mean, that’s the only stuff you really get when you’re doing the reps over and over and over again. And so that’s going to be really important for us,” Foligno says.

“It’s going to be that other team aspect that we’re going to need to really harp on and make sure we focus on. I think Torts is smart enough, and our coaching staff is smart enough, to know that that’s gonna have to come to the forefront.”

Even with a nearly comical string of injuries and an inexperienced goaltending tandem, the 2019-20 Jackets’ ability to defend is astonishing.

Per Sportlogiq, they rank first overall is expected goals against (2.33), first in goals against off the rush (0.43), fourth in goals against (2.42), and fifth in slot shots against (11.4). 1185433 Websites best players in the world (Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin) and you go up against them in a series… that’s not something I’ve ever had to do, so it would be a challenge.

Sportsnet.ca / Canadiens' Byron, Gallagher embracing opportunity to “But like any athlete, you look forward to testing yourselves and look compete for Stanley Cup forward to how you hold up in those situations. So it would be a test for our group for sure, especially with a lot of guys that haven’t been given that playoff experience. And we feel we stack up. To say we’d go in there without confidence or without belief wouldn’t be true. If there’s one thing I Eric Engels | @EricEngels know about our group, it’s if we are given that opportunity, it’s something May 28, 2020, 7:24 PM that we’d welcome.”

The chance to start at zero is compelling, too. Because that’s essentially what all 24 teams are doing. MONTREAL — Brendan Gallagher referred to it as a second life and Paul Byron called it a new one. Any way you slice it, their Montreal Before the season was paused, the Philadelphia Flyers had just had a Canadiens are on the receiving end of an opportunity they didn’t earn, nine-game winning streak snapped by the Boston Bruins, the Toronto but one that will be gifted to them if and when the NHL returns to resume Maple Leafs had erased a three-game winning streak at the end of the 2019-20 season. February by going 0-for California at the beginning of March, the Penguins had closed out February on a six-game losing streak and gone Neither player is taking that for granted. win-loss in their five games in March, and the Canadiens were waiting to be put out of their misery after losing 22 of their 71 games by a single They are the associate captains and NHLPA representatives of a team goal. that was 31-31-9—10 points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and trending towards better odds in the draft lottery with 11 Players from all 31 teams were dealing with injuries, bumps, bruises and games remaining—when the season was paused in the second week of fatigue. Coaches were dealing with the stress and exhaustion that comes March due to the novel coronavirus. with the day-to-day grind of game preparation and management, and managers were coming off the frantic bustle of trade-deadline planning They’re two players who desperately want to win, and two players who and looking ahead to playoffs or the off-season. understand how a pick in the top 10 of this year’s draft can accelerate that process. Richard Deitsch and Donnovan Bennett host a podcast about how COVID-19 is impacting sports around the world. They talk to experts, But they’re also two players who have sat out of the playoffs for two athletes and personalities, offering a window into the lives of people we consecutive seasons and three of the last four. normally root for in entirely different ways. To say Byron and Gallagher are more compelled by the opportunity to But the idea that we’re just picking up where we left off, after a four-to- play immediately for the Cup over packing it in and hoping for a higher five month break in the action, is convoluted at best. Even with the draft choice — even as the 24th-placed team in a 24-team tournament rosters relatively unchanged. the NHL and NHLPA have agreed upon as a format for a potential return to play in late July or early August — would be understating it. “It’s no secret we had some injuries on our team. Guys were banged up,” said Byron. “I was just coming back from [a three-month] injury, Jo Granted, we’re talking about Byron — a 31-year-old who has played [Drouin] was trying to come back from a wrist injury, guys were playing close to 450 games in the NHL despite being a former sixth-round pick. big minutes for our team that probably wouldn’t normally play big minutes And then there’s Gallagher, who was chosen 147th overall by the because we had injuries. And we have an infusion of youth coming Canadiens in 2010. through the system right now and some of those guys were getting [an] The 28-year-old graduated to the NHL in the lockout abridged 2012-13 opportunity at the end of the year and really making strides in their game. season and has since registered 173 goals and 334 points in 547 games. “So, if you look at our team in July, August, it’s certainly a lot different He’s a bona fide top-liner, a four-time 20-goal scorer (he also had two 19- than it did look in March. And that’s the same for every single team. I goal campaigns) and a two-time 30-goal scorer. think every team is going to get the advantage of that. I know Pittsburgh Gallagher qualified the choice between a high pick and a chance to play had guys who were injured and are coming back and I think that’s what for the Cup as an easy one on his joint conference call with Byron makes this format potentially exciting for teams. There’s teams [that Thursday. were] maybe limping into the playoffs and now everyone kind of gets a reset, everyone gets to go in the playoffs now 100 per cent healthy minus “A high draft pick doesn’t necessarily guarantee you a good player,” a few injuries that were long-term…” Gallagher said. “An opportunity to be in the playoffs gives you a chance of winning a Stanley Cup. So, for me it’s pretty easy; give me an Byron added the Canadiens didn’t demand this opportunity or even opportunity to win now, you’re not going to pass that up. request it. He was as surprised as anyone that it became a proposal for him and his teammates to vote on. “Obviously you’re going to have these prospects, you’re going to have these players who are going to come in and help you [win down the line], But both he and Gallagher said they were absolutely in favour of it. but it doesn’t mean picking later in the draft that you don’t have that “If you know players, if you know athletes, you know we’re all competitive opportunity.” guys,” Byron said. “I don’t like losing at a sport to a family member. When Surely he’s aware of the odds in that equation. the puck is on the ice, I have one focus—I want to win. I know everyone on our team wants to win, too. …We know how the leaders of our team But he’s certainly not concerned with them. feel, too. [General manager] Marc [Bergevin] and [coach] Claude [Julien] Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey feel that if we have a chance to beat Pittsburgh, we’re playing to win and world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what that’s that. That’s the bottom line. We play to win. That’s sports.” they think about it. And to those who’d suggest the integrity of the Stanley Cup tournament And regarding Montreal’s infinitesimal chances of winning a three-to-five would be compromised by allowing teams that didn’t qualify on their own game play-in series against a Pittsburgh Penguins team that’s superior in merit to compete and possibly win, Gallagher had a message. nearly every category—one that was 15 points ahead with two games in “For a team to go through five series potentially and win a Stanley Cup? I hand on the Canadiens when the season was paused—Gallagher don’t think there’s anyone who can say they didn’t deserve it,” he said. “Is doesn’t seem to perturbed by that, either. (the format) perfect? No. But is it the best option? I obviously voted yes, He even had a bit of a chuckle about reports the Penguins aren’t and I think a lot of players around the league agree.” particularly thrilled about having to face teammate Carey Price in a short series. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.29.2020 “I guess if they’re unhappy, I guess it’s good for us,” Gallagher said. “We obviously know what kind of challenge that would be. Arguably two of the 1185434 Websites camps and playing games. I can understand why the players would want that. They are creatures of habit, and it is what they are used to.

The fear there is the second wave during flu season. According to Sportsnet.ca / 31 Thoughts: Fun week, but high hurdles remain for NHL multiple sources, the epidemiologists advising both the NHL and NHLPA resumption have advised against waiting, and Bettman, in particular, sees it as a major reason to target late-July/August/September as prime playing time.

I’m not going to judge anyone else’s choice. I’m ready to go back to work, Elliotte Friedman | @FriedgeHNIC but not everyone would make the same decision. Is not playing this summer a preference or a health choice? It’s not an easy question to May 28, 2020, 1:15 PM ask, but if it is a heath reason, why would they be any more comfortable playing in December or January without a vaccine? What would we be looking at then? It was nice to talk about the fun stuff. Playoff matchups, lottery odds, votes of confidence, players recovering from injury — all of the great The NHL and NHLPA deserve a ton of credit for keeping the financials things we miss pontificating about. The last few days have been a good private, so far. Baseball is going through a very ugly, public spat with public-relations burst for the NHL and its players. players openly taking social-media aim at ownership. Fans despise labour disputes when life is good. It’s incredibly tone-deaf now. There are people who grinded hard to get things done. They deserved that reward. NHLers have been told that coming back to finish this year might save them seven or eight points on escrow (probably moving it down from 35 The Return to Play committee put in legit work. It wasn’t easy, and not to 27 or 28). There are some — again, I’m not sure how many — who everyone was happy, but no one faulted the effort. And, as difficult as don’t think that’s worth it. I do believe the league is willing to ease that that was, putting together the 22-page protocol for Stage II of the return number by collecting those payments over several years. But I’m not process might have been even more challenging. It doesn’t even require sure a full CBA can be done by the time games will be played, and is the mandatory attendance for players, so imagine what it will take to NHL prepared to make that deal without a long-term commitment? It’s a complete the protocols for Stages III and IV, which involve training camps delicate dance, because the owners will argue (if pushed) that their and games, respectively. bottom lines are getting hit hard, too.

The process will be detail-oriented and intense. I’m always optimistic, and that’s important — especially now. This is not impossible, but it is challenging. Tuesday and Wednesday were fun days, There are no guarantees. There are so many unknowns about COVID- a respite from doom and gloom. Time to roll up the sleeves once again, 19, so many assurances necessary about safety and testing for players, more problems to solve. coaches, officials, executives, team staff and all workers located at either the rink or elsewhere in the “bubble.” Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what As the players discussed their vote for the playoff system, there was they think about it. plenty of debate about whether or not they should play at all. Finally, they separated that conversation into, “Let’s vote on the playoff format now, 31 THOUGHTS and get to the other question after.” 1. CBA talks are expected to ramp up enough that the NHLPA will soon Now, decisions are getting a little more “real.” There is a playoff system. form a negotiating committee. Still active from the 2012–13 version: Ron On Tuesday, Commissioner Gary Bettman said the league is three to Hainsey and . four weeks away from selecting the two hub cities that will host potential games. At that point, we are talking about contractual agreements. 2. Commissioner Bettman hinted at big costs to the league for the testing Maybe there will be incentives for the NHL to come. There will certainly procedure. Word is the NHL is looking at $120–$130 per test. At 25,000 be costs to the league. tests, that’s more than $3 million. Not insignificant.

While you have to believe there will be protection in case the pandemic 3. Thing I didn’t like this week: the online beatdown Tampa Bay’s Alex does not allow competition, the league is going to have to know whether Killorn and Carolina’s Jordan Martinook got for explaining their team’s or not the players are truly committed to play. “no” votes on the Return to Play protocol. The Hurricanes and Lightning were the lone dissenters. We complain that hockey players are too You can’t possibly talk to every player, but you try to get a pulse for boring or too conservative, then we complain when they don’t conform to what’s happening. When news leaked out that the bottom seven teams the majority. We can’t have it both ways. Killorn/Martinook ate it for their were going to be eliminated from the playoffs, it seemed that the teammates, too, since they didn’t vote solely on their own feelings. percentage of players willing to play significantly grew. But, in the last few days, there’ve been more rumours of … let’s call it uncertainty. 4. A few sources hinted at a “Carolina plan” setting up the playoffs. The Hurricanes politely declined to share a copy of what was proposed, but As I write this, it’s hard to determine just how widespread those feelings I’ve asked around and got two different ideas. Some of it was submitted are. I suspect there is going to be plenty of work over the next few days directly by the team to the league, some of it via players through the to determine that. union.

The family issue is a big one. During a conference call on Wednesday, One suggestion: Instead of a play-in round, weight the 12 teams in each Columbus captain Nick Foligno said, “If somebody tells me I can’t see my conference by the percentage chance they had to make the final 16. family, there’s going to be a fight.” Each team would then play three games, leading to the “final” regular- season standings. Therefore, instead of Chicago and Montreal getting The NBA is working on bringing all returning teams to Disney World in closer to a 50 per cent chance of making the playoffs, their odds would Orlando. ESPN reported Wednesday that it and the National Basketball remain at three per cent and 0.1 per cent, respectively. Players Association are formulating a plan to allow some family to join early-round winners once some opponents are eliminated in the playoffs. A second suggestion was to force their play-in opponent, the Rangers, to That would keep the numbers relatively low. And you can assume that if win four of the five games. If Carolina won twice in that scenario, the one league is looking at something, they all are. series would have been over and the Hurricanes would have automatically advanced. Both proposals were rejected. Obviously, health is another huge issue. By the time players are expected to report to camp (Stage III), there’s going to have to be some 5. Nothing is certain, but I do think there’s a decent chance re-seeding clarity on immune-compromised players and/or staff. Interestingly, when becomes the playoff setup as opposed to bracketing. asked on Tim & Sid about making sure players are covered by long-term insurance, NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr said, “I really don’t 6. I don’t profess to know the CBA as well as some of the people believe in the end that’ll be a major issue.” involved, but I was talking to a team affected by the NHL’s desire not to allow anyone to sign players for the remainder of the 2019–20 season. At times, it’s been suggested by not only players, but team executives, This includes valuable KHL transplants like Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota), that we wait until the end of the summer before returning to training Alexander Romanov (Montreal) and Ilya Sorokin (Islanders). His position was, “If it is allowed every other year, what in our agreement prevents it this year?” I honestly don’t know if he’s got a legit beef or not, but the “It’s a lot,” Gagner said. “Not only is it up in the air when you’re going to June 1 entry-level deadline will be pushed back to July 1 to give play or where you’re going to play, but having a family of three kids, everyone more time to figure this out. there’s that other factor of school starting in September. So there’s a lot on your mind.” 7. Vancouver GM Jim Benning said Wednesday the Canucks are considering a U.S.-based training camp if crossing the Canadian border The best way to power through that is enjoying the time with your family, requires quarantine when Stage III begins. I don’t think the Canucks are and he’s doing that. But Gagner has also come up with an interesting alone on that. way to approach the time. A few years ago, he read about Tom Brady’s routine — and will adopt it. Richard Deitsch and Donnovan Bennett host a podcast about how COVID-19 is impacting sports around the world. They talk to experts, “No matter when his season ends, he keeps training until the athletes and personalities, offering a window into the lives of people we champion is crowned, because he approaches every year as if he will be normally root for in entirely different ways. playing then. So now I’m training as if I’m in the playoffs…. Yes, it’s hard to recreate (that intensity), but it will keep me busy and ready.” 8. I’d said earlier this week that Los Angeles was a “late entry” into the hub race, but it was pointed out that although we didn’t hear about the I thought it was an interesting, smart idea. Kings’ interest, they were one of the first teams to pitch. The league and players love the L.A. Live setup — it’s super-convenient. Biggest 17. I asked Gagner about trying to find a month-to-month deal if the challenge is practice availability, and that’s why Anaheim’s beautiful new European leagues start on time. practice rink would be part of this bid. It’s a 45-minute bus ride between “Remember the lockout-shortened year (2012–13)? Some guys took time them. off, others went and played. I played and it really helped me. At that time, 9. Buffalo owner Kim Pegula announced this week that GM Jason I didn’t have a family…. I’m not sure my wife will let me go.” Botterill will return. I checked in on New Jersey, but the Devils are not yet He laughed. ready to make any proclamations. Interim GM Tom Fitzgerald said earlier this week that “the organization has been fantastic to me. They are “I do want to play in the NHL, so I haven’t thought a lot about it.” allowing me to be the GM of this team, whether it’s an interim tag or not.” Gagner said there hasn’t been much discussion about an extension with But I do think ownership is continuing its search at the executive level. Detroit, but he understands why because there’s so much up in the air. Admittedly, I find it hard to read and am not sure about where this will go. They will need good pros. What’s for sure: He’s making a plan to be Personally, I feel that, at some point, you have to make your call and end ready. the uncertainty. This is a long, uncertain stretch for UFAs on the non-playoff teams. 10. As for the coaching search, word is the Devils are eyeing at least four 18. Gagner’s family is still in Edmonton. His summer home is in Ontario’s candidates. I believe that includes incumbent Alain Nasreddine, along cottage country. Will he drive cross-country in an RV like Connor with Gerard Gallant, Peter Laviolette and John Stevens. There may be McDavid? one more. The wrinkle here is that Fitzgerald did the initial interviews, and will any of them want him as their boss should they be choice? It’s “That is the plan,” he answered. “Although we’ll need a bigger one than also possible ownership will want a conversation before any decision is he did.” made. It’s a unique time to try and hire someone. 19. Hockeysverige editor-in-chief Uffe Bodin was an excellent guest on 11. For almost 35 years, Les Jackson’s been a Star. Hired as an 31 Thoughts: The Podcast this week. He pointed out that one prospect assistant coach when the franchise was still in Minnesota in 1985, he who decided to stay home because of the uncertainty is San Jose’s stayed with the organization every season but one since. His contract will Jonathan Dahlen. Bodin mentioned Lias Andersson as another not be renewed. End of an era, for sure. He’s been a huge part of that possibility, but because Andersson has another year on his entry-level organization’s success. contract with the Rangers, New York has a say in that. Dahlen is a restricted free agent. 12. Chicago had one of the largest scouting staffs in the NHL (if not the largest). They will also be making some cuts, mostly on the pro side. 20. So, what happens if one of the eight “play-in” losers wins one of the top three draft selections, and, unfortunately, we never get to the 13. It’s eye-opening to hear Buffalo’s Jack Eichel vent his frustration, but playoffs. Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said during his conference call it I don’t think it will surprise the Sabres. Everything he says publicly, is his understanding that the second-phase odds would be determined by they’ve heard privately. regular-season points percentage. That helps the Canadiens. 14. Other things you may have missed from an active Wednesday: 21. Calgary’s Elias Lindholm has switched agencies to Newport. He has Detroit GM Steve Yzerman confirmed Jeff Blashill will remain as head four seasons remaining on his current contract. coach and that the Wings will name a captain before next season. (You’re not going to get great betting odds on Dylan Larkin for that.) 22. The NHL officially announced its regular-season award winners on Great news for Carolina and the Islanders as Dougie Hamilton and Adam Thursday: Alex Ovechkin and David Pastrnak for the Rocket Richard; Pelech will be ready to return from what were supposed to be season- Leon Draisaitl for the Art Ross; Tuukka Rask and Jaroslav Halak for the ending injuries. Same for Jonathan Drouin in Montreal. Pittsburgh’s Nick Jennings. Bjugstad had a setback and is out for the season, while Winnipeg does not yet have clarity on Bryan Little. San Jose GM Doug Wilson did not I’m really fascinated to see how the play-in games get handled, because commit to Bob Boughner’s return as head coach. of one particular case: Carson Soucy. The Minnesota defender had a really nice season, making the good jump at 25. Because he’s played 15. When I began a conversation with Detroit’s Sam Gagner, he was only 62 regular-season and playoff games so far, he can become a finishing a 75-minute online Harvard Business School class. Dominic Group VI unrestricted free agent. If he gets up to 80, he moves to a Moore sold him on the idea, and Gagner was reviewing a case study. Is restricted free agent. So the Wild would need to play 18 games to get he thinking about his life after hockey? there. Debate the odds amongst yourselves, but you have to think any play-in games count. With the cap squeeze coming, a cost-efficient, “More recently than I ever have in the past,” Gagner answered. “I’m improving option like Soucy has value. always going to try and stay in the game in some capacity, and the development side appeals to me. I’ve had to try and develop myself — 23. I thought someone was pulling my leg with this, but it’s apparently grow in a lot of different ways — and I like the idea of helping other kids. true: One kind of funny issue is the NHL and NHLPA schedule the I’m not sure I’d want to coach.” arbitrators they want for the summer, when they normally hold the process. Now that it may be moved into the fall, they’re worried they Make no mistake about it, though — he still wants to play. won’t get the arbitrators they want, because they’ll be committed “I’d play another 10 years if I could, although I’m not sure they’ll let me,” elsewhere. It’s being worked on, but I smile at things I don’t realize he laughed. become problems.

16. I reached out to Gagner because he’s part of a group in a weird 24. Daniel Briere told some good stories on our #Ask31 on Tuesday. The situation: unrestricted free agent, no possible games until at least 307-goal scorer has one thing in common with all of us: In his new life as December, a long time before he’ll be able to sort out his future. vice president of operations for ECHL Maine, he hates shipping fees. “I’m a big stickler with shipping fees,” he said. “So we have our jersey “(COVID-19) has robbed you of some great life experiences. But [nameplates]. They will cost you $20 to $25 and the shipping fees will be turbulence is part of life. No doubt you will face it (again) in your future. $75 to $80 sometimes. It drives me absolutely nuts when I see that The question you have to answer then — as you do now — is, ‘When coming in.” you get knocked down, will you get back up?’ The greatest people in our history all have one thing in common: They faced incredible hardships, 25. A few years ago, Sportsnet’s features department did a fantastic and had a choice to make. They chose to persevere and always get back piece on Briere’s wife, Misha, a pilot and surgeon in the Air Force. up. I urge you to do the same. Turbulent times are also great “She separated from the Air Force two years ago,” he said. “(She’s) back opportunities to learn and to grow, to strengthen your faith, and to gain in internal medicine, it’s her intern year.” perspective on what’s truly important in life. I am sure you have done all three. Don’t waste one day to be the best version of yourself. Never Normally, interns are around 27 or 28, but Misha’s previous travels mean compare yourself to others. Be the best you. Chase your passion, she’s a little older. whatever that may be. Never chase money and fame, for if you chase your passions, you will never work one day in your life. Enrich the lives of “It’s funny — she was a major in the Air Force, bossing people around…. those around you; it’s amazing the impact you have on the people you She had a lot of people under her. And now she’s at the bottom go the touch. Make sure it’s a positive impact. Finally, live your life with an ‘earn pile, being bossed to. She works extremely hard — a lot of her patients this’ philosophy. Wake up every day trying to earn the great opportunities are COVID-19 patients in the Philly area.” you have in life. You are not entitled to anything in this life, you simply get Misha’s doing God’s work, we wish her — and the patients — all the what you earn. Wake up and earn it.” best.

26. Reminder that this GoFundMe has until tomorrow to save the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.29.2020 Alabama-Huntsville hockey program.

Senior Writer Ryan Dixon and NHL Editor Rory Boylen always give it 110%, but never rely on clichés when it comes to podcasting. Instead, they use a mix of facts, fun and a varied group of hockey voices to cover Canada’s most beloved game.

27. There are always people looking for ways to break into hockey, and this week I came across 30-year-old Montrealer Ian Beckenstein. Who is he?

“I’m a normal guy pursuing my dream,” he said.

Beckenstein used to work in digital advertising sales, but it wasn’t for him. He did some statistical stuff for the well-known Lac St. Louis hockey program, and when he heard about the Canadiens’ AHL team moving from Hamilton to Laval a few years ago, he reached out to the team’s goalie/video coach, Marco Marciano, over LinkedIn. Beckenstein’s now spent three years with them on a part-time basis (in addition to a full-time job at Sportlogiq, although that’s dissipated due to the pandemic). Earlier this week, he published a blog post entitled, “How to Start Your Video Coaching Career.” I enjoyed the read.

28. For Laval, Beckenstein charts home time-on-ice and face-off winning percentage, including how successful everyone is in each particular dot. Every game day at 9:00 a.m., he presents a report to assistant coach Alex Burrows.

“If we’re playing Toronto, it’s a combination of all the face-off stats versus the Marlies to that point of the season.”

That wasn’t initially one of his responsibilities, but, as Beckenstein says, when you’re starting out, “You’re always trying to find a way to add value to what you do. You learn a lot of lessons about the right approach. When I started in Lac St. Louis, they told me to ‘be a superstar in your role.’ So, if you’re going to be the video coach, be the best video coach you can be. You must do your initial task properly, because if you can’t do that, you’re not getting other opportunities.”

Beckenstein’s done some IIHF work, and wants to move up the ladder using a combination of video and analytics.

“I don’t want to be preachy. I just want to give back — give people an idea of the software, equipment [and] cost for people who want to try this.”

29. Beckenstein on Burrows: “He’s super detailed, super sharp, not afraid to say, ‘Why is this like this?’ And he’s not asking to be mean — he wants to understand.”

He added that Burrows talks about Sami Salo quite a bit, because he’s set up a power-play strategy based on something the Finnish defender used to do. It’s called “The Salo.”

30. True or false: missed a hole in one last week at Fairview Mountain’s golf course because the “noodle” on the pin got in the way?

31. Via video, Jeff Blashill addressed the graduates at De La Salle Collegiate in Warren, Mich. It was really good, and I wanted to end the blog with it. Blashill: 1185435 Websites “You’re here for a reason,” Tavares said. “You shouldn’t feel that you need to walk on egg shells. You need to be yourself, you need to play like yourself. Never take anything for granted, you gotta go out there and work and earn it — that’s what playing at this level [means]. Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs' Tavares sees camp with Keefe as 'added bonus' of NHL's plan “…There’s a reason why you’re here and what brought you here, so don’t forget those things. And be yourself. You’re a part of the team, you’re a part of our group, and you mean as much to our team and our success as any one of our core guys.” Thomas Ketko | @ThomasKetko

May 28, 2020, 10:52 PM Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.29.2020

As the calendar creeps closer towards June and the tally nears four months without live hockey in North America, silver linings for Canada’s favourite game on ice have been hard to come by.

The NHL offered one earlier this week, with commissioner Gary Bettman unveiling the framework of the league’s four-phase plan to resume amid the COVID-19 pandemic if it becomes safe to do so. But the multitudes contained in that “if” are still daunting. The novel coronavirus does not care when the NHL would like to come back, after all.

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares knows how many hurdles remain, how many hairpin turns could send the league back to square one, but still believes there’s a “really good chance” hockey is played this summer. So leave it to Tavares, that even-keeled, blue-and-white wearing optimist, to look deeper into hockey’s foggy future and find another light hiding within, too.

“We’ve got to be looking forward to what’s ahead, an opportunity to kind of reset here,” Tavares told Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman during Sportsnet’s #Ask31 Live on Thursday. “[It will be] a good opportunity to get a training camp under [head coach Sheldon Keefe], which we never really got.

“So kind of a little almost added bonus is, with a new coach, you get to really implement a lot more things …and really get those true reps that you need. Which you really can’t get in the season, especially as the season goes on, and the wear and tear, and the rest becomes very valuable. I think that’s definitely a benefit we’re going to get.”

Coaching a team with Stanley Cup aspirations is never easy, and assuming the role mid-season as Keefe did adds another layer of complexities to the mix — implementing redesigned lineups and systems on the fly, all while knowing there’s less room for error because there are fewer games left to be played.

In the 39 games he’s spent guiding the Maple Leafs’ on-ice performance, Keefe has gone 27-15 while ushering in a more free-wheeling — albeit not always consistent — offence that made use of Toronto’s wealth of offensive talent and saw them score the fourth-most goals in the league during his tenure, while posting the second-best power-play success rate.

If that’s what he could cook up in half a season on short notice, there’s at least the chance the time off to examine the ingredients in Toronto’s cupboard and a mini-camp to sample how they mix together could yield a more enticing final product.

Earlier Thursday, Friedman reported that players were informed Phase 3 of the NHL’s Return to Play Plan — the phase which includes training camps — won’t start before July 10. So that “added bonus” and any of its potential benefits is still a ways away for Tavares, Keefe and the rest of the Maple Leafs.

And if Tavares’ optimism is well-placed, if camps can be held, hockey can return and a Stanley Cup can be played for, there will be at least one more new face potentially joining him on the Maple Leafs: OHL standout Nick Robertson.

“I can imagine being in Nick’s shoes and just your hair standing up on end, getting an opportunity to be part of the team in a unique situation like this — an opportunity to help us win a Stanley Cup,” Tavares said.

Expectations accompany opportunities like that, certainly. And nerves, probably. Putting on a Maple Leafs jersey means wearing the hopes of a championship-starved fan base too — not a simple experience for an 18- year-old, to say the least.

Tavares is no stranger to shouldering that weight. He chose it, after all, deciding to sign with Toronto as a free agent, and with that familiarity comes advice for how to navigate it. 1185436 Websites get is the last change or whatnot. Yeah, it’s not going be the same. There’s no doubt about that.

“It sucks, frankly, but we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to get back Sportsnet.ca / Oilers' focus on chance to lift Cup won't be shaken by playing hockey and I’m sure those fans will be cheering loud in their living empty arenas rooms or wherever they’re watching from. I think it’ll suck but we’ve got to what we’ve got to do.”

That’s not all that “sucks” from an Edmonton standpoint. Mark Spector | @sportsnetspec While Boston Bruins president Cam Neely finds the playoff format May 28, 2020, 4:46 PM “somewhat disappointing,” with his league-leading Bruins forced to play a round-robin that will seed the top four teams in each Conference, the

Oilers got an even worse break. They are the only NHL team that stood EDMONTON — There was a time when surviving the first 10 minutes of second in their Division to be forced to play a qualifying round series, a playoff game at old — and only trailing 1-0 — was a losing out to the Dallas Stars on point percentage. small victory for the visiting team. It was a building that defined home-ice McDavid was on the Return to Play Committee. Was it tough to endorse advantage, a bricks-and-mortar intangible that has been passed on to the a format that gave the Oilers a bad shake? newer, bigger United Centre, even if somewhat diluted. “No, it wasn’t tough, honestly,” McDavid said. “Everyone on that A Chicago hockey rink is the only sporting venue in my 30 years in the committee — everyone around the league — has to take a step back and business where fans are encouraged to make noise all the way through say, ‘What’s best for the league?’ Not, ‘What’s best for me and my the national anthem, with a hair-raising crescendo when Wayne team?’ Messmer, and now giant , bellowed, “and the rocket’s RED GLAAARE!” “We (Oilers) were in a position where we were going to be included in any format, so that was a positive. Unfortunately, we were one of those Meanwhile, back in Edmonton, we are a one-horse sports town. So, as teams that were on the bubble of being in the top four, or being in the Ken Hitchcock likes to say, the opponent isn’t playing against 20 Oilers play-ins. We’re not in the top four, and Dallas probably deserves to be players, or 18,000 fans inside an arena. “You’re playing against a million there. So we’ll get the job done, and hopefully move on to an exciting Oiler fans,” Hitchcock used to say. playoffs.” As the Oilers get their heads around a play-in series against the Exciting to watch. But they’ll be weird at the same time. Blackhawks, the hockey world will have to get used to playoff hockey without the usual fan-infused electricity. Two teams playing in a neutral city with zero fans in the rink. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.29.2020 It’s everything we’ve come to love about playoff hockey, except for the part where the fans shape the momentum.

“Have you watched The Last Dance, with Michael Jordan?” Darnell Nurse queried on a Zoom call Thursday about how the players will create their own electricity. “I think that’s a perfect example — his mindset in a lot of those game of creating your own environment, creating your own fire. That’s a test that everyone who is in this situation is going to have to go through: Having to create your own excitement.”

For a long as I can remember, players would declare that after a couple of shifts, a solid body check given or received, anything happening in the stands fades to a blur. Whether it was the Montreal Forum, old Reunion Arena in Dallas, or the Boston Garden — after a while, the game is simply the game.

But will energy flow work the same way? Will 18,000 empty seats simply become the same white noise that it did when they were filled with screaming fans?

“There shouldn’t be a whole lot that you need to get you going, because you are still playing for a Stanley Cup,” Nurse said. “Yes, there are no fans there, and you might be in a hub city. But there is an opportunity to win a Stanley Cup. That should be enough motivation to get anyone going. There are a lot of challenges, a lot of things that are not ideal that come along with this situation. But, that’s the world. The world is in that position right now.

“So, the Stanley Cup should be all you need. It’s another test. You can look at it as another challenge that makes going through this whole process as hard as it’s going to be. That’s the whole other tier to it.”

It is more impactful when the home team scores, their fans go wild, they score again, and the momentum is taken hostage in an environment that makes a comeback seem so distant and difficult?

Or is it about that old hockey axiom, ‘Takin’ the crowd out of the game’? Is that momentum, earned by 20 against 20,000, even more difficult to create? Even more valuable to hold?

Connor McDavid just knows that a series against the Blackhawks will come without raucous anthems and Chi-Town steakhouses, hockey played at its purest with no outside influences.

“Obviously Chicago is one of the most fun buildings to play in. Their fans are great but I’d like to think our fans are better,” he said. “So there’s definitely going to be some loss of home-ice advantage for sure. All you’ll 1185437 Websites and then require three weeks together as a group after that. They’ve played 70 games as a group already, they know the systems.

2. Brackets provide some clarity in a year the seeds have basically been Sportsnet.ca / 10 reactions to the NHL's return-to-play plan and draft disrespected anyway … but they should still re-seed teams after each lottery playoff round

There’s a specious argument about bracket-style playoffs that goes something like: “Well you have to beat everyone to win it all anyway, who Justin Bourne | @jtbourne cares if it’s in the first round or final?” It’s just so patently untrue. By avoiding better teams early, you give lesser teams a chance to upset May 28, 2020, 1:27 PM them, so you may not have to go through murderer’s row.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Presidents’ Trophy by 21 points last Each week, Justin Bourne’s column will cover three different topics in year then got swept in Round 1. They lost a series, yes, but I don’t think varying depths. Think of it as a three-course meal with an appetizer, main anyone believes that Tampa suddenly became a bad team after Game course, and dessert… 82 last year and would have been an easy out for any opponent. Teams were happy to have avoided them in later rounds. This detail was included in a recent piece by Chris Johnston on the NHL’s return-to-play plans, regarding how players can get back on the In that spirit, I’ve always favoured re-seeding the playoffs after each ice in the coming days: round. It puts more importance on the 82-game marathon of a regular season. The higher you finish, the easier draw you get in each round, “The groups of six (or less) will remain constant and essentially be and the better chance you have to move on. Heck, the NHL should be all assigned a rotating shift for when they’re allowed in the facility. Where over this – it needs to find a way to get its best teams deeper into the possible, teams have been told to assign a different athletic trainer, post-season the way the NBA does. strength and conditioning coach and equipment manager to each group.” But as I said, this year the seeds have been disrespected entirely. So basically, for the next month after Phase 2 opens, players are going Boston had an 11-point lead on the Flyers after 70 games, and if they to skate in the same groups of six with the same trainer. I’m struck by have a couple off-nights after three months away from hockey they may how differently those groups are going to operate – it’d actually be a start the playoffs as a lower seed. Given the time off, and the format for fascinating study of sociology and psychology if we could get a good those top four teams by conference, I feel like seeds 1-4 have effectively documentary on this. been randomized. So, with things being complicated all over for fans, I wouldn’t hate it if they went bracket-style this year to keep it simple and I’ve got Michael Jordan on the brain from The Last Dance doc, and just clean. how much he pushed those around him, for better or worse. The NHL certainly has players who’ll push those around them farther than they’re Re-seeding is always the fairest way to go, so I still favour it. But given all comfortable. If you’re a serious player in Pittsburgh, you definitely want to the oddities this year I’m not going to waste much energy on it if they draw into Sidney Crosby’s group. decide to go the other way.

Similarly, I’m sure there will be groups that enable one another to mess Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey around, with trainers who lack real authority to push them in any world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what meaningful way. I suspect how these groups work will vary greatly, and they think about it. the results will be evident when play resumes. Don’t be surprised to hear a Stanley Cup champion later in 2020 explain how his group worked right 3. Why bother with any fuss about a Canadian hub city? from the get-go upon return in June. I can understand trying to get a hub city in Canada if: the league felt Let me start off this collection of thoughts by explaining that Elliotte there was one of the safest COVID-19 situations in North America, or if Friedman’s 31 Thoughts column is a sham. Yeah I said it. I’ve learned they felt there were substantial savings to be had based on the something that’s pretty hush-hush about that weekly column now that I’m comparatively weak loonie. But the reasons we’re getting seem to a little more behind the scenes at SN, and I’m going to share it. Elliotte include Canada’s importance to the game of hockey, and the league does “reporting” and gathers “information” and lets that inform his wanting to involve it for more noble reasons. Those seem a lot less “thoughts.” Those columns are more like 31 Useful Pieces of Information important to me. (That Elliotte Has Thought About). The best thing the NHL can do for Canadians is get this season going Me? I reek of authenticity when I say “thoughts.” These are 10 things I smoothly and without further stoppages … wherever they decide to play. purely thought about while learning of the NHL’s proposed return-to-play To me that means avoiding the difficulties that may come with involving plans. Now that’s a thoughts column. They may be way off base, they the governments of two countries. It means putting it in the safest places may end up bang on, but regardless, I at least think they’re centered (with sufficient amenities) period. People aren’t going to be at the games around concepts and conversations worth having for hockey fans. So whether they’re in Toronto or Timbuktu; as long as the games are take that, Friedge. televised, I can’t imagine caring what country is on the outside of those arena walls. I know the cities themselves would stand to benefit from 1. The length of training camp once this all resumes will surely be shorter teams coming and playing there, but at this point the league just has to given what we’ve learned … right? prioritize getting through the playoffs with as few complications as possible. Initial rumblings were that players wanted a three-week training camp after all this, which I felt was a little long given that’s essentially full-length 4. Glad Ovechkin got another Rocket, Matthews unlucky and we’re all going to need to make some sacrifices during these unusual times. Adding a Rocket Richard like this is what will make Ovechkin’s career honour list look so gaudy. It was already ridiculous, but now he’s well Anthony Stewart and I have gone back and forth about that timeline for a past the years players tend to pile up personal awards. A Rocket at age while now. I’ve contended that there’s no way a player after Day 12 of 34 (35 in September), in the thick of a dogfight with relative puppies in training is going to be like “Sure am glad we’re practicing another nine David Pastrnak and Auston Matthews? That’s an incredible days before we risk a game here.” Stewy’s made the case that some accomplishment, and one I’m glad to see him add to his collection. guys have been flat-out stagnant, and basically starting from scratch (and in Stewy’s defence, Gary Roberts came on our show and said players It feels unfortunate that Matthews didn’t get the chance to finish out the would need more like four weeks). race. He’s shown flashes of greatness when he knows all eyes are on him. He scored four in his first NHL game, he scored the OT winner in The thing is, I believe all these conversations happened with the loose the Winter Classic, and he has 10 goals in his first 20 playoff games. I assumption players would all come back together and get going together thought if things were close down the stretch he may have pulled a rabbit for “training camp.” With this “phase two” portion of the return to play, out of his hat for a finale. where players can skate in groups of six for at least a month before this training camp, there’s no way these guys are going to skate for that long 5. Thumbs up for the NHL leaving some things undecided I know it’s partially out of necessity that this would be the case, but I like entered in a random draw to see which team is assigned to which that the league didn’t make final decisions on things they don’t need to placeholder. Meaning that if one of the eight placeholder cards is drawn yet. There’s no forced planning like “All games will be played in the hub for a top three in June, each team that loses their play-in will have a 12.5 cities for the duration of the playoffs.” If restrictions are greatly changed per cent chance at a top-three pick, and they’ll know that entering their by the time the season looks to wrap up in, say, October, maybe teams play-in series. can play in their home cities, or maybe X amount of fans can go to the games. Let’s just wait and find out before declaring anything. If two placeholder cards are drawn, they’ll have a 25 per cent chance at a top three pick. It’s somewhere just above a one per cent chance, but it’s Even with the bracket style versus re-seeding option, the league decided not impossible three placeholder cards could be drawn and that the play- they wanted more time to think about it. Great. There’s no rush. Get it in losers would have a 37.5 per cent chance at picking in the top three. figured out correctly, not quickly. Imagine the chaos if it’s a 37.5 per cent chance at a top-three pick and 6. As a lover of chaos, I enjoy the statistical anomaly of play-in games getting Alexis Lafreniere or Quinton Byfield for the play-in losers. Like if not technically being regular season or playoffs. (How’s that work in you’re a Leafs fan and those are the odds, what’s the best outcome from arbitration?) a play-in series versus Columbus? Definitely a series loss, yeah?

On Gary Bettman very clearly stated that since not all While I’m glad this routine wasn’t just limited to hockey coaches, I am NHL teams would be resuming the season, you can’t call the play-in aghast to discover that yes, the ol’ “stick across the back of the shin games regular season games. They just aren’t. pads” heave was actually better for recovery than the position coaches always forced my teams into, with our sticks across the back of our necks And, well, they aren’t quite playoff games either. The NHL doesn’t have a to “open up our lungs.” I am retroactively upset. playoff structure that includes the 24th-best team and byes. Coaches aren’t getting bonuses for getting their teams to the post-season for “making” the … whatever this is. So you can’t really add them directly to a player’s personal playoff stats. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.29.2020

Good luck to those of you who host hockey stat websites, because I have no idea where you put these. As said on air, these stats will mostly be answers to bar trivia questions 50 years from now. I can’t imagine how these stats will be perceived in arbitration cases. (Quick thought: if personal stats don’t matter, would we see any players play differently?)

7. Buffalo not even being a part of the play-in games is insane

This graphic from shrpsports.com shows the Atlantic Division standings over three weeks into this NHL season. This season. The Sabres led the division by five points with a 9-2-1 record.

So that’s a dozen games in, and they ended the year having played 69 total times, leaving 57 games between the picture above and the season stoppage. Twenty-four teams made the play-in round. It’s crazy to me that Buffalo was that bad over the next 57 games that they ended up on the outside looking in.

I see the seven teams on the outside of the play-in games, and I don’t think the Sabres fit. There’s a lot of good there. Really, it may be that missing the play-in round is best thing that could’ve happened to them. A little luck in the lottery here would go a long way for that franchise and its fans.

8. If this does all come together, the mayhem of all the hockey, all the time, with unpredictable results, is going to be absolute hog heaven

If you pull back and look at the big picture view here, the NHL’s plan includes more teams, and potentially more games than a usual playoff run. The proposal includes holding it over a condensed schedule compared to usual. The teams are going to be jammed into two cities. Quick math on that: There’s going to be a ton of hockey in a short amount of time on a few rinks, meaning games spread throughout days, all day, every day.

I occasionally complain that the NHL will have like 10 games some nights, seven at 7:00pm and three at 10:00pm (EST). Limited ice sheets leads to a forced stagger of start times, meaning we can all watch way more of the games than usual. Amazing.

9. With this format, Montreal and Chicago both see their odds of picking in the lottery drop by double digit per cent

One area I feel the league did itself a disservice with this plan: in the rush to get fans interested again and include the big markets they’re hurting the big markets. According to the statistical models of Dom Luzsczyszyn, both Montreal and Chicago see their odds of picking in the lottery – something both teams badly need – drop by over 10 per cent (compared to if they just missed the playoffs in a normal year). Yes, the chance at the Cup is nice – but since they don’t really have much of one, I don’t think either organization would be happy about the trade-off.

10. If placeholders win multiple lottery spots it’s gonna be mayhem

On that draft topic, eight placeholder spots (for the teams that lose their play-in games) are going to be included in the lottery for the top three picks. If at least one of those wins a top three selection, they will then be 1185438 Websites embrace it. We’re going to come back and be ready to go. This is a great opportunity for our players. Our players are excited to be part of this and we’re in the hunt. You win your share of games, you can keep playing. You’re playing for the Cup.” Sportsnet.ca / Canucks granted precious opportunity for growth in qualifying series The Cup is a long way away, figuratively and literally. Staging a full Stanley Cup tournament in the time of COVID-19 feels a little like an expedition to climb Mt. Everest, and all the NHL did this week was provide a trail map to get to base camp. Iain MacIntyre | @imacSportsnet But it’s a positive direction. It’s hope. May 28, 2020, 6:46 PM Driven by young stars Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes, and starting

goalie Jacob Markstrom, the Canucks have already displayed a lot of VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks thought they were a playoff both this season. team. Now, technically, they’re not. They thought they wouldn’t have a “All that hard work is going to go to something,” Horvat said. first-round pick this summer, but at the moment are still eligible to draft first overall. He said there should be no asterisk attached to a 2020 Stanley Cup winner. Just as it was impossible to know when this National Hockey League season started that a once-in-a-century pandemic would halt it, it was “Not in my opinion,” he said. “Obviously, it’s different than in previous impossible until this week to plan for its resumption. years. But in my opinion, you’re going to have to play some pretty tough hockey and go through a lot of tough hockey teams and tough games. So, at least the Canucks have that. You’re going to have to go through potentially five rounds. It’s still going But Vancouver captain Bo Horvat and his wife, Holly, are still a long way to be tough to win the Stanley Cup.” from figuring out how Bo will be available for the birth of the couple’s first Sutter added: “The reason we kind of decided on this format is it had the child in July. most integrity possible to the league and to the players. It’s not an easy “I’ve been thinking about that pretty much every day since there could be trophy to win and this year shouldn’t be any different than other years. So a possibility of return to play,” Horvat said Thursday in a video- whoever wins will be very deserving.” conference call from his home in Rodney, Ont. “It’s definitely not easy… but I’m not the only one in this kind of situation. There’s lots of guys around the league that are in different situations, whether it’s having Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.29.2020 babies or being away from families (or having) people in their families have different problems. Everybody’s got things to worry about.”

The Canucks hope there will never be another year like this one. We all do.

But if the NHL is successful in returning from the coronavirus, this extraordinary road will take the Canucks to the place they set off eight months ago to discover: games at the end of their season that count for something more than draft position.

The five-game “qualifying” series the league has given the Canucks against the Minnesota Wild — month and location TBD — isn’t playoff games, but will feel like them for a team rebuilt since it last appeared in the Stanley Cup tournament in 2015.

Win three games and you’re in. One good week. This simple mandate is precious to the Canucks’ less experienced players who will have a chance to grow a little more and prove they can score goals and win games when it matters most.

“For sure, it’s huge,” veteran Canuck Brandon Sutter said from Sylvan Lake, Alta. “You don’t really quite realize what the intensity is like and… just how much fun the playoffs are. You’ve got to learn pretty quick how to raise your expectations for how you play out there. It’s just a fun time. For our young guys to get a little taste of that would be awesome.”

“Like we’ve been saying the last couple of years, we want them to play meaningful games down the stretch when the hockey matters,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning told reporters after the NHL announced Tuesday its ambitious 24-team playoff tournament. “The intensity and the focus, they’re going to see what it’s like now to play with that intensity. I think it’s great for our whole organization.”

The Canucks believed they were a playoff team when their .565 winning percentage (36-27-6) put them seventh in the Western Conference as the NHL suspended play on March 12. The league and its Return to Play Committee expanded the Stanley Cup field to 24 teams, but 16 of them still have to qualify for the official playoffs should the coronavirus allow the NHL to execute its plans for summer hockey.

And while the Canucks would like to call themselves a playoff team, if they fail to advance against the Wild, Vancouver has the benefit of getting back the first-round draft pick conditionally surrendered last June in the trade for J.T. Miller — in addition to the priceless experience gained by young players competing in playoff-like games.

“The league has tried to come up with something that’s fair for the teams,” Benning said. “We were fighting down the stretch to be a playoff team, and this is the format they’ve come up with, so we’re going to 1185439 Websites "I'm a Toronto kid so I grew up watching the Leafs and it's a true honour to play for my hometown and hopefully earn an NHL contract at some point. That was a huge thing, but also their development [staff] and what they do to players. I've seen it throughout the years and it's well-known TSN.CA / OHL top defenceman Noel Hoefenmayer puts faith in Toronto throughout the whole of hockey that they have a great development Maple Leafs organization system."

What stands out the most about Toronto's development team?

Mark Masters "I think the big thing is Barb [Underhill]. She's a great skating coach and she's worked with a lot of players in the NHL especially with the Leafs

and turned them into great skaters and that's the No. 1 area I need to Noel Hoefenmayer doesn't recall exactly when he received the cutout of work on. She's very good so I'm excited to work with her." a moustache, but he will always remember the inscription on the back. You scored 26 goals in 58 games this season, including quite a few "To Noel, Dream big dreams," wrote former National Hockey League star bombs from the point. How did you turn your shot into the weapon it is Lanny McDonald. now?

"It's something I've had in my room for a long time," Hoefenmayer said. "A lot of years of practice. That's one thing I've really enjoyed doing since "My mom actually got it, I'm not sure how, but it was put in my room one I was young. I'd always shoot in the driveway with my younger brother day and it's been there ever since I can remember. I've used that, and my dad would be out there with us. Since I can remember I've been mentally, in the back of my head for a number of years and it’s helped shooting pucks in my driveway. Even now I've been trying to keep up me push forward toward my goals. It’s right beside my bed so when I with that and shooting pucks and staying active so I can keep my shot wake up it's hard to miss." ready. That's something I've always enjoyed doing and it made myself and my brother closer and it was something my dad and I loved to do as Hoefenmayer didn't know much about McDonald or his famous well. So, we'd always go out to the driveway after a long day and shoot moustache as a kid, but he did some research in the ensuing years and pucks and be in the moment." the message resonated more and more. Where did you improve this year when it comes to off-the-ice habits? Hoefenmayer's big dream is to play in the NHL one day. But last summer the Ottawa 67s defenceman suffered a setback when the Arizona "This year, being as determined as I was to earn a contract and move on Coyotes, who picked him in the fourth round of the 2017 draft, decided to the next level, I learned a lot about myself. Last year our team had not to sign him to a contract relinquishing his rights. It may have been a Mikey DiPietro, Sasha Chmelevski, Kody Clark, guys like that, and they blessing in disguise. were the same age as me, but I took a lot of information from them and how they acted away from the rink and how professional they were. I "It drove me and pushed me to new limits so I'm grateful for that," he tried to implement that into my game this year with my lifestyle and not said. necessarily changing, but tweaking little things to give me more of a competitive advantage and I think it really paid off." Hoefenmayer, who stands 6-foot-1, 196 pounds, stayed in Ottawa last summer working closely with the 67s strength and conditioning coach Can you give us an example of what you tweaked? Was it your diet? and the skills team. Then, in his over-age season, Hoefenmayer proceeded to win the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL's top "Dieting, sleeping patterns, getting to bed early. We had early-morning defenceman. He led all major junior defencemen with 82 points in 58 practices [8 a.m.] so we had to be at the rink early. Sleep is essential to games have a good day especially as high-performing athletes so getting in bed early and getting a solid sleep definitely benefited me a lot." "I'm really happy that my off-season work paid off," the Toronto native said. "I took not signing with Arizona pretty seriously when I was working Who do you model your game after? last summer. I knew what my goals were, I knew what I was working for "It's hard to compare your game to players in the NHL, because so to have that pay off was rewarding." everyone is kind of different and has their own game. There’s a lot of Hoefenmayer increased his point total by 20 despite playing 10 fewer guys I like to watch and John Carlson is one of them. I like the way he games than in the 2018-19 season. And he didn't just earn a trophy from plays and I like watching little things he does." the league, he also earned a contract. The 21-year-old signed a two year The AHL isn't sure yet when it can resume so you may not play again for American Hockey League deal with the . All of a sudden a while. How concerned are you about this long layoff? that big dream of playing in the NHL seems closer than ever. "I'm not very concerned. I think this is a good opportunity for me to work "It's one step closer," Hoefenmayer said cautiously. "The road never on little skills that maybe I wouldn't necessarily have the time to work on. ends until you're there. It's a good step forward, but there's a lot more It could be an advantage for me and it's something that I'll take day-by- hard work to do." day and really work on myself." Hoefenmayer spoke to TSN via Skype this week and explained why he trusts the Leafs organization to help him take the next strides in his development. The following is an edited transcript of the interview. TSN.CA LOADED: 05.29.2020 Where did you improve the most last summer?

"I really wanted to focus on my speed. I also worked a lot on my offensive-zone play, working the blueline, moving the puck quickly, getting my feet moving out of tight situations so I think that translated pretty well. In hockey there's always room for improvement, especially with skating. My skating improved last summer, but that's something I'll look for again in this quarantine period and this summer leading into next season."

What's the message from Toronto's player development staff so far?

"I've had some good discussions with them. They've been running some mobility classes and mindfulness training so I've been doing that every day throughout the week and hoping, as soon as I'm allowed, to get in there and work with them."

Why was the Leafs organization the right choice for you to continue your development? 1185440 Websites “If you were to leave the NHL’s bubble, you would risking your health and your contract, there’s no question,” Liut said. “You get into a fight in a bar and someone gets hurt bad enough, it can cost you your career, just on an immigration issue. Lots of young guys don’t think about things like TSN.CA / Liut warns NHLers to review disability insurance before that. returning “Issues like this with COVID will be one of those things players may not consider. If you say you’ve just had enough of this and leave the bubble and they wind up with COVID, you have put themselves at risk of losing By Rick Westhead their contracts, depending on the degree of breach. If their team is looking to get out from under their contract, you’ve given them an opportunity.” , a former National Hockey League goaltender who is now managing director of Octagon Hockey agency, is sending this message to any player who will listen: review your disability insurance before you TSN.CA LOADED: 05.29.2020 return to the ice.

In its May 24 memo announcing health and safety measures for players to return to voluntary small-group workouts, the NHL said COVID-19 would be a hockey-related injury, “unless it is established, based on the facts at issue, that the player contracted COVID-19 or the resulting or related illness outside the course of his employment as a hockey player.”

Liut, whose agency represents about 80 NHL players including Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, St. Louis’s Vladimir Tarasenko and Winnipeg’s Patrik Laine, said the memo is an indication that players would still paid if they contract the virus and miss games.

However, Liut said players who contract the novel coronavirus and recover could see their pro hockey careers end if their lungs are affected.

“The risk [for a healthy, young professional athlete] is small, except we don’t know how people react to it and therefore you can’t take a chance of not having coverage,” Liut said in an interview. “The players need to be aware of this and they need to know this is serious. It’s too easy to say this only affects old people. Well, not really. There’s a Broadway guy who got COVID, was on a respirator, had a blood clot and lost his leg.”

(Nick Cordero, a 41-year-old Canadian actor from Hamilton, Ont., has been in a Los Angeles hospital with COVID-19 since March 31. His wife, Amanda Kloots, has said Cordero had no underlying conditions, and that his lungs have become severely damaged to the point where they look “almost like he's been a smoker for 50 years.”)

A number of infectious disease specialists have warned that because COVID is so new to the human population, there isn't data available establishing the risk of long-term damage to the lungs and other organs.

Liut said Octagon Hockey officials discussed the issue last week during a conference call with Sutton Special Risk, a Toronto company that provides NHL players with disability insurance coverage. Sutton president Greg Sutton declined to comment.

NHL contracts are guaranteed, meaning players are still paid if they have injuries such as concussions or back or knee problems that occur during games.

But many players also purchase disability insurance to cover the loss of long-term earnings •– contracts that players might never sign if their careers end early because of injuries. A policy for COVID-19 would work the same way.

A person familiar with the matter said more than 350 NHL players have disability insurance coverage and that the rates change depending on a player’s age and injury history. Some players have coverage worth $30 million, the person said.

Rates for the 24-hour coverage range from $4.00 to $12.50 per $1,000 worth of coverage, meaning a player paying $7.00 per $1,000 who wants $20 million worth of coverage would pay about $140,000 per season, the person said.

The NHL has said it wants to have two so-called “hub cities” that each could host a dozen teams for a playoff over the course of the summer.

The league has said isolating players, officials and team and league staff together in a bubble and limiting their contact with those outside the bubble should help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among players and staff.

Liut said he has been advising players with long-term guaranteed contracts that they could be putting those contracts at risk if they were to leave an NHL bubble and contract COVID-19. 1185441 Websites But the story of Columbus ultimately centers on their blueline. The team’s top pairing of Zach Werenski and Seth Jones has become one of the most formidable defensive duos in the league, and Toronto’s top-six forwards are going to see an ample amount of both in this series. TSN.CA / A statistical look at the Leafs vs. Blue Jackets play-in series The Jones/Werenski pairing is strong on both sides of the ice, and over the years it has led to some incredible goal rates. By season:

By Travis Yost - 2016-17: +9 goals

- 2017-18: +16 goals

The National Hockey League’s Return to Play format is official, and - 2018-19: -10 goals assuming all goes to plan, we are about six weeks away from watching hockey once again. - 2019-20: +14 goals

The new format – in the event you live under a rock – will feature 24 For Toronto to prevail in this series, neutralizing Columbus’ best units – teams in total, and will open up with a 16-team qualifying round. The anchored by the Jones/Werenski pairing – will be critical. opening best-of-five series offers new life to eight teams that were below Goaltender Overview (Goals Saved Above Average) the original playoff cutline, and should create waves of excitement for eager sports fans. The questions about how porous the Maple Leafs defence has been this season has been quite tough to answer, if only because the goaltending With such a significant layoff, there will be ample questions about has been comparatively abysmal. For every scoring chance where the preparedness for every team. But the good news is with 70 or so regular- blueline left a Toronto goalie out to dry, you had another lifeless shot season games logged, we do have a rather strong understanding of each from the point that somehow found its way in the back of the net. team’s strengths and weaknesses. Frederik Andersen did improve as the season progressed, and the To shake off the rust here, I will preview each qualifying round series acquisition of Jack Campbell from Los Angeles did prove to be a major over the next few weeks. Today we will start in the Eastern Conference, upgrade over Michael Hutchinson. Andersen will be the guy in this series, with the eight seed Toronto Maple Leafs taking on the nine seed but it’s probably fair to say he doesn’t have the longest leash of goalies in Columbus Blue Jackets. the qualifying round. Regular Season Performance In Columbus, Tortorella had tough decisions to make in the post-Sergei One of the things that I think makes a Toronto-Columbus matchup so Bobrovsky world. His tandem of Elvis Merzlikins (33 games) and Joonas intriguing is that the teams are polar opposites. Korpisalo (37 games) proved more than capable, and were one of the biggest reasons the Blue Jackets stayed in the hunt this season. The Maple Leafs are a high-flying offensive team with loads of superstar talent up front, and carried one of the league’s more prolific offences But in a short series, the value of a rotational goaltender system is through the regular season. Toronto’s 3.4 goals per game was actually diminished – Tortorella ultimately has to pick one. The games played third in the league, trailing only Tampa Bay (3.5) and Washington (3.4). edge would seemingly give it to Korpisalo, but on performance, Despite the wondrous offensive production, Toronto is still just an eighth Merzlikins was a definitively better goalie. I would be surprised if the seed – in large part because only five teams gave up more goals per Latvian isn’t given the Game 1 start. game (3.2). Elite offensive team, shaky defensive team Prediction The Blue Jackets live on the other end of the spectrum. Their 2.6 goals If anyone is still counting out Columbus after last season’s unbelievable against per game was fourth best in the league – a surprisingly strong sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning, they are foolish. This is a strong, performance considering the exodus of talent from Columbus last defensively disciplined team that’s going to scratch and claw for every summer. In many ways, it’s a classic John Tortorella team: incredibly inch of the ice. disciplined in the defensive zone, with five-man units that show very capable in pushing opposing forwards well into the perimeter. But this Toronto lineup just has too much firepower in the forward ranks, and there are serious concerns about where the scoring will come from It’s also a classic Tortorella team because scoring was a problem all on the Columbus side. season long. 5-on-5 scoring and power-play production – which has been an area of concern for a few years now in Columbus – are ineffective, in The pick is Toronto in five. large part because the team cannot create offence from the low slot:

Skater Overview (Goals Above Replacement) TSN.CA LOADED: 05.29.2020 There is no doubt that Toronto’s Auston Matthews is the best skater heading into this series. Matthews’ fourth professional season was absolutely electric, with 47 goals and 33 assists in 70 games played. The season stoppage ultimately barred him from chasing down the Rocket Richard Trophy, finishing just one marker back of Boston’s David Pastrnak and Washington’s Alexander Ovechkin.

What differentiates Matthews from a number of other prolific scorers in Toronto is that the Maple Leafs showed a semblance of defensive competency with him on the ice. Toronto was a full goal better than its opponents for every 60 minutes of even-strength play with Matthews on the ice – a number that compares to the likes of Mark Stone and Evgeni Malkin.

Consider some of the other Leafs attackers, and you have a very different story. Mitchell Marner (+0.0 goals per 60 minutes), Kasperi Kapanen (-0.2 goals per 60 minutes), and John Tavares (-0.4 goals per- 60 minutes) are just a handful of examples of productive offensive players who traded off those goals because of leaky defensive play behind them.

Matthews isn’t the only player in the series to drive such an impressive on-ice goal differential, though. Oliver Bjorkstrand – the 25-year-old Columbus forward in the midst of his own breakout season – also finished a goal better than his opponents per 60 minutes, coming into his own with linemates Gustav Nyquist and Pierre-Luc Dubois. 1185442 Websites pick than Vanek, but nothing changes for me, because I still have to work hard to make the NHL."

Have you ever spoken with Vanek? TSN.CA / Rossi feels ready for jump to the NHL "Yes, over the phone. It was two years ago ... he heard I came to Canada and asked my personal coach to have my number and then he called me, and we talked a bit. He gave me advice about playing on North By Mark Masters American ice, how it's different than Europe."

Where did your game improve the most this season? Where did you take the biggest step? Marco Rossi feels ready to make the jump to the National Hockey League. "I would say everything. My body got much better from my first season to the second. My shot got better. My skill set got better. I got faster, bigger, "I have a lot of confidence and I know how good I am," the Ottawa 67’s stronger, so I improved everything. It's hard to say one thing. I just got, centre said. "So, I can play on the next stage and that's the NHL for me. overall, much better." Like I said, I'm confident." Ottawa 67s coach Andre Tourigny praises your competitive fire. Where He should be. Rossi absolutely shredded the this does that come from? season, posting 120 points in just 56 games and taking home the Red Tilson Trophy as most outstanding player. He was only held off the score "Definitely from my dad, because I when I saw him playing in the Austrian sheet in four games. League, I could see his fire and passion for the sport, his competitiveness, and since then I had the same mindset as him." "His season was nothing short of amazing," said 67’s defenceman Noel Hoefenmayer, who just signed a contract with the Toronto Marlies. "He's I understand that competitive fire carries over into practice. What do your a great player and a special person too. I'm not surprised at all with what teammates think? he did. I saw it coming with how hard he works and how determined he is to make it to the next level. Marco is a pretty competitive guy and we'd "It doesn't matter if it’s a two-on-one [drill] or whatever, if I don't score or if always have competitions before and after practice, just pushing each it's a bad pass, I get frustrated. They always say, 'Oh my God!' But, it’s other to work on little skills to get better." funny."

While the first phase of the NHL draft lottery will be held on June 26, it The 67s were the top team in the OHL, what was your favourite moment remains unclear exactly when the teams will actually make their of the season? selections. "Winning every game, that's the most fun part. When the season got "Of course, it's going to be tough and annoying to wait, but for all cancelled, I was so frustrated. In my first season, we were in the [OHL] prospects it's the same situation right now," Rossi said. "We have to wait final and had a winning streak of 14 games and then you lose four games and respect the situation." in a row, it was very tough to swallow. Then coming into this season our big goal was to win and I think we were in a really good [position] and it's Whenever the draft happens, Rossi is expected to be among the first very disappointing." names called. He finished No. 6 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, while TSN director of scouting How long did it take to get over the loss to in the OHL slotted him No. 8 overall in his latest prospects list. Championship series last year?

"Rossi is an excellent playmaker with the vision and creativity to make "Long ... the first few days you're just speechless and then you realize something out of nothing," Button said. "He has a style of play similar to what happened and you're just frustrated." Nicklas Backstrom." How did you get over it? Did you work even harder? Rossi spoke with TSN this week from his family home in Austria where "I just worked the same, because if you work harder then maybe it's bad he's been working out daily, including walking on a tightrope. The 18- for your body if you do too much. But I was pissed, and it was good, year-old reflected on his dominant season and opened up about his because coming into the new season you just play with more passion." admiration for former Red Wing and tennis star Dominic Thiem. The following is an edited transcript of the conversation. After posting 120 points in 56 games, Ottawa 67’s centre Marco Rossi was named the OHL’s most outstanding player. Will you consider playing games in Europe this fall if the start of the NHL season is pushed back a lot? Our director of scouting, Craig Button, compares your skill set to that of Nicklas Backstrom. Which current or past NHL players do you use as a "No. If I have a chance to play in the NHL, then I want to play in the NHL. role model? We just have to wait right now." "Pavel Datsyuk. I always watched Datsyuk’s highlights since I was a The Senators are guaranteed two picks in the top six. You just spent two small kid." seasons in Ottawa, what did you like about playing in Canada's capital? Do you have a favourite Datsyuk moment or game? "First of all, they have such great fans and the people were so friendly there and so nice to me. Everything was just perfect. It was the perfect "I remember when he was playing against Nashville and he was unreal. city and the hockey rink was really nice." There were so many highlights in just one game. It's unbelievable."

What do you think it would be like to play in the NHL in a Canadian Do you watch a lot of hockey? Are you on YouTube scouting plays all the market? time?

"I just want to play in the NHL, and it doesn't matter where. But if it's "Yes, but just Pavel Datsyuk's highlights." going to be a Canadian team then, of course, it's going to be different. The transition to come from Europe to Canada was big, because hockey You have posted some videos on Twitter of you working on a tightrope, [here] is not that big, not like Canada, so that transition was huge for me. how does that help? Everyone is hockey crazy." "It's one drill where we work on balance and the core."

Where does hockey rank on the list of popular sports in Austria? Is it tough?

"I don't know, like, maybe 10th, 15th, 20th? It's not very popular." "It's tough, yeah."

Thomas Vanek was picked No. 5 in the 2003 draft, the highest selection What are you focused on improving this summer? for an Austrian, would it be meaningful to match that or even beat it? "My speed, that's the main point right now. We've already trained seven "Not really. I just want to get drafted by a team that wants me and that's weeks since I've been back home in Austria. From the first day [I where I’ll be the most happy. If I get drafted No. 4 then, okay, I'm a higher returned] we've trained. We train twice a day. The focus is to get faster, more speed."

What is the best part of life in Austria?

"Living at the Alps and eating good food and eating schnitzel."

What's your favourite type of schnitzel?

"Chicken. There are good places, but for me it's my mom or my grandmother, they do it best."

Did you find a schnitzel place in Ottawa?

"I found one, but it's hard. It’s not the same."

Dominic Thiem, No. 3 in the ATP rankings, is one of the biggest sports stars from Austria right now. What impact has he made?

"Oh my God, like, If you see him it’s just incredible. Over the last few years he's made so many big steps forwards and it's a big motivation for every [athlete], it doesn't matter if you're in hockey, tennis, soccer. It doesn't matter where you're from, you can make it. It's just incredible."

Are you a big tennis fan?

"I'm a huge tennis fan, so I always try to watch every game I can of Dominic Thiem. It's one of my favourite sports besides hockey and soccer."

Did you play?

"I used to play tennis until I was 14, along with soccer and hockey, so I had to decide on one of those sports and I decided for hockey."

Was it an easy choice?

"Not really, because I loved to do everything, but at the end of the day the most passion I had was for hockey, so that’s why I chose that. But I still play soccer and tennis in the summer."

TSN.CA LOADED: 05.29.2020

1185443 World Leagues News -- The ATP said it will not resume tournament play until the first week of August in Washington.

The WTA is still scheduling events in Palermo from July 20-26 and in When will I see you again? Sport steps out of virus shadow Karlsruhe on July 28-August 2, for now at least.

-- The French Open has already been moved to Sept 20-Oct 4 although AFP | Updated: May 29, 2020, 13:55 IST there are suggestions that it may be put back by a further week.

Organisers say it could be played behind closed doors.

PARIS: Sport's big ticket events, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, European -- The United States Tennis Association will decide in mid-June on the football championships, Wimbledon and the British Open golf tournament US Open in New York. have all been cancelled this year because of the coronavirus. -- plans to open its season in Austria with back-to-back However, as the world slowly emerges from the pandemic, sport is races on July 5 and 12. making a comeback with the English Premier League and Italy's Serie A F1 boss Chase Carey insists that a 15-18 race season is still possible. both revealing return dates on Thursday. Silverstone's hopes of also staging back-to-back races after Austria are A look at what's ahead: in the balance after the British government insisted that all arrivals in the -- The English Premier League will restart on June 17, provided that all country undergo a two-week quarantine period. safety requirements are in place. -- NASCAR returned behind closed doors earlier in May at Darlington Aston Villa v Sheffield United and Manchester City v Arsenal will take Raceway, South Carolina. place on that date, followed by a full match round beginning on June 19. -- MotoGP hopes to start with back-to-back races at Jerez, Spain, on July Due to the coronavirus all matches will take place behind closed doors. 19 and 26.

Liverpool are just two wins away from a first league title in 30 years. -- The NBA, whose players are conducting individual workouts at team facilities where allowed, exploring a plan to resume the season in late -- Italy's Serie A can resume on June 20 after a three-month absence in a July at Disney World in Orlando, Florida, although final details have yet to country hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, sports Minister Vincenzo be determined. Spadafora said. -- Major League Baseball wants an 82-game schedule to open in July No top-flight matches have been played since Sassuolo beat Brescia 3-0 after three weeks of pre-season training, with games to be played at on March 9, before the championship was suspended by a pandemic home stadiums with no spectators. However, players are disappointed which has killed over 33,000 people in Italy. that pay cuts have been suggested by team owners.

-- The German Bundesliga became the first major European league to -- The National Hockey League will abandon the rest of the regular resume on May 16 under strict conditions. Matches are behind closed season and proceed directly to a 24-team playoff staged in two hub doors with players elbow-bumping to celebrate goals. Some grounds cities. Ten cities are in the running for the two hub centres, including have allowed cardboard cutouts of fans to fill up empty spaces. The seven from the US: Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Los Angeles, Las league wanted to complete the last nine rounds of matches before June Vegas, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh. The three Canadian cities are Toronto, 30 to secure around 300 million euros ($325 million) in television money. Vancouver and Edmonton.

-- Spanish La Liga president Javier Tebas said he hopes the season will -- After the cancellation of the British Open, the remaining majors are the start again on June 11 with the Seville derby, "one game for all of Spain". PGA Championship from August 6-9 in and the rescheduled US Open from Sept 17-20 at Winged Foot, New York, with "It is possible that on Thursday, June 11, we could have the first Liga the Masters at Augusta, usually played in April, scheduled for November game," Tebas told Movistar Plus television. 12-15. "We would like it to be the Seville derby -- Real Betis v Sevilla -- at 2200 -- The Ryder Cup, at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, from September 25- (2000 GMT)." 27, could take place without fans. Last weekend, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced that La -- The USPGA hopes its tournament season can resume with the Liga could resume from its lockdown in the week beginning June 8. Charles Schwab Challenge from June 11 in Fort Worth, Texas. All matches will be behind closed doors. Barcelona sit top of the table, -- The LPGA Tour is due to reopen on July 23 at the Marathon Classic at two points ahead of Real Madrid. Sylvania, Ohio. -- In France, the season has been declared over and Paris Saint- -- Golf's European Tour will be back on July 22 with a run of six Germain were awarded the Ligue 1 title. tournaments over six weeks in the UK, starting with the British Masters. -- South Korea had the honour of being the first elite league back in -- The Tour de France has been rescheduled for an August 29 start from action on May 8 but there were no crowds or wild goal celebrations -- its original June 27 date. even talking was discouraged. -- The Giro d'Italia will take place from October 3-25 with a six-day -- There will be no domestic cricket in England until August 1 at the overlap with the Vuelta a Espana and will be raced at the same time as earliest. three 'Monument' classics. -- As far as international cricket is concerned, the English authorities -- The Diamond League, which was to have started in Doha on April 17, remain confident the Test series with the West Indies, with matches is now scheduled to open in Monaco on August 14. provisionally scheduled to start on July 8, 16 and 24 at Hampshire's Ageas Bowl and Lancashire's Old Trafford, will go ahead, behind closed -- With the exception of a June 11 meeting in Oslo that will feature doors at these "bio-secure" venues. modified events in line with social distancing rules, the rejigged Diamond League calendar will showcase 12 meetings, culminating in China on Australia and Pakistan are still due to tour later in the summer. October 17 at a venue yet to be arranged. -- The money-spinning IPL, which should have started on March 29, was -- The first English classics, the 1000 and 2000 Guineas are to be run at postponed but media reports said the BCCI may aim for a tournament in Newmarket on the first weekend of June. September-October, ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia. -- Flat racing's showpiece meeting Royal Ascot it is hoped will follow As Australia's borders are currently closed to non-residents as a measure shortly afterwards on June 16. However, it will do so without racegoers, against coronavirus, there are doubts the tournament can go ahead as including its most notable attendee Queen Elizabeth II who will miss it for scheduled. the first time since 1952. -- The Derby and Oaks will be behind closed doors at Epsom Downs on July 4 instead of June.

-- In the United States, the Triple Crown will now start on June 20 with the Belmont Stakes, followed by the rescheduled Kentucky Derby on September 5 and the Preakness Stakes on October 3.

-- The NRL season in Australia restarted on Thursday.

-- In union, summer internationals have been cancelled as has the French Top 14.

-- New Zealand's Super Rugby franchises will compete in a new competition played behind closed doors starting on June 13.

The Times of India LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185444 World Leagues News Brands and sports bodies will first look to secure commercials and media rights. The one thing which comes out evidently is that the sports landscape will be different in five years from now. While no one can Coronavirus: Focus on digital interactivity with fans, innovation will help negate the importance of fans in stadium, the absence of “real” sport sports emerge stronger presents an opportunity for virtual technologies to grow. Immersive technologies could enable fans to experience games live in times to come, without having to be physically present – an idea that once may have been unreasonable, now seems like a rational thought. Staff The digital 24/7 fan during lockdown

Digital interactions from leading sports leagues should increase at times Whether you view it on-ground, in-stadia or consume it at home, sports like these. Team owners could look to create direct link with fans over will play an integral role in integrating the sense of togetherness. branded content of informal interviews between players and Coronavirus: Focus on digital interactivity with fans, innovation will help governments. sports emerge stronger With no live content, stakeholders are competing more than ever with A sun-drenched day in July 2021, Novak Djokovic has retained his title in Netflix and with video games. Wimbledon, Mumbai Indians has successfully defended the IPL trophy, With government restrictions preventing fans from physically interacting the wood-panelled room overlooking the 18th green of the Old Course at with their favourite sports, there is an argument that clubs and leagues St Andrews has a view full of spectators watching The Open, a new are relying on their social media teams more than ever before. indigenous sports league Ultimate Kho Kho in India is hitting the right chord with fans in India, the Olympic flame burns in Tokyo and Lewis Team owners of local leagues like Indian Premier League (IPL), Indian Hamilton is preparing to succeed Michael Schumacher as the most Super League (ISL) along with broadcaster have relied upon their successful Formula One driver with an eighth world title. content bank till now. Star players of i.e. Mumbai City FC, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Jaipur Pink Panthers could go that extra mile What could change? and create multiple live video sessions discussing how they develop Pre- The outbreak has highlighted the vulnerability of commercials in the Game team strategy, locker room secrets, favourite moments etc. to world of sports, with leagues, championships, teams deprived of valuable build a sense of ‘Belonging’ and ‘Connect’ with fans. Insta Live practices time on , where most of their income comes from. With the are becoming a new normal. Summer Olympics, arguably world’s most-watched sporting broadcasts, The concept of virtual community in my mind would be a long-lasting being pushed back a year to July 2021 amongst other big-ticket sporting solution, as we see the young adults feeling comfortable socialising events like Formula1, Euro, NBA, NHL amongst others, stadiums full of virtually and what could be interesting is to see is whether these virtual fans and chants in days-night fixtures will certainly be a thing of the past solutions becoming mainstream practices going forward. for the coming months. In this scenario, the main question is – How do we capture the Greater changes await if we create. imagination of youth? NHL has put in exceptional effort in this regard by Strategic Business Modelling (Sharing of Franchise expense by rights introducing Power Players. ‘NHL Power Players’™ seeks fans aged 13- holder) fast paced sports leagues will favor investors book. 17 to serve as youth advisory board helping increase fandom amongst youngsters. This new initiative is focused on selecting young hockey fans Revenue-share model between rights holder and broadcasters who find to help advise the League on hockey-related topics important to them. themselves with empty airtime. Innovating to the new reality Efficient post pandemic recovery system for athletes, coaches, sports facilities, workers and staff by sports administrators. Digital engagement tool has become a priority for brands connecting with consumers. It is never going to replace the television inventory Public & Private Sector alliance for last mile delivery to ensure purchased as part of a match day or studio segment, but one can commercial fulfilment towards stadium support staff, grounds man and imagine giving fans a great chance to directly interact with star players, school development programmes. coaches, team owners as branded segment. There is potentially a lot of value in that for brands because live programming on YouTube or Insta Spread the right message via sports leagues that Moneyball is not bigger Live, will get a sweet spot north of 30 minutes to two hours with a captive than the sport itself. audience. Any brand that delivers the enhanced experience will result in New viewing technologies to make the fan journey worthwhile - Forget share of mind space, which historically has equated to share of wallet, 360, think 365 too.

Reality is there is no beginning or there is no end. It is all about adapting. Effect of emerging technologies on sports’ fans viewing experience 2019 The ultimate goal is to be observe what is happening in the market and The reliance of sports leagues on broadcasters, and of sports channels quickly prototype the solution. If there is value for business, then why on ad sales revenue is laid bare as they can include live monetisation couldn’t this be a long-lasting solution to drive stability. models, such as gamified viewership (e.g. live payments for digital items, The commercials involved statistical analysis and quizzes and fan commentary)

To begin, the basics. In the simplest terms, there are three main income Gamification of re-run matches are a possibility of lesser known matches. streams for sports leagues: broadcasting (sales of media rights), Hotstar’s social interactivity model could become bankable avenue for commercial (sponsorship and advertising partnerships) and match day predictive gaming, based on IPL league matches or World Cup round- revenue (ticketing merchandise and hospitality). The growth trajectory of robin encounters. Fans could be gratified which supports sponsors and all these are ensured by deeper engagement with fans & spectators. The brands integration to create product stickiness. reality in both sports and entertainment is that the more eyeballs on the Esport thrives product, the more valuable it is. With finances under considerable strain, many sporting outfits are adapting in order to withstand the next financial According to Statista, India is predicted to have 628 million gamers by shock. 2020.

We might witness a value dip in on-ground activations and in-stadia People in isolation are naturally searching for new home entertainment promotions across sports outfits. On the other hand, if TV viewership options, and with no traditional sports on offer, esports are seemingly stays healthy, advertising spends will continue to come to the leagues. filling the live competitive void. They are attracting a wider audience, with The rise of indoor arena sports like Kabaddi, Kho Kho, UFC and esports an uptick in esports viewership across most mainstream platforms has shown that a stadium with around 2000- 3000 seater capacity can including Twitch increasing by 15%, YouTube gaming increasing by 15% make a product appealing to home viewers. The rationale here is to and Verizon US reporting a 75% increase in gaming at peak hours. India create avenues for brands to explore and UFC certainly is creating the itself saw a 180% growth in esports prize pools due to PUBG Mobile in right noise with the recent PPV sales of 700,000 for UFC 249 which was 2019 with over 50 million PUBG Mobile players in the country alone. played behind closed doors. Traditional sports are also looking to capitalise on the influx of engagement with esports. F1, NASCAR have taken pole-position in this move online and has notably put much of its social media and marketing focus into its online offering. While the eNASCAR series drew more than 1.3 million TV viewers, F1 held the inaugural virtual Bahrain grand prix with a host of Golfers, pop stars and Olympians going head-to-head on the virtual grid including Ian Poulter, former One Direction member Liam Payne, Nico Hulkenberg and Sir Chris Hoy. With 3.2 million viewers online and 1.2 million on broadcast, YouTube, Twitch and Facebook were bigger audience platforms.

Lessons of hope

In these difficult times, the ability of sports to bring people together is missed more than ever. The industry itself may be in new territory, but with the right strategies can emerge from the crisis stronger and more popular than ever. A new normal will resurface from the black smoke of this pandemic.

Both 1918 (Spanish Flu) and Covid19 stand as reminders that humanity is always captive to the natural world around us. But just as these dreadful conditions are indiscriminate in who they infect, the similarly universal world of sport shall continue to unite people.

Fans are the key component of Sports eco-system and I believe they will take time to come back to stadiums. That is where technology and innovations will play a critical role. And one thing which comes out truly is whether you view on-ground, in-stadia or consume it at home, sports will play an integral role in integrating the sense of togetherness.

And as Doug Williams said, “Never give up, never give in, and when the upper hand is ours, may we have the ability to handle the win with the dignity that we absorbed the loss.” scroll.in/LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185445 World Leagues News

Serie A resumption provides hope to Italy amid coronavirus pandemic - FIGC president

Goal.com May 28, 2020

Serie A resumption provides hope to Italy amid coronavirus pandemic - FIGC presidentSerie A resumption provides hope to Italy amid coronavirus pandemic - FIGC president

Italian Football Federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina said the green light to resume Serie A from June 20 was "a message of hope for the whole country".

Italy's minister for sport Vincenzo Spadafora made the announcement on Thursday, with the Coppa Italia semi-finals and final expected to take place during the preceding week.

Football in Italy has been suspended since March due to the coronavirus pandemic and all Serie A teams have 12 or 13 games remaining.

There have been over 231,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country, with more than 33,000 of those people dying.

Gravina said: "The restart of football represents a message of hope for the whole country.

"I am happy and satisfied. It is a success we share with minister Spadafora and all the federal components.

"Ours is a project of great responsibility because it invests everything in the professional world of Serie A, B, C and, hopefully, also the women's Serie A."

Lega Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino also welcomed the news of Serie A's impending return.

"I thank minister Spadafora and his staff. We have faced an extraordinary period, complex and full of obstacles and pressures, with consistency, determination and spirit of public service," said Dal Pino.

"We were always working with a single thought: what is best for football and its future, which for Serie A means returning to being the most beautiful championship in the world.

"Only with this spirit will we be able to repay the passion and enthusiasm of the millions of fans who follow our sport."

If the action has to be stopped again, Spadafora stated the FIGC will determine whether to finish the season with playoffs or use the standings as they are at that point.

It was also announced on Thursday the Premier League plans to resume 2019-20 from June 17, having also suspended matches in March.

The Bundesliga returned this month and La Liga intends to get back underway in June, with only Ligue 1 from among Europe's top-five leagues to declare the season over.

Paris Saint-Germain were subsequently named champions of France for a third consecutive year, but Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas called for authorities to reverse the decision in response to the Premier League's 'project restart'.

LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185446 World Leagues News In Brisbane's second defensive set on Thursday night, the referee called for six more twice for slow movements out of the ruck. They were line- ball calls and resulted in a try for Parramatta on its ninth straight tackle.

NRL's return satisfied a sport-starved audience after coronavirus Gerard Sutton escorted from the field at Sydney's Olympic stadium by sabbatical, but the teething problems are there two security guards.

For the rest of the game the calls basically went by without notice, with By Jon Healy even Eels coach Brad Arthur and Broncos coach Anthony Seibold saying after the game that they lost track at times.

While punishing the Broncos swiftly and allowing the Eels to keep A statue of Wally Lewis in front of Suncorp Stadium (Lang Park) has a attacking a fractured and frazzled line makes for a more flowing product, surgical face mask on it. it's worth asking if the ref standing 10 metres away actually got the call right. The NRL has something of a captive audience at the moment, and it seems to be enjoying it. Simply letting the boys play isn't always the best option

How else can you explain an article on NRL.com titled "Everything you For footy pundits who bemoan the sound of the whistle and the need to know about the restart" having the unmitigated gall to start with stoppages it brings, calling "six again" in the middle of a set is far less the lyrics to Smash Mouth's All Star and then list nine offers from various obtrusive (until it isn't). sponsors, before actually delivering any details on the games? Unfortunately, the referee's primary job isn't to stay out of the way; it's to Or the Melbourne Storm making an unabashed play for "diehard officiate the game. Collingwood supporter[s], or a devoted Tiges fan", for whom rugby league has never been on the radar? It's worth noting that at the end of the Eels' twice-reset attacking raid, referee Gerard Sutton strangely ruled that Marata Niukore hadn't "This weekend we're the only show in town. We'd love to have you on grounded the ball and sent the decision to the bunker where it was board, but don't get it confused — you're not jumping on a bandwagon," confirmed that he had indeed convincingly slammed it down. the club's website read, emphasising that "there's no reason you can't love two brands of footy". A camerman man and an assistant wear face masks at the NRL match between Brisbane Broncos and Parramatta Eels. While the Storm are aiming for their own patch, the league seems to have broader ambitions. With a second referee watching the ruck, Sutton would have almost certainly been in a better position to see that Niukore grounded the ball Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and cleanly. And with the other four calls that went upstairs he would have down arrows for volume. had that all-important sounding board to confirm or deny his suspicions.

The Eels thumped the Broncos as top-flight Australian sport made its Getting the call right matters, and the mere absence of a whistle doesn't return. mean a game has been officiated well.

With few sports going on around the world, the league is taking a victory Sometimes a persistently rowdy game needs to be stopped and calmed. lap over getting back first and it knows this is its best chance to Sometimes sneaky garbage in the tackle needs to be penalised. capitalise. Sometimes decisions on ruck infringements are an absolute crapshoot and understanding why a team has been pinged is part of the game. Before Australian sport went behind closed doors back in March, our cultural cringe was showing when AFL Twitter celebrated as former NFL Seibold also said there needed to be "clarity" around who is supposed to punter Pat McAfee watched a couple of hours of AFL and revealed he be keeping the defence onside, and in the final seconds on Thursday, was "hot onto the Aussie rules football game". Nine commentator Paul Vautin gave a similar assessment of the new order. That was a fortuitous and seemingly accidental moment for the AFL, but when the NRL is being so transparent, the tone is different. NRL referee Ben Cummins speaks to Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa- Sheck during a rugby league game. "No helmets, no pads, no fear, no worries" screamed the league as it asked the world if it was ready to meet rugby league. Seemingly adopting A referee blowing the whistle at the 'wrong' time can infuriate just as the notion popular in American sports that "the world" can basically be many fans as missing a call completely.(AAP: Dan Himbrechts) defined as the United States, it also posted a handy chart for NFL fans to pick a league team based on their American football allegiances. "I've enjoyed it," he began.

And while getting back onto the field was an ambitious and impressive "I'm not going to say the 10 metres has been perfect — there's been a feat that's given the NRL a head-start in attracting a few international million times tonight where they've only been back seven or eight metres, fans — and the first game back did attract its best regular-season ratings but that's been the same for both sides. since 2014 — that doesn't mean everything the return hath wrought is "I think they've done a great job. And the other rule, six again, no without sin. complaints."

Faster doesn't mean better Hardly a ringing endorsement, and a skinny 10 metres could lead to A lot was made about the single-referee system in the lead-up to the more one-out or dummy-half play and less expansive wing-to-wing long-awaited third round of the 2020 season. football, which could run counter to the league's hopes of creating more exciting and attacking football. The reasons for the move (why pay two people to do a job when one person can do a serviceable facsimile?) made cold financial sense as the On Thursday, the better, fitter team took advantage of the new state of coronavirus pandemic threatened to bankrupt the league and teams. But play and coasted to a win. We got the right result, and a sport-starved the notion that it would speed up the ruck didn't really track. audience seemed to have a good time.

Two men sit at a table during an NRL press conference. But, like the first meal after two-and-a-half months in the desert, let's take a breath before we declare that offering of horse and eel the best thing Without someone standing over them, players in a tackle will surely be we've ever eaten. able to get away with more chicanery. And the numbers more or less bear that out. Especially with so many people eyeing off a bigger meal coming down the pike in two weeks' time. And yet, in the first game of the second part of the season, the pace was rapid. ABC NEWS LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185447 World Leagues News

Coronavirus: UK sports minister welcomes planned return of Premier League

Omnisport May 28, 2020

Coronavirus: UK sports minister welcomes planned return of Premier LeagueCoronavirus: UK sports minister welcomes planned return of Premier League

The planned return of the Premier League on June 17 has been welcomed by United Kingdom government minister Oliver Dowden.

It was announced on Thursday that England's top flight is to resume from the middle of next month, having been suspended since March amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The first fixtures will see Manchester City host Arsenal and Aston Villa face Sheffield United, before further matches the following weekend.

The remaining 92 games will be held behind closed doors but, in an unprecedented move, will be shown live in the UK by the four existing broadcast partners: Sky Sports, BT Sport, BBC Sport and Amazon Prime.

Matches on Mondays and Fridays will kick off at 20:00 local time, with games on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at either 18:00 or 20:00.

On Saturdays, games will be held at 12:30, 15:00, 17:30 or 20:00, and at 12:00, 14:00, 16:30 or 19:00 on Sundays.

Dowden, of state for digital, culture, media and sport, was pleased to see the league announce a return date and hopes the government will be able to approve it once relevant health and safety requirements have been met.

"Positive to see further steps on the return of football today," he tweeted.

"I've been pushing for as many games as possible to be free to view & for the return of the top league to support the whole football family.

"We are still working on govt guidance before we green light sports' return."

LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185448 World Leagues News counting temporary employees. In total, there are 4,233 faculty and staff, including full and part-time, who work for UVM.

The school is currently in a hiring freeze, which has delayed new men's UVM suspends nearly 600 positions, 18 in athletic department, in hockey coach 's ability to finalize his coaching staff. response to coronavirus Woodcroft said in a text message to the Free Press on Thursday that Jeff Hill, a holdover from Kevin Sneddon's staff, has been retained. The hiring of another assistant coach could be announced in the coming weeks, Alex Abrami, Burlington Free Press Published 5:25 p.m. ET May 28, Woodcroft said. 2020 | Updated 8:33 p.m. ET May 28, 2020 UVM has grappled with financial concerns since the health crisis started in March. Non-tenure track faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences were asked to work at 75% of their usual workload — and consequently The UVM Catamounts sports logo. receive lower pay — and deans of colleges can take a voluntary 8.3% In its "response to the ongoing challenges posed" by the coronavirus pay cut. Suresh Garimella, in his first year as UVM's president, gave up pandemic, the University of Vermont has suspended 575 temporary his base pay for April, according to the school's newspaper, The Vermont employees, including a combination of 18 full-time and part-time Cynic. positions in the athletic department, school officials told the Burlington Burlington Free Press LOADED: 05.29.2020 Free Press on Thursday.

"By definition, temporary employees have temporary appointments with no expectation of continued work," UVM spokesman Enrique Corredera said in a statement provided to the Free Press. "This action was taken as a way for the university to avoid costs for work that can be allocated in other ways or may not be necessary under current conditions."

Corredera also said, "to date, no permanent positions have been eliminated in response to the COVID-19 crisis," but could not provide a dollar figure on the financial relief from this workforce reduction. In the statement, Corredera said UVM stopped "its engagement with 575 non- student temporary employees as of May 15."

The teams listen to the National Anthem during the America East men's basketball semifinal game between the UMBC Retrievers and the at Patrick Gym on Tuesday night March 10, 2020 in Burlington, Vermont.

Impact on athletic department

In the athletic department, the programs affected include: men's and women's basketball, men's and women's hockey, men's and women's soccer, field hockey and swimming and diving. In addition, the department suspended two assistant athletic communications jobs as well as positions in campus recreation, sport psychology and business operation, according to Athletic Director Jeff Schulman.

"Obviously, these are very difficult decisions that have impact on our colleagues and our people that we care deeply about and who are important members of our athletic department team," Schulman said. "We also understand that these are difficult times for everyone and UVM and UVM athletics are not immune to the financial challenges that are impacting businesses and organizations everywhere."

Schulman said many of the temporary employees are under contract in 9-to-10-month positions and wouldn't actively be working during the slow months of early summer. However, Schulman noted the positions were suspended and not eliminated or lost.

"The temporary nature of these positions means they could be added back when financial circumstances in the department and the university allow," Schulman said.

Positions no longer listed

On the staff page on the UVM athletic department's website, the following team positions are no longer listed:

Men's basketball: Assistant to the head coach; director of operations.

Women's basketball: Director of operations.

Men's hockey: Director of operations.

Women's hockey: Director of operations.

Swimming/diving: A second assistant coach.

Field hockey: A second assistant coach.

Men's soccer: A third assistant coach.

Women's soccer: A second assistant coach.

Of the 18 positions in athletics, five were open when UVM made its decision earlier this month. The athletic department has 85 full-timers not 1185449 World Leagues News Some wondered whether they would agree to get a seasonal flu shot if required, the way it was in Australian rugby. Two athletes said they never get seasonal flu vaccines — one also didn’t want recommended shots Athletes wary about coronavirus, testing upon return before a recent trip to Africa — and aren’t inclined to change that.

Athletes from around the globe to provide insight into how concerned or Others weren’t sure they would agree to get a COVID-19 vaccine if confident they are about resuming competition amid the coronavirus mandated by a league. pandemic. “I think it would stop at some sort of vaccine to play,” St. Louis Cardinals All-Star shortstop Paul DeJong said. “There is a fine line between what (MLB) can do to protect us and some things they can do to kind of exert BY HOWARD FENDRICHAP power over us.”

For those in sports such as golf or tennis that require international travel, there are questions about how easy it will be to hop from country to Chris Thompson is an NFL . He also is the father of a 4- country — and how easy it’ll be to avoid catching or spreading the virus. month-old daughter, Kali. Guess which of those facts matters more to him when he ponders eventually returning to work amid a pandemic. “You are so concerned that you don’t want to be the cause of somebody else’s … death,” said Padraig Harrington, a three-time major golf “If I go practice or play and I come back home with the virus … that’s my champion from Ireland. “Traveling, you have the fear that you are going biggest worry,” said Thompson, who signed with the Jacksonville to get it — and you still maintain that fear of passing it on to someone Jaguars this month after seven seasons with the Washington Redskins. who is vulnerable.” “We’re not robots out there,” he said. “People out there are saying, ‘Hey, He mentioned his 80-year-old mother, but the list goes beyond athletes’ with all that’s going on, we need sports back in our lives to get our minds relatives: coaches, training staff, officials, arena workers and, if there are off everything.’ That’s all good. But you’ve got to think about this, too: any, spectators. Plus those folks’ families. When we start back in training camp, you’re putting 90 guys from 90 different places all together … and it happens a lot that a lot of us get “The pressure to ‘get back out there’ makes it clear,” Olympic long jump sick.” champion Tianna Bartoletta said, “that athletes aren’t necessarily being seen as the humans they are, with the families they have.” These are the sorts of thoughts those who play the games that people love to watch, discuss and gamble on are grappling with as lockdowns AP Sports Writers contributing to this report: Tales Azzoni in Madrid; brought about by the coronavirus outbreak begin to ease and various Steve Douglas in Sundsvall, Sweden; Dan Gelston in Philadelphia; Pat sports resume competition — NASCAR and UFC, for example — or Graham in Denver; Mark Long in Gainesville, Florida; Dennis Passa in attempt to figure out how to, such as Major League Baseball, the NBA Brisbane, Australia; Anne M. Peterson in Portland, Oregon; John Pye in and NHL. Brisbane, Australia; Tim Reynolds in Miami; Dave Skretta in Kansas City, Missouri; Dennis Waszak Jr. in New York; Stephen Whyno in Reporters from The Associated Press spoke to more than two dozen Washington. athletes from around the globe — representing seven countries and 11 sports — to get a sense of how concerned or confident they are about LOADED: 05.29.2020 resuming competition. What emerged, above all, was a sense that they are going through the very same sort of calculus that much of the rest of society is: What is safe nowadays? How do I, and my family, stay healthy, especially with no cure or vaccine yet?

“There’s certainly an element of the unknown,” New Jersey Devils defenseman Connor Carrick said. “This has not been studied all that long still, even thought it feels like an eternity some days.”

Or as Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who has won nine Grand Slam tennis doubles titles, explained: “It’s sort of even tough to gauge what I should be worried about.”

Mattek-Sands did say she thinks those in charge of her sport will do their best to protect participants, which matched the general consensus among those the AP interviewed.

They also consider the optics.

“You’d have these billionaire (team) owners that are probably social distancing in their boxes, while you have guys on the field playing a game with no fans,” said Kelvin Beachum, an NFL free agent. “I think that would be very, very awkward.”

Nearly unanimous was a wariness about enough COVID-19 testing — what types, how many, how often — and other precautions (contact tracing, for example) that leagues, unions and governing bodies might institute as they develop protocols.

Most echoed Thompson’s sentiment that “we should have constant testing,” but there was hesitation about too many nasal swabs or blood samples.

“If the tests don’t come back for a couple of days and whatnot, how does that really work?” said two-time Olympic champion ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin. “It’s good to know if you test positive or negative. But if we’re talking about being tested today so we can race tomorrow, but the results don’t come back for two days, it doesn’t really help.”

Ryan Zimmerman, a member of the World Series champion Washington Nationals, was adamant: “Someone is going to need to be able to assure us that the testing put forward will be able to catch this before it can cause some sort of outbreak among people in close quarters.” 1185450 World Leagues News reductions,” Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer said on Twitter late Wednesday. “We have previously negotiated a pay cut in the version of prorated salaries, and there’s no justification to accept a 2nd pay cut Who Should Bear the Financial Brunt of the Coronavirus in Baseball? based upon the current information the union has received. I’m glad to hear other players voicing the same viewpoint and believe MLB’s The owners shipped a pay proposal to players that appeared to be a economic strategy would completely change if all documentation were to nonstarter. But the sides want a deal by Monday to return to play. become public information.”

Scherzer, who is a part of the union’s executive subcommittee, gave voice to the players’ long-held frustration that while their salaries are By Tyler Kepner May 28, 2020 widely known, owners’ financial data is largely kept private. Teams do not share unexpected profits with players, but now want players to share in the burden for the absence of game-day revenue like tickets and Kevin Cash wore a mask for eight years as a major league catcher. He concessions. never needed one as a manager until this week, when his Tampa Bay Rays began voluntary workouts at Tropicana Field. The players have favored a longer schedule — which, obviously, would pay them more of their prorated salaries — but teams believe that would “We walk in with them on and basically leave them on,” Cash said by only burden them more. Teams also fear that extending the schedule phone after Wednesday’s practice. “If we take it off for a second, it’s just deep into November could overlap with a second wave of the coronavirus to pull it down to catch our breath. The first day we didn’t have the air and threaten the lucrative postseason. totally cranked up; today was better. It’s hot as hell down here.” The Coronavirus Outbreak Not that Cash is complaining. He is eager for the familiar sights of a sport that has been shut down since mid-March because of the coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions and Advice pandemic. About a dozen players, all local residents, have worked out in Updated May 28, 2020 groups of two — playing catch, running and using weights set up on the field. What’s the risk of catching coronavirus from a surface?

Players did not wear masks while working out, but were given Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the temperature checks and forbidden to use the clubhouse, trainer’s room germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A or batting cages. Even so, Cash said, it was encouraging to see tangible number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have progress after weeks on pause. shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day “You get sick of phone calls and text messages; you want to see them,” care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to Cash said. “It was awkward, though. Normally you’re giving a guy a hug happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect or a handshake. Certainly didn’t do that. We tried to follow the protocols yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close that we as an organization and M.L.B. have put in place.” human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not Major League Baseball outlined medical, testing and facility protocols in a touching your face and wearing masks. proposal to the players’ union on May 15, calling for physical distancing What are the symptoms of coronavirus? in the dugouts, discouraging on-site showering and banning spitting, sunflower seeds, water coolers and other familiarities. Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with The league wants an 82-game regular season with teams using their those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy home ballparks but without fans, at least initially. The loss of revenue sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle from staging games with empty stands has set up a predictable but pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell discouraging obstacle to returning: how to pay the players. as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after Team owners never formally presented their preferred plan — a 50-50 exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many split of revenue with players — because officials knew the union would as 14 days. reject it. When the league finally proposed an economic plan on Monday, How can I protect myself while flying? it hoped to invite a counterproposal. But the details so provoked the players that the union may not counter at all. If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your The players agreed on March 26 to prorated salaries based on games face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University played. The sides agreed then to “discuss in good faith the economic found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a feasibility of playing games in the absence of spectators.” To that end, window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with baseball wants a sliding scale of salaries in which the lowest-paid players potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your take the smallest pay cut, and the highest-paid players the largest. seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard Latest Updates: Coronavirus Outbreak in the U.S. surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard As new hot spots emerge, the pandemic may be entering another phase. and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and The C.D.C. is suggesting changes that would radically alter how America spreading of germs rather than killing them.) goes to work. How many people have lost their jobs due to coronavirus in the U.S.? The G.O.P. is pressuring North Carolina’s governor to approve a safety plan for its convention. More than 40 million people — the equivalent of 1 in 4 U.S. workers — have filed for unemployment benefits since the pandemic took hold. One See more updates in five who were working in February reported losing a job or being Updated 5h ago furloughed in March or the beginning of April, data from a Federal Reserve survey released on May 14 showed, and that pain was highly More live coverage: Global Markets New York concentrated among low earners. Fully 39 percent of former workers living in a household earning $40,000 or less lost work, compared with 13 A player making the minimum salary ($563,500) would make $262,000 in percent in those making more than $100,000, a Fed official said. an 82-game season, while a player earning $35 million would make $7.84 million. The strategy of the plan appeared to plead to the majority Is ‘Covid toe’ a symptom of the disease? of the union membership. More than half of the players earn $1 million or less. But the union, whose higher-paid members bring up the average There is an uptick in people reporting symptoms of chilblains, which are salary to about $4.4 million, is presenting a united front. painful red or purple lesions that typically appear in the winter on fingers or toes. The lesions are emerging as yet another symptom of infection “After discussing the latest developments with the rest of the players with the new coronavirus. Chilblains are caused by inflammation in small there’s no reason to engage with MLB in any further compensation blood vessels in reaction to cold or damp conditions, but they are usually common in the coldest winter months. Federal health officials do not include toe lesions in the list of coronavirus symptoms, but some dermatologists are pushing for a change, saying so-called Covid toe should be sufficient grounds for testing.

Can I go to the park?

Yes, but make sure you keep six feet of distance between you and people who don’t live in your home. Even if you just hang out in a park, rather than go for a jog or a walk, getting some fresh air, and hopefully sunshine, is a good idea.

How do I take my temperature?

Taking one’s temperature to look for signs of fever is not as easy as it sounds, as “normal” temperature numbers can vary, but generally, keep an eye out for a temperature of 100.5 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If you don’t have a thermometer (they can be pricey these days), there are other ways to figure out if you have a fever, or are at risk of Covid-19 complications.

Should I wear a mask?

The C.D.C. has recommended that all Americans wear cloth masks if they go out in public. This is a shift in federal guidance reflecting new concerns that the coronavirus is being spread by infected people who have no symptoms. Until now, the C.D.C., like the W.H.O., has advised that ordinary people don’t need to wear masks unless they are sick and coughing. Part of the reason was to preserve medical-grade masks for health care workers who desperately need them at a time when they are in continuously short supply. Masks don’t replace hand washing and social distancing.

What should I do if I feel sick?

If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.

How do I get tested?

If you’re sick and you think you’ve been exposed to the new coronavirus, the C.D.C. recommends that you call your healthcare provider and explain your symptoms and fears. They will decide if you need to be tested. Keep in mind that there’s a chance — because of a lack of testing kits or because you’re asymptomatic, for instance — you won’t be able to get tested.

How can I help?

Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities using a numbers-based system, has a running list of nonprofits working in communities affected by the outbreak. You can give blood through the American Red Cross, and World Central Kitchen has stepped in to distribute meals in major cities.

The league hopes to have a deal by Monday in order to restart spring training by June 10 or so. But that is a soft deadline, and in the meantime, the sides would seem to have far too much to lose to blow up a season over finances during a pandemic.

As for Cash, he said he just wanted to get back to lineups and pitching changes and how best to use expanded rosters. That tends to be a strength of the Rays, who won a wild card last season and thrive on a tight budget by shrewdly cultivating depth.

ImageKevin Cash, the manager of the Rays, during a spring training game in late February.

Cash can again see some of that team with his eyes, above a different kind of mask than the one he wore as a player. For the moment, though, he is caught in the middle, hoping that the owners and the players find a way forward.

“Being a really bad former player, I have a fairly good understanding of how these negotiations go back and forth,” Cash said. “You just hope that both sides recognize and appreciate that in some capacity, everybody’s going to have to take some type of a setback here. It would be unrealistic to think that that would not happen.”

New York Times LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185451 World Leagues News

Appalachian State University eliminating three sports due to financial impact of COVID-19

By WBTV Web Staff | May 26, 2020 at 4:32 PM EDT - Updated May 27 at 7:05 AM

BOONE, N.C. (WBTV) - Appalachian State University announced Tuesday that the school is eliminating three sports due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced the department is reducing its operating budget and cutting the varsity sports of men’s soccer, men’s tennis and men’s indoor track & field.

The school says the decision comes “in an effort to position App State Athletics for future success.”

Effective immediately, the three sports are being discontinued following a detailed review of the university's sport offerings and the long-term budget implications of supporting the current number of student-athletes.

The decision was supported Tuesday by Chancellor Sheri Everts and the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.

“This is a very difficult day for the entire App Family,” Gillin said. “Our mission is to guide and support our student-athletes in their quest for excellence academically, athletically and socially. After careful and thoughtful review, we determined that we could no longer sustain 20 program offerings in a fiscally responsible manner. Since the move to FBS, App State has sponsored the most sports in the Sun Belt and among the most in the Group of Five. This will bring us in line with most of our peer institutions. We appreciate everyone who has supported these Mountaineer programs over the years, including current and former coaches, current and former student-athletes, their families, donors and fans. Your legacy is important to us.” a press release says scholarships will be honored for affected student- athletes who wish to return to App State, as well as for incoming signees. The department will provide support to student-athletes who would like to transfer to another institution.

With the change, App State will now sponsor 17 NCAA Division I sports (seven men's sports and 10 women's sports). The Mountaineers will continue to compete in men's cross country and men's outdoor track & field.

Sport reductions are part of a 20 percent overall reduction to the athletics department's budget for fiscal year 2021, which equates to an approximate $5 million reduction. In mid-March, the department limited all remaining operating expenses for fiscal year 2020, which ends June 30.

Gillin also announced that current athletics staff openings will not be filled, and the athletics department is exploring additional personnel actions, with guidance from the university.

“We take all these measures with heavy hearts, but with the long-term sustainability of App State Athletics at the forefront,” Gillin said. “The App Family is known for its strength and resilience. This is a pivotal moment for App State Athletics. It is in this moment that we must take responsible action to ensure our athletics department’s ability to fulfill our purpose and mission for years to come.”

WBTV LOADED: 05.29.2020 1185452 World Leagues News Some wondered whether they would agree to get a seasonal flu shot if required, the way it was in Australian rugby. Two athletes said they never get seasonal flu vaccines — one also didn’t want recommended shots Pro athletes voice concerns about coronavirus, lack of testing upon before a recent trip to Africa — and aren’t inclined to change that. return Others weren’t sure they would agree to get a COVID-19 vaccine if Without a COVID-19 vaccine, pro athletes worldwide are wary about a mandated by a league. rushed return to action “I think it would stop at some sort of vaccine to play,” St. Louis Cardinals All-Star shortstop Paul DeJong said. “There is a fine line between what (MLB) can do to protect us and some things they can do to kind of exert By HOWARD FENDRICH power over us.”

For those in sports such as golf or tennis that require international travel, there are questions about how easy it will be to hop from country to Chris Thompson is an NFL running back. He also is the father of a 4- country — and how easy it’ll be to avoid catching or spreading the virus. month-old daughter, Kali. Guess which of those facts matters more to him when he ponders eventually returning to work amid a pandemic. “You are so concerned that you don’t want to be the cause of somebody else’s … death,” said Padraig Harrington, a three-time major golf “If I go practice or play and I come back home with the virus, she’s not champion from Ireland. “Traveling, you have the fear that you are going strong enough yet to fight something like that. For me, that’s my biggest to get it — and you still maintain that fear of passing it on to someone worry,” said Thompson, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars this who is vulnerable.” month after seven seasons with the Washington Redskins. He mentioned his 80-year-old mother, but the list goes beyond athletes’ “We’re not robots out there,” he said. “People out there are saying, ‘Hey, relatives: coaches, training staff, officials, arena workers and, if there are with all that’s going on, we need sports back in our lives to get our minds any, spectators. Plus those folks’ families. off everything.’ That’s all good. But you’ve got to think about this, too: When we start back in training camp, you’re putting 90 guys from 90 “The pressure to ‘get back out there’ makes it clear,” Olympic long jump different places all together … and it happens a lot that a lot of us get champion Tianna Bartoletta said, “that athletes aren’t necessarily being sick.” seen as the humans they are, with the families they have.”

These are the sorts of thoughts those who play the games that people mercurynews.com/LOADED: 05.29.2020 love to watch, discuss and gamble on are grappling with as lockdowns brought about by the coronavirus outbreak begin to ease and various sports resume competition — NASCAR and UFC, for example — or attempt to figure out how to, such as Major League Baseball, the NBA and NHL.

Reporters from The Associated Press spoke to more than two dozen athletes from around the globe — representing seven countries and 11 sports — to get a sense of how concerned or confident they are about resuming competition. What emerged, above all, was a sense that they are going through the very same sort of calculus that much of the rest of society is: What is safe nowadays? How do I, and my family, stay healthy, especially with no cure or vaccine yet?

“There’s certainly an element of the unknown,” New Jersey Devils defenseman Connor Carrick said. “This has not been studied all that long still, even thought it feels like an eternity some days.”

Or as Bethanie Mattek-Sands, who has won nine Grand Slam tennis doubles titles, explained: “It’s sort of even tough to gauge what I should be worried about.”

Mattek-Sands did say she thinks those in charge of her sport will do their best to protect participants, which matched the general consensus among those the AP interviewed.

They also consider the optics.

“You’d have these billionaire (team) owners that are probably social distancing in their boxes, while you have guys on the field playing a game with no fans,” said Kelvin Beachum, an NFL free agent. “I think that would be very, very awkward.”

Nearly unanimous was a wariness about enough COVID-19 testing — what types, how many, how often — and other precautions (contact tracing, for example) that leagues, unions and governing bodies might institute as they develop protocols.

Most echoed Thompson’s sentiment that “we should have constant testing,” but there was hesitation about too many nasal swabs or blood samples.

“If the tests don’t come back for a couple of days and whatnot, how does that really work?” said two-time Olympic champion ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin. “It’s good to know if you test positive or negative. But if we’re talking about being tested today so we can race tomorrow, but the results don’t come back for two days, it doesn’t really help.”

Ryan Zimmerman, a member of the World Series champion Washington Nationals, was adamant: “Someone is going to need to be able to assure us that the testing put forward will be able to catch this before it can cause some sort of outbreak among people in close quarters.” 1185453 World Leagues News schedule — but playing through Region 9 games is probably still on the table, should the UHSAA reopen team activities.

As a sports fan, let alone a sports writer, thinking about the opportunities Let's face it, sports are going to be different, but it doesn't have to be SUU and DSU could have this fall excites me. It is a bummer both awful programs might not play their entire schedules, mainly because of the reason why that's the case.

Chris Kwiecinski, St. George Spectrum & Daily News Published 7:01 Sports will not be the same this year; that's the hand the world has been a.m. MT May 28, 2020 dealt.

But, this change should only be temporary. If we're lucky, it'll be a blip on the sports radar that we'll look back and discuss years later. This could About two years ago, I was researching a story about an Olympic athlete even be ESPN's next 10-part documentary down the line at some point. when I encountered a quote that's been gripping my mind recently. Looking at it all with a negative perception seems like a waste of time to I was talking to a friend of this Olympian, who was trying to stick up for me, especially if we do have sports in the fall. that athlete's character, which was maligned over the years. If perception is just what somebody thinks something is, then I'll choose “Perception is just what somebody thinks it is,” the man told me. to perceive a modified college sports schedule with endless possibilities and a semblance of a high school sports season over none at all. This eight-word quote has been on my mind the more I think about the upcoming fall, especially as a sports writer, because the fact of the St. George Spectrum & Daily News LOADED: 05.29.2020 matter is this: sports will be different this year.

It's becoming unavoidable as we, without any vaccine to effectively stop COVID-19, barrel towards the fall months with our minds fixated on baseball in the present and football in the not-so-distant future.

Collectively, we want to continue with schedules and play out games we've been looking forward to for however long. But, that's just not possible. Leaders across each level of sport know this too.

Both athletic directors for Dixie State University and Southern Utah University, as well as the commissioner of the Big Sky Conference, said they're expecting the upcoming fall schedules to be modified.

"People are open to the fact that we might have to be open to a really strange schedule this year," Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistricill told The Spectrum. "We don't know what it's going to look like."

"We'll have games, provided we're allowed to play, for one," DSU AD Jason Boothe said. "It may not look like what it does today, but I believe we'll be able to have a schedule."

High school sports are even more of a conundrum, as every single county will have to be "yellow" before conversations even begin about fall sports season taking place.

"We're moving forward with the anticipation that things will have a semblance of normal in the fall," Steve Dunham, a spokesperson for the Washington County School District, said.

A "semblance of normal" isn't 100% normal. While there might be a football season, it won't be the usual Friday night lights we're all accustomed to.

Given all of this, I keep coming back to the conclusion that sports will not be the same for the time being.

But, I don't perceive this to be a bad thing.

DSU's football schedule will most likely be different. Assuming the Trailblazers play, it'll become clear in the coming months which schools will be a part of their schedules. Boothe told me recently that he thinks there's a good amount of options that he has should there be holes in DSU's schedule.

One of those, like SUU's Debbie Corum noted, involves playing only region opponents.

Think about it like this: DSU is an FCS independent, which could cause scheduling issues. BYU, a FBS independent, could see similar problems arise.

To be clear, there haven't been any conversations regarding anything close to a game in the 2020 season between BYU and SUU or DSU. The Cougars' schedule is very much intact as it stands right now.

But, if the international pandemic forces Utah colleges to only play regional opponents, then something like games this year between DSU and Utah State, or SUU and BYU, should be on the table, if these universities haven't considered this idea already.

The same goes for Region 9. For example, Dixie High might not play Roy, Springville or Palm Desert — the first three games on the Flyers' 1185454 World Leagues News Will sports be pushed back?

It's a possibility.

Rebuilding America: Will sports return in the fall? Powell can see a fall sports season in the spring.

Because most schools only have one gym or stadium, it would be difficult to add fall sports to the winter season, Powell said. Vongni Yang, Visalia Times-Delta Published 6:00 a.m. PT May 28, 2020 | Updated 12:21 p.m. PT May 28, 2020 Visalia Times-Delta LOADED: 05.29.2020

Will high school sports return in the fall amid the COVID-19 pandemic?

As of May 21, that was still up in the air.

At the local level, coaches and administrators are optimistic despite the uncertainty.

"I'm hopeful," Tulare Western athletic director Mike Powell said. "It changes every day. The perspective of what's happening changes every day."

The decision to play isn't up to athletic directors.

Schools are following guidelines recommended by the state.

If and when state medical experts say it's safe to resume sports, schools will follow suit and it will likely start with football.

Tulare Western's Mikey Ficher gains yards against Delano in an East Yosemite League football game on Friday, Oct. 4, 2019.

At Golden West, the gate revenue from the gridiron helps fund other sports, which makes playing football important.

"Football pays for everything," Trailblazers' athletic director John DeLong said. "By far, my biggest moneymaker is football and it's not close."

The second-biggest revenue in the fall?

Freshmen football.

In Visalia, for non-league and league games, the home team gets to keep its gate revenue.

When two Visalia public school teams play each other during the regular season, the gate is split 50-50.

That money is funneled to the school's athletic department.

A few years ago, when Golden West hosted a CIF State Championship Bowl Game, DeLong sent $30,000 to the CIF office from ticket sales (host schools do not see a dime from the gate for state playoff games).

"If you want to have a successful financial athletic program, have a good football team," DeLong said. "We've played 12 playoff games in the last four years and 10 of them have been home. We've been able to do a lot of good things with that money."

The same has rung true for Powell in the past.

"When I was at Exeter, the money from football funded my whole athletic budget for the year," Powell said. "I know a lot of people say, 'Football is the biggest sport on campus' but it is the biggest financial sport that you're going to make. It cost a lot to run it but it's also going to make you the most money for your school, too."

But football may be the most challenging sport to play in the fall because of the high participation numbers.

At Redwood, in the past decade, the Rangers have annually fielded a team of 60 players or more on varsity.

Last season, the Rangers had 76 players on their season-opening roster.

In Tulare, in the past, tickets for the annual rivalry Bell Game between Tulare Union and Tulare Western have sold out.

How can you play football and still keep everyone safe from the virus?

"I don't have that answer right now," DeLong said.

If and when sports do resume, DeLong noted its the smaller teams — cross country, golf and tennis — that may have the best chance to play again right away.

Those sports will likely abide by social distancing guidelines much better and they typically don't draw large crowds like football. 1185455 World Leagues News The Rugby Football Union says it "recognises the work World Rugby has done", but will be issuing its own advice to clubs in due course.

"The RFU has its own review under way looking at the options for return World Rugby approves law trials to reduce coronavirus risk to training and return to play rugby for clubs in England," said an RFU spokesperson.

By Chris Jones "When government advice on social distancing measures are lifted, specific RFU guidance will be announced and provided to clubs."

BBC LOADED: 05.29.2020 Wales and England scrum

The law trials are optional given the variation of coronavirus across nations

Drastically reducing the number of scrums during a game, removing the choke tackle, limiting numbers in the maul and speeding up rucks are among 10 optional law trials approved by World Rugby to help reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission in the sport.

A number of hygiene procedures for training and matches have also been formally recommended by rugby union's world governing body.

Implementation of the measures will be at the discretion of individual unions based on the prevalence of the virus in their territory and specific government advice.

"We have extensively evaluated the perceived risk areas within the game," said World Rugby boss Sir Bill Beaumont.

The law trials were drawn up after an analysis of 60 matches by the governing body's Law Review Group, which comprises coaches, players, match officials, medics and law specialists.

However, the group decided against compulsory global application of the trials given the variation of coronavirus across nations.

World Rugby expect the trials to apply more to the community game than the elite end, where testing is likely to be more widespread, although the introduction of an "orange card" is specific to the professional game.

Among the law trials:

Removing scrum resets.

Taking away the option of a scrum for a penalty, a free-kick, or when an attacker is held-up in-goal.

Reinforcing high tackle guidelines to reduce face-to-face contact and the introduction of an "orange card" for potential red-card offences.

The player is removed with the offence checked by the Television Match Official. If deemed a red card offence, the player doesn't return. If not, they return after 15 minutes.

Removing the choke tackle, with referees calling a "tackle" rather than a "maul".

Awarding a free-kick rather than a scrum for when a team fails to "use it" at a scrum, ruck, or maul.

Speeding up rucks by cutting the "use it" time from 5 seconds to 3 seconds.

Restricting the number of players who can join a maul and the time spent in the maul.

With tight-five forwards considered most at risk of transmission, World Rugby estimate that the changes could reduce scrum contact exposure by more than 30%, reduce contact exposure at the ruck by around 25%, and reduce maul contact exposure by at least 50%.

Hygiene measures being recommended include hand and face sanitisation before and after a match, and ball washing before, during and after games.

Where possible, players will be asked to change their kit at half-time, and have been advised to refrain from team huddles and close-contact celebration, as well as spitting and nose clearance.

In training, scrum practice should be against a machine rather than another set of forwards, and high-transmission risk training, such as scrummaging and mauling, should be avoided within 48 hours of a match.