SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF 12/24/2020 NHL Blackhawks Continued 1180963 Blackhawks season with back-to-back games at 1180932 Five Kings-Ducks games in 12 days? NHL announces its Tampa Bay pandemic-altered schedule 1180964 What Alex Nylander’s injury means for the Blackhawks 1180933 Ducks re-sign Ryan Miller, filling out their goaltending 1180965 ‘Last Dance,’ sports radio moves and : ‘Dollars rotation for 2020-21 and sense’ recaps 2020 1180934 Ducks begin NHL season in Las Vegas; Kings open at 1180966 Defenseless and directionless: 10 Blackhawks causes for home vs. Wild concern Avalanche 1180935 Arizona Coyotes release regular season schedule, lay 1180967 Avalanche 2020-21 schedule: 56-game calendar unveiled; down crescent moon logo on arena ice first two games vs. St. Louis at Ball Arena 1180936 Arizona Coyotes release 2020-21 schedule, open season 1180968 NHL STUFFScott Takes: The NHL is selling out…and vs. Sharks that’s not a bad thingPublished 18 hours ago on 1180937 Forward Drake Caggiula excited to join Arizona Coyotes’ December 23, youthful roster 1180969 Breaking down Blue Jackets' schedule for 2020-21, 1180938 What is the Bruins’ anthem singer up to? He’s including season opener at Nashville become the Pavarotti of the pandemic 1180939 2021 Bruins schedule released: Boston opens with road games against Devils, Islanders 1180970 Stars GM Jim Nill on how Dallas may use the NHL’s new 1180940 Filled with the Christmas spirit, Bruins star David Pastrnak taxi squad delivers an unforgettable gift 1180971 The NHL is back: Here’s what you need to know about 1180941 Celtics take opener over Bucks on last-second Jayson return dates, the Stars’ new division and more Tatum banker, 122-121 1180972 Dallas Stars 2021 schedule analysis: All the dates and 1180942 Bruins open up on the road numbers to know 1180943 Boston Bruins 2021 regular season schedule 1180973 How we’d run the Stars: Ride it out with veteran core, 1180944 Boston Bruins Will Be Running With The Devils in 2021 chase a OpenerPublished 11 hours ago on December 23, 2020 1180945 BHN Puck Links: Big Week For Boston Bruins’ PastrnakPublished 17 hours ago on December 23, 2020 1180974 Detroit Red Wings schedule for 2021 NHL season: Here is 1180946 McGuire: Boston Bruins’ Chara Should ‘Do A Ray the complete list Bourque’Published 19 hours ago on December 23, 2020 1180975 Steve Yzerman is excited to watch the Detroit Red Wings 1180947 No Canadiens, the back-to-backs, a road start: play. Here's why Takeaways from Bruins schedule 1180976 Red Wings unveil 2021 schedule, open at home Jan. 14 1180948 What’s it like to fight Zdeno Chara? ‘I felt like a little boy’ vs. Carolina 1180977 NHL season to start on Jan. 13; Red Wings can open camp Dec. 31 1180949 Sabres re-sign Casey Mittelstadt to one-year contract 1180950 Sabres to open shortened season at home with games against 1180978 Edmonton Oilers open upcoming NHL season at Rogers 1180951 How the Sabres schedule may impact Linus Ullmark and Place Carter Hutton 1180979 JONES: Christmas Day hockey brings back memories for Flames MacGregors 1180980 Dave Tippett has more options now thanks to versatile 1180952 Eagles coach fined, suspended by AJHL for comments Oilers forwards regarding COVID cases 1180953 Analyzing the Flames’ matchups and schedule for 2021 season 1180981 Panthers Face New Division with New Challenges 1180982 Welcome back: Florida Panthers 2021 NHL schedule unveiledPublished 12 hours ago on December 23, 2020 1180954 Carolina Hurricanes release 2020-21 schedule. Here’s who they play and when. 1180955 NHL postpones Carolina Hurricanes’ 2021 outdoor game 1180983 Five Kings-Ducks games in 12 days? NHL announces its 1180956 With empty buildings and 56 games, what a short, strange pandemic-altered schedule trip this NHL season will be 1180984 Ducks begin NHL season in Las Vegas; Kings open at 1180957 Canes are back: 12 things that have me excited for the home vs. Wild 2020-21 NHL season Blackhawks Wild 1180985 Wild will open on West Coast Jan. 14, at home on Jan. 22 1180958 center Kirby Dach leaves World vs. Sharks Junior Championships with apparent injury 1180986 Wild’s 56-game 2021 schedule: Lots of sunshine, travel 1180959 Chicago Blackhawks to begin the abbreviated 2021 and possibly late games season on the road vs. the Stanley Cup champs and then 1180987 Pond hockey, Kramarczuk’s and Target: Kirill Kaprizov’s host t apt intro to Minnesota 1180960 Johnny’s IceHouse East up for sale — but buyer must agree to close rink 1180961 Blackhawks’ 2021 schedule unveiled: No fans at for ‘beginning’ of season 1180962 Blackhawks’ Alex Nylander to miss 4 to 6 months after having surgery on left knee Canadiens 1180988 Canadiens set to open and close 2020-21 NHL season in 1181020 Penguins A to Z: Sam Lafferty has a job, now he needs a Toronto role 1180989 World junior tourney has come a long way since debut at 1181021 Penguins’ 2020-21 schedule released, includes only Forum in 1977 division foes 1180990 Working Christmas Day has become a tradition for TSN's 1181022 Penguins A to Z: Maxime Lagace has already been Gord Miller promoted 1180991 Canadiens sign right-winger Michael Frolik to one-year 1181023 Penguins to open 2020-21 season against Flyers contract 1181024 Countdown to camp: Will the long-term vision of the Jason 1180992 Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield scores twice in world Zucker trade be realized in 2021? junior tuneup 1181025 Pittsburgh Penguins 2020-21 schedule: 9 thoughts, plus a 1180993 Michael Frolik elevates Marc Bergevin’s annual bargain full list of games shopping to an NHL level 1181026 Penguins Bringing Legare to Training Camp 1181027 One-Timers: UFAs, NHL Trade Market, Penguins Lines 1181028 Dan’s Daily: NHL Changes Off-Side Rule, Penguins Not 1180994 Nashville Predators 2021 schedule is set — for now Pursuing UFAs 1180995 Predators sign forwards Mikael Granlund, Erik Haula 1180996 Why did Mikael Granlund unexpectedly re-sign with the Predators? 1181029 ’s most important job for San Jose Sharks may come off the ice Devils 1181030 Takeaways from Sharks’ schedule: Mental challenge will 1180997 Notables games on Devils’ 2020-21 schedule: Get ready be greater than physical one for 4 straight against the Rangers 1181031 Boughner believes road-heavy start could be good for 1180998 Devils re-sign goalie Mackenzie Blackwood | What it Sharks means 1181032 Sharks are bracing for training camp and their first 8 1180999 NJ Devils re-sign Mackenzie Blackwood to games all away from home three-year, $8.4 million deal 1181033 Boughner on Why Training Camp in Arizona “Good 1181000 Rangers open daunting NHL schedule with two games vs. Thing,” Sharks’ Next Alternate Captain Islanders 1181001 Devils re-sign Mackenzie Blackwood to three-year deal St Louis Blues 1181002 Breaking down the camp battles for every spot in the 1181034 There was really only one choice to wear Blues' "C" — Devils lineup O'Reilly 1181035 A different kind of season means a different kind of Islanders schedule for Blues 1181003 Rangers open daunting NHL schedule with two games vs. 1181036 Gordo: O'Reilly is more than ready to assume Blues' Islanders captaincy 1181004 Islanders and Rangers will see a lot of each other in 2021 1181037 Blues will open 2020-21 season at Colorado on Jan. 13 NHL season 1181038 Ryan O'Reilly named 23rd captain in St. Louis Blues 1181005 How the Islanders are preparing to handle the challenges history of an AHL season 1181039 Thoughts on Ryan O’Reilly’s first words as Blues captain 1181006 NEW YORK ISLANDERSIT’S ON! Islanders Open and the schedule 2020-21 Season Against Rival 1181007 Anders Lee FaceTimes with Sick Islanders Fan in North Carolina 1181040 Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov will miss regular season with hip injury New York Rangers 1181041 Lightning unveil 2021 regular-season schedule 1181008 Rangers open daunting NHL schedule with two games vs. 1181042 Lightning ink Mathieu Joseph, Alex Volkov to one-way Islanders deals 1181009 Capitals figuring out what’s next for Henrik Lundqvist after 1181043 Lightning’s Victor Hedman buys Stanley Cup portrait from heart issue discovered Scottish artist 1181010 Islanders and Rangers will see a lot of each other in 2021 1181044 Nikita Kucherov’s injury solves a lot of Tampa Bay NHL season Lightning’s problems Senators 1181011 GARRIOCH: Thomas Chabot excited about changes and 1181045 Maple Leafs release schedule, hope for the best looking forward to this season with Senators 1181046 Maple Leafs prospects at the world juniors: Who to watch 1181012 : Hockey's version of We The North and what to expect Canucks 1181013 Flyers schedule opens with Pittsburgh on Jan. 13 1181063 NHL asked to take additional COVID-19 measures to play 1181014 Shayne Gostisbehere is remaining with the Flyers for now, in Canada, according to report and GM Chuck Fletcher is upbeat about Nolan Patrick 1181064 Patrick Johnston: Canucks' all-Canadian schedule still 1181015 Flyers prospects Cam York, Bobby Brink among Team lacks approval for Vancouver home games USA leaders in World Junior Championship 1181065 Canucks shuffle coaching staff, hand new roles to Jason 1181016 Philadelphia Flyers' 2021 schedule released for NHL's King, Chris Higgins 56-game season 1181017 Flyers 'pleased' with 56-game division-only schedule 1181018 'Amazingly talented young man,' the top D-pair, roster talk 1181047 Kelly McCrimmon says Golden Knights healthy as camp and more on Flyers nears 1181019 Flyers' schedule released, featuring opportunities for 'bad 1181048 Golden Knights schedule released for 2020-21 season blood' 1181049 Golden Knights to begin shortened season Jan. 14 at home 1181050 2021 Vegas Golden Knights Schedule Release 1181051 Capitals unveil 2020-21 regular season schedule 1181052 Capitals’ goaltending picture starts to clear up as camp nears 1181053 Capitals reveal 56-game schedule opponents, open season Jan. 14 vs. Sabres 1181054 Capitals partner with Capital One for on-helmet Follow Us 1181055 Capitals add scoring depth with one-year deal for Conor Sheary 1181056 It sounds like the backup goalie job is Vanecek's to lose 1181057 Ilya Samsonov’s health and more Brian MacLellan press conference takeaways Websites 1181066 The Athletic / LeBrun: Donald Fehr on NHL negotiations, Canadian teams, Olympics, future with NHLPA 1181067 The Athletic / Catching up with friend Bob McKenzie: World juniors, semi-retirement and more 1181068 .ca / Five things to know about the NHL's 2021 regular season schedule 1181069 Sportsnet.ca / NHL will be aggressive in trying new initiatives amid hunt to grow revenues 1181070 Sportsnet.ca / Six bold predictions for the NHL's Canadian division 1181071 TSN.CA / Provinces provide road map to potential green light for NHL's Canadian teams 1181072 TSN.CA / Condensed schedule comes at a dangerous time for Oilers 1181073 TSN.CA / Canada aims to make statement in first game as a team 1181074 TSN.CA / NHL teams begin to unveil advertisements on helmets Jets 1181058 Jets open season against infuriating Flames 1181059 'Twas the night before Christmas 1181060 Repetition, asterisk, mark Jets COVID NHL schedule 1181061 TOP 50 IN 50: Part 5: Golden Girls, the Golden Jet, the Finnish Flash and the man who brought the NHL back to 1181062 : 2021 key dates, decisions and deadlines unpacked SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1180932 Anaheim Ducks trip of the season immediately follows, a six-game swing through Minnesota, St. Louis and Colorado between March 22 and 31.

And unlike the Kings, the Ducks have no other games scheduled during Five Kings-Ducks games in 12 days? NHL announces its pandemic- the 12-day stretch late in the season that includes five games between altered schedule the two Southland clubs — meaning they will face their crosstown rival five consecutive times before finishing the season with road series in St. Louis and Minnesota. By JACK HARRISSTAFF WRITER “There’s more of a serious nature,” Fox said, “when you’re playing the same teams.”

The Kings will open the 2021 NHL season on Jan. 14 at home against The unique schedule format was a necessity for this mid-pandemic the . Two nights later, they will host the Wild again. season. Pairing matchups into sets of two will cut down on the number of times clubs have to board a flight or check in and out of hotel rooms. It On Jan. 19, the Kings will welcome the to Staples provides more flexibility in case COVID-19 outbreaks pop around around Center. Their following game? Same opponent, same place. the league. On and on their 56-game schedule goes, repeating the back-to-back The NHL has taken other measures to try and ensure the jam-packed pattern throughout almost the entirety of their pandemic-altered slate. schedule — teams will play on average almost every other day — isn’t Only two of the Kings’ contests aren’t part of a multi-game miniseries. disrupted, jointly announcing medical protocols with the NHL Players’ During one stretch between April 20 and May 1, they will face the Ducks Assn. on Tuesday. five times in 12 days. Other key dates for the 2021 season include the trade deadline on April Other teams’ schedules, which were all released by the league on 12, the start of the playoffs (which will consist of intra-divisional matchups Wednesday afternoon, follow a similar format — stamping an already through the first two rounds) on May 11, and the last possible day of the unprecedented season with perhaps its biggest alteration yet. Stanley Cup Final on July 9. “Every team will have more information on the team they’re playing,” said The 2021 expansion for the new franchise will take Kings television analyst Jim Fox. “Because they’re playing them a lot.” place on July 21. The NHL entry draft will be held during July 23-24. Free Plenty of other unfamiliar features about this upcoming NHL season were agency opens July 28. known prior to Wednesday’s schedule release: Extremely abbreviated But first, the NHL has to hope its schedule will hold up and that its training camps (the Kings’ and Ducks’ will open Dec. 31, two weeks season can survive outside of a bubble over an entire four-month slate. It before their regular seasons begin) capped at just 36 skaters per team; will be different, and very likely more challenging. empty arenas in most markets (including both Southland teams, at least to start the season) and limited capacity in others; traveling taxi squads But, as Fox noted, “this is unprecedented times. … What are you going of four to six players to supplement customary 23-man rosters; and to complain about? We’re working again. That’s phenomenal.” divisional realignment to eliminate travel between the U.S. and Canada. LA Times: LOADED: 12.24.2020 But the new-look schedules might have the most tangible impact on competition itself. Teams will only play against opponents within their division, which for the Kings and Ducks includes eight contests each against the Wild, Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights. The -esque structure of the schedule will likely accentuate the familiarity — and potential bad blood — between clubs.

“It’s more of a playoff mindset,” said Fox, who played nine seasons for the Kings in the ’80s and has spent the last three decades on their broadcast team. “Every shift, you’re going to be against the same guy probably, with the matchups, and then that happens game-to-game-to- game. … If you’re playing the same teams all the time, it really intensifies, how do you find the opening? How do you find the weakness?”

The Kings, who finished next-to-last in the Western Conference last season and haven’t played a game since March, seem to have a tougher first half. Following their season-opening four-game homestand against the Wild and Avalanche, 16 of their next 23 games will be on the road, including two separate trips to St. Louis and road series at Vegas and Colorado — the top three teams in the Western Conference last season. They have a season-long six-game trip scheduled for Feb. 18 and 27.

Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan and assistant coach Marco Sturm instruct from the bench.

They make up for that stretch, however, with a home-heavy slate over the final two months. Their April schedule includes 11 of 16 games at home and no trips longer than two games. They’ll finish the regular season on home ice as well, hosting the Avalanche on May 7 and 8.

“For the Kings, it probably allows you to be in contention more so than if you were playing the whole league,” Fox said, noting that after preseason favorites Vegas, Colorado and St. Louis, he believes the division’s fourth and final playoff spot could be “a little bit more up for grabs than if you’re in a 15- or 16-team conference.”

The Ducks, who ended last season one spot ahead of the Kings in the standings and will also be coming off a 10-month layoff, open their season with a two-game series in Vegas on Jan. 14 and 16. After that, they don’t have a homestand or trip longer than four games until a stretch of six straight at Honda Center between March 8 and 18. Their longest 1180933 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks re-sign Ryan Miller, filling out their goaltending rotation for 2020- 21

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

As expected, the Ducks filled out their goaltending rotation for the upcoming season by re-signing Ryan Miller to a one-season, $1 million contract on Wednesday. Miller served as John Gibson’s backup for the past three seasons, his 15th, 16th and 17th in the NHL.

Gibson will have two backups for 2020-21, a move mandated for all teams by the league as it attempts to stage a 56-game season in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Miller will be one of the three as he tries to add to his 387 career victories, the most by an American-born goalie.

“Tried out retirement for 9 months (Thanks COVID),” Miller wrote on Twitter. “Decided I wasn’t feeling it. Happy to be back. #LetsGoDucks.”

Anthony Stolarz also is likely to be included in the three-man rotation. Stolarz spent almost all of last season with the Ducks’ team, the . Lukas Dostal also is expected to attend training camp after excelling in an early-season stint in in the fall.

Training camp begins on Dec. 31 at Great Park Ice in Irvine.

Miller, 40, had a 9-6-4 record with a 3.10 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage in 23 games last season. Overall, he is 387-281-86 with a 2.61 GAA and a .915 save percentage in 780 games with the Ducks, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and .

In addition, Miller ranks 15th on the NHL’s all-time list of wins for goalies, two behind Dominik Hasek, his predecessor in Buffalo. Martin Brodeur is the all-time leader with 691 wins. Miller is second among active goalies behind Marc-Andre Fleury of the Vegas Golden Knights, who has 466 victories.

By re-signing Miller, the Ducks moved nearly $2 million over the NHL’s $81.5 million , according to figures compiled by the website capfriendly.com. The Ducks can gain cap relief before the season begins on Jan. 14 by placing Ryan Kesler, who has a serious hip injury, on long- term injured reserve.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180934 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks begin NHL season in Las Vegas; Kings open at home vs. Wild

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

The Ducks and Kings won’t open the NHL season against each other, as might have been expected in order to rekindle local interest after a ninth- month layoff because of the coronavirus pandemic. But they do meet for five late-season games that highlight a modified 56-game schedule released Wednesday.

Instead, the Ducks begin the season with road games against the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 14 and 16 before returning to Honda Center to play host to the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 18 and 20. The Ducks and Kings don’t face off against each other until Feb. 3 at Staples Center.

The Kings open the season with a four-game homestand, with games Jan. 14 and 16 against the Wild and contests Jan. 19 and 21 against the Colorado Avalanche. Their first trip takes them to St. Louis for two games against the Blues and two in St. Paul, Minnesota, against the Wild.

Late in the season, the Ducks and Kings square off for five games between April 20 and May 1, which is sure to inspire some serious animosity, before the regular season ends May 8. The games on April 20, 26 and 28 will be in L.A.; the games on April 30 and May 1 will be in Anaheim.

Fans will not be allowed to attend games at either Honda Center or Staples Center, at least not at the start of the coronavirus-delayed season, in accordance with local health regulations. Things might change later in the season as the vaccine roll-out continues, however.

The Ducks and Kings will play only against teams in a re-aligned West Division, which for this season-only will be comprised of the Southern rivals, plus the Avalanche, Blues, Golden Knights, Wild, Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.

The , Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks will depart the division to form the one-time-only North Division, joining with the other four Canadian teams as the league attempts to cut down on travel and increase safety during the pandemic.

The Canadian teams will play each other either nine or ten times while the teams in the three U.S.-based divisions will play their opponents eight times. The top four teams in each division will advance to the playoffs, which will be conducted within the divisions for the first two rounds.

Game times and TV and radio schedules will be announced at a later date.

Training camps for the Ducks and Kings will begin Dec. 31. The Ducks will hold their camp at Great Park Ice in Irvine. The Kings will hold theirs at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo. Neither camp will be open to the public. No exhibition games will be played.

Ducks schedule | Kings schedule

Orange County Register: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180935 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes release regular season schedule, lay down crescent moon logo on arena ice

Jose M. Romero

As revealed earlier this week, the Arizona Coyotes officially open the 2020-2021 NHL regular season on Jan.14 against the San Jose Sharks.

The NHL announced schedules for all of its teams Wednesday afternoon.

The Coyotes host the Sharks on Jan. 14 and 16 to open the season, then travel to Vegas for two games against the Golden Knights Jan. 18 and 20 for their first road trip.

Arizona plays 16 of its first 24 games at home. All 56 regular-season games are against the re-aligned West Division opponents -- San Jose, Vegas, Anaheim, Los Angeles, Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis.

The top four teams in each of the four re-aligned NHL divisions will qualify for the , with interdivisional play in the first two rounds (No. 1 vs. No. 4; No. 2 vs. No. 3).

There's a 10-game homestand Feb. 13-March 6, and an eight-game road trip March 29-April 11. The regular season ends with the Sharks in San Jose, presumably, on May 7 and 8. That's one of nine back-to-back sets of games this season for the Coyotes. The first is Feb. 6 and 7 at Minnesota.

The Coyotes have spoken with the Sharks about sharing Gila River Arena, with the Sharks set to open training camp in Scottsdale next week because of a ban on contact sports and more strict COVID-19 guidelines in Santa Clara County, California. Should that ban be extended into the NHL regular season, the Sharks won't be able to use the SAP Center, their home arena, and would be looking for a place to play games.

"We've made it known that we're willing to cooperate and collaborate," Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez said Wednesday. "They're the most challenged right now. We've definitely talked to them about being an option, just like we've talked to the league office and said 'We're an option if you need us to step up and be the temporary home for other teams as well.'"

The Coyotes will play the Golden Knights four straight times, two away and two at home, from Jan. 18 to 24. They'll play 56 games in 114 days, including a five-day stretch between games from Feb. 28-March 4, if they are able to stick to the schedule with no interruptions.

The Coyotes and Blues will play in the same division for the first time since 1997-98. Arizona, both in the Valley and as the original Winnipeg Jets, faced the Blues in the Central Division for five seasons starting in 1993-1994.

The West Division includes three teams that have reached the Stanley Cup Final in the past five seasons: St. Louis 2019, Vegas in 2018 and the Sharks in 2016.

The Coyotes began Wednesday by painting red and blue lines, face-off points and creases on the ice at Gila River Arena.

The lines were painted first. Then came an overlay of the red line at center ice that features multiple Kachina designs, the original Coyotes logo. And later, a mesh overlay of the crescent moon at center ice that is part of the club's 25th anniversary celebration. It will be covered with a layer of ice.

"We're excited. This is what we are living for. To bring hockey back. To see the players on the ice, to have the puck drop," Gutierrez said. "I know our fans are incredibly excited and this entire community is very, very thrilled to see this."

Arizona Republic LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180936 Arizona Coyotes Thursday, March 18 @ Anaheim

Monday, March 22 vs. COLORADO

Arizona Coyotes release 2020-21 schedule, open season vs. Sharks Tuesday, March 23 vs. COLORADO

Friday, March 26 vs. SAN JOSE

BY ARIZONA SPORTS | DECEMBER 23, 2020 AT 2:02 PM Saturday, March 27 vs. SAN JOSE

Monday, March 29 @ St. Louis

The Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday announced the dates and Wednesday, March 31 @ St. Louis opponents for their 56 regular season games in 2020-21. Friday, April 2 @ Anaheim The franchise will open its 25th year in Arizona on Thursday, Jan. 14, at Gila River Arena against the San Jose Sharks. Sunday, April 4 @ Anaheim

The not only shortened the league schedule but Monday, April 5 @ Los Angeles re-aligned itself with coronavirus precautions in mind. There will be four Wednesday, April 7 @ Los Angeles divisions — North, South, East and West — and all play will be within them through the first two rounds of the playoffs to minimize travel and Friday, April 9 @ Vegas the potential for COVID-19 to disrupt the season. Sunday, April 11 @ Vegas The league is allowing for the possibility of playing games at neutral sites Thursday, April 15 vs. ST. LOUIS if needed. Saturday, April 17 vs. ST. LOUIS Arizona will play in the West Division against Anaheim, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose, St. Louis and Vegas. Monday, April 19 vs. MINNESOTA

Below is the list of dates and opponents for the Coyotes. Wednesday, April 21 vs. MINNESOTA

Times and television assignments will be released at a later date. Friday, April 23 @ Los Angeles

2020-21 Coyotes REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE : Saturday, April 24 @ Los Angeles

Thursday, Jan. 14 vs. SAN JOSE Monday, April 26 @ San Jose

Saturday, Jan. 16 vs. SAN JOSE Wednesday, April 28 @ San Jose

Monday, Jan. 18 @ Vegas Friday, April 30 vs. VEGAS

Wednesday, Jan. 20 @ Vegas Saturday, May 1 vs. VEGAS

Friday, Jan. 22 vs. VEGAS Monday, May 3 vs. LOS ANGELES

Sunday, Jan. 24 vs. VEGAS Wednesday, May 5 vs. LOS ANGELES

Tuesday, Jan. 26 vs. ANAHEIM Friday, May 7 @ San Jose

Thursday, Jan. 28 vs. ANAHEIM Saturday, May 8 @ San Jose

Tuesday, Feb. 2 @ St. Louis Arizona Sports LOADED: 12.24.2020 Thursday, Feb. 4 @ St. Louis

Saturday, Feb. 6 @ Minnesota

Sunday, Feb. 7 @ Minnesota

Tuesday, Feb. 9 @ Colorado

Thursday, Feb. 11 @ Colorado

Saturday, Feb. 13 vs. ST. LOUIS

Monday, Feb. 15 vs. ST. LOUIS

Thursday, Feb. 18 vs. LOS ANGELES

Saturday, Feb. 20 vs. LOS ANGELES

Monday, Feb. 22 vs. ANAHEIM

Wednesday, Feb. 24 vs. ANAHEIM

Thursday, Feb. 25 vs. COLORADO

Saturday, Feb. 27 vs. COLORADO

Friday, March 5 vs. MINNESOTA

Saturday, March 6 vs. MINNESOTA

Monday, March 8 @ Colorado

Wednesday, March 10 @ Colorado

Friday, March 12 @ Minnesota

Sunday, March 14 @ Minnesota

Tuesday, March 16 @ Anaheim 1180937 Arizona Coyotes

Forward Drake Caggiula excited to join Arizona Coyotes’ youthful roster

BY CHRISTOPHER BOAN

National Hockey League veteran forward Drake Caggiula’s first reaction to signing a one-year deal with the Arizona Coyotes was one of relief.

Caggiula, who was introduced as the newest member of the Coyotes roster on Tuesday, said the offseason seemed especially long this year after the Chicago Blackhawks decided not to tender the 26-year-old a contract in October.

The sixth-year forward said he’s excited to get to the Valley and start working with the team’s roster of young talent.

“Honestly it’s a big relief, it’s a weight off the shoulders,” Caggiula said. “Obviously there was a time period there where not much is happening and you’re kind of wondering what’s the next plan for me to find a new home and a new job and still be able to play the game of hockey that I love.

“It’s obviously a great thing for me and for my family and I’m looking forward to the opportunity and joining an organization with a lot of talented players and a lot of young players to grow with and I’m very excited about the opportunity.”

Caggiula said he’s especially excited to reunite with his former college teammate at the University of North Dakota, Nick Schmaltz, who has been a member of the Coyotes since 2018.

He said that Schmaltz called him over the weekend to give Caggiula the lowdown on the Coyotes organization, which convinced him that Arizona was the right franchise to sign with.

“I asked about the style of play and it seemed like it suited the way that I approach the games. And I had some conversations with [Schmaltz] and just kind of confirmed with him what he thought and he said that I’d be a good fit within the organization with the way that I play,” Caggiula said.

“I’m looking forward to joining the organization and playing a hard-nosed game and an aggressive game as well.”

Caggiula believes the Coyotes cast of young players could serve them well in the coronavirus-shortened season, as they have the energy and wherewithal to withstand such a gauntlet.

He added that the NHL’s plan to hold a 56-game season, down from the league’s typical 82-game setup, will create a special atmosphere around each contest.

“It’s a short season and it just goes to show that every game is important,” Caggiula said. “Everyone’s got to come out of the gates running because if you fall behind the eight-ball early there’s not a lot of time to to catch up.

“So you’re going to feel that playoff atmosphere right from the get-go and teams that are prepared to go early on are teams that are probably going to be there at the end of the year.”

Above all, Caggiula is excited to join a team that plays a brand of smash- mouth hockey that pressures opponents for 60 minutes from blue line to blue line.

He is confident that the Coyotes can contend in the newly-rearranged West division, against teams like Colorado, Las Vegas and St. Louis.

“They play a hard and aggressive game. They play a 200-foot game, and it’s something that I take pride in,” Caggiula said. “There’s tons of talented players on the team and I’m looking forward to being part of that.

“The opportunity to step into this lineup and play a style of hockey that really fits my style is something that I can look forward to.”

Arizona Sports LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180938 Boston Bruins Globe Audio · Bruins anthem singer Todd Angilly sings Christmas carols

Angilly is the Pavarotti of the pandemic. He belts out tunes at parades, food pantries, and people’s front lawns, and for hospital workers around What is the Bruins’ national anthem singer up to? He’s become the the area. Pavarotti of the pandemic The native of Warwick, R.I., who lives in Lynnfield, loves to make a difference. He was moved to tears last summer when he appeared at By Stan Grossfeld Globe Staff,Updated December 23, 2020, 5:41 p.m. Camp Fatima in Gilmanton, N.H., and saw the effect he had on special- needs kids. He told his priest he’s found his calling in life: To use his voice to spread joy.

GLOBE STAFF EVERETT — Todd Angilly steers his black pickup truck “When I’m singing or I’m showing up at somebody’s house for 10, 15 to the Everett Grace Food Pantry on an icy Saturday morning. He is minutes, they’re forgetting about everything that’s going on and then sipping warm lemon echinacea tea to keep his vocal cords warm before we’re all good,” Angilly says. “It’s my little way to do something.” singing the national anthem and some Christmas tunes to hundreds of families waiting in a line that snakes all the way through downtown. This all started as a joke last May. Angilly was on the phone with a friend in the Middlesex sheriff’s office who was stressed out about the Just 4.3 miles from TD Garden, Everett has been hit hard by the pandemic. pandemic. Families began arriving at 4 a.m., and volunteers later distributed 15 tons of food and 1,000 toys. His friend explained that his wife is a nurse at the Lahey Hospital in Burlington and, with three young boys, they were getting run down with The sight of so many needy people lined up with kids shocks Angilly, who child care issues and the extra threat of COVID that first responders once lived here. courageously endure.

“This is eye opening,” says Angilly, 45, adjusting his Boston Bruins mask. Angilly blurted out that he was going to give her a lift. “Just to know they have to stand in that line makes me want to get more involved in the future.” “I’m going to the hospital and stand outside and sing the anthem to her John Cusack style,” he says, a reference to the famous scene in the He wants to hug people — it’s his Italian nature, he says — but he can’t 1989 movie “Say Anything”, when Cusack stood outside a window and because of COVID-19. He can, however, entertain them. He doesn’t serenaded his girlfriend with a boom box. show it, but he acknowledges he’s a tad nervous about singing today. Angilly’s friend didn’t say a word. “You always get nervous,” he says. “He hangs the phone up and I was like, ‘Jeez, I didn’t think that was an But this is not as nerve-wracking as in November 2018. The Bruins insult.’ So I was kind of taken aback. And he calls me back in 10 minutes rushed up to the TD Garden SportsDeck bar, where he was bartending and said it’s all set. I talked to the director of the hospital and we’re going 15 minutes before game time, and told him there was an emergency and to do a ride by. But I was like, whoa, whoa, wait a minute. I thought it was he had to sing the national anthem. He nailed it, and has since become just going to be me and him.” the Bruins’ regular national anthem singer. The ensuing Health Heroes Celebration was a massive flashing light It’s a totally different atmosphere in Everett. It’s not about grown men caravan, including numerous police cruisers, fire engines, and putting a puck in the net in a game. This is about putting food on the ambulances from the surrounding area. table to survive. “There were even two flyovers,” says Angilly. “We were the first ones to Angilly, who also works for the Department of Corrections helping pull in and we stopped and I sang the anthem on a flatbed truck with a inmates find careers after their incarceration, is a sympathetic soul. DJ.”

“It’s got to be rough,” he says. “You know people are proud. If you have Doctors, nurses, and hospital staff ran outside to be serenaded. Others worked your whole life and provided and now you have to shift your focus peeked through windows. and go ask somebody for help, that’s a big mental thing. I can’t imagine what that would be like.” “It was really cool,” says Angilly.

On this day, he removes his mask and gestures for everybody to move More events soon followed. He did a thank-you Zoom call for Mass back. General Hospital workers, singing the anthem to cheer them up. He rolled through North Reading on Memorial Day for two hours, singing to Todd Angilly studied to be a teacher at the New England Conservatory of lift people’s spirits. Music. People started contacting him on Twitter and Instagram to ask him to do Todd Angilly studied to be a teacher at the New England Conservatory of drive-bys or make videos for their loved ones. Music.STAN GROSSFELD/ Angilly found making the videos easy. He didn’t even have to put on a GLOBE STAFF “I have to take it off. I’m not going to be as effective with suit. it on,” he says. “I would just put on a jacket and tie and sing in my shorts and boat He launches into a pitch-perfect, powerful “Star-Spangled Banner,” a shoes.” Sinatra-style version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” and the Italian children’s song “Dominic the Meanwhile, he rooted for the Bruins when they were in the bubble. He Donkey,” complete with hee-haws. missed the Garden, but he got to savor the extra time with his two kids, ages 7 and 9. Mothers in fogged-up face shields beam at him and dance. Kids wave at him and sing along. Whenever he went out, people recognized him. The kids loved that.

“I fell in love with Todd the first time I heard him sing,” says volunteer “I was at Santarpios and someone said, ‘Hey, can you sing me the Matt Misci. “His last name is Angilly, and it’s the voice of an angel.” anthem?’ I put down my slice of pepperoni and I stood up and said hi to everybody and belted out the anthem and they went nuts. I mean, what Irene Cardillo, the pantry’s director, agrees. kind of effort is that to get everybody to start screaming and cheering?”

“He’s awesome. He came out for all these children,” says Cardillo. “I just Today is one of those hectic days. He and a DJ will stop at five lucky love him. I already locked him in to come back for Easter. God only Bruins season ticket-holders’ homes on a front yard Christmas caroling sends me good people.” tour through the suburbs.

Angilly says he gets more than he gives. Bruins fans danced to songs sung by Todd Angilly on a stop in Braintree to visit season ticket-holders. “I mean, if it’s going to make somebody smile, why wouldn’t I do something like that? It’s been real fun.” Bruins fans danced to songs sung by Todd Angilly on a stop in Braintree to visit season ticket-holders.STAN GROSSFELD/ GLOBE STAFF How powerful is his voice? During a stop in Braintree, a fan placed his iPhone on a table, leaning it against the speaker to capture the tunes. When he went to retrieve it, it was gone. The vibrations had knocked it into the snow.

Angilly doesn’t miss a trick. He dedicates the anthem to an absent military member, tells Nana on the porch that her hair is wonderful, and encourages the women decked out in Bruins jerseys to dance. Everybody has a smile.

“It’s a fun, unusual, exciting event,” says Sean McDevitt, a season ticket- holder. “It’s been such a [horrible] year. He’s a wonderful entertainer and a great guy. This is great Christmas cheer.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180939 Boston Bruins Sunday, Feb. 28 at N.Y. Rangers

MARCH

2021 Bruins schedule released: Boston opens with road games against Wednesday, March 3 vs. Washington Devils, Islanders Friday, March 5 vs. Washington

Sunday, March 7 vs. Philadelphia By Matt Pepin Globe Staff,Updated December 23, 2020, 3:36 p.m. Tuesday, March 9 at N.Y. Islanders

Thursday, March 11 vs. N.Y. Rangers The Boston Bruins will open the new season on Jan. 14 in New Jersey against the Devils and will remain there to face the Devils again on Jan. Saturday, March 13 vs. N.Y. Rangers 16, a reflection of schedule modifications made for 2021 as a result of the Monday, March 15 at Pittsburgh coronavirus pandemic. Tuesday, March 16 at Pittsburgh The NHL season will begin on Jan. 13 with a five-game lineup that features the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning taking on the Thursday, March 18 at Buffalo Chicago Blackhawks in Florida. Saturday, March 20 at Buffalo The Bruins’ schedule this season includes many instances of playing the Thursday, March 25 vs. N.Y. Islanders same team twice in a short time span, usually two games over three days, to reduce travel. The NHL has also realigned its divisions to be Saturday, March 27 vs. N.Y. Islanders more geographically clustered with the exception of the North, which includes all Canadian teams from coast to coast. Sunday, March 28 vs. New Jersey

After opening vs. the Devils, the Bruins will play the nearby New York Tuesday, March 30 vs. New Jersey Islanders on Jan. 18. The first Bruins game at TD Garden since March APRIL will be Jan. 21 vs. the Philadelphia Flyers, who will remain in Boston for a Jan. 23 rematch. Thursday, April 1 vs. Pittsburgh

The Bruins are in the East Division, and will face each team – the Saturday, April 3 vs. Pittsburgh Sabres, Devils, Islanders, Rangers, Flyers, Penguins, Capitals – eight times. The 56-game regular season schedule ends May 8. Training camp Monday, April 5 at Philadelphia opens Jan. 3. Tuesday, April 6 at Philadelphia The top four teams from each division will qualify for the playoffs, with the Thursday, April 8 at Washington first two rounds featuring intra-divisional play. The four division winners will be re-seeded for the final two rounds of the playoffs to determine a Sunday, April 11 at Washington Stanley Cup champion. Tuesday, April 13 vs. N.Y. Islanders Bruins 2021 schedule Friday, April 16 vs. N.Y. Islanders JANUARY Sunday, April 18 vs. Washington Thursday, Jan. 14 at New Jersey Tuesday, April 20 vs. Washington Saturday, Jan. 16 at New Jersey Thursday, April 22 at Buffalo Monday, Jan. 18 at N.Y. Islanders Friday, April 23 at Buffalo Thursday, Jan. 21 vs. Philadelphia Sunday, April 25 at Pittsburgh Saturday, Jan. 23 vs. Philadelphia Tuesday, April 27 at Pittsburgh Tuesday, Jan. 26 vs. Pittsburgh Thursday, April 29 vs. Buffalo Thursday, Jan. 28 vs. Pittsburgh MAY Saturday, Jan. 30 at Washington Saturday, May 1 vs. Buffalo FEBRUARY Monday, May 3 at New Jersey Monday, Feb. 1 at Washington Tuesday, May 4 at New Jersey Wednesday, Feb. 3 at Philadelphia Thursday, May 6 vs. N.Y. Rangers Friday, Feb. 5 at Philadelphia Boston Globe LOADED: 12.24.2020 Saturday, Feb. 6 vs. Buffalo

Monday, Feb. 8 vs. Buffalo

Wednesday, Feb. 10 at N.Y. Rangers

Friday, Feb. 12 at N.Y. Rangers

Saturday, Feb. 13 at N.Y. Islanders

Monday, Feb. 15 vs. New Jersey

Thursday, Feb. 18 vs. New Jersey

Sunday, Feb. 21 vs. Philadelphia

Thursday, Feb. 25 at N.Y. Islanders

Friday, Feb. 26 at N.Y. Rangers 1180940 Boston Bruins get my dream home. I want him to have the best of everything. I want to give him everything.”

Always there Filled with the Christmas spirit, Bruins star David Pastrnak delivers an unforgettable gift In Havirov, Czechia, Marcela Ziembova had a similar drive.

As a single mother, she worked three jobs to support her family, and keep David (hockey) and Jakub (soccer) playing their favorite sports. By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated December 23, 2020, 10:02 a.m. When David was a teenager, rising in the Czech junior system, she juggled part-time work at a bus station, cleaning houses, and selling wine at a winery. To do this — and shop for groceries and run numerous other After spending this strange offseason in Prague and Stockholm, Bruins errands — she would take the bus or train. David would rise at 4:50 a.m. right wing David Pastrnak landed in Boston a few weeks ago. The NHL and lug his bag 15 minutes to the bus station for an early practice. For will start up soon, but he didn’t return solely for hockey reasons. He also several years, she walked with him daily, then made ends meet. wanted to saturate his living space with the Christmas spirit. “Hockey is a tough sport for a parent, or for a single parent, to be “It’s perfect,” he told a Globe reporter over the phone Monday, assessing financing, right?” Pastrnak said. “Especially when you have another boy the sparkling 6-foot tree, the snowman made of lights standing next to it, who plays soccer, even though that’s not as tough financially, it’s still and the various holiday ornaments dotting his downtown pad. “I spent the another sport. And school. It was really tough. first two days here decorating and cleaning the house with my girlfriend. It’s my favorite holiday.” David Pastrnak was tied for the NHL lead in goals scored last season.

This December, of course, has been different for everyone. Though David Pastrnak was tied for the NHL lead in goals scored last Pastrnak is happy to spend it with his girlfriend, Rebecca Rohlsson, and season.JOHN TLUMACKI/ their 1-year-old Aussiedoodle puppy, Eko, his mother and older brother GLOBE STAFF “She was always there for me, and did everything she will not come for their annual month-long stay. Video chats will have to could so I could pursue my dreams and play hockey. My relationship with do. Pastrnak’s mission remains the same: make their Christmas the best my mom is a huge part of my life.” one yet. Marcela split with Pastrnak’s late father, Milan, when David was 4 and This year, he has already done that for someone he has never met. Jakub was 9. Milan Pastrnak died in 2013, some 13 months before the Pastrnak recently gifted the new car he won for being the MVP of the Bruins used the 25th overall pick to select the future Rocket Richard NHL All-Star Game in January to an emergency room nurse at Tufts Trophy winner and All-Star Game MVP. Medical Center who, like Pastrnak’s mother, is raising a child as a single mom. When the NHL gave Pastrnak a Honda CR-V Hybrid as a prize for winning the All-Star MVP award in St. Louis last January, he didn’t give it 'Tis the season of giving! After winning a new @Honda CR-V Hybrid at to his mom. He already bought her a white, four-door, Skoda sedan — the 2020 #NHLAllStar Game, David Pastrnak (@pastrnak96) turned it the first car she has owned — after signing his second NHL contract (six into a good deed by donating it to a frontline nurse in Boston. years, $40 million) in 2017. pic.twitter.com/Btrg7b1BMv For this car, Pastrnak came up with a plan. — NHL (@NHL) December 23, 2020 A surprise Here to help Per his wishes, the Bruins searched for a single mom who worked as a Kaitlin Hagstrom loves helping people. That’s why she studied at UMass nurse helping COVID-19 patients. Hagstrom’s team nominated her Dartmouth and became a registered nurse. For the last three years, she because of her attitude, level of care, and willingness to help. Last week, has logged Zdeno Chara-like shifts in the emergency room on she was working with a patient on a CAT scan when her manager called Washington Street. her, ostensibly for a performance review. She was told that the meeting “I can’t imagine working anywhere else. It’s the best job ever,” said would be recorded for training purposes. Once Hagstrom arrived in the Hagstrom, a 30-year-old from Saugus. “You never really know what’s conference room, she asked to sit for a video presentation. Instead of an coming through the door. There’s that excitement factor about it. You see HR rep on screen, it was her favorite Bruin. She was bewildered. all different types of things.” “He started talking about me, and my son Shaun” she said. “I had no idea She sees the relief of patients realizing they will eventually heal, the joy what was going on.” of families reunited, the gratitude of recovery. She also sees immense He thanked her, told her he understood the challenges she faced as a pain, grief, and loss. Never more than now. single working mom, and informed her of a waiting surprise. Hagstrom “The amount of COVID cases coming through this door is astronomical, was led outside, where a shiny black SUV was parked at the curb, along especially over the last few months,” she said. “There’s nothing like with Bruins mascot Blades the Bear. Inside the trunk was a signed treating someone who says, ‘I can’t breathe,’ seeing them hunched over Pastrnak jersey, a mini-stick, and a box of new hockey equipment, all trying to get air. It’s horrible.” perfectly sized for 4-year-old Shaun.

She is proud of her team, which cares for people at their most broken “I can’t even put it into words,” she said. “For them to think of my son … it and vulnerable moments, comforts anguished families, and tries to means so much to me. I’m so thankful. I’ve never had anything like this provide answers when there are none. There is strength in her voice, her happen to me. It’s such a positive note to end a very difficult year, not demeanor, her actions. And she is hopeful. She received her first vaccine just for me, but everyone. I feel so lucky.” shot last week. Millions will get theirs soon. The car they showed her was merely a placeholder. Able to select from But watching people die never gets easier. Honda’s online menu, she chose a large SUV, an all-black Pilot, large enough for Shaun’s future teammates and their hockey gear. Because of When her 12-hour shifts end, she drives home, alone, sometimes in Pastrnak’s donation, she will put her car lease payments toward a dream silence. house.

When she sees her son, she hugs him tightly. Every time. Shaun “sort of understands” who Pastrnak is, his mother said.

“It’s always on your mind, the anxiety of dealing with this,” she said. “I’m Someday, he will realize why his mom roots so hard for him, and why sure a lot of nurses would say this, but when you’re lying down in bed at Pastrnak roots so hard for his mom. night, your mind is just racing. You’re constantly thinking about what happened that day, what you’ve seen. I dream about work frequently.” Boston Globe LOADED: 12.24.2020

She finds peace in exercise, family time, and her ambitions.

“My ultimate is to purchase a home for me and my son,” she said, her voice growing quieter. “I want to set some extra money aside so I can 1180941 Boston Bruins But Tatum did his best work in the second half and finished with 30 points on 12-for-28 shooting, to go along with Brown’s steady 33.

But the new guys made their signings look good as well, as evidenced by Celtics take opener over Bucks on last-second Jayson Tatum banker, Jeff Teague’s 19- first night as a Celtic, including a 4-for-4 3-point 122-121 performance.

Thompson started last night, blew through whatever his minutes By MARK MURPHY | [email protected] | Boston Herald restriction was with a 12-point, eight-rebound, 22-minute performance, and had a clear effect on his new team’s energy. The Celtics burrowed their way to 40 points in the paint against one of the stingiest paint defensive units in the league. Famous last words, these. And the young star the Celtics are banking on to take them to the Finals “Aside from the ball going in the basket, I’m not sure we could have this season added a huge shot to his resume. defended Tatum much better than we did,” said coach Mike Budenholzer, whose opening night vibe was popped by Jayson Tatum “He’s a good offensive player, got his shot up, it was a well-challenged last night. shot, well-defended shot, I guess we’re lucky it went in,” said Stevens. “But it was a great game and presented a lot of situations that NBA The Celtics forward, taken by the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year on and playing against a good opponent provides.” a switch at the top of the 3-point arc, simply leaned back a little further than usual, lofted the ball over the fingertips of Giannis Antetokounmpo, It also provided the efficiency his team didn’t have a week ago. and watched it back through with four-tenths of a second left. “Just knowing that, all right, it’s time now,” said Tatum. “Obviously you For a Celtics team that had looked so – let’s face it – inept over the want to translate what you’re doing in practice to preseason, but I’ve course of two preseason games, Tatum’s shot affirmed that a team can been in the league a little while now to understand it doesn’t always indeed get its act together on time for the season opener against the best happen that way. regular season team in the Eastern Conference over the last two years. “But knowing that we’ve got a job to do and we know what we need to Their 122-121 win was sparked by exactly what they hadn’t been a week look like when the games count. We’re not always going to be perfect, earlier – a poised, efficient team that came out firing and executing on all but to come out and compete like we did tonight, if we control what we of its young cylinders. can control and play as hard as we can, if we win, we win, if we lose, we lose. You can live with that as a team just knowing that you compete “Hell of a shot. Big time shot,” said Jaylen Brown. “Those are the type of night in and night out.” shots that we trust JT with, that he looks forward to. I don’t know if he called glass, but I’ll take it.” Boston Herald LOADED: 12.24.2020 The only strange part was that, beyond the sounds of jubilation coming from the Celtics bench, there was that fake, piped in crowd noise.

“It’s a little bit more weird just because it’s the Garden,” said Brown. “And the Garden is one of the loudest places to play in in the NBA. So it definitely is an adjustment that we’ve gotta get used to. But hell of a shot from JT. And I know all the Celtics fans were going crazy. So we appreciate you guys. Keep sending your energy. Even though you’re not in the building, we still might feel it.”

Tatum shrugged.

“I mean, I feel like every shot I shoot should go in,” he said. “Giannis is extremely tall so I tried to get some separation and put some arc on it and follow through. … The angle that I had and knowing how tall he is, once I let it go I knew it was going to hit the backboard but I didn’t necessarily try. I didn’t try to do that.”

And, in a crushing way for Antetokounmpo, it was made possible by a rare misstep by the Bucks star. He was fouled at the rim by Tristan Thompson during the subsequent inbounds play – no time had gone off the clock – and after draining his first free throw, Antetokounmpo lined his second off the front of the rim.

He collapsed on the floor as the Celtics exulted like a college team.

But considering that the Celtics, thanks to the game-long steadiness of Jaylen Brown and his 33 points, had a 17-point lead at the start of the fourth, there is also a lesson in there about never feeling too good about yourself.

“You’re going to be in those situations. That was not a trend for us the first couple of weeks in the bubble,” Brad Stevens said of his team’s down-the-stretch trouble in the Orlando bubble.

“That was something we were usually pretty good in fourth quarters, at least at the start of last year we had our moments,” he said. “You’re going to be in games like that, and when Giannis hits those threes – those pull-up threes and those catch-and-shoot threes – they’re going to make a comeback. We’re certainly going to out-run him on those, so credit him for that, credit them for that, and we hung in there, took a good hit and kept ticking. It was good.”

Indeed, Antetokounmpo’s 18-point, 7-for-10 fourth quarter would usually be a knockout punch on your average night in the life of the richest man in Milwaukee. 1180942 Boston Bruins The Bruins announced that David Pastrnak has donated the car he won as the NHL All-Star game MVP last winter to Tufts Medical Center nurse Kaitlin Hagstrom. Not a bad Christmas present for a deserving front-line Bruins open up on the road health worker.

Boston Herald LOADED: 12.24.2020

By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald

If you’re a Bruins fan of a certain age, the first thing you usually did when you got the new B’s schedule in the summer was scan the grid to find the first home game against the . If you’re the adventurous type, then you’d look for the first opportunity for the north-of- the-border road trip.

Well, all you have to do is look out you’re window to know it’s not summer. You only need a pulse to know this isn’t your normal hockey season. And for the first time in forever, the B’s won’t be playing the hated Habs, at least not in the regular season.

But with COVID-induced realignment on tap, some newer rivalries — and maybe some old ones that will easily be rekindled await.

The NHL on Wednesday released its new schedule in which each team will play 56 games in a 116-day span. The B’s — in a temporary East division with the Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Sabres, Penguins, Capitals and Flyers — will open up on the road in New Jersey on Jan. 14.

The B’s do not play at TD Garden, which is not expected to be allowed to host fans at the start of the season, until Jan. 21 when the Flyers come to town.

There has been some bad blood with both the Flyers and Penguins over the years, but perhaps the most natural rival would be the Rangers. Not only are the two cities geographically close, but the teams were bitter rivals in the late 1960s and ’70s. Wednesday, in fact, was the anniversary of Terry O’Reilly, and crew climbing into the stands at Madison Square Garden to do battle with New York fans. Eight games against the Blueshirts, or any team for that matter, should bring out the best and worst in these teams.

“Yeah, I don’t think it will take long to get those rivalries built up,” said team president Cam Neely on Monday. “Obviously there’s history between Boston and the Rangers for years. When they play here, we play there, there’s a lot of fans of both teams. I think the recent history we’ve had with Philly in the playoffs, that will spark some rivalry. I mean playing these teams that many times, guys will be sick of each other in a hurry.”

To cut down on travel, the teams will mostly play two-game series against each, with a few single games sprinkled in. The first B’s-Rangers matchup will take place on Feb. 10 at MSG and then close the season on Causeway Street on May 6 and 8.

Hopefully by then, we’ll able to hear the competing chants from Rangers and B’s fans that we’re used to hearing when the two teams tangle.

Some B’s fans may have been happy to dodge the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the regular season this year as the Bolts are in a “Central” division with the Panthers, Predators, Red Wings, Blue Jackets, Stars, Hurricanes and Blackhawks.

The Lightning announced Wednesday that their superstar Nikita Kucherov would have to undergo hip surgery and miss the entire regular season. It was a bad news/good news type of announcement. The Bolts, who had been well over the salary cap, can now put Kucherov’s $9.5 million on long-term injured reserve and sign their fine two-way centerman Anthony Cirelli, who was an RFA.

While there no doubt will be howls about circumvention if Kucherov is ready for the playoffs — when the salary cap restrictions go out the window — Tampa would surely prefer that its best player not go under hip surgery.

Still, it could line up nicely for the Bolts.

Zdeno Chara’s agent Matt Keator said that the Bruins and he remain communicative, but that the two sides are no closer to a deal. Chara’s focus is still to remain with Boston, said Keator. The two sides need to find common ground on a role for the long-time captain, and that has not happened yet. 1180943 Boston Bruins Monday, April 5 @ Philadelphia

Tuesday, April 6 @ Philadelphia

Boston Bruins 2021 regular season schedule Thursday, April 8 @ Washington

Sunday, April 11 @ Washington

By BRUCE CASTLEBERRY | [email protected] | Tuesday, April 13 vs. N.Y. Islanders

Friday, April 16 vs. N.Y. Islanders

JANUARY Sunday, April 18 vs. Washington

Thursday, Jan. 14 @ New Jersey Tuesday, April 20 vs. Washington

Saturday, Jan. 16 @ New Jersey Thursday, April 22 @ Buffalo

Monday, Jan. 18 @ N.Y. Islanders Friday, April 23 @ Buffalo

Thursday, Jan. 21 vs. Philadelphia Sunday, April 25 @ Pittsburgh

Saturday, Jan. 23 vs. Philadelphia Tuesday, April 27 @ Pittsburgh

Tuesday, Jan. 26 vs. Pittsburgh Thursday, April 29 vs. Buffalo

Thursday, Jan. 28 vs. Pittsburgh MAY

Saturday, Jan. 30 @ Washington Saturday, May 1 vs. Buffalo

FEBRUARY Monday, May 3 @ New Jersey

Monday, Feb. 1 @ Washington Tuesday, May 4 @ New Jersey

Wednesday, Feb. 3 @ Philadelphia Thursday, May 6 vs. N.Y. Rangers

Friday, Feb. 5 @ Philadelphia Saturday, May 8 vs. N.Y. Rangers

Saturday, Feb. 6 vs. Buffalo Boston Herald LOADED: 12.24.2020

Monday, Feb. 8 vs. Buffalo

Wednesday, Feb. 10 @ N.Y. Rangers

Friday, February 12 @ N.Y. Rangers

Saturday, Feb. 13 @ N.Y. Islanders

Monday, Feb. 15 vs. New Jersey

Thursday, Feb. 18 vs. New Jersey

Sunday, Feb. 21 vs. Philadelphia

Thursday, Feb. 25 @ N.Y. Islanders

Friday, Feb. 26 @ N.Y. Rangers

Sunday, Feb. 28 @ N.Y. Rangers

MARCH

Wednesday, March 3 vs. Washington

Friday, March 5 vs. Washington

Sunday, March 7 vs. Philadelphia

Tuesday, March 9 @ N.Y. Islanders

Thursday, March 11 vs. N.Y. Rangers

Saturday, March 13 vs. N.Y. Rangers

Monday, March 15 @ Pittsburgh

Tuesday, March 16 @ Pittsburgh

Thursday, March 18 @ Buffalo

Saturday, March 20 @ Buffalo

Thursday, March 25 vs. N.Y. Islanders

Saturday, March 27 vs. N.Y. Islanders

Sunday, March 28 vs. New Jersey

Tuesday, March 30 vs. New Jersey

APRIL

Thursday, April 1 vs. Pittsburgh

Saturday, April 3 vs. Pittsburgh 1180944 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Will Be Running With The Devils in 2021 OpenerPublished 11 hours ago on December 23, 2020

By Jimmy Murphy

The Boston Bruins will be running with the Devils when they kick off the 56-game 2021 NHL regular season.

There had been serious discussions for the Boston Bruins to be part of the NBC season-opening tripleheader with a tilt on the road against the Flyers in Philadelphia, but between yesterday afternoon and when the league announced the schedule just after 3 PM ET, things changed and the Bruins will open their season on the road with a two-game set against the at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on Thursday, Jan. 14.

The two new East Division rivals will play again at ‘The Pru’ two days later before the Bruins head over to Long Island and face another new East Division rival in the and a team that lost to the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Boston Bruins will open their home slate of the reduced 2021 schedule on Jan. 21 in the first of a two-game set that concludes on Jan. 23. They will then welcome in and the Pittsburgh Penguins for two games Jan. 26-28 before closing the month on the road against the Washington Capitals, wait for it. …a two-game set against Alexander Ovechkin and the team that’s pretty much owned the Boston Bruins in recent years, the Washington Capitals. The Bruins will play 25 two-game sets and six one gamers this season, including four against the New York Islanders.

As Joe Haggerty reported here on Monday morning, it doesn’t appear that Boston Bruins fans will be allowed into TD Garden for home games anytime soon. Early Wednesday evening, the team released this statement:

“The Boston Bruins and TD Garden are working closely with state, city, and public health officials along with the NHL to develop and review plans to safely welcome fans back to the arena. The safety of our associates and all our guests is paramount to any reopening plans.

We are not permitted to host fans at this time, but when approved, we will share all new TD Garden policies and procedures with our fans.

Thank you and Happy Holidays!”

You may have noticed in the schedule below, that the Bruins’ longtime Original 6 rivals, the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs are not on the Bruins schedule. This will be the first time in franchise history that the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens have not faced each other in a regular season game and the first time since the lockout- shortened 48-game season in 1994-95. Due to COVID travels risks and restrictions, the Habs, Leafs, and the five other Canadian teams will play all games in the Canadian Division. While the Bruins and their fans will surely miss the bitter rivalry tilts with the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs, they actually can renew those rivalries in the Stanley Cup final under the new NHL Return format.

The new divisional realignment will also provide the chance to renew other previous rivalries like those with the Philadelphia Flyers and the New York Rangers. Seeing each team eight times and mostly on back- to-back will build animosity that we haven’t seen since the late 1980’s and early nineties when the Bruins played both of those clubs more often and the other teams, the Capitals, Islanders, and Devils. The Bruins will also play a former rival in the Buffalo Sabres. And lest we forget they will get a taste of prior battles with the Habs when they face Devils defenseman P.K. Subban in the season opener.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180945 Boston Bruins Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020

BHN Puck Links: Big Week For Boston Bruins’ PastrnakPublished 17 hours ago on December 23, 2020

By Joe Haggerty

It’s been quite an enjoyable ride over the last year for Boston Bruins sniper David Pastrnak, who was voted the ’s Athlete of The Year 2020, marking the first time a Czech hockey player has garnered that honor since Jaromir Jagr nearly 20 years ago.

And we have an other #icehockey player who became Athlete of the Year in his country, this time David Pastrnak, player of @narodnitym and the @NHLBruins, in the Czech Republic�� Congrats @pastrnak96 ! https://t.co/QBSfsanB92

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) December 23, 2020

The 23-year-old right winger is in Boston currently rehabbing from hip surgery and making preparations for the 2021 NHL season, and is coming off a season where he led the league in goals and continued to carve out his role as NHL superstar. He also donated the brand-new 2021 Honda CRV Hybrid he won as the MVP of the 2020 NHL All-Star game to a frontline nurse on the COVID-19 unit at Tufts Medical Center, Kaitlin Hagstrom, so Pastrnak deserves to take a bow for a number of different reasons as the 2020 year is finally, mercifully coming to an end. Good job, Pasta.

Pasta serving up some holiday joy. @pastrnak96 has donated the 2021 Honda CRV Hybrid he won for being named MVP of the 2020 NHL All-Star Game to @TuftsMedicalCtr nurse Kaitlin Hagstrom, who has been caring for patients on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. pic.twitter.com/yoFFOqAvjl

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 23, 2020

So good work going out on a high note this year, Pasta, and let’s hope it’s a much better 2021 for everybody in Boston, and all over the world. Now on to the puck links:

*The Pittsburgh Penguins are going to add some muscle to their roster by giving tough guy a chance to win a spot in training camp. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

*It looks like the Boston Bruins are going to start the season in Philadelphia against the Flyers, according to a report from my partner-in- crime Jimmy Murphy. (Boston Hockey Now)

*Let’s take a look at the top-10 prospects from the World Junior tournament, even if the Boston Bruins don’t have any players on the list with Johnny Beecher on the sidelines after his positive COVID-19 test. (Bleacher Report)

*The NHL is going to be aggressive in attempting to add new revenue streams for this season, including the advertising on player helmets that we’re already seeing with teams like the New Jersey Devils. (Sportsnet)

*Speaking of NHL initiatives, thank goodness they have tweaked the offside role so that players don’t have to physically touch the blue line with their skate. This will save a lot of needless coach’s challenges next season.

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UPDATE TO @NHL RULE 83.1 (OFF-SIDE): Beginning in the 2020-21 regular season, a player’s skate will not have to be in contact with the blue line in order to be on-side.

Updated language: https://t.co/gp5npRIw9k pic.twitter.com/pT6YmA6qP5

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 22, 2020

*The newfangled East Division is going to be very bad news for the Buffalo Sabres, according to FOH (Friend of Haggs) Mike Harrington. (Buffalo News)

*For something completely different: Wow, this Scooby Doo Christmas house in Connecticut sounds awesome. Very festive. Zoinks! (Hartford Courant) 1180946 Boston Bruins [The players will] have a short training camp and jump right into a compressed schedule with a number of back-to-backs and I think 116 days, I believe, to play 56 games. So, there are a lot of factors in play McGuire: Boston Bruins’ Chara Should ‘Do A Ray Bourque’Published 19 about what makes sense for us and what makes sense for Zdeno.” hours ago on December 23, 2020 Stay tuned because it sure sounds like the Chara situation might be going down a familiar path with the Boston Bruins.

By Joe Haggerty Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020

Boston Bruins fans could be in for a case of massive déjà vu if a scenario painted by NBC hockey analyst Pierre McGuire comes true.

During a hit on TSN 690 Montreal’s Melnick in the Afternoon Show, McGuire mentioned the Colorado Avalanche as a landing spot for Bruins captain Zdeno Chara if things don’t end up working out with the Black and Gold. The 43-year-old Chara remains unsigned with NHL training camp little more than a week away and it appears far from a lock that he ends up coming back with a Boston Bruins that’s looking at other options to improve their blue line.

Chara’s agent Matt Keator said that 20-plus teams have contacted the agent about the 6-foot-9 future Hall of Famer’s services for next season, but his preference remains to sign on with the Boston Bruins for a 16th season. If that doesn’t happen then McGuire points to Chara going the same route that Bruins Hall of Famer Ray Bourque chose little more than 20 years ago to win a Stanley Cup in Colorado. Clearly, the Boston Bruins’ pursuit of Oliver Ekman-Larsson earlier this offseason tells anyone that they are looking for a different kind of D-man than Chara to fill a need for a veteran top-4 defenseman on the left side.

Could Chara end up being the same kind of difference-maker for the Avalanche as a 43-year-old shutdown defenseman and ? Hmmm, it does seem to make a lot of sense as a landing spot for Big Zee.

“Go to Colorado. That’s where he should go. Do a Ray Bourque. They got a chance to win the Cup and I know he wants to win the Cup. He could make a massive difference there. They need a big, physical presence on the left side and I think he would fit perfectly with what they have there,” said McGuire on Melnick in the Afternoon. “One of the things that set them back in the playoffs was injuries, and they really missed there. That was really, really tough stuff for them and they missed him a lot. He’s a bigger body. Sammy Girard gets targeted. Cale Makar gets targeted. Everybody goes after Ian Cole. They need somebody there that can really enforce things and Big Zee can do that. I think they’re really on the precipice of competing for a Cup, if not winning the Cup.

“I think [leadership] is one of the big parts about it if he were to go there. He’s won the Stanley Cup and he’s been back there two other times in his career. He knows what it’s all about. He played in the World Cup. He’s played in Olympics. He knows. His street cred around the league is amazing he’s still one of the most feared players in the National Hockey League.”

Clearly Chara still has some rugged game left as his plus-26 during last year’s regular season would attest and his killing is still at a premiere level. But the 43-year-old defenseman also struggled in the Toronto bubble playoffs for the Bruins after last season’s long layoff, and the same kind of issues could presumably be there for the veteran defenseman that hasn’t played in three months while waiting for the NHL to hammer out a 2021 season format.

Bruins President Cam Neely didn’t guarantee that a B’s roster spot was preserved for Chara when asked about it during a Monday zoom call, and instead said that there were “a lot of factors at play” when it comes to their longtime captain. The Bruins already have eight defensemen signed to NHL deals at this point, and have young left shot D-men in Jeremy Lauzon, Jakub Zboril and Urho Vaakanainen that they want to get longer NHL looks to at this point. A subtraction of both Chara and Torey Krug from the defense’s left side in the same offseason would be a massive, but-probably-needed overhaul to the back end.

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“I think it really depends on what he feels he can do to help us, and we have to feel the same way [about] how that looks. Is that something that he would be comfortable with, how we maybe envision it looking compared to maybe how [Chara] feels it may look?” said Neely. “This is a really difficult time for anybody that is going to come off a long break. 1180947 Boston Bruins

No Canadiens, the back-to-backs, a road start: Takeaways from Bruins schedule

By Fluto Shinzawa Dec 23, 2020 2

The NHL released a set of team schedules Wednesday unlike any seen before, setting the stage for the 56-game, four-month sprint to the playoffs that will be the 2021 season.

1. The Bruins will start the year on the road. Game No. 1 is in New Jersey on Jan. 14. The teams have a rematch two days later.

They will be two of eight games the Bruins play against the Devils. They will play all of their opponents in the newly minted East Division eight times. The repeated clashes should rev up the hate promptly.

“I don’t think it will take long to get those rivalries built up,” Bruins president Cam Neely said. “Obviously there’s history between Boston and the Rangers for years. When they play here and we play there, there’s a lot of fans for both teams. The recent history we’ve had with Philly in the playoffs, that will spark some rivalry. Playing these teams that many times, guys will be sick of each other in a hurry.”

2. There are no times or television information available for any of the games yet. TV rightsholders remain in negotiations for preferred times. Executives at local networks like NESN are wondering how many games NBC will claim.

“The pressures on regional networks are going to be immense,” said NESN play-by-play announcer Jack Edwards. “The way the NHL functions, it serves the biggest appetites first. The national networks pay enormous rights fees. NBC is going to have its fill, its choice. That’s the way the game works.”

3. Count Edwards among the supporters of the eight-game showdowns against each club. The Bruins play four of their first 11 games against Philadelphia. The Bruins should generate plenty of hate for Sean Couturier, , Carter Hart and Ivan Provorov.

“I’ve always been a proponent of cutting back the games against the other conference and emphasizing that familiarity breeds contempt,” Edwards said. “Contempt is the lifeblood of rivalries. I’m so into that.”

4. The home opener at TD Garden is on Jan. 21 against Philadelphia. It’s a four-game homestand in sum: two against the Flyers, followed by two against Pittsburgh.

5. The Bruins’ longest stretch on home ice is six straight games at the end of March and beginning of April. They will play the Islanders, New Jersey and Pittsburgh. Whether the Garden will be open to fans by then is unknown.

6. The Bruins will play eight sets of back-to-back games. Only one will require plane travel: from Philadelphia to Boston between Feb. 5 and 6. The two others (Feb. 12 and 13, Feb. 25 and 26) involve a bus between Manhattan and Long Island. It’s a good bet that and Jaroslav Halak will split the back-to-backs.

7. The longest span on the road will be four games. The Bruins have three sets of four-game roadies.

8. The Bruins will be on one of those four-game swings (two in Philadelphia, two in Washington) prior to the April 12 trade deadline.

9. This will be the first time in team history the Bruins will not play the Canadiens during the regular season. Sniff.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180948 Boston Bruins DeBrusk thought through his options. Meanwhile, Chara was throwing. Fortunately for DeBrusk, he wasn’t really connecting.

“It was a nothing fight,” DeBrusk said. “He threw a bunch of punches. He What’s it like to fight Zdeno Chara? ‘I felt like a little boy’ hit me with some that were coming underneath. He caught me on the chin with uppercuts a couple times. But I blocked them. I kind of got a piece of them, so I slowed them down.” By Fluto Shinzawa Dec 23, 2020 23 Finally, DeBrusk arrived at what he termed a Hail Mary solution. Instead of trying to free his right hand to punch, he shook it loose to grab Chara by the left shoulder. DeBrusk then angled his body and switched to Whether Zdeno Chara spends another season menacing opponents from punch with his left hand. The torque of the maneuver brought Chara the Black-and-Gold blue line remains to be seen. The Bruins are down. The scrap was over. sweeping the trade market to upgrade their defense. Chara has outside options. “I never touched him the whole fight,” DeBrusk said.

In that way, Chara’s future is uncertain. But there is one certainty DeBrusk thought about later bouts. If they met again, DeBrusk would regarding Chara wherever he plays: The biggest man in NHL history is a shoot in on Chara immediately, bypass his left arm and get into the handful when he curls his hands into fists. defenseman’s body.

Fighting has never been a regular part of Chara’s game. Chara’s greater A rematch never happened. DeBrusk’s lone encounter was with a raw value comes from wiping out bodies in front of the net instead of icing his rookie, not a more composed, experienced or angry fighter. knuckles for five minutes. At the same time, the supply of combatants eager to eat a punch from the 6-foot-9, 250-pound colossus is not Had the circumstances repeated later in Chara’s career, mused DeBrusk, abundant. “he would have broke my face.”

But according to Hockey Fights, Chara has thrown down 69 times during Near-equals his 1,553-game NHL career. Louie DeBrusk, , Hal Gill and On Nov. 19, 1997, Chara made his NHL debut. Three days later, Peter are four of the men brave enough to engage in gloves-off Worrell appeared in his first NHL game. combat with Chara. They encountered Chara at different stages of career development: as a rookie, as a youngster looking to establish a Worrell, like Chara, was born in 1977. The former Florida tough guy was reputation, as a do-it-all defenseman and as a champion. two inches shorter than Chara, putting them on almost equal footing.

All four laughed when recalling their fights. At the time, there was nothing The 6-foot-7, 250-pound Worrell was not just a slugger. Worrell loved funny. boxing. He studied the technique and speed with which Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather and Sugar Ray Leonard worked their craft. The rookie Because of his size, strength, balance, skill and savvy, Worrell was one These days, Louie DeBrusk is better known in Boston as Jake’s father. of the few men optimized not only to hold his own but also to do some But over 401 games, the elder DeBrusk made his mark as a willing damage against Chara. Worrell had practice. The two titans fought six pugilist. times, starting on Dec. 28, 1998.

By April 1, 1998, when DeBrusk and the Lightning played the Islanders, “I probably did something stupid,” Worrell said when asked how the he had totaled 16 scraps that season. In fact, DeBrusk had already rivalry began. “Or one of us did.” fought that game. A period later, a 21-year-old Chara wanted in too. Video shows Chara checking Worrell as the two pursued a puck in the neutral zone. Jostling heated up. Puck control soon became a secondary DeBrusk never turned down invitations, especially one from a gangly priority. Slovakian. DeBrusk did not know that two years earlier, Chara had rumbled through the rough-and-tumble . Chara had the better of Worrell early. The fight shifted when Worrell got in tight on Chara. Then Worrell pushed Chara out, landed an uppercut “I was usually pretty caught up on guys I knew that fought,” DeBrusk and slammed the defenseman to the ice. said. “I knew he was a European. I didn’t even realize he played in the WHL. I didn’t realize he was a Dub kid. I just slept on my research. To be “When he finally wanted to go with me,” Worrell recalled, “it was like, totally honest with you, I was more concentrated on Gino Odjick. Gino ‘Let’s do this. Let’s have some fun.’” Odjick was the guy, going into that game, I had fought five or six times. I was like, ‘I might have to have a tussle with Gino tonight.’ So I was really It was pointed out to Worrell that, for mere mortals, trading bombs with a focused on him.” 6-foot-9 mammoth would not qualify as entertaining. He concurred, to a degree. Chara knew who DeBrusk was. Chara was nervous about the challenge. But as a rookie, Chara thought he could earn respect by extending the “Certainly getting punched in the face is not the most fun thing in the offer. world,” Worrell said. “But it’s the sense of competition against each other. I was a competitive guy. For me, when I was given those fights, there DeBrusk accepted. Chara started by grabbing his opponent with his left was a lot of adrenaline going on. I wasn’t really thinking about anything hand. DeBrusk figured he could apply his strength and experience to else. I’m very lucky, looking back, that I probably got hit really good about break Chara’s hold and get inside the defenseman’s reach. The 225- five times. One of them was by Z.” pound DeBrusk learned he wasn’t going anywhere. Worrell was the NHL’s big man on campus for parts of seven seasons. “He had me in the most vulnerable position I’ve ever been in during a Outside of , he did not have much company. hockey fight. And I’ve been in a few hundred fights in my life,” DeBrusk said. “I couldn’t reach him. I tried to throw one punch, and it was a foot Most of Worrell’s smaller opponents wanted to get inside and tie him up, and a half short. I was like, ‘Wow. This is bad.’ He had a real good grip not get locked out and placed in the crosshairs of his punishing right on me. He had extended me out. I just remember having a real hand. The fighters who encountered Worrell preferred wrestling matches, vulnerable feeling for myself saying, ‘This guy not only has me stretched not swinging-and-throwing bouts. out, but he’s too strong. I can’t get inside on him.’ ” So Worrell found himself in an unusual spot when he stared down — or DeBrusk was in a familiar spot. At 6-foot-1, DeBrusk usually fought taller up, technically — Chara. To shift the square-off in his favor, Worrell men. In those fights, DeBrusk tugged opponents in to initiate close- wanted to get Chara off balance. That meant throwing the big man quarters hostility. around. Worrell was one of the few with enough muscle to do so.

He tried to do the same with Chara. He couldn’t move him. DeBrusk “The only thing you could really do was to try to jerk him around and try realized he was in a jam. to shake him around, if you were capable, and just get him off his spot,” Worrell said. “So even when he threw a punch, he was never going to be “I pretty much shit my pants,” DeBrusk said. “I knew I was in big, big able to get his full power behind it.” trouble. I was like, ‘I need to get the hell out of this right away.’ ” During one of their fights, Worrell was at risk of a bad outcome. By his such a good technical fighter. He’s hard to beat. I felt that with Z, I could recollection, he was puffing through a two-minute shift when the puck got catch him a little rusty. I wanted to take him down. I felt like I could.” to him along the wall. Worrell wanted to get the puck out of the Florida zone and retreat to the bench. Chara had other intentions. The Flyers were down 1-0 in the first period. The teams lined up for a faceoff in the Bruins’ end. Shelley asked Chara to fight. He was “As soon as it did, I breathed a sigh of relief,” Worrell said of advancing expecting a no. Shelley would have understood. the puck. “But he thought I was trying to fight him. So the gloves drop. I was like, ‘Oh, Lord.’ I just tried to hold on. He got me with a real clean Chara averaged 25 minutes of ice time per game in the 2011-12 season. one real quick. So we’re sitting in the penalty box. I just remember Shelley logged 5:39 per appearance. It would have been a bad tradeoff saying, ‘Z, I don’t understand. Why’d you want to fight me? I was literally for the Bruins. trying to climb up you to get off the ice.’ I was dead tired. I wanted To Shelley’s surprise, Chara said yes. nothing to do with him.” “Z could have told me to fly a kite,” Shelley said. “That’s what I was It wasn’t the first time they held a post-punches conversation from their expecting him to do. ‘Go get your twine and your kite and take a walk.’ respective boxes. After a later fight, Chara was practically chatty. But when he said yeah, I was like, ‘OK.’”

“Hey, you look good,” Worrell recalled Chara telling him. “How much you The Philadelphia enforcer knew his stuff. Shelley would retire with 173 weighing these days? How much you lifting?” career fights. But at 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, Shelley was at a By then, their head-butting had evolved. They respected each other’s disadvantage against Chara. jobs. They enjoyed the competition. Fighting was never personal. Shelley wanted to take the fight right to the big man. That way, he could “We never had a screw-you, hate-you, I’m-gonna-get-you type of avoid Chara’s left arm and breach his perimeter. But that plan was relationship,” Worrell said. “That didn’t make any sense. We were both dangerous. trying to do things for our teams. We got it. There was no need to add “My biggest worry is getting tagged on the way in,” Shelley said. “He’s a any extra to it. It was, ‘Let’s just do our jobs to the best of our guy that doesn’t fight all the time. But he’s smart enough and strong capabilities.’ Then move on.” enough that if he pops me on my way in, I’m going to have a tough time.”

Drawing blood Shelley elected for caution. The puck dropped. So did their gloves. They For eight seasons, Hal Gill was Boston’s version of Chara. He was a circled each other for several seconds. defensive defenseman, tasked to negate sticks and shoo forwards away Shelley’s priority was to tie up Chara’s right arm with his left hand. He from danger areas. couldn’t quite reach. Shelley grabbed the middle of Chara’s jersey and When needed, the 6-foot-7, 244-pound Gill flexed his muscles. Fighting landed several left jabs. Chara responded in kind. wasn’t Gill’s thing. But his strength and reach usually worked in his favor. The fight progressed. Shelley swung with three rights. Chara let five fly. “If I was mad, I could go in swinging,” Gill said. “But if I was in a fight, I After the fifth, Chara had had enough. He shoved Shelley to the ice, could always pull back and just hold them out.” which brought the linesmen in.

On Dec. 30, 2003, Gill and the Bruins were leading Ottawa, 3-0. Bodies “When he wanted the fight to be over, he just folded me up like a lawn came together after a whistle. Chara got into the mix. Gill took it upon chair,” Shelley said. “I felt like a little boy.” himself to extricate the then-Ottawa strongman. Shelley was bleeding after the fight. Chara had pressed his helmet so far “Lapse in judgment, I guess,” Gill said. “I pulled him out of a pile. Maybe into Shelley’s head that it cut him behind his ear. a little too brave.” But Shelley was satisfied. His home crowd was roaring. He had gotten Both defenders’ gloves flew off. Gill started strong. He got a tight hold of Chara off the ice for five minutes. Chara with his left hand to keep him out of reach. At the same time, Gill “I did thank him on the way to the box. He didn’t have to do that,” Shelley connected with several left jabs. Gill’s confidence grew. said. “So I said, ‘Z, thanks.’ He said, ‘No problem.’”

“That’s when he came across with the hammer and got me pretty good,” The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 Gill said. “It felt like an anvil coming over had hit me.”

By jabbing with his left, Gill had left himself open. Chara took it. Chara’s right cross buckled Gill. His helmet came off. By then, Chara was in control. The linesmen stopped the fight.

As Gill skated away, adrenaline dulled the pain he was feeling from Chara’s thunderclap. It took Gill several moments before he realized the bout’s consequences. Stitches were in his immediate future.

“I remember after the fight, I was going to the bench and I was like, ‘Wow, I am sweating a lot,’ ” Gill recalled. “So I wiped my face. Then realized it wasn’t sweat. It was blood dripping down my face. He got me good.”

‘I felt like a little boy’

By Dec. 17, 2011, Chara was on top of the world. He was a Stanley Cup champion. The 34-year-old was first-man-up in all situations: 5-on-5, power play, penalty kill.

Jody Shelley wanted to take the big man out.

Bruins enforcer would have been Shelley’s first target. They were frequent combatants.

But Shelley recalled that Thornton had been on a fighting run entering the game. He wanted to give his fellow tough guy a breather. So Shelley asked Chara instead.

“I was ready. I felt like I had the advantage,” said Shelley, then working the sweet science for Philadelphia. “I felt like with Thorty, we had fought so many times. Thorty just hangs around. He knows how to fight. He’s 1180949 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres re-sign Casey Mittelstadt to one-year contract

By Harry Scull Jr./Buffalo News

The Buffalo Sabres got Casey Mittelstadt back in the fold Wednesday afternoon, signing the 22-year-old to a one-year contract that would pay $874,125 at the NHL level and $125,000 in the AHL.

Of course, where Mittelstadt plays this season is an open question.

Buffalo's first-round draft choice in 2017 split last year between the Sabres and Rochester, but a crowded group of forwards that includes newly signed free-agent center Cody Eakin, appears to have him on the outside looking in as training camp begins next week.

With the AHL not slated to start until the first week of February, Mittelstadt could be a candidate to at least start the season on the Sabres' taxi squad for players who could be added in the event of a positive Covid-19 test on the roster.

Mittelstadt found his game much more last season upon his trip to Rochester, collecting nine goals and 16 assists in 36 games for the Amerks. But he lost a chance to get his first professional postseason experience when the season was canceled by the pandemic. He had four goals and five assists in 31 games for Buffalo.

Mittelstadt had 12 goals and 13 assists in 77 games while playing a regular role for the Sabres in 2018-19, his first full NHL season.

Mittelstadt was Buffalo's last unsigned player heading into camp. He was the Sabres' lone 10.2(c) restricted free agent, meaning he did not meet the qualifications for unrestricted free agency or normal RFA status because he had not completed two full NHL seasons by 22 after the team agreed to burn the first year of his entry-level deal when he left the University of Minnesota to sign late in the 2017-18 season.

Mittelstadt was thus ineligible for arbitration or to sign an offer sheet during this offseason.

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180950 Buffalo Sabres on the road against Philadelphia on April 11, and they play two nights later at Washington.

The Sabres’ first series against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins will Sabres to open shortened season at home with games against occur March 11 and 13, and the Bruins’ first trip to Buffalo is scheduled Washington for March 18.

Prior to realignment, the Sabres would have likely been considered as a Lance Lysowski Dec 23, 2020 Updated 8 hrs ago 0 fringe playoff team in the old Atlantic Division. However, they’ve now been placed with a few potential Stanley Cup contenders and the busy schedule amid a pandemic could be taxing on a young team.

The Buffalo Sabres’ 56-game quest to snap a nine-year playoff drought The Sabres and the six other non-playoff teams will open training camp will begin with back-to-back games in KeyBank Center without fans amid Dec. 31, and there won’t be preseason games. Teams also won’t benefit the coronavirus pandemic. from a bye week or all-star break. It’s a sprint to be among the 16 to qualify for the playoffs. Ralph Krueger’s second season as coach of the Sabres will commence Thursday, Jan. 14, when Buffalo hosts the Washington Capitals, the The NHL’s enhanced protocols and transition rules include each team National Hockey League announced Wednesday. The two teams will having a four-to-six player taxi squad that will practice and travel to also play the following night before the Sabres embark on the first of games. These players can be used as reinforcements in the event of a eight multi-game road trips this season. positive Covid-19 test.

Game times are expected to be announced next week. The identity of a player who tests positive for Covid-19 will be revealed during the season, but only leaguewide testing data will be released in The Sabres’ final home game will be May 4 against the New York training camp. One significant change fans will notice during games is Islanders – the second game of a back-to-back -- and they will finish the coaches must wear masks on the bench. regular season at Pittsburgh on May 8. Despite the unusual start time to the season, there is sure to be With Covid-19 preventing travel between Canada and the United States, significant hype around the Sabres following the acquisition of Hall, a the NHL shifted to strictly intradivisional play this season. The Sabres former Hart Trophy winner, and the franchise’s return to royal blue. Yet, were placed in the temporarily aligned East Division, which will also for all the excitement generated during a nearly 10-month offseason, fans feature the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New won’t be able to attend Sabres games when the unprecedented season York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers and Capitals. At begins. this point, it's uncertain if the seven Canadian teams will be able to play in their home arenas at the start of the season. Thu. 1/14/2021 Washington Buffalo

The top four teams in each division will make the playoffs, which are Fri. 1/15/2021 Washington Buffalo tentatively scheduled to begin May 11. The NHL announced July 9 as tentatively the last possible date to award the Stanley Cup. Mon. 1/18/2021 Buffalo Philadelphia

The Sabres will play each of their divisional opponents eight times, Tue. 1/19/2021 Buffalo Philadelphia preventing Jack Eichel and company from reigniting their rivalry with the Fri. 1/22/2021 Buffalo Washington Toronto Maple Leafs, who will compete in an all-Canadian Division. Sun. 1/24/2021 Buffalo Washington In another effort to limit travel, the NHL structured each team’s schedule to include back-to-backs and as many as three consecutive games Tue. 1/26/2021 N.Y. Rangers Buffalo against the same team. The Sabres have eight such back-to-backs, including one against the Capitals to open the season, and are Thu. 1/28/2021 N.Y. Rangers Buffalo scheduled to play the Devils for three consecutive games from April 6-9 Sat. 1/30/2021 New Jersey Buffalo with one game in Buffalo and two in New Jersey. Sun. 1/31/2021 New Jersey Buffalo The Sabres’ first encounter with the NHL’s enhanced safety protocols on the road – including a 50-person traveling party and no contact with the Tue. 2/2/2021 Buffalo N.Y. Islanders general public – will occur in Philadelphia with games against the Flyers Thu. 2/4/2021 Buffalo N.Y. Islanders on Jan. 18 and 19. Sat. 2/6/2021 Buffalo Boston There are no more than four consecutive games at home or on the road. Mon. 2/8/2021 Buffalo Boston The Sabres’ first game against Alexis Lafreniere, the most recent first overall draft pick, is expected to occur in New York when they play the Thu. 2/11/2021 Washington Buffalo Rangers on Jan. 26. Sat. 2/13/2021 Washington Buffalo , now head coach of the Devils, will make his return to Buffalo with back-to-back games against the Sabres on Jan. 30-31. Ruff’s Mon. 2/15/2021 N.Y. Islanders Buffalo coaching staff in New Jersey includes former Rochester Americans Tue. 2/16/2021 N.Y. Islanders Buffalo coach Chris Taylor. This will also be Sabres winger Taylor Hall’s first game against his former team, whom he led to the Stanley Cup Playoffs Sat. 2/20/2021 Buffalo New Jersey with a Hart Trophy season in 2017-18, since his trade to the Arizona Coyotes last December. Mon. 2/22/2021 Buffalo New Jersey

If the Bills reach the , the Sabres will be forced to watch from Fri. 2/26/2021 Philadelphia Buffalo a hotel in Boston, as the team has Saturday and Monday games against Sun. 2/28/2021 Philadelphia Buffalo the Bruins. Though that road trip is only four games, it spans seven days and two cities, beginning with matchups against the Islanders. Tue. 3/2/2021 Buffalo N.Y. Rangers

Handling the challenge of a truncated schedule might be more difficult Fri. 3/5/2021 Buffalo N.Y. Islanders than the opponents, as the Sabres play the following number of games each month: January (10 in 18 days), February (12), March (14), April Sun. 3/7/2021 Buffalo N.Y. Islanders (15) and May (5). Tue. 3/9/2021 Buffalo Philadelphia

Additionally, 14 of the Sabres' first 18 games are against Washington, Thu. 3/11/2021 Pittsburgh Buffalo Philadelphia, the Islanders and Boston. Sat. 3/13/2021 Pittsburgh Buffalo General Manager Kevyn Adams will face a significant test with the trade deadline April 12 at 3 p.m. The Sabres’ final game prior to the deadline is Tue. 3/16/2021 Buffalo New Jersey Thu. 3/18/2021 Boston Buffalo

Sat. 3/20/2021 Boston Buffalo

Mon. 3/22/2021 Buffalo N.Y. Rangers

Wed. 3/24/2021 Buffalo Pittsburgh

Sat. 3/27/2021 Buffalo Pittsburgh

Mon. 3/29/2021 Philadelphia Buffalo

Tue. 3/30/2021 Philadelphia Buffalo

Thu. 4/1/2021 N.Y. Rangers Buffalo

Sat. 4/3/2021 N.Y. Rangers Buffalo

Tue. 4/6/2021 Buffalo New Jersey

Thu. 4/8/2021 New Jersey Buffalo

Fri. 4/9/2021 New Jersey Buffalo

Sun. 4/11/2021 Buffalo Philadelphia

Tue. 4/13/2021 Buffalo Washington

Thu. 4/15/2021 Buffalo Washington

Sat. 4/17/2021 Pittsburgh Buffalo

Tue. 4/20/2021 Pittsburgh Buffalo

Thu. 4/22/2021 Boston Buffalo

Fri. 4/23/2021 Boston Buffalo

Sun. 4/25/2021 Buffalo N.Y. Rangers

Tue. 4/27/2021 Buffalo N.Y. Rangers

Thu. 4/29/2021 Buffalo Boston

Sat. 5/1/2021 Buffalo Boston

Mon. 5/3/2021 N.Y. Islanders Buffalo

Tue. 5/4/2021 N.Y. Islanders Buffalo

Thu. 5/6/2021 Buffalo Pittsburgh

Sat. 5/8/2021 Buffalo Pittsburgh

Buffalo News LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180951 Buffalo Sabres 4+

.908/31st

How the Sabres schedule may impact Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton .886/49th

The Sabres’ offense also performed better with a day or two off, but it got rusty in a hurry. By John Vogl Dec 23, 2020 6 Sabres in 2019-20

0 Ralph Krueger has yet to start a Sabres goalie on back-to-back nights. 6-5-1 Surprisingly, he’ll get a chance to continue that streak through a second season. 2.25

It also won’t take long for the coach to see how good Buffalo could be. 2.33

The Sabres will open their 2020-21 schedule Jan. 14 at home against 1 Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. They meet again the next night, the start of a season-long trend of two-game matchups in KeyBank 18-16-5 Center. Four of the Sabres’ first six games are against the Caps, who 3.03 have the 10th-best odds to win the Stanley Cup, according to Seneca Buffalo Creek Casino. 3.26

Sandwiched between the four meetings with Washington is a two-game 2 trip to Philadelphia, where the Sabres will meet the Flyers on back-to- 4-5-1 back nights. Philly has the sixth-best odds to win the Cup. 3.00 New Sabres forwards Taylor Hall and Eric Staal certainly won’t get to ease into their royal blue uniforms. 3.00

IT’S HERE! 3

INTRODUCING OUR 2020-21 SEASON SCHEDULE: 1-2-0 HTTPS://T.CO/T5LSAENINO#LETSGOBUFFALO PIC.TWITTER.COM/KLC6DIAMTH 2.00

— BUFFALO SABRES (@BUFFALOSABRES) DECEMBER 23, 2020 3.67

Buffalo’s 56-game schedule will feature eight meetings with their seven 4+ East Division rivals: Boston, New Jersey, New York Islanders, New York 1-3-1 Rangers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington. Every opponent who comes to Buffalo will stay for two straight games, a strategy by the NHL 2.40 to minimize travel during COVID-19. 3.80 The Sabres will have 11 two-game series on the road, but they will also have six one-game stops. They’ll have a pair of one-game visits to the Buffalo’s longest break this season will be three days, which happens Rangers, Flyers and Devils, who share their arenas with NBA or college twice in February. They have eight two-day breaks and get just one day basketball teams and couldn’t find time for extended stays. off between games 34 times. Practice sessions will be at a premium, especially late in the year. The Sabres have 15 games in April and five in Despite a condensed schedule that works out to one game every two the opening eight days of May, finishing the regular season May 8 in days, the Sabres don’t have as many back-to-backs as expected. They’ll Pittsburgh. play on consecutive nights eight times: thrice in January, twice in April and once in February, March and May. With that many games in a short amount of time, the Sabres will need both goalies to play well. While past performance does not equal future The Sabres were scheduled to have 14 back-to-backs last season and results, Ullmark and Hutton have had their share of successes and had 16 the year before, so the decrease will allow Krueger to insert a struggles with the division rivals. fresh goalie on the second night, should he choose to do so. Linus Ullmark's career An extra day or two of rest paid off for goalies Linus Ullmark and Carter Hutton last year. Here were their save percentages and NHL rankings. Bruins

2019-20 1-4-0

0 0.921

- 2.46

- Devils

1 1-3-0

.911/23rd 0.921

.881/49th 2.31

2 Islanders

.920/16th 3-1-1

.912/27th 0.928

3 1.98

.936/6th Rangers

.919/18th 0-1-0 0.846 Mittelstadt and the Sabres will open training camp Dec. 31 and start the season two weeks later. 4.04 Other schedule notes: Flyers Buffalo and Boston will be division rivals for a 50th consecutive season, 1-1-0 the longest active streak in the NHL.

0.899 The Sabres will have an intrastate rivalry for the first time since 1973-74. 3.51 Buffalo played its first four seasons in the original East Division, competing with the Rangers for all four (1970-71 to 1973-74) and against Penguins the Islanders for two (1972-73 to 1973-74).

1-0-0 The Sabres will have three four-game homestands and four four-game road trips. 0.932 Buffalo will play 10 games in January, 12 in February and 14 in March. 2.80 The Sabres will play 13 games on Tuesdays, 12 on Thursdays, 11 on Capitals Saturdays, seven on Mondays, six on Sundays and Fridays, and one on 1-2-0 Wednesdays.

0.895 The busiest home day will be Thursday with eight games. The Sabres will play at home six times on Saturdays, five on Tuesdays, four on 3.27 Fridays, three on Mondays and twice on Sundays. They have no home games on Wednesdays. Carter Hutton's career Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Sabres are not planning to have Bruins fans in KeyBank Center for the foreseeable future. 1-3-1 Game times have not yet been announced by the NHL. 0.892 The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 3.19

Devils

4-3-0

0.895

2.41

Islanders

1-3-0

0.905

2.63

Rangers

5-2-0

0.932

2.16

Flyers

4-3-0

0.894

2.98

Penguins

5-1-0

0.940

1.95

Capitals

3-3-2

0.888

3.19

The skaters will have to help the goalies improve their 31-30-4 record if Buffalo hopes to end its nine-year playoff drought. Casey Mittelstadt, who finished last season in Rochester, hopes to be one of those Buffalo skaters after finally signing Wednesday. The Sabres and the 22-year-old center agreed to a one-year deal worth $874,125, which was the same total as his qualifying offer issued in early October. 1180952 Calgary Flames

Eagles coach fined, suspended by AJHL for comments regarding COVID cases

POSTMEDIA NETWORK

The head coach of the Canmore Eagles has been fined and suspended by the Junior Hockey League after talking to the media about an outbreak of COVID-19 on his team.

Last month, Andrew Milne answered questions from various media outlets about the rash of COVID on his club that temporarily shut down team operations and quarantined the players.

At least a dozen players tested positive after one player felt ill during a mid-November road date in Drumheller.

In speaking up about the rash of cases, the bench boss was suspended 15 games and fined $1,000 for “bringing discredit to the league in the reasonable opinion of the board,” said AJHL commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk.

“Milne’s comments in several media interviews reflected his lack of knowledge regarding the league’s COVID protocols, or at the very least a misinterpretation of those protocols, which has resulted in the public misconceptions that strong protocols were not in place and put the AJHL’s partnership with AHS in jeopardy, both of which have now negatively impacted a return-to-play plan,” Bartoshyk continued. “Consequences of his actions led to inconsistent statements regarding the circumstances and damaged the extensive work undertaken by the league office and its members to operate.”

The league’s schedule is on pause until further notice amid the coronavirus restrictions put in place by the Alberta government.

Bartoshyk says players and staff on AJHL teams are not banned from speaking to the media but a policy is in place for them to direct any questions regarding COVID-19 and the Junior ‘A’ league’s return-to-play plan to the AJHL office.

Milne is now directing follow-up questions to the league.

“The AJHL worked directly with Alberta Health Services to ensure contact tracing was complete and associated guidelines were followed,” Bartoshyk added. “Several teams have provided interviews to the media since this policy was created, including interviews regarding their respective team and the impact the pandemic has had.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180953 Calgary Flames foes. The biggest fish, of course, was stalwart netminder Jacob Markstrom, who was Vancouver’s MVP for the past two seasons before inking a six-year, US$36-million deal at the Saddledome. After extension Analyzing the Flames’ matchups and schedule for 2021 season talks fizzled, he’ll want the Canucks to regret letting him get away. Markstrom was followed to Calgary by defenceman Chris Tanev, right- winger Josh Leivo and depth goalie .

Wes Gilbertson Sub-plot: With all the hullabaloo about the Battle of Alberta, it’s easy to forget the Canucks had been Calgary’s biggest rival in recent years.

Plus, superstar Elias Pettersson has already done a lot of offensive O Canada. damage against the Flames.

And ho ho ho, Canada. VS. WINNIPEG JETS

Christmas arrived a couple days early for Calgary Flames fans, with Flames’ home games: Feb. 9, March 26/27/29, May 5 Wednesday’s reveal of the schedule for the upcoming campaign. Flames’ road games: Jan. 14, Feb. 1/2/4 We already knew the Flames would be skating strictly against the six Flames’ record in head-to-head matchups in 2019-20: 0-0-1 in regular other Canadian clubs in the NHL’s North Division. Now, you can mark the season, 3-1 in play-in series exact dates on your calendar. Flames’ all-time record in head-to-head matchups: 11-7-1-1 The Flames open with a one-off to Winnipeg for a Jan. 14 clash, but the rest of a baseball-style slate often includes three or even four in a row against the same opponent. There will, for example, be little love lost as the Flames and Vancouver Canucks face off four times over a one-week Calgary’s leaders against Jets in 2019-20: Sean Monahan had an assist span around Valentine’s Day. in the outdoor game and six scoresheet mentions in the play-in round. and Andrew Mangiapane were both point-per-game guys in The Saddledome opener is set for Jan. 16, the first of 10 encounters with the summer series. the Canucks, although there will be no spectators in the seats. Sexy storyline: After meeting in a best-of-five qualification series in the All game times remain TBA. summer bubble, these prairie squads are already well-acquainted. While the re-start showdown didn’t turn as nasty as some anticipated after Jets Here is a breakdown of the Flames’ matchups against each of their new head coach accused Matthew Tkachuk of intentionally North Division foes … injuring Mark Scheifele, there is still a rivalry brewing. Just think, by the VS.EDMONTON OILERS end of this shortened season, the Flames and Jets will have faced off 13 times in just over nine months.

Sub-plot: Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck is the reigning Flames’ home games: Feb. 6, Feb. 19, March 15/17, May 7 winner, so these goaltending duels will present a perfect opportunity for Flames’ free-agent arrival Jacob Markstrom to prove his own perch Flames’ road games: Feb. 20, March 6, April 2, April 29, May 1 among the NHL’s elite puck-stoppers. Flames’ record in head-to-head matchups in 2019-20: 3-1 VS. Flames’ all-time record in head-to-head matchups: 122-96-18-6 Flames’ home games: March 4, March 7, April 19/20 Calgary’s leaders against Oilers in 2019-20: Elias Lindholm scored five of Flames’ road games: Feb. 25/27, March 1, March 22/24 his team-topping 29 goals against the arch-enemies from Edmonton, while Andrew Mangiapane notched six points in these emotional Flames’ record in head-to-head matchups in 2019-20: 1-1 meetings and Matthew Tkachuk had 22 penalty minutes. Flames’ all-time record in head-to-head matchups: 23-15-4-3 Sexy storyline: The Battle of Alberta was rekindled last winter, making this appointment viewing for not only folks in the Wild Rose Province, but Calgary’s leaders against Senators in 2019-20: Elias Lindholm was the fans all across the NHL. Calgary’s Matthew Tkachuk and Edmonton’s only gent to post multiple points. headlined the hostilities in 2019-20, but they certainly were Sexy storyline: All eyes will be on the Tkachuk brothers — Matthew was not the only guys feeling the hatred. David Rittich irked the Oilers with his the leading point-producer for the Flames last season, while Brady did post-shootout stick-flip. During a radio interview, Rasmus Andersson those same honours for the Senators. Both skated in the 2020 NHL All- referred to Kassian as a “coward.” The since-departed Cam Talbot and Star Game. What makes this sibling rivalry so much fun is that the Mike Smith rendezvoused at -ice at the Saddledome for the first Tkachuks are as tenacious and abrasive as they are talented. Although goaltender fight in the history of these provincial punch-ups. Heck, when their mom, Chantal, has made it clear they’ll both be in big trouble if they the mild-mannered Sean Monahan and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are duking drop the mitts, Matthew and Brady will do anything else for a win … and it out, you know there’s a lot of animosity building on both sides. for family bragging rights. Sub-plot: For Calgary’s revamped blue-line brigade, this could be the ultimate challenge. The Oilers employ the best player in the world in Connor McDavid, plus the reigning Hart Trophy winner in Leon Draisaitl. Sub-plot: The Flames won’t see the top two picks this season, but Tim Gulp. Stuetzle — selected third-overall behind Alexis Lafreniere (Rangers) and Quinton Byfield (Kings) — is expected to stick with the Senators.

VS. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS VS. VANCOUVER CANUCKS Flames’ home games: Jan. 24/26, April 4/5 Flames’ home games: Jan. 16/18, Feb. 17, April 8/10 Flames’ road games: Feb. 22/24, March 19/20, April 13 Flames’ road games: Feb. 11/13/15, March 31, May 8 Flames’ record in head-to-head matchups in 2019-20: 2-0 Flames’ record in head-to-head matchups in 2019-20: 2-1 Flames’ all-time record in head-to-head matchups: 49-41-9-2 Flames’ all-time record in head-to-head matchups: 120-80-26-17 Calgary’s leaders against Maple Leafs in 2019-20: Johnny Gaudreau Calgary’s leaders against Canucks in 2019-20: Johnny Gaudreau racked potted a pair of goals, while Travis Hamonic — still unsigned as a free up five points, including four assists, while Dillon Dube contributed a agent — notched a team-high three points. game-winning goal and a pair of helpers. Sexy storyline: Several of the Flames’ difference-makers hail from the Sexy storyline: Flames general manager Brad Treliving loaded up on ex- Toronto area, a list that includes Sam Bennett, Mark Giordano, Andrew Canucks in free agency, signing four guys away from their West Coast Mangiapane and Sean Monahan. While it won’t be the same without their loved ones in the stands, the boys are always anxious to show off against the Maple Leafs, especially knowing so many of their friends and minor-hockey teammates have Marner, Matthews and Tavares jerseys in their wardrobes.

Sub-plot: Giordano’s close pal and longtime defence partner, TJ Brodie, is now wearing blue after signing a four-year, US$20-million pact with the Maple Leafs. Brodie doesn’t seem like a big stick-it-to-’em sort, but he’ll definitely have these dates circled.

VS. MONTREAL CANADIENS

Flames’ home games: March 11/13, April 22/24/26

Flames’ road games: Jan. 28/30, April 14/16

Flames’ record in head-to-head matchups in 2019-20: 0-1-1

Flames’ all-time record in head-to-head matchups: 36-38-8-3

Calgary’s leaders against Habs in 2019-20: There were not many highlights, but Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk managed two points apiece.

Sexy storyline: It’s no secret the Flames’ pro scouts have long been fond of Josh Anderson, the big winger who was shipped this fall from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Canadiens and then signed to a seven- year, US$38.5-million mega-deal in Montreal. It’s a safe bet that Brad Treliving was in on those trade talks, but it would have been a steep price to pay for a guy with Anderson’s history of injuries. While the hulking right-hander would have looked good in the Flaming C, the job now is to stop him.

Sub-plot: Flames head coach Geoff Ward, no longer with an ‘interim’ tag on his job title, counts Canadiens skipper Claude Julien as a mentor and a close friend, so these meetings will be meaningful to both bench bosses.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180954 Carolina Hurricanes Thu. March 25 at Columbus

Sat. March 27 Tampa Bay

Carolina Hurricanes release 2020-21 schedule. Here’s who they play and Sun. March 28 Tampa Bay when. Tue. March 30 at Chicago

Thu. April 1 at Chicago BY JESSACA GIGLIO Sat. April 3 Dallas

Sun. April 4 Dallas The Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday announced its schedule for the upcoming 2020-21 season. Tue. April 6 Florida

The Canes open at the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 14 and are scheduled Thu. April 8 Florida to play their first home game on Jan. 21 against Florida. The NHL Sat. April 10 Detroit announced last week that teams will play 56-game seasons and start on Jan. 13 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Mon. April 12 Detroit

The NHL shifted teams into four divisions and put the Canes in the Thu. April 15 Nashville Central with seven other teams — Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Sat. April 17 Nashville Florida, Nashville and Tampa Bay. Mon. April 19 at Tampa Bay The Hurricanes announced on Twitter this week that it will start the season without fans at home games. Tue. April 20 at Tampa Bay

Here’s who Carolina plays and when. Thu. April 22 at Florida

CAROLINA HURRICANES’ SCHEDULE Sat. April 24 at Florida

Thu. Jan. 14 at Detroit Mon. April 26 at Dallas

Sat. Jan. 16 at Detroit Tue. April 27 at Dallas

Mon. Jan. 18 at Nashville Thu. April 29 Detroit

Tue. Jan. 19 at Nashville Sat. May 1 Columbus

Thu. Jan. 21 Florida Mon. May 3 Chicago

Sat. Jan. 23 Florida Tue. May 4 Chicago

Tue. Jan. 26 Tampa Bay Fri. May 7 at Nashville

Thu. Jan. 28 Tampa Bay Sat. May 8 at Nashville

Sat. Jan. 30 Dallas News Observer LOADED: 12.24.2020 Sun. Jan. 31 Dallas

Tue. Feb. 2 at Chicago

Thu. Feb. 4 at Chicago

Sun. Feb. 7 at Columbus

Mon. Feb. 8 at Columbus

Thu. Feb. 11 at Dallas

Sat. Feb. 13 at Dallas

Tue. Feb. 16 Columbus

Fri. Feb. 19 Chicago

Sat. Feb. 20 Chicago

Mon. Feb. 22 at Tampa Bay

Thu. Feb. 25 at Tampa Bay

Sat. Feb. 27 at Florida

Mon. March 1 at Florida

Thu. March 4 Detroit

Tue. March 9 Nashville

Thu. March 11 Nashville

Sun. March 14 at Detroit

Tue. March 16 at Detroit

Thu. March 18 Columbus

Sat. March 20 Columbus

Mon. March 22 at Columbus 1180955 Carolina Hurricanes

NHL postpones Carolina Hurricanes’ 2021 outdoor game

BY STEVE WISEMAN

The Carolina Hurricanes will wait at least one more year before participating in an outdoor hockey game.

The NHL announced Wednesday the outdoor game scheduled for Feb. 20 at Carter-Finley Stadium is postponed, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“While we are extremely disappointed that we will not be able to host an outdoor game this season, the health and safety of our fans remains our top priority,” Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said in a statement. “We look forward to hosting the game in the near future and rewarding our incredible fanbase with an unforgettable experience.”

The Canes home game at Carter-Finley was scheduled to be the 12th NHL Stadium Series game and the 32nd NHL regular-season outdoor game overall. Carter-Finley would have been the sixth college football facility to host an outdoor hockey game, joining Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland, Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, and Air Force’s Falcon Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

After years of discussions and negotiations with the NHL and N.C. State, the Hurricanes were selected for their first outdoor game experience last year. At the time of the announcement last February, NHL commissioner said Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon was “relentless” in his pursuit of the event.

The NHL Stadium Series began in 2014 and the Hurricanes anticipated a crowd of at least 50,000 for the game. The NHL usually books 4,700 hotel rooms for a 10-day period before and after an outdoor game. In a written statement to the Centennial Authority, which oversees PNC Arena, Waddell said outdoor games generate around $22 million in economic impact.

News Observer LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180956 Carolina Hurricanes ‘REAL’ HOCKEY AMID THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

The one thing we learned, above all else, in July and August and September was that hockey abides. Even in the most soulless of With empty buildings and 56 games, what a short, strange trip this NHL environments, in empty buildings and neutral sites, it was still playoff season will be hockey between the boards. There were certainly quirks -- teams certainly seemed more willing to pull the chute facing insurmountable deficits than they would if they were headed home to their fans for a BY LUKE DECOCK Game 6 -- but it was as close to “real” hockey as we were going to get at that point in the pandemic.

Now imagine it playing out across the country, in home rinks, still without As much as the impending return of the NHL is wrapped in a comforting fans. It’s a different kind of vibe. Stranger. The bubbles, with all their blanket of normalcy, this is going to be a very weird winter and spring. prepackaged NHL branding, felt like an invitational, a new spin on the Weird enough to make last summer’s Toronto and Edmonton bubbles NCAA tournament. Now all those empty seats will be in team colors. seem like normal relics of the past. Weird enough to make shortened post-lockout seasons -- and the NHL has had a few of those -- feel It really will feel like a home game, and yet not at all like a home game. It unabridged. really will feel like a hockey season, and yet not at all like a hockey season. But far better than the alternative. Getting together at a couple sequestered spots to wrap up a suspended season was one thing. There was a novelty about it that helped it all fit News Observer LOADED: 12.24.2020 together. Starting from scratch, from soup to Stanley Cup, and playing in the NHL’s normal rinks, is only going to highlight how strange playing professional sports in a pandemic really is.

We’re getting used to it, though. Baseball and the NFL have played in their stadiums and traveled from town to town and been able to move things along. They have shown the path forward for the NHL and NBA, not always a smooth one, but still.

The Carolina Hurricanes at least have the advantage, with a hiccup of a training camp and no preseason games, of returning essentially the same team that lost to the Boston Bruins last August. Enter Jesper Fast. Exit Justin Williams, Joel Edmundson and Trevor van Riemsdyk. The bad taste lingers.

“What’s great about having kind of that same group back is they suffered here and they want better things, and I think that’s what you’re going to see out of those guys,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Monday.

There were no guarantees this would happen. Labor strife is never far from the surface in the NHL, and while it may seem unthinkable for this season not to happen, it would have been unthinkable at one point for the NHL not to participate in the Olympics, and that happened.

“Everyone just wants to play,” Hurricanes captain said. “I’m happy we’ve got a pending deal. There’s going to be some sacrifices. Everyone’s made sacrifices at this time. These are small sacrifices, for us to play a game.”

A 56-GAME NHL SCHEDULE IN EMPTY BUILDINGS

So many of the basic assumptions of an NHL season are already out the window. In the sport with the tightest salary cap, the league and union have already carved out all kinds of accommodations, including a so- called taxi squad of reserve players ready to step in as needed. That seems like a common-sense plan from the outside; from inside the salary cap, it’s a fiendishly complicated accounting scenario. There are countless other wrinkles like that. A hard cap system relies on certain bedrock assumptions to make the numbers work. It is not built for the exceptional.

As the 56-game schedule is finalized, with games only against division opponents and the Hurricanes in the mash-up Central Division, reunited with old foes from the dormant Southeast Division and thrown together with new friends from elsewhere, expect to see baseball-style series, where a team comes into town for a pair of games instead of just one. The close quarters and forced familiarity are fully expected to breed contempt, especially with only one team from the division advancing to the NHL’s final four. A lot of shoulders will bump together as everyone tries to squeeze through the only exit.

And empty buildings: That’s going to require some adjustment, especially at PNC Arena. Up in Winnipeg, Paul Maurice is going to end up telling a lot of stories about Greensboro over the next few months, even by his standards. Truth be told, there was a night or two in the early oughts when it wasn’t much better in Raleigh. (Halloween 2000 vs. Tampa Bay, announced attendance: 7,016.) Those days are long past, of course, and the shuttering of doors for safety reasons comes just as the Hurricanes’ attendance was skyrocketing, up 44 percent over the past three seasons.

It’s going to be short, it’s going to be fast, it may be nasty, but it will be a hockey season. 1180957 Carolina Hurricanes going to pop up somewhere. They say “this isn’t a hockey town,” but isn’t it awesome that one of the most clutch NHL players of all time is now coaching his son along with the next generation of North Carolina-born Canes are back: 12 things that have me excited for the 2020-21 NHL hockey players. That’s how you grow a “hockey town.” season And what if I told you that Brind’Amour’s son and Williams’ daughter are on the same team, wearing No. 17 and No. 14, respectively.

By Sara Civian Dec 23, 2020 19 Once you get over how adorable that is, I’d also think about the confidence some of the Hurricanes might get in the passing of the leadership torch, if you will. You knew Williams wasn’t going away unless he trusted this group, and that brings us to … Hurricanes hockey is coming back in less than a month. 5. The trust the front office and coaching staff have in this group. There is While not having fans in the arena to start the season is a necessary one clear, overarching theme I’ve noticed in almost every interview with stink and nothing is perfect, still. Brind’Amour since the end of the 2019-20 season: He believes in the Hurricanes hockey is coming back in less than a month. So many things Canes’ current core and doesn’t seem to want it to change. Generally, about that sentence make me giddy. this type of thing is like when your mom compliments you and you’re like “you have to say that, you’re my mom.” But I only bring it up because In no particular order … Brind’Amour talks about it so much unprompted that I know he really believes it. The latest was Monday, when he was asked about the 1. The possibility of new rivalries. My favorite part of the first Zoom benefits of going through last season’s playoffs in a bubble. presser of the season was Jordan Staal’s smirk when I asked for his initial thoughts on moving to a new division. “I think with this group, what we learned last year you want to make sure we take that experience playing with no fans,” he said. “But (also) it didn’t “I think it’s interesting,” he said. “Most of the teams we haven’t played a end the way we wanted it to end, and I think that’s the fuel here, the fire, ton. It’s obviously weird we’re going to play those same teams the whole the ‘We gotta be better than that.’ That’s what’s great about having kind year — I think it’s going to maybe cause some quick rivalries and of that same group back — they suffered and went through that together. obviously some good games, but it is what it is.” We want better things, and I think that’s what you’re going to see out of Rod Brind’Amour agreed and called the Central Division a “breath of these guys.” fresh air.” We won’t know all the specifics until the schedules drop (likely I wonder if it reminds him of something … Wednesday, so maybe by the time you’re reading this!). But we do know Carolina, Dallas, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Florida, Nashville and 6. Martin Necas’ potential. We’re living in the golden age of everyone Tampa Bay will strictly play each other for 56 games. drafted by becoming the players Francis knew they would become. That’s part of the reason Seattle scooped him up and why the I’m all hyped up trying to come up with the most random mini-rivalry upcoming will be so dangerous for the Canes, but at possibilities. Forget Andrei Svechnikov vs. Alex Ovechkin. Give us Andrei least they’re still reaping some of the benefits. I don’t know about you, Svechnikov vs. his older brother, Evgeny. but when I look at Necas, I see the NHL player of the future. Versatile Better yet, did you know that the brothers Svechnikov fell in love with the and slick, and sneaky on the power play. goal while watching Mikael Granlund score it against Russia, 7. Socially distant Storm Surge. Obviously this isn’t going to happen — then Evgeny taught it to Andrei. Folks, stay with me: Pierre LeBrun is especially with so many recurring opponents — but I’d love if the Storm reporting that the Hurricanes have poked around on signing Granlund, Surge turned into a straight-up dunk on opponents on the road. and you’ll remember Nashville’s Filip Forsberg pulled off the move last season. Like, “We understand there are literally zero fans here in the arena, but we’re going to shoot someone out of Columbus’ cannon because it’s just You’re basically a pariah if you’re in the Central Division and you can’t sitting there, and when in Rome …” wraparound, scoop and tuck. You’re wearing sweatpants on Monday. 8. Talking to Teuvo Teravainen. This goes for everyone, to be honest. Everyone’s waxing poetic about the all-Canadian division when we I’ve missed the humanizing interactions. But mostly Turbo. should really be talking about the all-Michigan division. I want to see a lacrosse-style goal rivalry. BRIND’AMOUR HAS TOLD ME HOW PROUD HE IS OF TERAVAINEN’S IMPROVED COMPETE LEVEL SO I ASKED I also want to see Lucas Wallmark vs. Everybody, considering he went TERAVAINEN WHY IT IMPROVED: from the Hurricanes to the Panthers to the Blackhawks. Maybe this was the common denominator that birthed the Central. “I KNEW IF IT WASN’T GOOD I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A LITTLE MEETING WITH HIM. WE DIDN’T REALLY HAVE THAT MEETING…HE 2. The regular season is finally the correct number of games. It took a SAID SOMETHING NICE ABOUT ME?THAT’S GOOD!” pandemic and the fear of another lockout-esque situation, but the NHL is playing the perfect number of games in 2020-21, at 56. If the new — SARA CIV (@SARACIVIAN) MAY 20, 2019 division didn’t already bring the hope of new rivalries, consider the fact that every single game counts. That’s always true in theory, but there’s I’ll never forget Teravainen’s genuine mix of surprise and happiness upon something to be said about the mental jump from 56 to 82. There’s no realizing that Brind’Amour did, in fact, say something nice about him. room for slow starts — or slow middles, or slow ends. We’re going to see ME: HAVE YOU EVER HAD SO MUCH CHEMISTRY WITH A a new gear of intensity in the regular season. For all of the logistical TEAMMATE BEFORE headaches it’s taken to give us an NHL season, the powers that be can pat themselves on the back for this one. TERAVAINEN: “I DON’T KNOW. MAYBE”

3. No exhibition games. I can see how no exhibition games might be a GOD BLESS HIM downside for some players who will have to jump right back into midseason form, but hey. No one this year will be suffering a season- — SARA CIV (@SARACIVIAN) DECEMBER 8, 2019 ending injury in an exhibition game because Timmy from the ECHL I TRIED TO COMPLIMENT TURBO’S SUIT AND HE JUST ROLLED HIS wanted to prove himself. No shade to hypothetical Timmy or the ECHL EYES I SWEAR HE IS MY FAVORITE as an entity, but I can’t be the only one relieved about this. I also won’t have to put “take this with a grain of salt …” and/or “the preseason — SARA CIV (@SARACIVIAN) JANUARY 22, 2020 doesn’t matter, but …” in front of any tweets for the foreseeable future. WAIT I'M LISTENING TO MY FAILED PRE-GAME ROUTINE Take this with a grain of salt, but I think we won the preseason. Not that it INTERVIEWS AND TEUVO TERAVAINEN'S ANSWER IS ACTUALLY matters. GOLD.

4. Life after *NHL player* Justin Williams. Don’t get me wrong, every last "PLAY SOCCER. NORMAL. HAVE A NAP." person associated with the Hurricanes is going to miss Williams as a player. But what’s next for Williams as a person? You just know he’s — SARA CIV (@SARACIVIAN) OCTOBER 10, 2019 TEUVO TERAVAINEN WITH ANOTHER BANGER: “SOMETIMES YOU LOSE, SOMETIMES YOU WIN”

— SARA CIV (@SARACIVIAN) DECEMBER 22, 2019

9. The new broadcast team. I don’t know why the Hurricanes’ new broadcast team is the worst-kept secret of 2020, but I can tell you two things.

No. 1: It is Mike Maniscalco on play-by-play, Tripp Tracy on color, Abby Labar rinkside, Shane Willis in his reprising role as Shane Willis and hopefully the same broadcast crew that has handled every curveball with grace these days.

No. 2: This is an amazing group of people who truly care about each other, the Hurricanes and Canes fans. And she would kill me if she knew I was saying this, but you have no clue how talented Labar is yet — even if you like her. Labar’s combination of pure talent, hard work and homegrown enthusiasm about the Canes is so rare. We also get to witness Maniscalco, whom we all know and love, living his childhood dream right before our eyes, and Tracy getting some room to be the brilliant Harvard graduate he is. I hope you open your minds to the upcoming crew because I know it’s going to be something special.

10. Haydn Fleury SZN. Every fan base has that one player it thinks could do better given a chance, and for the Hurricanes that has been Fleury. My own last straw with the misusage of Fleury was during 2019-20 training camp when he told me he thinks he’s smiling too much and perhaps he should smile less. Hey, maybe it was the smiling less that finally did it, or maybe it was all of us screaming about how he deserves better for the entire 2019-20 season — but Fleury has been proving us right since that first career goal.

Oct. 17:

WITH 95 GAMES PLAYED, HAYDN FLEURY NOW TAKES THE LEAD FOR NHL GAMES PLAYED WITHOUT A GOAL …I HATE THAT STAT, THOUGH. LAST SEASON HE GOT MINIMAL ICE TIME AND MINIMAL OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THE RUSH. HE COULDN’T BE A BETTER SPORT ABOUT IT, EITHER. HAS LOOKED GOOD RECENTLY HTTPS://T.CO/WWXOAVMD3P

— SARA CIV (@SARACIVIAN) OCTOBER 17, 2019

Oct. 18:

HAYDN FLEURY FIRST CAREER GOAL

— SARA CIV (@SARACIVIAN) OCTOBER 19, 2019

After that goal, I asked him why it finally happened and he half-joked that he saw my tweet from the previous day and couldn’t keep going on like that. And so he didn’t.

The only time I’ve wholeheartedly disagreed with a Brind’Amour decision is when the Canes were in the playoff race last season, experimenting with a seven-defenseman rotation, and he decided to play Fleury for one shift before benching him. I understand the hesitation during a playoff push, but I can tell you no one liked that rotation, and then Brind’Amour put Fleury in situations to succeed. Fleury ended up in a tie for most playoff goals among Hurricanes defensemen.

11. Not having an existential crisis every single day. Looking forward to focusing on anything other than *vaguely gestures toward the Earth* even if it’s just every other day.

12. The Hurricanes possibly making the playoffs, then the world possibly being safe enough for fans to attend those playoffs. Enough said, but as one of y’all tweeted, they might want to hold off on building that new roof.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180958 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago Blackhawks center Kirby Dach leaves World Junior Championships with apparent injury

By PHIL THOMPSON

Chicago Blackhawks center Kirby Dach left Wednesday’s game at the World Junior Championships for Team Canada with an apparent arm injury. According to online and broadcast reports, Dach will need additional X-rays.

“It sucks,” Canadian defenseman said during the NHL Network’s broadcast of postgame interviews. “Nobody’s really too sure what’s going on with him right now. Just hoping for the best.”

Canadian forward Dylan Cozens said: “It’s tough. I was on the ice (but) I didn’t see what happened. Anytime a guy leaves, it sucks, for sure.”

Coach Andre Tourigny said he might have to institute line changes for future games based on “Dacher’s situation” but didn’t go into detail.

Dach, the captain of a star-studded Canadian team at the world juniors tournament in Edmonton, put a hit on a Russian player, then immediately took the glove off his right hand and clutched his lower arm before skating off the ice.

The Hawks loaned Dach to Canada’s men’s junior team in October, and sent three others as well: forward Michal Teply (Czech Republic), defenseman Michael Krutil (Czech Republic) and forward Landon Slaggert (USA).

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said earlier this month: “We were going to have eight players at World Junior if everyone was healthy, as it stands, we have four. It could’ve been a pretty big tournament for our prospect performance.

“We do have the four players participating this year, highlighted by Kirby. Interested to see how that goes. It’s going to be fun to see the Canadian team; it looks very strong.”

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180959 Chicago Blackhawks Fri., Jan. 15, at Tampa Bay Lightning

Sun., Jan. 17, at Florida Panthers

Chicago Blackhawks to begin the abbreviated 2021 season on the road Tues., Jan. 19, at Florida Panthers vs. the Stanley Cup champs and then host the Detroit Red Wings in their home opener Fri., Jan. 22, vs. Detroit Red Wings

Sun., Jan. 24, vs. Detroit Red Wings

By PHIL ROSENTHAL Tues., Jan. 26, at Nashville Predators

Wed., Jan. 27, at Nashville Predators

With a reduced schedule pitting them against teams in a temporarily Fri., Jan. 29, vs. Columbus Blue Jackets realigned division, the Chicago Blackhawks are set to open the 2021 Sun., Jan. 31, vs. Columbus Blue Jackets season on the road Jan. 13 against the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. Tue., Feb. 2, vs. Carolina Hurricanes

The NHL schedule released Wednesday has Patrick Kane, Jonathan Thurs., Feb. 4, vs. Carolina Hurricanes Toews and Co. making their first United Center appearance since mid- Sun., Feb. 7, at Dallas Stars March on Jan. 22 against the Detroit Red Wings, the first of eight regular- season matchups between the two teams. Tues., Feb. 9 at Dallas Stars

One positive effect of the pandemic-influenced scheduling might be to Thurs., Feb. 11, vs. Columbus Blue Jackets reinvigorate the long-standing, once-thriving Blackhawks-Red Wings rivalry, which took a hit when the NHL placed the teams in separate Sat. Feb. 13, vs. Columbus Blue Jackets conferences with its 2013-14 realignment. Mon., Feb. 15., at Detroit Red Wings But it is unknown if, when or how fans will be allowed to attend games at Wed., Feb. 17, at Detroit Red Wings the United Center. Fri., Feb. 19, at Carolina Hurricanes “The health and safety of our fans, players and staff remains our top priority, and after careful consideration in collaboration with the NHL, city Sat., Feb. 23, at Carolina Hurricanes and state officials, the Blackhawks will not be hosting fans in the United Center for the beginning of the 2020-21 NHL season,” the team said in a Tues., Feb. 23, at Columbus Blue Jackets statement. Thurs., Feb. 25, at Columbus Blue Jackets “We will continue working with the league, city and state officials to Sat., Feb. 27, vs. Detroit Red Wings evaluate conditions to determine if there is a timeline that would allow for fans later this season.” Sun., Feb. 28, vs. Detroit Red Wings

The 2021 schedule (there will be no games in 2020) is just 56 games for Wed., March 3, vs. Tampa Bay Lightning each team, down from the regular 82 games, and there are four ad hoc divisions, including one made up solely of Canadian teams. Fri., March 5, vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Teams will play only divisional opponents through the second round of Sun., March 7, vs. Tampa Bay Lightning the playoffs in an effort to adapt to challenges COVID-19 presents. Tues., March 9, at Dallas Stars

With the Blackhawks, Red Wings and Lightning in what has been Thurs., March 11, at Dallas Stars branded the Central Division will be the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers and Nashville Predators. Sat., March 13, at Florida Panthers

Teams in the three U.S. divisions will play each other eight times. The Mon., March 15, at Florida Panthers Canadian teams will face one another nine or 10 times. Thurs., March 18, at Tampa Bay Lightning Games will be played in teams’ respective home arenas or, as needed, neutral sites, and only among teams in the same divisions as the goal is Sat., March 20, at Tampa Bay Lightning to reduce team travel and abide by U.S.-Canadian border restrictions. Tues., March 23, vs. Florida Panthers

To that end, the Blackhawks’ schedule has them mostly playing Thurs., March 25, vs. Florida Panthers opponents in two successive games, either at home or on the road. Sat., March 27, vs. Nashville Predators The exceptions, presumably at least in part due to television considerations, have the Blackhawks playing host to the Lightning for Sun., March 28, vs. Nashville Predators three games in a row between March 3 and 7, then for just a single game at the United Center on April 27. Tues., March 30, vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Barring events disrupting the schedule, the Blackhawks are supposed to Thurs., April 1, vs. Carolina Hurricanes conclude the regular season May 8 against the visiting Stars. Sat., April 3, at Nashville Predators

The top four teams in each division will qualify for the playoffs, which will Sun., April 4, at Nashville Predators remain a traditional 16-team, seven-game series format. Tues., April 6, vs. Dallas Stars Intradivisional play in the first two rounds, beginning with No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs No. 3, will produce a semifinalist from each division. Those Thurs., April 8, vs. Dallas Stars remaining four will be seeded first through fourth based on regular- Sat., April 10, at Columbus Blue Jackets season points totals. Mon., April 12, at Columbus Blue Jackets But, again, that presumes the NHL regular season goes smoothly. Thurs., April 15, at Detroit Red Wings The league has said it hopes to return to regular alignment and scheduling with the 2021-22 season. Sat., April 17, at Detroit Red Wings

Here’s the Blackhawks just-announced slate: Wed., April 21, vs. Nashville Predators

Wed., Jan. 13, at Tampa Bay Lightning Fri., April 23, vs. Nashville Predators Tues., April 27, vs. Tampa Bay Lightning

Thurs., April 28, vs. Florida Panthers

Sat., May 1, vs. Florida Panthers

Mon., May 3, at Carolina Hurricanes

Tues., May 4, at Carolina Hurricanes

Thurs., May 6, vs. Dallas Stars

Sat., May 8, vs. Dallas Stars

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180960 Chicago Blackhawks RELATED

Elite women’s hockey team looking to go pro but first will take on men in Chicago adult league Johnny’s IceHouse East up for sale — but buyer must agree to close rink Hockey lover Tom Moro, owner of Johnny’s IceHouse, dies at 49

Developers push new Fulton Market ventures By Evan F. Moore Dec 23, 2020, 5:46pm CST Blackhawks’ new $65M practice facility is a place for community

“Rising property value in a prime West Loop location, the passing of Tom Ali Lawrence wanted to establish a pro women’s hockey team in Moro, an aging building with increasing maintenance costs, an Chicago, and expected Johnny’s IceHouse East would be their home undersized sheet of ice, and the opening of Fifth Third Arena all rink. contribute to strain on the rink,” said Schuyler Jackson, a software But then came news Wednesday that the property at 1350 W. Madison solutions architect who’s played at Johnny’s East since 2013. St. is up for sale — and any prospective buyer must agree not to use the “Couple those with COVID and decreased bar sales — the writing is on West Loop property for hockey. the wall. We are all saddened by the prospective sale, but I don’t think “The North Stars have been practicing mostly out of Johnny’s East; we anyone is shocked by it.” talked about wanting to win a banner to have hung in the rafters,” said Fifth Third Arena, the Chicago Blackhawks’ current practice facility, Lawrence, president of the Chicago North Stars, an all-woman team she opened in 2017 and, like Johnny’s East, also is available for community formed in hopes of bringing the National Women’s Hockey League to skating and youth and adult leagues. Chicago. Without Johnny’s East, only four indoor ice rinks will operate year-round “And for me, I learned how to play hockey at Johnny’s. As an adult in the city: Johnny’s IceHouse West, the Blackhawks’ practice facility learning to play a game like that, it was life changing; Johnny’s is a from 2010 to 2018; Fifth Third Arena; and Chicago Park District rinks at second home for me.” Morgan Park and McFetridge Sports Center.

From left to right: Jessica Howerton, Ali Lawrence and Anna Lurie during Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 practice at the Johnny’s IceHouse West ice skating rink on October 16, 2020.

From left to right: Jessica Howerton, Ali Lawrence, and Anna Lurie during practice at the Johnny’s IceHouse West ice skating rink on October 16, 2020. Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

Lawrence’s lament is just one sign of how Chicago’s hockey community is trying to cope, as the pandemic shuts down ice rinks across the city and suburbs.

Johnny’s, which opened in 1996, houses an ice rink, a bar, a hockey supply shop, an indoor parking lot and locker rooms. It also has been home to games for adult and youth leagues, as well as the De La Salle Institute’s hockey team and the club team from DePaul University.

But since the rink’s opening, property values in the surrounding West Loop neighborhood have soared.

The stairwell leading up to the rink at Johnny’s IceHouse East.

Johnny’s IceHouse East is home to many youth and adult hockey leagues. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

The sale of Johnny’s by owner Lisa Moro is being handled by commercial real estate firm Bradford Allen.

There’s no asking price listed on Bradford Allen’s website, which describes the 22,000-square-foot site as “ideal for residential and or retail mixed use,” with the “potential for adaptive reuse of the existing structure.”

“Reuse” is key; the listing also states: “This offering does not include the business and a condition of any sale will preclude the Buyer from continuing to operate the ice rink.”

A zamboni cleans the ice rink at Johnny’s IceHouse East, 1350 W. Madison St.

Any prospective buyer of Johnny’s IceHouse East, 1350 W. Madison St., must agree to shut down the ice rink and use the property for something else. Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Neither Bradford Allen nor rink officials responded to requests for comment on why the sale requires the rink to shut down.

Johnny’s also operates an indoor skating facility at 2550 W. Madison St.

The property sale is a blow to local hockey players who — pandemic or not — often jockey for limited ice time in the city.

While some of Chicago’s professional, youth, high school, college, and recreational hockey league players called Johnny’s East home, they weren’t surprised that Moro, who took over after her husband, Tom Moro, died in 2018, would put the rink up for sale. 1180961 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks’ 2021 schedule unveiled: No fans at United Center for ‘beginning’ of season

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST Updated Dec 23, 2020, 2:13pm CST

The Blackhawks’ 2021 season will start with the toughest possible test.

Two consecutive games in Tampa Bay against the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning on Jan. 13 and 15 kick off a four-game season- opening road trip.

The team officially learned about that trip and the rest of their 56-game schedule Wednesday, although game times were not announced.

After two games at the Panthers in south Florida, the Hawks will return to Chicago for a home-opening two-game set against the Red Wings — a fitting opponent, considering the two historical rivals have been temporarily reunited in the Central Division for this year only.

But fans will not be able to pack the United Center for those two Wings matchups (Jan. 22 and 24) nor any other home games, at least in the season’s early going.

“The health and safety of our fans, players and staff remains our top priority, and after careful consideration in collaboration with the NHL, city and state officials, the Blackhawks will not be hosting fans in the United Center for the beginning of the 2020-21 NHL season,” the team said in a statement.

“We will continue working with the league, city and state officials to evaluate conditions to determine if there is a timeline that would allow for fans later this season.”

Only two NHL teams — the Stars and Panthers — have so far announced they’ll allow a limited number of fans for early-season home games.

The Hawks will see those two teams often, though. They play each of their seven divisional opponents eight times each, with those matchups almost entirely formatted in two-game sets in the same city.

Some sets are true back-to-backs, while others have one day in between. The only deviation from that pattern is a string of three consecutive home games against the Lightning from March 4-7.

The Hawks’ longest homestand is six games, when they host the Panthers, Predators and Hurricanes from March 23 to April 1. They have two six-game road trips, one from Feb. 15-25 and another from March 9- 20.

Six of the Hawks’ last eight games are at home, providing a boost if they somehow remain in playoff contention until that late in the spring. They finish the season hosting the Stars on May 6 and 8.

The playoffs will be intra-division across the league until the final four, and the Stanley Cup will be awarded by July 9.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180962 Chicago Blackhawks They also could switch from the standard protection format (seven forwards, three defensemen) to the alternative (eight skaters) and expose someone such as Nylander to protect a defenseman such as Blackhawks’ Alex Nylander to miss 4 to 6 months after having surgery on Nikita Zadorov, Connor Murphy or Calvin de Haan. left knee Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 12.24.2020

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST Dec 23, 2020, 10:09am CST

The Blackhawks’ hopes for a breakout 2021 season from wing Alex Nylander are no more.

Nylander, 22, had surgery Monday to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee and will miss four to six months, the Hawks said Wednesday.

‘‘Nylander sustained a knee injury during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs,’’ Dr. Michael Terry, the Hawks’ team physician, said in a statement. ‘‘He initially rested and trained conservatively; unfortunately, his symptoms came back when he started to skate.’’

Combined with the Hawks’ schedule announcement Wednesday, which set the regular-season finale as May 8 — less than five months away — Nylander seems likely to miss the entire season.

It’s a huge obstacle in what already has been a tumultuous pro career for Nylander, whom the Hawks controversially acquired from the Sabres for defenseman prospect Henri Jokiharju in the summer of 2019.

Nylander, the No. 8 overall pick in the 2016 draft, finally stuck in the NHL full time last season, but his statistics were far from chart-topping and he often looked disengaged defensively and away from the puck.

He finished with 10 goals and 16 assists in 65 regular-season games. His scoring-chance ratio of 47.7% ranked below the NHL average but in the middle of the pack among Hawks forwards.

Nylander then struggled in his first postseason, recording zero points and an abysmal 30.3% scoring-chance ratio in eight games before being scratched for Game 5 against the Golden Knights. His previously undisclosed knee injury might have contributed to his poor performance.

Nonetheless, general manager Stan Bowman had heralded Nylander, along with centers Kirby Dach and Dylan Strome, defenseman Adam Boqvist and wing Alex DeBrincat, as part of the Hawks’ future core to promote his rebuilding movement this offseason.

Given his age and moderate improvement last season, there was some objective optimism that Nylander could grow into a solid piece for the Hawks down the line. This news doesn’t entirely undo that sentiment, but it does serve as yet another step back for a player plagued by them.

Nylander will be a restricted free agent after this season and will not be due for much of a raise over his current $863,000 cap hit, considering this injury. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him and the Hawks sign a one- or two-year deal that essentially would extend his entry-level honeymoon period, giving him more time to prove himself.

In the meantime, Nylander’s move to injured reserve will open another roster spot in the Hawks’ forward corps.

Andrew Shaw’s and Zack Smith’s uncertain injury statuses and Strome’s uncertain contract status make things a bit cloudy, but, excluding those three, the Hawks have 11 forwards who seem likely to make the NHL roster: Patrick Kane, , Dach, DeBrincat, Dominik Kubalik, Mattias Janmark, Lucas Wallmark, Ryan Carpenter, David Kampf, Matthew Highmore and Pius Suter.

Prospects such as Brandon Hagel and Philipp Kurashev, as well as offseason depth additions Brandon Pirri and Matej Chalupa, also will challenge for spots.

The Hawks probably will keep 13 or 14 forwards on the active roster, plus another three or so on the newly instituted taxi squad. Nylander’s injury makes the competition for those slots a little less crowded.

It also makes the Hawks’ protection choices for the Seattle Kraken expansion draft in July a little more complicated.

Nylander previously was presumed to be a likely protection choice. He still might be, but the Hawks instead could elect to protect another forward, such as Carpenter, Kampf or Highmore. 1180963 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks open season with back-to-back games at Tampa Bay

John Dietz

Somewhere Jonathan Toews is smiling.

The reason?

Because the Blackhawks' captain saw a dream become reality Wednesday when the NHL released a never-before-seen schedule that was chock-full of two-game series in what will be a 56-game slate.

Two years Toews told the Daily Herald he would love to see such a schedule come to fruition to cut down on the wear and tear on their bodies.

"When you play a playoff series, you go play two games there and then you come back. So why can't we do that during the season?" Toews said. "It's constant on the plane, on the bus, on the plane, on the bus. Just for one game here, one game there? That's frustrating."

The Hawks open the season at Tampa Bay Jan. 13 and 15, then go up against Joel Quenneville's Florida Panthers Jan. 17 and 19. The Lightning are the defending Stanley Cup champs.

The home opener will be against the Detroit Red Wings Jan. 22, with a rematch set for Jan. 24.

Training camp opens Jan. 3, with the first on-ice practice coming the next day.

No fans will be allowed at the United Center at first.

"We will continue working with the league, city and state officials to evaluate conditions to determine if there is a timeline that would allow for fans later this season," the Hawks said in a statement.

The Hawks will face divisional foes eight times each. The revamped division includes Detroit, Tampa Bay, Florida, Carolina, Dallas, Columbus and Nashville.

Fourteen of the Hawks' first 22 games will be on the road. Seven of the last nine games will be at the United Center.

The Hawks will see the Lightning three straight times at the UC -- March 4, 5 and 7. The season ends with back-to-back home games against the Stars, who lost to the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.

Hawks lose Nylander:

Forward Alex Nylander is expected to miss the upcoming season after having surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee. Team physician Dr. Michael Terry said the injury occurred during last season's playoffs.

"He initially rested and trained conservatively; unfortunately, his symptoms came back when he started to skate," Terry said in a statement.

Nylander can return to hockey related activities in 4-6 months, meaning he could only play in games if the Blackhawks qualified for the postseason. Nylander had 10 goals and 16 assists last season. He will be a restricted free agent next summer.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180964 Chicago Blackhawks could theoretically provide the Blackhawks some flexibility in whom they choose to protect (and whether they choose to protect seven forwards and three defensemen or eight skaters total, the latter of which would What Alex Nylander’s injury means for the Blackhawks allow them to protect Connor Murphy). It still seems like a safe bet that the Blackhawks would protect Nylander — he’s a cheap 22-year-old with a world of talent — but it does open the door for other possibilities.

By Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers Dec 23, 2020 96 The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020

However you view Alex Nylander — a promising talent with a high ceiling, a maddeningly inconsistent underachiever, a poor return for Henri Jokiharju — doesn’t really matter. What matters is how Jeremy Colliton, Stan Bowman and the Blackhawks view him. And in Nylander they saw a potentially productive top-six winger with high-end talent and a significant piece of the young Next Core being built in Chicago.

So the torn meniscus in Nylander’s left knee that was suffered during the summer playoffs and was surgically repaired Monday was a major blow to the Blackhawks’ present and future. The injury will keep him out for four to six months — very possibly the entire season.

The 22-year-old Nylander was likely to be slotted alongside Kirby Dach and Patrick Kane. So not only do the Blackhawks lose a precious year of development for one of their prized young players, but they also lose an everyday winger who, despite his occasional disappearing acts, had 10 goals and 16 assists in 65 games last season, his first full NHL season after three brief stints in Buffalo. With Brandon Saad traded to Colorado, the Blackhawks are now without arguably their top two left wings from a year ago.

Nylander was sixth among Blackhawks forwards with 1.96 points per 60 in 5-on-5 minutes. He was also third among the forwards for being on the ice for the fewest high-danger chances against per 60. The analytics point to a player with some potential.

“I think he’s got all the talent in the world,” Kane said of Nylander during summer camp in July. “Great skater, he’s got all the puck skills, got a good shot. I think sometimes you look at a guy like that, he hasn’t played that much as far as minutes and a top role consistently. When he was in the spot before the break, we were developing chemistry, our line was coming on, we had a few good games on the road. But he can do a lot of good things with the puck. He can create space, can hold onto it. As camp goes on here we start scrimmaging more, we’ll talk more about certain details we want to do when we’re on the ice together, how we want to play to be effective in the playoffs. But leaving him alone right now because he looks great, he’s skating well, his puck control is really good, creating a lot in any battle drill so far.”

Next man up?

Of course, in the zero-sum world of sports, every injury is an opportunity for someone else. And few opportunities are more enticing than playing alongside Kane. Maybe Alex DeBrincat gets a look there, though he’s at his best with third-line center Dylan Strome and has spent far more time on Jonathan Toews’ line than Kane’s. Perhaps Mattias Janmark gets a chance in that spot, bringing some two-way support to Dach.

Or maybe someone who had been headed for the taxi squad like Brandon Pirri — who actually centered Kane for a bit during the 2013-14 season — could get a chance for a big role. Pirri’s relatively one- dimensional, but he does score goals, something the Blackhawks suddenly need.

More likely, given the Blackhawks’ desire to give young players opportunities to develop and prove they should be a part of the future, Nylander’s injury opens up a spot for someone such as Swiss import Pius Suter, or IceHogs standouts Brandon Hagel and Philipp Kurashev. All three of them will enter camp with a head start, having played in Switzerland while the NHL figured out its restart plan.

Contract concern

Nylander is in the last year of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent after the season. He was likely due for a decent pay bump given his role, but now the Blackhawks will be able to kick that can down the road another year, at least. Dach and Adam Boqvist will be due for significant raises in the summer of 2022.

Protection

Nylander seemed to be a lock to protect in the July expansion draft, but the injury makes him obviously less attractive to the Seattle Kraken, and 1180965 Chicago Blackhawks I wondered why Rocky Wirtz and Jerry Reinsdorf weren’t assuaging their employees’ worries early on. Shortly after I wrote a column about it, they came out to announce they would pay everyone for the end of the ‘Last Dance,’ sports radio moves and Len Kasper: ‘Dollars and sense’ hockey and basketball seasons. recaps 2020 Baseball and football seasonal workers weren’t as lucky. Two weeks after this started, I talked to some baseball vendors about their uncertain future and whether or not they qualified for unemployment benefits. One By Jon Greenberg Dec 23, 2020 34 of them, Lloyd Rutzky, wound up moving downstate and retiring from vending, a job he had held since 1965.

In early April, every baseball team was required to give at least $1 million “Dollars and sense” is a column about Chicago sports business and to their employees, though that only worked out to $500 checks. The media overall devastation of this virus is impossible to calculate, but in our slice We decided as a staff we weren’t going to expend much energy of the world, we can see the rippling financial effects of the shutdown. recapping 2020 because who wants to relive this year? Instead, we want 5. The pandemic-related layoffs started coming in early April, when to focus on what we think is coming in 2021. Entercom, the parent company of 670 The Score, let go of four But for this sports business and media column, I decided there wasn’t employees: midday host Connor McKnight, producer Rick Camp, much use predicting the future. I can’t tell you who Danny Parkins’ next reporter David Schuster and evening/weekend host Julie DiCaro. (Eight co-host is going to be (though I’d bet on Matt Spiegel) and the same months later, Entercom struck again, claiming longtime producer and goes with Len Kasper’s replacement (Wayne Randazzo?). host Nick Shepkowski and producer Kevin Dziepak.)

Most importantly, we don’t know how many fans will be allowed to watch 6. A long-awaited documentary series about Michael Jordan and the games in person in 2021 as the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out and life, Bulls’ last championship was supposed to come out in June. But ESPN hopefully, starts getting back to normal. and the producers of the series rushed to move up the debut to April 18. With no fresh sports content, they had a very captive audience as Jordan It was an awful year and many of the sports media stories I wrote were re-emerged as the biggest sports star on the planet. about people losing jobs. The Athletic wasn’t immune to pandemic- related cuts either. “The Last Dance” was a perfect pandemic escape, a content mill and a return to the monoculture. It even turned a security guard who passed But as we close the book on this year, I felt 2020 is worth re-examining, if away in January into a GIF that will live forever. only because so much happened around the media and sports business industry in Chicago, and that’s without going into Theo Epstein’s early With sports on pause, we had something to talk about and write about. resignation or the Bulls’ front-office makeover. Once again, Michael Jordan was making everyone money.

I went through my archives and found 20 different “Dollars and sense” 7. In late April, ESPN 1000 host Marc Silverman announced that he had topics, which I present here in chronological order. a form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Silvy, who has always shared his life on the radio, was very open about his situation and worked from home 1. In the fall of 2019, ESPN 1000, owned and operated by ESPN Radio through his chemotherapy appointments, taking only small breaks. Now for two decades, leased the station to Good Karma Brands, which also he’s in remission, his hair is back and thankfully, he’s still ranting about runs ESPN-branded stations in Milwaukee and Cleveland. Mike Thomas the Bears. started as market manager in January, replacing Adam Delevitt, and started making small changes. In the interview, he suggested that Good 8. In one of the biggest shockers in Chicago sports in 2020, the Karma would be aggressive in acquiring rights deals, which proved true Blackhawks fired president John McDonough on April 27. McDonough later in the year. ran the Hawks with an iron fist since being hired back in 2007. Why did they fire him? McDonough isn’t talking and neither were the Blackhawks. 2. The Cubs’ standalone TV network, the , Two sources told me there was a dysfunctional relationship between finally launched in February after years of waiting. As we waited for the McDonough and Danny Wirtz, the son of the owner who had taken on a season to start, there was a lot of drama about getting Comcast to carry bigger role with the team. Danny Wirtz was named interim president as the channel and that deal finally happened right before the launch in July. he looked for a successor.

Once Marquee launched, reviews were mixed on everything from the 10. There wasn’t a ton of positive media news in 2020, but game production to the associated content, as noted in this survey from getting hired to pair with Stacey King on Bulls TV broadcasts was November. Marquee GM Mike McCarthy was nice enough to talk to me definitely one story that made people happy. Amin, a suburban Chicago about my survey and the challenges of the season, which was trying in native, is excellent at his job and universally liked. He will do an excellent many ways, from logistics to . And this was before the really job replacing Neil Funk. big news about Marquee hit. 11. Baseball returned in July amid much skepticism. With no one allowed 3. ’ first legal sportsbook opened just days before the world shut in the stands, TV and radio would be the only way Cubs and White Sox down. I remember being a little freaked out when I went to the Rivers fans could experience the games. But broadcasters were limited by Casino that day and I believe I was the second person to place a legal COVID-19 protocols, which included no travel and no face-to-face bet in the state — after — and that bet was a winner, thank interviews. TV and radio teams had to do road games off a monitor from you very much. (I’ve since lost a little.) their home stadiums. It was not ideal, but they got through it.

Here is your faithful scribe punching in a bet at Rivers Casino just before Reporters who went to games across the league had to follow protocols the world shut down. (Courtesy person who was standing behind me) and the White Sox wouldn’t let reporters who had been to St. Louis (which was on the city’s travel advisory list) into the ballpark for a series Sportsbook action was obviously stagnant from the third week of March against the Cardinals. (The Cubs put reporters in a separate area.) until baseball returned in late July, but the numbers have been strong since then with a host of challengers to Rivers’ early throne. Teddy Until the playoffs in Texas, Cubs fans were the only ones able to get a Greenstein even left the Chicago Tribune after two-plus decades to be live view into a ballpark because of the rooftop clubs. In late July, I the new senior editor of PointsBet Chicago’s website. Every sports-radio ventured up to Murphy’s Bleachers to take in a game. (The rooftops ad that isn’t for testosterone booster is for gambling. Even The Athletic is could at least bring in a little money. Many Wrigleyville businesses getting into the act. suffered big losses or closed.)

The Cubs announced that DraftKings will build a sportsbook on their The Cubs thought they could get fans in the park during the 2020 Wrigley Field campus, but it won’t be ready until 2023. Expect similar season, and a conversation about that led to this story about a company setups at the United Center and on the South Side. that was helping teams and colleges plan for the eventual return of fans.

4. When the world shut down because of COVID-19 in mid-March, we 12. One of my more popular sports-media stories this year was about a had no idea when or if sports would return. But one question I dress code. Marquee Sports Network bosses wanted Len Kasper and immediately had was: what happens to the hourly workers who depend to dress up for broadcasts to evoke the feeling of a on games for paychecks, specifically at the United Center? So that’s why national broadcast. Fans weren’t feeling it and on July 26, I wrote a president of business operations, replacing, essentially, John column about it. The reaction was intense and overwhelmingly negative McDonough. She was hired away from E15, where she was the CEO of on the dressed-up look. I felt bad for Len and JD’s Twitter mentions after the Chicago-based consulting group. (Faulkner’s husband Colin is the it was published. executive vice-president of sales and marketing for the Cubs and one of my favorite targets on Twitter.) With this move, Jaime becomes one of 13. Just as baseball season finally got underway, NBC Sports Chicago, the highest-ranking women in the four major North American sports like all of its NBC RSN brethren, started cost-cutting. This came after a leagues. Given the recent changes with Native American team names multimillion-dollar renovation of the studios and a hiring spree for the and logos in Washington D.C. and Cleveland, it seems obvious the website. The station let go of host Leila Rahimi, producer Tom Cooper Blackhawks are eventually going to have to do something about their and others. It also canceled David Kaplan’s popular sports-media logo, if not their name. Danny Wirtz was asked about this again when roundtable show, “Sports Talk Live.” Rahimi was the last woman with an these moves were announced and he stressed the organization’s focus on-air role at the station and they have yet to replace her. She has on honoring Native Americans. It was a nice try, but my prediction is this resurfaced on 670 The Score.. story will be revisited in 2021.

14. In early August, Thomas made his first big move at ESPN 1000, The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 pairing longtime evening host Jonathan Hood with Kaplan in the mornings. The ending of ’s run as ESPN’s national morning host allowed affiliate stations like ESPN 1000 to put local shows on earlier. After years of ESPN 1000 wishing for a morning show, “The Kap & J. Hood Show” now begins at 7 a.m., rather than 9 a.m., going head to head for two hours with Mike Mulligan and David Haugh on The Score.

15. One Friday afternoon in September, I was driving home to Ohio and got to listen to The Score’s Dan McNeil and Danny Parkins have a very frank discussion about mental illness and how some people, like Fox Sports’ Bayless, didn’t have a good understanding of how to discuss it. On my way home a few days later, McNeil, just sitting at home watching football, tweeted a sexist wisecrack about how ESPN’s Maria Taylor was dressed on-air and that led to his immediate firing by Entercom. It very likely means the end of McNeil on terrestrial radio in Chicago after a storied, if not an occasionally tumultuous career. It also opened up a cushy job as co-host of The Score’s afternoon show. It hasn’t yet been filled. It’s a good reminder to think before you tweet.

16. Three weeks after they were eliminated from the playoffs, the Cubs had a massive layoff of employees, firing more than 100 from all areas of the organization. They weren’t alone in baseball, but this was a major reduction for a franchise that had done nothing but expand over the past decade. Longtime media relations guy Peter Chase was one of them. Chase was the rare media relations person who really gets what we do. While he has some detractors, I like him because he isn’t paranoid or controlling. He understands our business. Given the state of the franchise, I think he’s glad to be gone. He had been with the team since 2007. His replacement Jason Carr (who predates even Peter with the Cubs) is fantastic, but he’s working with a skeleton crew. That’s the case all over much of baseball, as everyone tries to do more with less. When Epstein talked about resigning before his contract was up, he referenced how his salary could help pay other people. Jed Hoyer was promoted to president, and it’s not yet known when he’s going to hire a GM to replace himself.

17. Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman isn’t the most boisterous interview in the world, and when the Hawks were good, he also wasn’t very available for one-on-ones or background briefings like his peers. Writers couldn’t just text or email him without an angry response from media relations. But with a stated new direction for the franchise, Bowman went on a media tour in October, even going on Barstool Chicago’s podcast to face off with host Ryan Brandell, a very vocal critic. Danny Wirtz had earlier gone on a charm offensive.

18. The White Sox and ESPN 1000 were ready to announce a new radio deal when news came out that new manager Tony La Russa was dealing with a DUI charge in Arizona. After Thomas touted a big announcement on Twitter, the La Russa news broke. So the official announcement was delayed by two days, though I mentioned it in my column anyway. The White Sox left ESPN 1000 after the , and now it was back for another run. But who would be the play-by-voice to replace the beloved Ed Farmer, who passed away in the spring?

19. The answer? Len Kasper! When Sahadev Sharma broke this news to us in Slack, I was in shock. We confirmed it with a handful of sources and Sahadev wrote up the story that angered Cubs fans and thrilled White Sox ones in the late evening. It was a rare story that is a true scoop. Kasper explained the unusual move from TV to radio the next day. So, who will replace him on the Cubs broadcast? We don’t know yet, but a decision has to be made soon.

20. This one is so fresh, I haven’t had time to write about it yet. Last week, the Blackhawks announced their new corporate structure at the top. Danny Wirtz was promoted from interim president to CEO, while Bowman is promoted to president. Jaime Faulkner was hired as 1180966 Chicago Blackhawks ’s first season, going from worst to first. And gradual defensive progress combined with a precipitous decline in goaltending could make for a very long season.

Defenseless and directionless: 10 Blackhawks causes for concern Can Kirby Dach continue to make strides in his second NHL season? (Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today)

By Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers Dec 23, 2020 37 3. Growing pains

The Blackhawks will be asking a lot of their young players again this season. Hope springs eternal, even in the dead of winter. So it was only natural that we started our Blackhawks season preview with a healthy dose of Will they be ready for that? Time will tell. But even if the Blackhawks see optimism. After all, the Blackhawks have their share of high-end talent, progress with their young players, they have to be prepared for plenty of no league is as unpredictable as the NHL, and no sport is as wacky as failure, too. hockey. Kirby Dach has matured quickly, but he’s still 19 and going to have his Optimism is nice. It’s fun. Alas, it’s also fleeting. And the fact is, there’s a inconsistencies, especially as he’s given more ice time and more very good reason that most pundits and oddsmakers expect the responsibility. Boqvist made strides last season, but he was a healthy Blackhawks to struggle badly in 2021. In fact, there are many reasons. scratch in the playoffs and has a lot to improve. Mitchell will be a rookie That’s what today is about: Raw, unbridled pessimism. Catch the fever! defenseman.

Here are 10 things that could go wrong and sink the season: The Blackhawks eventually need all three of those players and even more young players to emerge and be consistent NHL contributors, but 1. The defensive decline continues don’t be surprised if it doesn’t all click this season.

The Blackhawks have been where they are in the standings for much of 4. The aging core the last few years due to one major reason: their defense. The problem began when Joel Quenneville was the coach and it has continued under So far, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith have remained Jeremy Colliton. productive and consistent players in their 30s. But it’s not a given that will continue. The Blackhawks have given up a lot of quality chances over the last four seasons. They were the ninth worst team in high-danger chances As we’ve seen with plenty of former Blackhawks who have retired in allowed in the 2016-17 season, fourth worst in the 2017-18 season and recent years, age catches up with most players during their 30s. have been the league’s worst the last two seasons. They’ve also ranked Sometimes it happens gradually. Sometimes it happens quickly. last in scoring chances against and expected goals against the last two This season will be another test for all three. Kane recently turned 32; seasons. Toews will turn 33 in April; Keith turned 37 in July. It’s more than just It’s not just their defensemen, either. It’s their team defense — the proving they can continue to compete at a high level, too. It’ll be doing so forwards and defensemen. It’s a problem throughout their lineup. in a compact schedule where rest and recovery will be vital.

Heading into this season, it’s possible the Blackhawks improve 5. Snakebitten scorers defensively, but we’ll have to see it to believe it. Dominik Kubalik had the fourth-best shooting percentage in the league at The Blackhawks aren’t returning Slater Koekkoek and Olli Maatta, who 5-on-5 last season, scoring on 19.33 percent of his shots. As lethal as his ranked first and third, respectively, among their defensemen in allowing shot is, that’s probably not sustainable. Remember, a season earlier, the fewest high-danger chances per 60 minutes. Nikita Zadorov may help Alex DeBrincat scored at a 15.29-percent clip at 5-on-5 on his way to a fill the void, but the Blackhawks also have two young defensemen in 41-goal season. Last season, DeBrincat regressed hard, scoring on just Adam Boqvist and Ian Mitchell, along with Brent Seabrook, who has 4.76 percent of his shots at 5-on-5. He finished the season with just 18 been rapidly declining in recent years. Boqvist and Seabrook were tied goals total, only eight of them at even strength. for sixth in the league last season for on-ice high-danger chances per 60 If Kubalik regresses to the mean and DeBrincat doesn’t rebound, things minutes (min. 400 minutes), according to Natural Stat Trick. could get really ugly. If the Blackhawks are going to be successful this Mattias Janmark and Lucas Wallmark are also defensive upgrades, but season, they’ll need to win a lot of 5-3, 6-4 games. If two of their top, there are a lot of holes to help fill. The Blackhawks also had Jonathan pure goal-scorers aren’t scoring, they’re in trouble. Especially with Toews (fifth worst), Patrick Kane (13th), Duncan Keith (18th), Dominik Brandon Saad’s 20-25 goals to fill in the top nine. Kubalik (25th), Dylan Strome (34th) and Alex DeBrincat (48th) among the 6. All play and no work? top 50 players for on-ice high-danger chances against last season. During the 2013 season, with 48 games in 99 days, Joel Quenneville 2. The goaltending held fewer than 10 practices. There wasn’t time, and there wasn’t a need. Last season, Corey Crawford and Robin Lehner combined to prevent With a veteran team that was clicking from the first drop of the puck, about 19 more goals than an average goaltender would have, per Quenneville prioritized rest over practice, and it worked. Evolving-Hockey’s GSAA metric. Nineteen goals over the course of an Colliton doesn’t have a veteran team. He has a team that needs practice entire season might not seem like a whole lot, but considering the time. He has a handful of new faces to integrate into the lineup. He has a Blackhawks went 11-9 in one-goal games, it’s easy to see how that 32- power play that badly needs reps. He has a team defense that, to put it 30-8 record could have been a lot worse if not for consistently mildly, needs work. He has a whole bunch of young players who need spectacular goaltending. coaching.

Maybe one or more of Collin Delia, Malcolm Subban and Kevin Lankinen With 56 games in about 115 days, will he have the time? The minimal will turn out to be great goalies, too. Delia acquitted himself pretty well travel and series-like scheduling should help somewhat (a luxury the during his 16 appearances in 2018-19. Subban was a first-round pick for 2013 Blackhawks did not have), but Colliton will have to give his players a reason. Lankinen led Finland to a World Championship, so he’s some rest. You can’t have them on the ice six days a week while playing capable of shining on a big stage. three or four games every week. And having the young guys skate and But what if they’re just average? Or worse? the older guys take a ton of maintenance days doesn’t really help the power play get any better. Over the past three seasons, the Blackhawks have given up the most high-danger scoring chances in the league (2,440). Over that same time, 7. Central concern they have the fifth-best high-danger save percentage in the league The Blackhawks might not have the toughest or weakest division in the (.845). Goaltending has kept the Blackhawks competitive year after year. realignment for this season, but it’s still one that could cause them plenty Without Crawford, what will happen? of trouble.

Even if the Blackhawks improve on the defensive side of the puck, it’s The Blackhawks probably aren’t excited to face the Tampa Bay Lightning unlikely to be the kind of drastic leap the New York Islanders took in eight times. Plus, they get the other Stanley Cup finalist, the Dallas Stars, eight times. The Carolina Hurricanes were among the league’s top-10 take significant steps, the picture becomes less clear. Winning is always best teams when the season was suspended. better than losing. But it’s not always more productive in the long run.

Beyond those three teams, there are plenty of other teams that should The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 challenge the Blackhawks on a nightly basis. The Columbus Blue Jackets are always tough to beat. Quenneville’s Florida Panthers should be better than last season. The Nashville Predators struggled in the return to play, but they finished ahead of the Blackhawks in the Central last season.

A lot of prediction models have the Blackhawks only finishing ahead of the Detroit Red Wings in the division.

Andrew Shaw’s status is unknown after he suffered another concussion last season. (Kamil Krzaczynski / USA Today)

8. Injury questions

The Blackhawks have an assortment of injury questions entering the season.

The largest one is obviously the status of Andrew Shaw. It sounds like he’s going to attempt to play, but he and the Blackhawks won’t know for sure what he’s capable of until they get going. While the Blackhawks are probably preparing to play without him, his presence would obviously help.

Zack Smith’s status is also unknown. He had surgery on his back last season, and he reportedly wasn’t 100 percent yet in recent months.

9. The Seabrook dilemma

Seabrook deserves the benefit of the doubt. He’s been nothing but a team-first guy for 15 years, and there’s no reason to think he’ll do anything to undermine his teammates or his coaching staff if things don’t go his way. But he’s also never been in this situation — likely a rotational player, maybe even an afterthought as Colliton focuses on getting younger defensemen playing time. If Seabrook sulks or takes any frustrations public, it could filter through a roster — young and old — that adores the guy. Not ideal when you’re trying to instill a positive, winning culture into a young group of players.

And what if Colliton (or Stan Bowman) can’t stomach the idea of making a $6.875-million player a press-box staple? What if Seabrook ends up playing every night at the expense of an Ian Mitchell or an Adam Boqvist or even a Lucas Carlsson? And what if he’s not the player he once was, even after three major surgeries to repair longstanding issues with his shoulder, hips and back?

A healthy, happy Seabrook contributing on and off the ice is a dream scenario for the Blackhawks. The opposite could be something of a nightmare.

10. Is winning a losing proposition?

Last offseason, Bowman went out and added Shaw, Calvin de Haan and Lehner to the roster. It was clearly a win-now mentality, hoping to squeeze one last good run out of the remaining core players. By early December, when reality set in, the focus shifted to getting young players more playing time. Then, a couple months ago, the Blackhawks flat-out used the word “rebuild” to describe their current situation.

But they still have Kane. They still have Toews. They still have some high-end scoring talent and a bunch of players who want to win now. What if they’re pretty good? Or at least competitive? Do they add at the deadline and make a push for a playoff spot rather than sell off parts for picks and prospects? Do they end up missing the playoffs but not getting a top-five or even top-10 draft pick? Do they spend yet another season in the NHL’s mushy middle, too good to truly rebuild but too bad to contend?

Just where are the Blackhawks right now? They used the word rebuild but then walked it back a bit by saying they simply wanted to develop good young players to complement the veteran core. They’re working their way back up the mountain, to use Bowman’s preferred metaphor, but are they at base camp or halfway up to the summit? Is this slapdash season with no fans an opportunity to essentially throw a season away for the sake of the future or is it an opportunity for something wild and magical to happen?

If the goaltending is awful and the defense doesn’t improve and the Blackhawks are sharing space in the cellar with Detroit, then answering those questions will be easy. The focus will be on the future. But if the championship pedigree of the core carries them and the young players 1180967 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche 2020-21 schedule: 56-game calendar unveiled; first two games vs. St. Louis at Ball Arena

By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post

The Avalanche released its 2020-2021 schedule Wednesday and it will open its 56-game slate Jan. 13 against St. Louis to begin a two-game series with the Blues before no fans at Ball Arena.

Colorado is set to close the regular season May 8 to conclude a two- game set against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center.

The entire schedule features eight games against each of the West Division opponents: Anaheim, Arizona, Los Angeles, Minnesota, St. Louis, San Jose and Vegas. All but two games will be part of a two-game series; the Avs’ have a stand-alone game April 3 at St. Louis and April 20 against the Blues at Ball Arena.

Colorado has three stretches where it will play the same team four straight times: Jan. 30-Feb. 4 vs. Minnesota; Feb. 14-22 vs. Vegas; April 30-May 5 vs. San Jose. The Avs have never played a team four consecutive times in a regular season.

The Jan. 13 start date will be the third latest in NHL history, behind the lockout-shortened seasons of 1994-95 (Jan. 21) and 2012-13 (Jan. 19). The May 8 regular-season finale will be the latest in league history.

Denver Post: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180968 Colorado Avalanche NHL lost there. I’m not even accounting for the fact that prices are usually jacked up in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Some estimations had the NHL losing upwards of a billion dollars(!) had it not been for pulling off the NHL STUFFScott Takes: The NHL is selling out…and that’s not a bad playoff bubble. By playing the postseason, the league was able to at thingPublished 18 hours ago on December 23, 2020By Scott MacDonald least mitigate some of the losses by keeping their television deal money. Still, major losses were incurred.

All in all, the NHL faced its first decline in 20 years because of COVID- Colorado Avalanche 19.

And that brings us back to the helmet ads.

Everyone has a price. These marketing stickers are primarily designed to make good for naming rights sponsors and other team partners to rake in for that lost Such is life in a COVID-stricken capitalist country. exposure last year. Of course, the NHL will get its cut, but this is mostly a Despite just a few years ago vowing that selling ads was nowhere on the make-good deal for just the 2021 season. However, the NHL has said it NHL’s radar, commissioner Gary Bettman and the league are the latest will explore the option of extending this helmet-ad campaign past the to bow their head to Big Business in hopes of recouping the severe 2021 season, as the league collects data on how lucrative these little losses of last season. stickers can be. I fully expect this to be the tip of the iceberg as the NHL seeks more aggressive ways to rebuild and strengthen its revenue Just a few years ago, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said he would stream. never do such a thing. He preached, “We take great pride in our sweaters. We think they’re the best in all of sports, and (adding jersey These sticker sponsorships and their reported $15-million value will ads) is not something we’re running off to do. We think what we have is barely make a dent in the net losses felt last year and those that will be special. We talk about history and tradition and how special hockey felt this upcoming season. It could go a long way in the future, however. jerseys are,” Bettman said. Perhaps this is just the beginning of what could be a deluge of on-player advertising, and as the seasons go by, players begin to look more and “It would take an unusual circumstance—which I would define as ‘a lot of more like NASCARs instead of hockey players. This won’t be happening money that I’m having trouble comprehending right now’—for us to even anytime soon though. be thinking about it.” For now, take it for what it is: A (quite literally) small, savvy marketing Turns out, “a lot of money” to Bettman is revenue equal to a reported $15 campaign that will help the league save sponsorships, net-losses and, million dollars for the upcoming 2021 season, and this past year could along with it, jobs. Besides, you’ll hardly notice the branding at all coming certainly be classified as “an unusual circumstance.” Also, to be fair, he through on your TV screen, aside from maybe the occasional closeup. didn’t sell ads on the jerseys. Instead, he’s defending the sanctity of the What’s the big deal? sweaters and instead trading a pile of cash for small sticker ads placed on either side of players’ helmets. I don’t know about you, but I’ll take a small helmet sticker if it means it won’t cost $300 to sit in the nose-bleed seats at Ball Arena and lower- The reactions to this news are, well, how one might expect. Some bowl tickets won’t cost a mortgage payment. Just a thought. understand advertising is a necessary evil and that this small, relatively- unnoticeable corporate decal will do wonders for at least helping the NHL Colorado hockey now LOADED: 12.24.2020 recoup some losses (and jobs) from the 2020 season. Others have gone scorched-earth and simply just cannot believe the audacity of the league.

How could he?! They’ve sold us all down river! They’ve blasphemed the sanctity of this league. That money-grubber Bettman sold out!! What’s next? Is the NHL going to start advertising like those skating billboards over in the European leagues? How long until the Avs are renamed ‘The King Soopers’ Colorado Avalanche brought to you by the Molson Coors Beverage Company’?!

Hold your horses there, Karl Marx. This isn’t a fight between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie. Sure, the NHL did sell out — and make of that connotation what you will — and that’s OK. That’s kind of the point. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and in the year 2020, we’re all seeing the cobwebs and dust clouds billowing out of our wallets.

Look, it’s not that bad. No, the NHL isn’t going to follow the European model of hockey advertising. Could it get to that point? Maybe. I’m not saying it’s not entirely possible. And perhaps that is what us hockey fans are most afraid of. But given Bettman’s hesitations in the past to sell advertisements on his players, I’d imagine we’re many, many years away from that. At the end of the day, we’re talking about a tiny 2-inch-by-2- inch sticker.

The league is already littered with branding. No one bats an eye at the Adidas logo on the backs of NHL jerseys or the CCM logos that adorn players’ skates and sticks. Or if you’ve attended an Avalanche game at P̶e̶p̶s̶i̶ C̶̶ e̶n̶t̶e̶r̶ Ball Arena in the past, your eyes will meet 150 different logos, brands and sponsorships by the time you finally sit in your seat with your $11 Bud Light tallboy. Advertising is the way of the world, and as someone who works in the marketing and advertising realm, I could tell you all about how much money sponsorship marketing and ad spend can bring in. It really is a requirement of any business if it hopes to survive.

The NHL is still largely a gate-driven sport. In doing some research across the web, an NHL team brings in an average of about $1.7 million per home game. Over 75 percent of that revenue is generated by ticket sales (about $1.3 million). Given the cancellation of about a dozen regular-season games last year, we can do the math on how much the 1180969 Columbus Blue Jackets

Breaking down Blue Jackets' schedule for 2020-21, including season opener at Nashville

Brian Hedger

The Blue Jackets celebrate an empty-net goal against the Vancouver Canucks on March 1.

It’s official now.

The Blue Jackets are back in the Central Division, at least a new version of it in this 56-game season, and the schedule they revealed Wednesday showed it won’t take long to re-ignite some rivalries from their past – including games against the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings to start out.

The Jackets open the season with four straight road games – the first two in Nashville (Jan. 14-16) followed by back-to-back games in Detroit (Jan. 18-19) – and return to Columbus for their first of six four-game homestands.

Other Central teams the Blue Jackets have extended history against are the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars, who each make their first appearances on the Columbus schedule in February.

The Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, meanwhile, will be the first two teams to visit Nationwide Arena in late January – each for a pair of games. The Lightning will be the opponent Jan. 21 for the Jackets’ home opener and play a second game here Jan. 23, while the Panthers will bring an assortment of familiar faces back to Columbus for two games (Jan. 26-28).

Former Blue Jackets executive Bill Zito, hired this offseason as the Panthers’ general manager, will return as the opposing GM for the first time and be joined by a slew of former Jackets players including , Alexander Wennberg, Markus Nutivaara and Anthony Duclair.

It’s expected that fans will be barred from attending games at Nationwide Arena to start out, but that could change as the season and COVID-19 pandemic progress. Meanwhile, the Jackets’ new schedule provides plenty of incentive to catch games on television, radio or live-stream.

There will be eight sets of back-to-back games, six four-game homestands plus a pair of long six-game road trips in late March and April that could prove critical to the Jackets’ chances of qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fifth straight year. Each team will only play the other seven divisional opponents, eight games apiece, and the top four at the end will make the postseason – where they’ll face each other again in the first two rounds.

In other words, get used to seeing the Blue Jackets playing the same teams over and over – including four straight games against the Carolina Hurricanes from Mar. 18-25 (two on the road, two at home). They will also face Dallas four times in six games Mar. 4-15 and the Lightning four times in six games Mar. 30-April 8.

The Red Wings will be the opposition in three of the Jackets’ final six games, with the last four on the schedule reversing how the season starts – four straight home games against Nashville and Detroit.

Another scheduling note includes which days of the week the Jackets are slated to play most frequently. They have 15 games on Thursdays, 14 games on Saturdays and 11 on Tuesdays. The other four days of the week will host single-digits, including six Sunday games and just one on a Wednesday.

There are also eight back-to-back sets on tap, including two that are home/home, five road/road and one home/away (Jan. 28 vs. Florida/Jan. 29 in Chicago).

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180970 Dallas Stars One, that means your players would have to go through waivers, meaning players such as Fedun, Hanley and Justin Dowling. With teams across the league in a cost-cutting mind-set, with cap problems of their Stars GM Jim Nill on how Dallas may use the NHL’s new taxi squad own and NHL rosters to trim, passing players through waivers could be easier than before. But it’s still a risk when you allow other teams a crack at your player.

By Matthew DeFranks Two, a 20-man roster would mean a team is allowed to carry a maximum of 26 players (including the taxi squad). With a 23-man roster, they can

carry 29. With the uncertainty of playing during the pandemic, is carrying Stars general manager Jim Nill and his counterparts around the league three extra players worth handcuffing your cap flexibility? will be faced with a host of new challenges this season, transforming Dallas Morning News LOADED: 12.24.2020 them into salary cap mad scientists and entrepreneurs attempting to take advantage of newfangled free agent and trade markets.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there are new roster rules that will affect how teams manage players in their system. The pandemic economy and quarantine requirements will shift the free agent and trade markets, shoving aside precedent of past deals. Then, of course, teams will assuredly deal with positive COVID-19 tests throughout the shortened 56-game season set to begin Jan. 13.

“There’s two unknowns: We’re starting the season like we’ve never started before; the other thing is COVID is an unknown,” Nill said. “I told our coaching staff what we did in the bubble: Each day, you knew there was going to be something happening, just don’t get flustered by it and accept it and we’ll deal with it and make the most of it.”

Nill and his management team have discussed options with the 4-6 player taxi squad and other new ideas. On Monday, Nill covered that with The Dallas Morning News.

Introducing the taxi squad: Teams will be required to have a taxi squad of at least four players and up to six players. Of that group, one must be a goalie, meaning teams will be required to carry at least three goalies at all times during the season.

“I’ve got a rough idea of what that squad is going to be, but we’ve got to get into camp, see where everybody is at,” Nill said. “You’re going to get injuries, might change your 23-man roster or could change your taxi squad. As we get into camp, start to manage that and figure out who that’s going to be.”

The taxi squad is available to practice and travel with the team but will not count toward the salary cap. Players will be paid their AHL salaries and must pass through waivers (if not waivers exempt) in order to be assigned to the taxi squad. The taxi squad is allowed to change throughout the season if, for instance, a player hasn’t played for three weeks and the team wants to send him to the AHL to get game action.

Since players on the taxi squad may not play very often, will players on it be ones who do not need playing time to develop? For example, the Stars may want a younger prospect such as Ty Dellandrea to play games and earn experience instead of a nearly finished product such as Joel L’Esperance.

“The guys on the taxi squad have to be guys that are ready to step in the lineup right away,” Nill said. “If we fly to Nashville for a game, and then all of a sudden, you get guys three guys hurt or three guys sick, you need those players available right away. The taxi squad will be guys that are kind of the closest to being ready to play right away.”

Nill said the Stars will use the maximum six players on the taxi squad, especially before the AHL begins its season.

Goaltender Landon Bow, defensemen Taylor Fedun and Joel Hanley and forwards Justin Dowling, Nick Caamano, and L’Esperance are candidates for the taxi squad, as are top-end prospects such as Dellandrea and Jason Robertson.

Cap implications of the taxi squad: With six extra players allowed to be with the team but not on the salary cap, many teams might not want to fit a full 23-man NHL roster under the $81.5 million salary cap. Instead, they may opt for a 20-man (or 21 or 22) roster, and allocate the savings from three fewer players towards bigger cap hits on the roster.

The smaller roster is a scenario that Stars might have used anyway in order to stay away from using long-term injured reserve (for Seguin and Bishop), but especially seems like a solid move given the added flexibility the taxi squad provides. They still may use LTIR to acquire extra players.

There are two main drawbacks to a smaller roster. 1180971 Dallas Stars

The NHL is back: Here’s what you need to know about return dates, the Stars’ new division and more

By Scott Bell

The NHL and NHLPA have come to an agreement on the 2020-21 NHL season. Play will begin on January 13 and conclude on May 8.

This year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs will feature 16 teams in the traditional best-of-seven, four-round format and conclude around mid-July with the plan of returning to a “normal” hockey calendar for the 2021-22 season (regular season beginning in October).

The league’s approach to fans at games is yet to be announced, but in a release on Sunday, the league wrote “the NHLPA and the NHL intend to be flexible and adaptable in their approach during the coming weeks to ensure compliance with directives from both local and national governmental and health authorities focusing on the health and safety of the players, other game-related personnel and the communities in which we play. The priority will continue to be focused on the health and safety of our fans and Players and Club, League, NHLPA and arena personnel.”

This year’s schedule will consist exclusively of intradivisional play. Because of this, there have been changes to the divisions with temporary realignment.

The Dallas Stars will compete in the Central this season. Joining the defending Western Conference Champions in that division will be: Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Florida, Nashville and Tampa Bay.

“The National Hockey League looks forward to the opening of our 2020- 21 season, especially since the Return to Play in 2019-20 was so successful in crowning a Stanley Cup champion,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release.

“While we are well aware of the challenges ahead, as was the case last spring and summer, we are continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our participants and the communities in which we live and play. And, as was the case last spring and summer, I thank the NHLPA, particularly Executive Director Don Fehr, for working cooperatively with us to get our League back on the ice.”

Said Donald Fehr in a release: “The Players are pleased to have finalized agreements for the upcoming season, which will be unique but also very exciting for the fans and Players alike. During these troubled times, we hope that NHL games will provide fans with some much needed entertainment as the players return to the ice.”

The NHL and NHLPA will release the Health and Safety Protocols, transition rules and critical dates calendar as well as the 2020-21 schedule in the coming days.

The NHL is back.

The league has announced a 56-game season beginning Wednesday, Jan 13, 2021, and concluding on May 8.

The Dallas Stars will compete in the Central this season. Teams in that division will be:

Carolina

Chicago

Columbus

Dallas

Detroit

Florida

Nashville

Tampa Bay

— Scott Bell (@ScottBellDMN) December 20, 2020

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 1180972 Dallas Stars Tampa February 27 & March 1. In late March, they host the Lightning March 23 & 25 and then, right after, host the Panthers March 27 & 28. The only time they play the Florida teams in isolation is the Lightning at Dallas Stars 2021 schedule analysis: All the dates and numbers to know home on February 18 & 20 (which actually precedes that second Florida trip) and the Panthers on April 10 & 13.

Off that last point, for what it’s worth: The Stars will have an off day on By Saad Yousuf Dec 23, 2020 11 April 12, which is the NHL trade deadline this season at 2 p.m.

The eight games against Tampa Bay — who, along with the Stars and perhaps the Hurricanes, look to be the upper echelon of the division — You can finally mark your calendars. Cue the Michael Scott, “Oh my God, come early on. The Lightning announced Wednesday that they expect okay, it’s happening” gif. Indeed, the 2020-21 (really just 2021) Dallas Steven Stamkos to be ready for the season, so the Stars get plenty of the Stars season is happening. Lightning captain (who they saw very little of in the Stanley Cup Final). The NHL released the season schedule Wednesday afternoon, a 56- However, Dallas catches a huge break as the Lightning also announced game slate that will feature 28 home games and 28 road games. The Nikita Kucherov will miss the entire regular season with a hip issue that schedule is 28 two-game sets in a city, in an effort to minimize traveling. required surgery. The Lightning are hopeful that Kucherov can return to Before we analyze some of the intricacies and what they mean, some the playoffs, though, so if the Stars were to see the Tampa Bay in the things that immediately jump out: first two rounds, they will face Kucherov for the first time since the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. — The season begins on the road against the Florida Panthers on Jan. 14, the first game of a back-to-back in Florida. The consecutive-days-off aspect of this is a fairly underrated part of the schedule. Two Stars players I asked for their initial reactions quickly — Home opener is Jan. 22 vs. Predators (something about the Stars and noted that part of the calendar. Aside from the seven back-to-backs, that Predators playing in big January games, huh? Somehow the Winter one day in-between games will mostly be for physical and mental Classic was still THIS YEAR!). recovery. The consecutive days off provide the team an opportunity at a quality practice, which can be very important depending on the ebbs and — There are seven back-to-backs in all: three on the road (Jan. 14 & 15 flows of the season. To put the practice aspect of this in perspective, the in Florida, January 30 & 31 in Carolina and April 3 & 4 in Carolina) and Stars will begin training camp on Jan. 3 and will go until Jan. 12. There four at home (February 15 & 16 vs. Predators, March 27 & 28 vs. are eight spots in the schedule with two consecutive days off. If the Stars Panthers, April 19 & 20 vs. Red Wings and April 26 & 27 vs. Hurricanes). practice every day during training camp and one of the two days during — The longest home stand will during eight games from Feb. 7 through those eight instances, they will have a total of 18 practice days this entire Feb. 20, with two off days before and after those dates. The longest road season. The ninth spot of consecutive days off is in early May, when they trip is six games: March 30 through April 8 (Nashville to Carolina to have four days off, but that will be 54 games into the 56-game schedule. Chicago), with an off day before and after those dates. This season is already set to be more of a sprint than a marathon. There — If you want to make non-hockey watching plans, go ahead and will be less wiggle room, so the Stars will have to make sure they do schedule things on Wednesdays or Fridays. The Stars don’t play at all on everything they can to avoid lengthy lulls like the 1-7-1 start last season Wednesdays and only twice on a Friday throughout the entire season. or the six-game losing streak last season going into the COVID-19 hiatus. This doesn’t just go for the Stars, but the depth of NHL teams is — There will be a lot of four-games-in-six-nights being played, including really going to be tested. Minutes and shift totals night-to-night will need to begin the season. to be properly managed for skaters, particularly guys like Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell, who are on the ice a lot and must avoid hitting a wall — There are nine spots on the calendar when the Stars will have and burning out. is the starter in net and will play most of consecutive days off, including a four-day break in early May. the games, but Jake Oettinger will be called upon to spell him from time — While the dates of games are set, times are all still to be determined. to time; the rookie goaltender will have to hold his own until Bishop returns. This is another area where not as many back-to-backs helps the — There isn’t anything definitive about a timeline for widespread Stars. They only have three until the general timeline of when Bishop will distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, but many educated guesses have return, so Khudobin could just play most games with an off day in the said possibly sometime in March. For fans waiting on the vaccine to middle. As general manager Jim Nill said, the use of the taxi squad will attend games, the final eight homes games at the American Airlines be an important chess piece this season. Center are in April. The Stars will allow fans in from the beginning, which is Jan. 22. This is a lot of competition between a handful of teams in a condensed time period, and the intensity could elevate old rivalries (Nashville and Let’s discuss some of these scheduling items a bit deeper. Chicago) and newer ones (Tampa Bay) to new heights. It should be a joy The Stars got very lucky on the back-to-backs. First off, there are only to watch three teams in the NHL that have fewer (Tampa Bay, New York Rangers The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 and Pittsburgh each have six). Five other NHL teams have seven, while all the rest have eight or more. Another way the back-to-backs play in the Stars’ favor is that they are backloaded — four of them come after March 27. This is significant because Ben Bishop is expected to return from his knee injury in mid-to-late March while Tyler Seguin is expected to return from his hip injury in early April. Not only will this give the Stars more bodies to play, but it will also provide Bishop and Seguin time to find their groove going into the home stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs.

The week of April 18 will be Red Wings Week. Dallas will play Detroit four times that week, first in a home back-to-back on April 19 & 20 and then in Detroit April 22 & 24. It’s a good time in the calendar to have something like that because the Stars can mentally get a taste of the playoffs, when they’d play a full best-of-seven series against one opponent. Detroit is far from that caliber of team, but just in regards to seeing the same opponents all week is a nice little playoff prep.

The schedule is set up so the Stars play the two Florida teams, Lightning and Panthers, in the same stretch in three of their four two-game sets. So, the Stars open up with a back-to-back against the Panthers on Jan. 14 & 15 and then take a quick flight up north to Tampa and play the Lightning Jan. 17 & 19. The same sort of deal happens in late February and early March, when they’re in Miami February 23 & 25 and then up in 1180973 Dallas Stars The team’s defence group is sterling, but the forward group leaves a lot to be desired offensively. There’s some capable defensive minds, but not enough scoring both from the core and from the depth. The lack of core How we’d run the Stars: Ride it out with veteran core, chase a Stanley scoring is a future problem once the team has to rebuild, but the depth Cup may be fixed internally. Some more ice time for Denis Gurianov is a great start, but if some of the team’s prospects don’t pan out, a scoring winger that can play in the middle six is tops on the wish list — if Dallas can fit it under the cap. By The Athletic NHL Staff Dec 23, 2020 39 With Benn and Seguin’s age and Klingberg, Radulov and Pavelski’s

contracts expiring, the next two seasons will likely be Dallas’ last at As an extension of the NHL Future Power Rankings, which look ahead to contention. I don’t know if it’ll be enough this year, but a quick offseason how teams will stack up three seasons from now, we are diving into what re-tool next year might do the trick, as long as a Miro Heiskanen each team can expect and what moves it can make to produce the best extension doesn’t eat up all of Dallas’ space to work with. — Dom outcome. Luszczyszyn

The Athletic will break down what each team needs to do to, or should The Prospect Pipeline do, to take the next step toward contention. James Mirtle will give advice Who is on the verge of getting here? based on the salary cap situation. Dom Luszczyszyn will dive into the analytics and look at what each team has on his Stanley Cup checklist. Center Ty Dellandrea, defenseman Thomas Harley and winger Jason Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman will answer four key questions about Robertson are all knocking on the door. Dellandrea and Robertson the team’s prospects. And Eric Duhatschek will propose a game plan for should either get looks out of camp or be immediate call-up options. the general manager. Then the local beat writer will put it all in Harley likely needs one more year but did play in the restart this summer. perspective with a reality check. Goaltender Jake Oettinger looks close as well, maybe needing one more year to develop. The Cap Situation How good will they be when they get here? The Stars are another team in a bit of a race against the clock cap-wise. And the flat cap hurts them more than many teams given how heavily Dellandrea projects as a second-line center in a few years, Robertson as they committed to their core in a different financial landscape. a second- or third-line forward in a year or two, and Harley could be a very solid top-four defenseman shortly. Oettinger could be a backup They have a lot of cash tied up in players on the wrong side of 30, and goalie. the decline of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin, in particular, raises some red flags over how long their contention window will stay open. What positions do they play, and do we have excesses or deficiencies?

You add in two 34-year-old who are signed for $8.25 million It’s not an overly deep system, but the Stars have a top prospect at most AAV for three more years, Joe Pavelski (36) and Alexander Radulov (34) positions, what the farm lacks is depth. — who make a combined $13.3 million — and things could get pretty bumpy if the bottom falls out and any of them. What does our prospect pool tell us about where we are in a competitive cycle? Dallas is also stuck with $3.5 million in dead money this year — $3 million of which is from performance bonuses that carried over from last The Stars have several quality pieces on the way. There’s unlikely season’s run to the final. another Miro Heiskanen coming, but they have supplemental players coming that could be good NHL players and help the current core. They They’re so tight that making a significant in-season addition is going to be need this group to maximize their talent for the next few years so the very difficult. team can make runs. — Corey Pronman

The Stars did get some of their young up-and-coming forwards signed to The Game Plan really reasonable RFA contracts, and the blue line group is still in its prime. But Miro Heiskanen is about to get a monster second contract Last year’s Stanley Cup finalists will be in a wait-and-see mode in the next summer, and that will put a lot of pressure on the big four forwards near term, knowing it will take until the middle of the shortened season to to live up to their combined $33 million cap hit. get a true reading of what they have, given that Tyler Seguin and nominal No. 1 goaltender Ben Bishop are convalescing still from offseason Moving one of them out makes sense if the next generation shows they surgery. Anton Khudobin proved in the summer playoff bubble he was can fill the gaps in 2020-21. capable of doing the heavy goaltending lifting as needed. The key to capitalizing on their 2020 strides will be either developing or acquiring And they’re going to need some bargain buys to pay off in the years to secondary scoring. How much can Denis Gurianov, Roope Hintz and come. — James Mirtle postseason sensation Joel Kiviranta contribute offensively, to offset The Analytics Seguin’s absence? It would help matters greatly if Joe Pavelski, on Year 2 of an expensive three-year contract, can contribute timely regular- The Stanley Cup Checklist is based on research done earlier this year season goals the way he produced in the postseason and if Alexander looking at the average value for players at every position from the past Radulov can be more consistent. 10 Cup champions. It’s based on the best-of-the-best each year, making it a high bar to clear and it means no team will have every box checked With the Big 3 on defence solid, and Julius Honka back from Europe off, but the more holes a team has filled, the closer they are to being a getting another opportunity to show he’s NHL-ready, the Stars do have a Cup contender. A name in a specific box means he’s in the right ballpark few blue line chips they might be able to put in play if the offense needs for projected value compared to past Cup winners, with some on the shoring up. One move I’ve wanted to see for a while now is Honka traded lower end and some on the higher end. Using an age curve, we made to Calgary for defenseman Oliver Kylington, two youngsters with note of what each team already has on their roster signed for each of the comparable skill sets that both could benefit from a change in scenery. — next three seasons. Eric Duhatschek

Let’s take a look. The Reality Check

The Stars are not in the clear despite a surprise Stanley Cup Final run. It As Duhatschek mentioned, it’s a new year but the same question for the felt more like a last-ditch hurrah for an aging core than a sign of things to Stars: Where will the scoring come from? The answer to that question come. Dallas is good, but with all due respect to the team’s playoff has to come internally because as mentioned off the top, Dallas is magic, I hesitate to call them great and the Stars might be in tough strapped cap-wise. They aren’t going to get the statistical production from surviving for months without Tyler Seguin and Ben Bishop, two pillars of some of their big contract players, like Benn and Seguin, because they’re the team’s success. The latter means a much larger workload for Anton either past their prime or injured for the majority of the season. The Stars Khudobin and less room for error with an inexperienced backup goalie need to just find a way to finish in the top four of their division and punch rather than the best tandem in the league. a ticket to the playoffs. At that point, the hope will be that Seguin and Bishop will be back and have their feet under them and some of the young talents Dallas will depend on early will be seasoned enough to be relied upon in big games.

Dom is right, the Stars’ championship window isn’t going to be open much longer, and it’s obvious that the organization knows this as well. That’s why they extended head coach Rick Bowness for two seasons instead of something longer and why they brought back Khudobin instead of throwing Oettinger in the fire or signing a less-than-stellar backup. The Stars are going to need some of the younger talent to outperform their contracts to compensate for some of the veterans that will be underperforming. Hintz got off to a blazing start last season before cooling down a bit and Gurianov was the team’s leading scorer as a rookie. The spotlight will be shining particularly bright on those two as the Stars look to manufacture some offense. But I wouldn’t limit the search for offensive production to just the forwards. Bowness advocates for the defensemen to get involved in the rush and that should be a boost for blueliners John Klingberg and Miro Heiskanen, particularly the latter who is already an elite defenseman and still improving.

In terms of the future and what the Stars have in the system, there is some talent to be excited about. Robertson, Dellandrea and Harley all have cornerstone potential and the Stars believe Oettinger has the ability to be a starter in the league. Given the unusual nature of this season, it’s entirely possible most, if not all, of these guys will be thrust into the spotlight and play significant roles this year. We already know Oettinger will share the net with Khudobin as Bishop rehabs from his injury into March and Robertson is going to get his opportunities this year with some of the free agency departures and Seguin’s injury. Dellandrea and Harley could very well factor in as well.

Of course, until these players prove it on the ice, it’s just talent with potential that looks good on paper. If they do pan out, though, the Stars will have a young group ready to take the baton in a few years when the current core has run its course. — Saad Yousuf

The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020

1180974 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings schedule for 2021 NHL season: Here is the complete list

Helene St. James

The Detroit Red Wings begin their 2021 season by hosting the Carolina Hurricanes — the same team they played March 10, the Wings' last game before COVID-19 shuttered last season.

The Wings close out the season May 8 with a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Pandemic allowing, of course.

The NHL released the 56-game schedule that was settled upon in order to play in the age of the coronavirus. The Wings are in the realigned Central Division with the Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Tampa Bay Lightning, and will play eight games against each team — four at home, four on the road.

THE C:Steve Yzerman says Red Wings will have captain in 2021 season

RED WINGS MAILBAG:Why is Jeff Blashill still Steve Yzerman's coach?

It will, at least, mean seeing a good deal of rival Chicago.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180975 Detroit Red Wings not, guys are going to have to quarantine, so if you keep them close by, they are ready to be recalled for whatever reason.”

While the players on the taxi squad will travel and practice with the NHL Steve Yzerman is excited to watch the Detroit Red Wings play. Here's squad, they will be considered AHL players, and thus subject to waivers. why So, for example, Evgeny Svechnikov could not simply be moved to the taxi squad if he is not in the lineup, because he’d have to go through waivers.

Helene St. James PROSPECT WATCH:What Detroit Red Wings prospects Evgeny Svechnikov, Dennis Cholowski must do to make team

Each team must carry at least three goaltenders, but Yzerman said — Steve Yzerman is excited about the coming year — about next season, again depending on what happens with the AHL — the Wings might carry and the one after that. Having sat through the bleakness that was 2019- four. Given that teams are scheduled to play 56 games over 116 days, 20, when the Detroit Red Wings won just 17 games, a new year beckons having a solid third-stringer will be vital. After Calvin Rickard struggled with hopes of something better. last season in three appearances with the Wings (5.46 goals-against While the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten almost any plans, average, .797 save percentage), Kevin Boyle is expected to get the nod the NHL has a framework for a 56-game schedule, slated to begin Jan. in case neither Greiss nor is available. 13. The Wings can start training camp on Dec. 31; it will be the first time Dividing the games the team will be together since practicing on March 11, the day before the NHL paused its season with roughly three weeks to go. Yzerman — The pandemic has forced the NHL to realign into four mostly now halfway through his second year as general manager — has made geographical divisions for the season. The Wings will be in the Central numerous changes to the team that finished 17-49-5, bringing in forwards Division with the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Bobby Ryan and Vladislav Namestnikov, defensemen Marc Staal, Jon Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and Merrill and Troy Stecher and goaltender Thomas Greiss. Tampa Bay Lightning. The schedule calls for 28 home games and 28 road games. Teams will play on the road in two-game segments — so, Hence, Yzerman’s anticipation. for example, the Wings might play two games at Florida, followed by two O, CAPTAIN?:Red Wings will have captain in 2021 games at Tampa.

RUSSIAN 5 FLASHBACK:How the Wings extracted Sergei Fedorov Leadership change

MAILBAG:Why is Jeff Blashill still Steve Yzerman's coach? One thing Yzerman said with certainty is that he plans to name a captain before the season begins. The Wings haven’t had one since Henrik “We’ve made a lot of changes,” he said this week. “It will be interesting to Zetterberg retired in September 2018. Under former GM Ken Holland the see who plays with whom and how we do. I’m excited to see the team. I plan had been to give Dylan Larkin the "C" before the start of the 2019- hope we’re improved from last year. I believe we will be improved; how 20 season, but Yzerman wanted to wait. much, I don’t know. I”m anxious to watch the team play. We’d love to get off to a good start — we all probably have our own opinion of what a The pandemic won’t permit the in-person news conferences held when good start for the Red Wings will be this year. Yzerman was named captain in 1986 and Zetterberg in 2013, nor will the announcement be greeted with a standing ovation as it was when Nicklas “But nonetheless I’m excited, and I really don’t know what to predict.” Lidstrom was named captain in 2006, because there won’t be any fans in the stands. Roster decisions Yzerman didn’t divulge a name, of course, but in 2019 he said that when One issue, right off the hop, is the uncertainty over whether the American he did name a captain, the player would be captain for a long time. Hockey League will be able to operate, given its dependence on Larkin, 24, has worn an ‘A’ since 2018 and has steadily grown in the role. attendance revenue. If not, what will happen to players that don’t make Last season, for example, he carried out one of the most joyless the cut out of camp? NHL teams are limited to 36 skaters at camp, and responsibilities of being a leader: talking to the media after losses. an unlimited number of goaltenders. Once the season begins, rosters have to down to 23 players, but there will also be a taxi squad, featuring Yzerman was 21 when he was named captain. no less than four and no more than six players. “There’s more of a heightened sense of responsibility,” he said “You take That will provide some leeway, but there still could be tough decisions into account, in most situations, try to react in a leadership role or regarding prospects such as Michael Rasmussen, Givani Smith and responsible role. You take a lot more things into consideration that you Dennis Cholowski. Given the compactness of the season, there won’t be might not normally, whether it’s a call by an official or a situation off the any exhibition games — in the Wings’ case, it’ll be 14 days of camp, and ice with a teammate. Just anything to do with the team, as the captain then onto the season. you get a little bit more of a sense of responsibility.”

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN: Here are critical dates for pandemic-shortened Anticipation campaign Yzerman made one trade (Staal) and otherwise looked to free agency to “It’s hard for the young guys, guys that are trying to make the roster, or make the Wings more competitive. With the Wings in a rebuild, Yzerman trying to make a really good impression,” Yzerman said. “All they can do kept contracts to either one or two years — and signed players who are is show up in great shape and practice well.” looking to either establish themselves as NHL regulars (Merrill) or reboot their careers (Ryan). That’s where the taxi squad could be beneficial. Beyond the possibility of an NHL regular testing positive for COVID-19 and needing to quarantine It should make for a competitive 14 days of camp. for up to two weeks, there always are injuries. A stay on the taxi squad one week could turn into a spot in the lineup the next week. “We’ve made several changes and all the players were very enthusiastic when we talked to them prior to signing with the team,” Yzerman said. “I expect the taxi squad guys to play games in the NHL, dependent on “That was very encouraging for me. I think there will be a lot of renewed injuries, dependent on your own club situation and your ability to move enthusiasm. The majority of our players are on relatively short, one- or players up and down without requiring waivers and what not,” Yzerman two-year contracts. They’ve got a lot to play for.” said. “So the players on the taxi squad should play, but I’d debate the benefits of having a young player potentially practicing for one, two even The greater anticipation is for autumn, when prospects such as Moritz three months straight and not seeing a game versus loaning them to, Seider and Jonatan Berggren — both of whom are having terrific whether it’s to the American league or another league, and they’re seasons in the — could show they’re ready for playing regularly.” NHL jobs. The Wings loaned Seider and Joe Veleno to SHL teams, and by agreement with that league they’re not eligible to return until their Taxi squads season has ended.

Yzerman did praise the taxi squad plan, describing it as “an extra layer to Seeing them thrive is a terrific sign for the rebuild. facilitate adding players to your lineup. Whether it’s COVID-related or “It’s encouraging to see them do well,” Yzerman said. “I do think it’s just difficult to project, kids that have never played before in the NHL, to project today [when] they’re going to be ready. Eventually when we get back we’ll see them and they’ll show us whether they’re ready or not. But it’s extremely encouraging to see them doing very well as young players in what we think is a really good league in Sweden.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180976 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings unveil 2021 schedule, open at home Jan. 14 vs. Carolina

Ted Kulfan

Detroit — If you’re a Red Wings fan, get ready to see a lot of the Chicago Blackhawks.

And Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets and Carolina Hurricanes.

And that’s it.

The Wings begin the season Jan. 14 at an empty Little Caesars Arena, hosting Carolina — and again two nights later at LCA — in a pandemic- shortened 56-game season that will see the Wings only play those seven other teams in the realigned Central Division.

The Wings face each opponent eight times — four at LCA and four on the road.

No fans will be allowed at LCA to begin the season.

The NHL and NHL Players Association agreed on the geography-based divisional realignments in an effort to eliminate lengthy travel and road trips during the ongoing pandemic.

A feature in this is the baseball-style two-game series.

The Wings will host Columbus on Jan. 18-19 to complete the season- opening four-game homestand.

The Wings will then travel to Chicago (Jan. 22-24) and Dallas (Jan. 26- 28) — both former Central Division rivals of the Wings’ before the Wings were moved to the Eastern Conference.

The Wings end their home season with back-to-back games May 1-2 against defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay, before ending their season May 7-8 in Columbus.

The NHL built some open dates late in the schedule in case there is a need to reschedule games because of the pandemic.

Detroit News LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180977 Detroit Red Wings Entry draft: July 23-24 Start of free agency: July 28

According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, players on the Red Wings NHL season to start on Jan. 13; Red Wings can open camp Dec. 31 and six other non-playoff teams have until Thursday to decide whether to opt-out of the season or attend training camp while others have until Dec. 27 to decide. By Ansar Khan Teams have the option to “toll” the contracts of players who opt out, meaning they will own their rights for another season.

The Detroit Red Wings will be back on the ice as a team on Dec. 31 for Michigan Live LOADED: 12.24.2020 the start of training camp after the NHL’s board of governors on Sunday approved a plan for a 56-game season to begin on Jan. 13.

Under temporary realignment, the Red Wings will play in the Central Division along with Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Florida, Nashville and Tampa Bay.

The other divisions:

East: Boston, Buffalo, New Jersey, N.Y. Rangers, N.Y. Islanders, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington.

West: Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, St. Louis, San Jose and Vegas.

North: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver and Winnipeg.

Due to travel restrictions between the United States and Canada, teams will play only within their divisions. So the Red Wings will play eight games against each of the other seven Central Division clubs.

The Stanley Cup playoffs will feature the top four teams in each division playing against each other in the first two rounds in the traditional best-of- seven format. The playoffs will conclude around mid-July with the plan of returning to a “normal” hockey calendar for the 2021-22 season.

Teams will play in their home arenas, but fans will not be allowed in many of them, in accordance with local guidelines. The Pistons are not playing in front of fans at Little Caesars Arena, so that figures to be the case with the Red Wings as well.

The NHL said that “depending on prevailing conditions both in local markets and across North America,” the league is prepared to play games in one or more “neutral site” venues per division should it become necessary.

“The National Hockey League looks forward to the opening of our 2020- 21 season, especially since the Return to Play in 2019-20 was so successful in crowning a Stanley Cup champion,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “While we are well aware of the challenges ahead, as was the case last spring and summer, we are continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our participants and the communities in which we live and play. And, as was the case last spring and summer, I thank the NHLPA, particularly Executive Director Don Fehr, for working cooperatively with us to get our League back on the ice.”

Fehr said in a statement: “The Players are pleased to have finalized agreements for the upcoming season, which will be unique but also very exciting for the fans and Players alike. During these troubled times, we hope that NHL games will provide fans with some much needed entertainment as the players return to the ice.”

The NHL and NHLPA will release the health and safety protocols, transition rules and critical dates calendar as well as the 2020-21 schedule in the coming days.

There will be no preseason games.

Here is a list of some of those significant dates, according to Sportsnet.ca and tsa.ca:

Start of training camp for 2019-20 non-playoff teams: Dec. 31

Start of training camp for 2019-20 playoff teams: Jan. 3

Trade deadline: April 12

End of regular season: May 8

Date for teams to submit protected lists for expansion draft: July 17

Seattle expansion draft: July 21 1180978 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers open upcoming NHL season at Rogers Place

Derek Van Diest

The NHL schedule is out and the Edmonton Oilers host the Vancouver Canucks on back-to-back nights to open the upcoming season.

The Oilers face the Canucks on Jan. 13 and 14 at Rogers Place and then host the Montreal Canadiens in a double-dip on Jan. 16 and 18. The four games are part of a 56-game, all-Canadian schedule for the Oilers, who will play 10 games against the Canucks and Calgary Flames, while facing the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Canadiens nine times each.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the NHL to delay the start of the season as cases of the virus surged in North America. Travel restrictions prevented teams from crossing the Canada-U.S. border without having to undergo a quarantine period.

All four divisions were realigned for the season with every Canadian team placed in the North Division, while U.S. teams were placed into regional divisions of eight teams. Teams will only play division opponents this season with the top four teams in each division qualifying for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The opening road trip of the season will take the Oilers to Toronto for two games on Jan. 20 and 22, and then to Winnipeg with a pair of games against the Jets on Jan. 24 and 26.

Edmonton and Calgary will play the first of 10 games against each other on Feb. 6 at Rogers Place. The two teams face each other in Calgary on Feb. 19 in the second game of the series.

The Oilers had a 7-7-2 record against Canadian opponents last season and were poised to qualify for the NHL playoff for just the second time since 2006 when the pandemic forced a pause in the NHL schedule.

The league returned in the summer with an expanded playoff format, featuring 24 teams. The Oilers, however, were eliminated in four games in the play-in series by the Chicago Blackhawks and did not qualify for the traditional 16-team playoff tournament.

The entire post-season was held in host cities Edmonton and Toronto, with the final two rounds of the playoffs held at Rogers Place. The Tampa Bay Lightning defeating the Dallas Stars in the final to win the Stanley Cup.

NHL training camps open on Jan. 3, with teams who did not play in the qualifying tournament allowed to open on Dec. 31. There will not be any exhibition games.

The Oilers conclude their regular season on May 7 in Calgary against the Flames.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180979 Edmonton Oilers one-time experience of a lifetime regardless. So there’s no controversy here.

But it will have opened the door. And the question is if there will be JONES: Christmas Day hockey brings back memories for MacGregors Christmas Day hockey a year from now in the Edmonton-Red Deer return of the event with plans of sellout crowds in the stands.

“I think it’ll be the start of a new world junior tradition in Canada on the Terry Jones 25th,” predicted former Hockey Canada boss Bob Nicholson, now Vice President of the IIHF and Edmonton Oilers CEO.

“We’ll see what we do a year from now.” Christmas Day hockey is about to be back but not with any nostalgia for NHL senior citizens who will be watching teenagers play on Dec. 25 at TSN VP and Executive Producer, Live Events Paul Graham can’t wait to the Edmonton IIHF world juniors with Switzerland-, Finland- find out. Germany and Russia-USA games. Adding the extra day costs extra dollars. The TV numbers will likely tell It’s a bit of a test of a person’s memory considering it’s going back 58 the tale. years in the case of Bruce and Audrey MacGregor and their first experiences with hockey on Christmas Day in the NHL. Either way, don’t expect the host nation to play on Christmas Day next year. Canada is good with Boxing Day either way. “It almost feels like Christmas 2020 is a repeat of our early days playing in Detroit,” said Audrey of Edmonton’s Bruce MacGregor graduating from And regardless how ballistic the TV numbers might be, the players ought the junior Oil Kings and pro Flyers to the NHL Red Wings not long after not fret about having to play on Christmas Day when they grow up to be they were married. NHLers.

There are few people who can take you back and better than the Hockey isn’t going back to the days of Audrey and Bruce MacGregor. MacGregors. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 12.24.2020 Back in the Original Six days there was no NHLPA and no collective bargaining agreements. Pro players were forced to play on Christmas Day.

“During our days in Detroit, we never had Christmas together for about seven seasons, I think it was,” said Audrey of her NHL husband that scored 213 goals in 893 games with Detroit and New York before becoming a WHA Oiler and assistant general manager of the five-time Stanley Cup champion Oilers in the NHL.

While NBA basketball teams still play on Christmas Day, back in those days almost all the players in the NHL were that grew up having a white Christmas at home with family.

“The Red Wings always played in Chicago on Christmas Day so the team would board a train on Christmas Eve in Detroit, play there Christmas Day and return by train to Detroit on the 26th. Then we’d pretend to have Christmas,” she said.

“What I remember is when we arrived in Chicago on the 24th, it was like a ghost town and finding some place to eat was a problem. We didn’t have much choice about treating it like any other game day.”

It was actually easier on the players than the families.

“I didn’t handle it so well,” said Audrey. “That was especially true when Brad was just a baby, which would be our second year in Detroit.

“That part I remember like it was yesterday.

“We were living over in Windsor where we didn’t really know anybody. Most of the other Red Wings were living in Detroit. And back in those early years you had a very difficult time phoning long distance as the lines were always busy.

“I cried a lot that Christmas Day. I remember having a grilled cheese sandwich for Christmas dinner and watching it rain. It was a Monday and I proceeded to do my weekly wash.”

The last time there was Christmas Day hockey in the NHL was a full slate of six games on Dec. 25, 1971.

It had been a staple from the 1920s through until then and from 1960 to 1967 every team in the then six-team league played on Christmas Day.

The NHL’s holiday hockey history also includes games on Christmas Eve. The last one of those games being held in 1972.

But it’s a world junior in Canada that’s bringing it back, partially to fit all the games in the tournament being played in a single building with no fans in the stands thanks to COVID-19.

There have been previous editions of the world junior held in Europe that have featured Christmas Day games. And the last one ever held was actually in Grand Forks, N.D. in 2005. But the juniors mostly view it as a 1180980 Edmonton Oilers 2.3 0.7

15.4 Dave Tippett has more options now thanks to versatile Oilers forwards Tyler Ennis

12.5 By Jonathan Willis Dec 23, 2020 2.2

0 As the NHL season approaches, it’s easy to get fixated on training camp battles and specific line combinations. This is true for any team, but 14.7 especially for the Oilers, given the long list of offseason additions and the lingering controversy over their playoff lineup changes. Dominik Kahun

It’s fun and I’m as guilty of it as anyone, but these sorts of exercises miss 12.2 important parts of the picture. The regular season is a marathon, not a 1.1 sprint, and the lineup will change hundreds of times over the course of the year as the coach dresses, scratches and rearranges pre-game and 0 then tinkers in-game. 13.3 A different approach, one based on minutes played in recent seasons, offers us a fuller idea of what is likely ahead. Jesse Puljujarvi (18-19)

Even-strength minutes 11.5

Average TOI in 2019-20 0.5

Leon Draisaitl 0

17.9 12

3.9 Josh Archibald

0.9 10.9

22.6 0.1

Connor McDavid 2.3

17.9 13.2

3.9 Alex Chiasson

0.1 10.9

21.9 2.2

Kailer Yamamoto 0

16.5 13.1

0.9 Jujhar Khaira

0.1 10.8

17.4 0.1

Zack Kassian 1.6

15.2 12.5

0.4 Patrick Russell

0 10.6

15.7 0.1

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 0.7

15 11.4

3.8 Joakim Nygard

1.7 10.2

20.5 0.5

James Neal 0

13.4 10.7

2.9 Tyler Benson

0 10

16.3 0.4

Kyle Turris 0

12.5 10.4 Alan Quine 3.8

9.8 1.7

0 20.5

0 Leon Draisaitl

9.8 17.9

Gaetan Haas 3.9

9.3 0.9

0.4 22.6

0.1 Connor McDavid

9.7 17.9

The monsters here are, not surprisingly, Connor McDavid and Leon 3.9 Draisaitl. There was some overlap in their minutes even late in the season after they were split up, but the Oilers can probably count on 0.1 having one or both on the ice for 33 minutes per game. That’s two-thirds 21.9 of the 48 minutes the average NHL team clocks at even-strength. Kyle Turris The remaining 15 minutes at centre are likely to be dominated by Kyle Turris, who averaged 12.5 in Nashville. Some of that time is going to be 12.5 spent on the wing, doubling up with one of Edmonton’s other centres. As 2.3 a right-shot with a career win rate of 50 percent on the dot, Turris is likely to get plenty of time as a faceoff-and-get-off option. 0.7

That should leave around 10 minutes for whoever plugs in on the middle 15.4 of the fourth line. It seems a good bet that both Jujhar Khaira and Gaetan Haas rotate through the slot given their differing skillsets, with Alan Quine James Neal and Ryan McLeod as recall options. 13.4 Left wing will start with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but he’s an all-situations 2.9 workhorse and that’s going to keep his 5-on-5 minutes down somewhat. Kailer Yamamoto took on top-line minutes at right wing after he was 0 recalled last season, and while he might struggle to replicate last year’s numbers – to begin with, he scored on a ridiculous 25 percent of his 16.3 shots in 2019-20 – he’s surely the best option. Josh Archibald After that it gets complicated. Incumbent forwards James Neal and Zack 10.9 Kassian are both primed for a drop in usage. Each averaged about 10 minutes per game in the series against Chicago, and faces far more 0.1 competition on the flanks than the Oilers could offer last season. 2.3 Tyler Ennis and Dominik Kahun both averaged more than 12 minutes per game last season and are relative newcomers to the club. So is Jesse 13.2 Puljujarvi, who came in just under 12 minutes per game in 2018-19. That Tyler Ennis makes seven wingers with an expectation of regular playing time inside the top nine, and given the likelihood of injuries and illness, not to 12.5 mention the certainty of a compact schedule, that isn’t too many. 2.2 Josh Archibald, Alex Chiasson and Joakim Nygard averaged out as fourth-liners at even-strength and there’s little reason to expect a big 0 jump from anyone in that group. Nygard’s the only one who isn’t 14.7 established in the NHL, but he’s 27 and despite a recent scoring run overseas his career totals suggest him as a depth option in the majors. Alex Chiasson

Patrick Russell and Tyler Benson are looking at depth work when they 10.9 eventually see action. 2.2 Centre breaks down easily, but the wings are more complicated. One certainty is that we will see different combinations and each of the 0 newcomers is likely to get time with one or both of Edmonton’s star 13.1 centres. Dave Tippett managed to find minutes for virtually every winger the Oilers dressed next to one or both of McDavid and Draisaitl last Jujhar Khaira season; there may be less experimentation this year but there’s every 10.8 reason to think he’ll be as thorough investigating the potentials of newcomers like Kahun and Puljujarvi. 0.1

It’s not really worth worrying so much about specific line combinations, 1.6 which will fluctuate for a hundred reasons in the abbreviated season. Neal and Kassian will get their chances with strong centres, as will 12.5 Kahun and Ennis and Puljujarvi. Which of them ultimately sticks will be Dominik Kahun dictated by performance. 12.2 Special teams minutes 1.1 Average TOI in 2019-20 0 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 13.3 15 Kailer Yamamoto next to another forward. History suggests Ennis as a good choice, but Yamamoto, Puljujarvi or Kahun could figure in here. 16.5 Minutes on the penalty kill are more important, and if there’s a close 0.9 decision on lineup choices bet on the guy who does shorthanded work to 0.1 win. There are three returnees from last year’s group, with Nugent- Hopkins the only absolute lock for minutes. Based on 5-on-5 play 17.4 Archibald vs. a bunch of other depth guys is a close call, but shorthanded work gives him a big step up. Khaira similarly gets an edge on Haas Patrick Russell given his proven ability in the NHL, though Haas is known for his penalty 10.6 killing internationally and will likely get some play in those situations.

0.1 Assuming that Nugent-Hopkins and Archibald play regular roles, along with one of Khaira/Haas, that leaves room for a fourth regular forward 0.7 and a reserve option. Draisaitl was the club’s regular fifth man whenever there wasn’t a specialist (Markus Granlund, Patrick Russell) dressed and 11.4 probably does that job again. The Oilers have lots of skaters who have Jesse Puljujarvi (18-19) done the job before – Turris, Kassian, Chiasson – but I’d bet on Yamamoto for the other gig. He’s killed penalties at every other level, 11.5 promises to be a fixture in the lineup and has speed and tenacity admirably suited to shorthanded play. 0.5 Predictions for 2020-21 0 2020-21 TOI predictions 12 Leon Draisaitl Joakim Nygard 18 10.2 4 0.5 1 0 23 10.7 Connor McDavid Gaetan Haas 18 9.3 4 0.4 0 0.1 22 9.7 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Zack Kassian 15 15.2 4 0.4 2 0 21 15.7 Kailer Yamamoto Tyler Benson 15 10 0.5 0.4 1.5 0 17 10.4 Kyle Turris Alan Quine 13.5 9.8 2 0 0 0 15.5 9.8 James Neal Barring injury, the first unit power play will revolve around the trio of McDavid, Draisaitl and Nugent-Hopkins. The fourth gig rotated last 11.5 season between James Neal and Alex Chiasson, and it’s reasonable to think both players will get looks on the top unit. I wonder if we don’t see 3 Kyle Turris, too: he’s a right-shot, he’s a faceoff option and he has a long 0 history in the discipline. 14.5 Edmonton’s second unit was fairly irrelevant last year and should be again. The game-plan for most of 2019-20 was to dress a three- Dominik Kahun forward/two-defenceman unit at the end of penalties, with the main goal being an easy transition back to five-on-five play and any scoring being 14 gravy. That’s likely again, with Turris and one of Neal/Chiasson skating 0.5 0 10

14.5 0

Tyler Ennis 0

12.5 10

1 Alan Quine

0 10

13.5 0

Josh Archibald 0

10.5 10

0 There’s no substitute for performance, and looking at the roster today we can only guess at how individual players will respond to their 2.5 opportunities.

13 As it stands, Edmonton’s forward corps is anchored by the big three, with Jesse Puljujarvi (18-19) Yamamoto lacking only the power-play minutes to join them. Turris gets a major push in my estimation as the team’s third-line pivot, go-to right- 12.5 shot faceoff man and utility forward on special teams.

0.5 After that, it flattens out. I’ve projected a significant 5-on-5 role for Kahun, Ennis, Puljujarvi and Kassian. Neal’s 5-on-5 work is reduced here, but he 0 makes up for it as a power play shooter. Archibald and Chiasson are 13 essentially fourth-liners, but significant special team responsibilities make them more important than the typical depth forward. Zack Kassian It’s a group that could use one more dynamic forward, but even with that 12.5 limitation, it’s an easy group to like. There’s a level of depth that just wasn’t present last year, with more options for scoring work on the wings, 0.5 depth work on the wings, and an upgrade at centre on the third line. 0 Importantly, there’s also a variety of skillsets on the roster. If Tippett 13 looks at his top-six and thinks it needs size and strength, he has some options. The same is true of speed, or scoring skill, or shutdown ability. Alex Chiasson There is a lot of room to tailor this lineup to specific opponents and game situations. It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch. 10.5 The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 2

0

12.5

Jujhar Khaira

10

0

1.5

11.5

Gaetan Haas

10

0.5

1

11.5

Joakim Nygard

10

0

0.5

10.5

Patrick Russell

10

0

0.5

10.5

Tyler Benson 1180981 Florida Panthers will look to clinch a playoff spot and maybe even win their first playoff series since 1996.

Carolina Hurricanes Panthers Face New Division with New Challenges The Panthers will be in the same division as the Hurricanes for the first time since 2013. The teams were members of the Southeast Division from 1998 to 2013. The Hurricanes won 38 games last season and BY ANDREW MULVILLE DECEMBER 23RD, 2020 ultimately bowed out of the playoffs in the second round, losing the series four games to one against the Boston Bruins.

Carolina has had a quiet offseason but did add Jesper Fast on a three- On Dec. 20, the NHL and NHL Players Association announced that they year deal. The Hurricanes opted to sit out of the goaltender free agency have officially agreed to start the 2020-21 season on Jan. 13. The carousel, too. They will stick with their duo of Petr Mrazek and James season, which will include 56 intradivisional games, will conclude on May Reimer, who will both be unrestricted free agents after this season. If this 8 and be followed by a 16-team Stanley Cup Playoffs. young Carolina team has a strong start, they will look to ride their The NHL and NHLPA have officially reached an agreement on a 56- momentum into a playoff spot. game 2020-21 season starting on Jan. 13. https://t.co/u6tS7nKHfs Chicago Blackhawks — NHL on NBC Sports (@NHLonNBCSports) December 20, 2020 The newly formed Central Division created several interesting storylines The teams will be divided into four divisions: Central, East, North, and for the Blackhawks. The rivalry between the Red Wings and the Chicago West. The North division will be made up of the league’s seven Canadian Blackhawks will be renewed this year, playing in the same division for the teams, who will play each other a total of nine or 10 times. The remaining first time since 2013. Furthermore, it’ll be interesting to see how divisions will have eight teams and each team will play their divisional Panthers’ coach Joel Quenneville does against his former team. opponents a total of eight times. There will not be any preseason games Quenneville was the head coach of the Blackhawks from 2008 to 2018 and all training camps will begin by Jan 3. The NHL implemented the and won three Stanley Cup Championships with the organization. division realignment and intradivisional games in order to limit travel, Florida Panthers Joel Quenneville reduce costs, and help limit the spread of COVID-19. Chicago appears to be one of the weaker teams in the Central Division At the end of the season, the top four teams in each division will advance after losing several key players this offseason. Most notably, the to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, the first two rounds of the playoffs Blackhawks lost Corey Crawford in free agency and traded away will remain intradivisional. The conference finals and Stanley Cup Final Brandon Saad. Without any notable additions in free agency, the will be the only series played outside of divisions this season. The NHL Blackhawks will be depending on their depth players to step up. Chicago plans to have all games played in each team’s home arena. But, teams finished last in the Central Division last season but was able to upset the will play in a central location for each division, if necessary. Edmonton Oilers in the Qualifying Round of the playoffs. The Blackhawks Central Division Preview will be competing against several top tier teams in the Central Division, so it is unlikely they will make the playoffs. The Central Division will include the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Columbus Blue Jackets Panthers, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, and the Tampa Bay The Blue Jackets will face off against a number of familiar faces when Lightning. they play the Panthers. There is no doubt that Florida’s Bobrovsky, Can't wait to get really *close* with you guys!!! Nutivaara, and Wennberg are looking forward to competing against their former team. During the 2019-20 season, Columbus had 33 regular- We'll face off against each of these teams eight times during the regular season wins and lost in the second round of the playoffs to the Lightning. season. The Blue Jackets have bolstered their squad this offseason, too.

More on the Cats being in the Central Division: https://t.co/Sm36ciRq2W Columbus landed Max Domi and Mikko Koivu who will have a big impact pic.twitter.com/d33hbJ4bfl this season. Adding these players to a more experienced young core, the Blue Jackets are ready to make another playoff run this summer. — Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) December 21, 2020 Columbus will benefit greatly from their move out of the Metropolitan The Stars, Predators, and Blackhawks are returning to the Central Division and will have a much easier road to the postseason. It would be Division, which has traditionally been a part of the Western Conference. no surprise if leads his men to a top-four finish in the The Panthers, Lightning, and Red Wings are holdovers from the Atlantic Central Division. Division. The Blue Jackets and the Hurricanes are joining from the Dallas Stars . Let’s take a look at how these teams stack up entering the 2020-21 season. The Panthers typically play the Stars just twice a year, so playing eight games this season will be unfamiliar territory for both teams. One thing Florida Panthers that is certain is that the Panthers will have their hands full with the The Panthers, led by newly appointed General Manager Bill Zito, have Stanley Cup runner-ups. The Stars won 37 games last season and been busy during this transitional offseason for the organization. Nearly a ultimately lost to the Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final. third of Florida’s roster will be made up of new faces. Zito’s notable Rick Bowness, who was the interim head coach for the majority of last additions on offense include Patric Hornqvist, Alexander Wennberg, season, will take the helm as head coach again this season. Dallas’ Carter Verhaeghe, and most recently, Anthony Duclair. Furthermore, the biggest offseason signing was that they retained the services of Panthers have added Radko Gudas and Marcus Nutivaara to their blue goaltender Anton Khudobin, who was a key member of last season’s line. Zito also re-signed defenseman MacKenzie Weegar to a three-year playoff run. If the Stars can find a way to score more goals this season, deal. These signings give the Panthers the physical presence they have expect them to be one of the top teams in the Central Division. lacked for several seasons. Detroit Red Wings Mackenzie Weegar Florida Panthers The Red Wings finished worst in the league last season, losing a With more defensive-minded blueliners in front of him, goaltender Sergei whopping 49 games. Three of those losses came at the hands of the Bobrovsky will have to improve in net this season. He’ll be looking to Panthers, who swept the season series. However, Detroit improved this bounce back from last season’s poor showing when he had a save offseason and it seems that general manager Steve Yzerman has the percentage of just .900. Red Wings organization headed in the right direction. Florida finished with 35 wins during the 2019-20 regular season and Tyler Wright Steve Yzerman Kris Draper Detroit Red Wings ultimately lost in the first round of the playoffs against the New York Islanders. Although they are not the favorite to win the division, the Joel Yzerman improved Detroit’s offense by signing veterans Vladislav Quenneville-led Panthers have the tools to succeed this season. They Namestnikov and Bobby Ryan. The Red Wings are also welcoming Marc Staal, Jon Merrill, and Troy Stecher to their blue line. They added goaltender Thomas Greiss, too. Although Detroit has improved, they are still in rebuild mode and are not expected to make a playoff appearance in the near future.

Nashville Predators

The Predators are another unfamiliar face to the Panthers, who normally play each other only twice per season. The Panthers swept the 2019-20 season series, winning both games. Nashville won 35 games last season and lost in the Qualifying Round of the playoffs against the Arizona Coyotes.

Nashville’s offseason has been a bit of a mixed bag. The additions of , Matt Benning, Brad Richardson, and Nick Cousins highlight improvements on the defensive side of play for the Predators. On offense, the Predators lost several key goal scorers including Craig Smith, Nick Bonino, and Kyle Turris. Although Nashville could land a fringe playoff spot, it would not be surprising to see them miss the cut either.

Tampa Bay Lightning

The Lightning, defending Stanley Cup Champions, are the clear favorites to win the Central Division. The prospect of eight in-state rivalry games between the Lightning and the Panthers is very exciting. The Panthers lost three of their four games against Tampa last season. The Lightning won 43 games during their 2019-20 campaign and defeated the Stars to win the Stanley Cup.

Tampa Bay Lightning 2020 Stanley Cup

Despite facing significant salary cap problems, Tampa’s roster will look similar this season. The Lightning retained the services of Mikhail Sergachev, Erik Cernak, and . Meanwhile, Kevin Shattenkirk and Zach Bogosian have moved on from the team. They also lost Verhaeghe, who signed with the Panthers. The Lightning has their work cut out for them, as they still need to sign Anthony Cirelli. Regardless of how their salary cap crunch plays out, the Lightning is poised to make another run at the Stanley Cup this year.

Panthers’ New Challenge

In their new division, Florida will be up against several formidable opponents. One cause for concern is that the Panthers had a significant amount of roster movement this offseason. While they added the physicality they desperately needed, it could take time for the team to mesh. However, Zito has put together a squad that has the ability to compete with the best.

Quenneville will have to get his men going early in the season for the Panthers to make a push for the playoffs. The Lightning, Stars, and Blue Jackets are the clear favorites to round out the top three in the division, so Florida will likely be fighting the fourth playoff spot. In a shortened season, any slip-ups could find the Panthers on the outside looking in.

Hockey Writers LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180982 Florida Panthers

Welcome back: Florida Panthers 2021 NHL schedule unveiledPublished 12 hours ago on December 23, 2020

By George Richards Florida Panthers schedule

When the NHL put its 2019-20 season on hold March 12, the Florida Panthers were in Dallas awaiting a game with the Stars.

They never got to play that game, but, with the Stars in the Panthers’ new division, the two will soon become old pals.

The NHL unveiled its 2021 schedule on Wednesday as the Panthers will get their fill of the Dallas Stars — as well as everyone else in the temporary NHL Central Division — as the teams will play each other eight times between the opener on Jan. 13 and the season finale May 8.

As for the Panthers, they will open their season at BB&T Center (and expect to have fans in the stands) on Jan. 14 against Dallas.

The two teams will play each other the following day with Chicago completing the season-opening four-game homestand by coming in for a two-game set on Jan. 17-19.

The 2021 season schedule is mostly two-game series against the same opponent (either at home or away) saves for series against Tampa Bay.

As expected, the Panthers and Lighting will actually play each other in a pair of three-game series: On Feb. 11-13, Florida will host the Lightning for two games then finish that series in Tampa on Feb. 16.

The Panthers end the season with a three-game set against the Lightning: at Tampa Bay on May 4 and in Sunrise May 6 and 8.

Florida’s longest homestand in the 2021 campaign is a six-game series in February against Nashville (Feb. 4-5), Detroit (Feb. 7-9) and Tampa Bay (Feb. 11-13).

The Panthers have two such road trips including their first trip with games at Carolina (Jan. 21-23), Columbus (Jan. 26-28) and Detroit (Jan. 30-31).

Time to play that hockey: The NHL is officially back for 2021

The other six-game trip comes later in the season with stops in Carolina (April 6-8), Dallas (April 10-13) and Tampa (April 15-17).

In all, Florida is scheduled to play 56 games will all coming within the new NHL Central: Tampa Bay, Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit and Nashville.

While not all NHL teams will be able to accommodate fans in their buildings this season, the Panthers plan to make additional ticket announcements.

Florida is expected to have around 20 percent capacity at the nearly 20,000-seat BB&T Center in Sunrise at least from the start.

The Panthers plan on opening training camp at the IceDen in Coral Springs on Jan. 3 which will be closed to the public. With no exhibition games this season, Florida’s first game will count come Jan. 14 against Dallas.

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180983 Los Angeles Kings favorites Vegas, Colorado and St. Louis, he believes the division’s fourth and final playoff spot could be “a little bit more up for grabs than if you’re in a 15- or 16-team conference.”

Five Kings-Ducks games in 12 days? NHL announces its pandemic- The Ducks, who ended last season one spot ahead of the Kings in the altered schedule standings and will also be coming off a 10-month layoff, open their season with a two-game series in Vegas on Jan. 14 and 16. After that, they don’t have a homestand or trip longer than four games until a stretch of six straight at Honda Center between March 8 and 18. Their longest By JACK HARRISSTAFF WRITER DEC. 23, 20203:08 PM trip of the season immediately follows, a six-game swing through Minnesota, St. Louis and Colorado between March 22 and 31.

The Kings will open the 2021 NHL season on Jan. 14 at home against And unlike the Kings, the Ducks have no other games scheduled during the Minnesota Wild. Two nights later, they will host the Wild again. the 12-day stretch late in the season that includes five games between the two Southland clubs — meaning they will face their crosstown rival On Jan. 19, the Kings will welcome the Colorado Avalanche to Staples five consecutive times before finishing the season with road series in St. Center. Their following game? Same opponent, same place. Louis and Minnesota.

On and on their 56-game schedule goes, repeating the back-to-back “There’s more of a serious nature,” Fox said, “when you’re playing the pattern throughout almost the entirety of their pandemic-altered slate. same teams.” Only two of the Kings’ contests aren’t part of a multi-game miniseries. During one stretch between April 20 and May 1, they will face the Ducks Ducks "Reverse Retro" jersey five times in 12 days. Kings and Ducks embrace the past with NHL’s ‘Reverse Retro’ alternate Other teams’ schedules, which were all released by the league on jerseys Wednesday afternoon, follow a similar format — stamping an already The unique schedule format was a necessity for this mid-pandemic unprecedented season with perhaps its biggest alteration yet. season. Pairing matchups into sets of two will cut down on the number of “Every team will have more information on the team they’re playing,” said times clubs have to board a flight or check in and out of hotel rooms. It Kings television analyst Jim Fox. “Because they’re playing them a lot.” provides more flexibility in case COVID-19 outbreaks pop around around the league. The 1979 O-Pee-Chee Wayne Gretzky rookie card. The NHL has taken other measures to try and ensure the jam-packed HOCKEY schedule — teams will play on average almost every other day — isn’t disrupted, jointly announcing medical protocols with the NHL Players’ $1.29 million for a hockey card? Wayne Gretzky rookie card is hockey’s Assn. on Tuesday. other holy grail Other key dates for the 2021 season include the trade deadline on April Plenty of other unfamiliar features about this upcoming NHL season were 12, the start of the playoffs (which will consist of intra-divisional matchups known prior to Wednesday’s schedule release: Extremely abbreviated through the first two rounds) on May 11, and the last possible day of the training camps (the Kings’ and Ducks’ will open Dec. 31, two weeks Stanley Cup Final on July 9. before their regular seasons begin) capped at just 36 skaters per team; empty arenas in most markets (including both Southland teams, at least The 2021 expansion draft for the new Seattle Kraken franchise will take to start the season) and limited capacity in others; traveling taxi squads place on July 21. The NHL entry draft will be held during July 23-24. Free of four to six players to supplement customary 23-man rosters; and agency opens July 28. divisional realignment to eliminate travel between the U.S. and Canada. But first, the NHL has to hope its schedule will hold up and that its But the new-look schedules might have the most tangible impact on season can survive outside of a bubble over an entire four-month slate. It competition itself. Teams will only play against opponents within their will be different, and very likely more challenging. division, which for the Kings and Ducks includes eight contests each against the Wild, Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, St. But, as Fox noted, “this is unprecedented times. … What are you going Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights. The baseball-esque structure of to complain about? We’re working again. That’s phenomenal.” the schedule will likely accentuate the familiarity — and potential bad LA Times: LOADED: 12.24.2020 blood — between clubs.

“It’s more of a playoff mindset,” said Fox, who played nine seasons for the Kings in the ’80s and has spent the last three decades on their broadcast team. “Every shift, you’re going to be against the same guy probably, with the matchups, and then that happens game-to-game-to- game. … If you’re playing the same teams all the time, it really intensifies, how do you find the opening? How do you find the weakness?”

The Kings, who finished next-to-last in the Western Conference last season and haven’t played a game since March, seem to have a tougher first half. Following their season-opening four-game homestand against the Wild and Avalanche, 16 of their next 23 games will be on the road, including two separate trips to St. Louis and road series at Vegas and Colorado — the top three teams in the Western Conference last season. They have a season-long six-game trip scheduled for Feb. 18 and 27.

Los Angeles Kings head coach Todd McLellan and assistant coach Marco Sturm instruct from the bench.

Todd McLellan expecting the unexpected in his second season with Kings

They make up for that stretch, however, with a home-heavy slate over the final two months. Their April schedule includes 11 of 16 games at home and no trips longer than two games. They’ll finish the regular season on home ice as well, hosting the Avalanche on May 7 and 8.

“For the Kings, it probably allows you to be in contention more so than if you were playing the whole league,” Fox said, noting that after preseason 1180984 Los Angeles Kings

Ducks begin NHL season in Las Vegas; Kings open at home vs. Wild

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | PUBLISHED: December 23, 2020 at 1:36 p.m. | UPDATED: December 23, 2020 at 1:36 p.m.

The Ducks and Kings won’t open the NHL season against each other, as might have been expected in order to rekindle local interest after a ninth- month layoff because of the coronavirus pandemic. But they do meet for five late-season games that highlight a modified 56-game schedule released Wednesday.

Instead, the Ducks begin the season with road games against the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 14 and 16 before returning to Honda Center to play host to the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 18 and 20. The Ducks and Kings don’t face off against each other until Feb. 3 at Staples Center.

The Kings open the season with a four-game homestand, with games Jan. 14 and 16 against the Wild and contests Jan. 19 and 21 against the Colorado Avalanche. Their first trip takes them to St. Louis for two games against the Blues and two in St. Paul, Minnesota, against the Wild.

Late in the season, the Ducks and Kings square off for five games between April 20 and May 1, which is sure to inspire some serious animosity, before the regular season ends May 8. The games on April 20, 26 and 28 will be in L.A.; the games on April 30 and May 1 will be in Anaheim.

Fans will not be allowed to attend games at either Honda Center or Staples Center, at least not at the start of the coronavirus-delayed season, in accordance with local health regulations. Things might change later in the season as the vaccine roll-out continues, however.

The Ducks and Kings will play only against teams in a re-aligned West Division, which for this season-only will be comprised of the Southern California rivals, plus the Avalanche, Blues, Golden Knights, Wild, Arizona Coyotes and San Jose Sharks.

The Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks will depart the division to form the one-time-only North Division, joining with the other four Canadian teams as the league attempts to cut down on travel and increase safety during the pandemic.

The Canadian teams will play each other either nine or ten times while the teams in the three U.S.-based divisions will play their opponents eight times. The top four teams in each division will advance to the playoffs, which will be conducted within the divisions for the first two rounds.

Game times and TV and radio schedules will be announced at a later date.

Training camps for the Ducks and Kings will begin Dec. 31. The Ducks will hold their camp at Great Park Ice in Irvine. The Kings will hold theirs at the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo. Neither camp will be open to the public. No exhibition games will be played.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180985 Minnesota Wild year, Vegas also made it to the Western Conference final when the NHL wrapped up the 2019-20 season inside a bubble in Edmonton.

St. Louis, Colorado and Vegas rank top-three, respectively, in the West Wild will open on West Coast Jan. 14, at home on Jan. 22 vs. Sharks Division based on last season's points percentage. The Wild sits fourth.

The team's 56-game schedule against its seven West opponents will all Star Tribune LOADED: 12.24.2020 be two-game series.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune DECEMBER 23, 2020 — 10:54PM

No one-offs.

Back-to-backs against the same opponent.

Road trips that span about a week.

That's how the Wild will try to get through next season, under a revamped setup by the NHL in light of the coronavirus pandemic with a unique 56-game schedule to match.

The Wild returns to action Jan. 14 at Los Angeles, the beginning of a four-game road trip that's the longest in team history to start a season, before its home opener at Xcel Energy Center on Jan. 22 vs. San Jose.

Every game will be played in two-game series, college style, but most series will have a day off in between.

In some cases, though, the Wild will face the same team on back-to-back days at home or on the road; overall, the team has nine sets of back-to- backs during its 110-day season.

Twice the Wild will play four in a row against the same opponent, with two games at home and the other two on the road. That happens Jan. 30-Feb. 4 against Colorado and April 26-May 1 vs. St. Louis.

Game times and broadcast information will be announced later.

Because of ongoing restrictions between the U.S. and Canada border and to cut back on travel, teams have been reshuffled into four new divisions and will face only the teams in their division through the regular season and start of the playoffs.

In the West Division, the Wild will face off against Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, San Jose, St. Louis and Vegas eight times each. The top four teams in each division will advance to the playoffs, which will be in a traditional best-of-seven, four-round format. After two rounds of intradivisional play, the remaining team in each division will move on to the semifinals.

The NHL regular season runs from Jan. 13 until May 8, and the Stanley Cup will be awarded in mid-July.

Currently, the plan is for teams to play in home arenas, and most arenas, at least at the start of the season, won't have fans in attendance — including Xcel Energy Center.

With most of its road games one or two time zones away, the Wild will have a lengthy travel itinerary — logging an estimated 20,214 air miles. The team has five four-game trips, with most lasting at least six days.

But considering its recent track record against some of these rivals, the treks may not be as daunting as they look.

Aside from being 6-1-1 all time against the Golden Knights, the Wild is also an impressive 9-3-3 vs. the Coyotes in their past 15 meetings.

During its past five trips to California to take on the Ducks, Kings and Sharks, the Wild pocketed 17 out of a possible 30 points by going 8-6-1. The team's final regular-season game in March before the pandemic paused the NHL was a 5-4 win in Anaheim to cap a 2-1 road swing through California that helped lift the Wild into a playoff position at the time.

The Avalanche and Blues are more familiar foes since they were in the Central Division with the Wild before this temporary realignment, and these have become tough matchups for the team.

Last season, the Wild went 2-2 vs. Colorado and winless (0-2-1) against St. Louis — which won the Stanley Cup only two seasons ago (2019).

Aside from the Blues, the Golden Knights (2018) and Sharks (2016) have reached the Stanley Cup Final within the past five seasons. Earlier this 1180986 Minnesota Wild

Wild’s 56-game 2021 schedule: Lots of sunshine, travel and possibly late games

By Michael Russo Dec 23, 2020

By the end of this oddity of a 2020-21 season that’s really just the 2021 season and begins in three weeks, the Wild will really, really get to know the intricacies of seven other NHL opponents.

Temporarily realized in the new “West Division” with the five United States-based Pacific Division teams (Anaheim, Arizona, Los Angeles, San Jose and Vegas) and two of their rivals from the old Central in Colorado and St. Louis, the Wild will play 56 games in 116 days and eight games apiece against those seven opponents with the hopes of finishing in the top four of the division and advancing to the playoffs for the eighth time in nine years.

In the schedule released Wednesday, the Wild will play 28 two-game series from Jan. 14-May 8 starting with a four-game road trip to Los Angeles and Anaheim.

The Wild then return home to turn the lights on at Xcel Energy Center for the first time since March 3. Starting with their home opener Jan. 22 against Devan Dubnyk, Ryan Donato, Brent Burns and the San Jose Sharks, the Wild will play six in a row in St. Paul against the Sharks, Kings and Avalanche. They end the season with a four-game homestand against the Golden Knights and Ducks.

The biggest irregularity in the schedule? The potential of some serious hate when the Wild play the already-detested Avalanche and Blues four consecutive games each during separate parts of the slate.

“We’ll be ready to go,” general manager said. “We know it’s a different world that we’re living in and working in right now, so we’re just going to have to roll with the punches.”

The schedule didn’t come with start times yet in part because the league will apparently try to sprinkle in a few earlier-than-normal opening faceoffs for fans watching on TV back in the Twin Cities and St. Louis, the two Central time zone markets who will see their favorite teams play 24 road games each in the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

But Guerin isn’t worried at all about the extra travel for his team. The Wild’s longest trip is barely over a week, and if you peruse the schedules of other teams in the new West, the Wild’s looks, in the words of Larry David, pretty, pretty good.

“We travel on great planes, we stay in great hotels, we eat properly,” Guerin said. “There will be plenty of time to acclimate to different time zones. Everybody travels. Unless you’re in the East, … if you’re in the West at all, your travel’s tough. That’s just the way it is.”

This is a season of transition for the Wild as they implement a bunch of new players – Kirill Kaprizov, Cam Talbot, Marcus Johansson, Nick Bonino and Nick Bjugstad with rookies Nico Sturm and Kaapo Kahkonen also expected to make the team out of camp. Gone from the team are Dubnyk, Donato, Eric Staal, Mikko Koivu, Luke Kunin and Alex Galchenyuk.

But Guerin still expects the Wild to compete for a championship. And a shortened season in a weird division is no excuse, he said. Remember, Guerin won a Stanley Cup in 1995 with New Jersey during a lockout- shortened season, and the shine from that Cup ring is very real.

“Just because it’s a different type of season, expectations are the same,” he said. “If anything, this is when we find out the type of guys that we really have. It’s going to be tough, but it can also be really rewarding.”

The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180987 Minnesota Wild unclear if his parents can attend that homestand either due to COVID-19 local restrictions.

What’s more, Kaprizov, 23, lived in a hotel the first couple weeks with no Pond hockey, Kramarczuk’s and Target: Kirill Kaprizov’s apt intro to in-dining options and limited room service. When hungry, he’s unable to Minnesota go outside and walk to one of the many scrumptious downtown restaurants to sit down for an in-person meal or drink.

Andrew Heydt, the Wild’s director of team operations and player By Michael Russo Dec 23, 2020 relations, helped him apply for a social security number and get a U.S. cell phone so he could communicate with teammates and staff right

away. Buying or leasing a car hasn’t been simple for Kaprizov, though, Kirill Kaprizov is here to play hockey, and Wild fans have gotten to see because his U.S. work visa only goes through his contract’s expiration his always-smiling face a lot these past few weeks on the team’s social next summer. But luckily, Kaprizov does have a rental car and an media accounts as players skate informally in downtown St. Paul in international driver’s license as he works to get his Minnesota driver’s advance of the opening of training camp Jan. 3. license.

But the Wild’s new Russian talent has got to live, too. But mastering the app so he can pay for all those downtown Minneapolis parking meters has been quite the chore. So, what has he been doing those 20 or 21 hours a day when he’s not at the rink? “His English actually, I know everyone’s harping on it, it’s actually really good,” teammate Marcus Foligno said. “It’s a lot better than some other Well, in case he gets nostalgic, Kaprizov has gone shopping at about a Europeans that come over. He’s got humor going with it.” half-dozen stores in the Twin Cities known for their Russian goods and furniture. In case he gets hungry, Kaprizov has already fallen in love with Invited over to Suter’s house a few weekends ago, Kaprizov was sitting the famous Ukrainian deli, Kramarczuk’s. by the campfire having a post-supper beer with his new Wild teammate.

In fact, after moving into his new apartment in downtown Minneapolis last The veteran NHLer was giving the young Kaprizov the ins and outs about week, Kaprizov whipped up some eggs and a bunch of different life in Minnesota, what hockey season will be like, all kinds of stuff that sausages he bought from the Northeast Minneapolis staple. So proud of Kaprizov will need to know when Suter suddenly realized the talented what he prepared, Kaprizov sent a picture to a friend with the caption: hockey player was staring off at the lake in front of him. “First meal cooked by myself in Minnesota.” Suter’s 10-year-old son, Brooks, was playing hockey with some Kaprizov’s mother, Natalya, whose birthday was Monday, is a great cook neighborhood friends of his and a couple teammates from his youth and taught her son well. So Kaprizov apparently knows his way around team. Kaprizov was watching with a smile and no longer paying attention the kitchen. to the conversation he was having with the father of four.

But a lot of Kaprizov’s first three weeks in the Twin Cities has been spent “You could tell he wanted to get out on the rink with all the kids,” Suter learning many of the mundane things we all take for granted. said, laughing. “So, I told him to go for it. Kirill runs out on the ice, begins screwing around with all the kids, and next thing you know, my What kind of detergent goes in the washing machine vs. the dishwasher? daughter’s out there and he’s stick-handling my daughter.” What kind of store can supply most of his needs, from shampoo and aspirin to milk and paper towels? As all Minnesotans may have guessed, At one point, the puck flew past a barrier that Suter set up to keep the Target has quickly become Kaprizov’s best friend. children away from thin ice along the shore. Naturally, Brooks chased down the puck and fell in up to his knees. He has learned he can get all sorts of good food at Whole Foods and Lunds. But while the average Minnesotan may know the difference Did that end Brooks’ hockey game with the happy-go-lucky Russian? between General Mills cereals and Land O’Lakes butter, Kaprizov is still “Oh no, they kept at her,” Suter said, laughing. learning what brands he needs to buy in order to conjure up anything. Kirill Kaprizov So, over the weekend, Kaprizov FaceTimed a friend and the two went shopping together virtually. Teammates including Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon have welcomed Kaprizov into their homes to help him get comfortable in his new city and Kirill Kaprizov country. (Erin Loughrey / Minnesota Wild) Five years after they drafted him, Kaprizov is finally on the ice in a Wild Wild teammates are doing their best to make Kaprizov feel at home since jersey. He’s scheduled to make his debut in the regular-season opener he’s not getting to truly explore the Twin Cities with the world in the on Jan. 14. (Erin Loughrey / Minnesota Wild) middle of a pandemic. Remember, this is a kid from Siberia, so as Earlier this month, Kaprizov was able to sign a lease on his new Kaprizov’s friend says, “He loves Minnesota weather; it’s perfect for him. apartment. He lives in a penthouse whose previous tenant apparently And he loves the outdoors, hiking, the snow. Like, the ideal vacation for was a Timberwolves player, so as Kaprizov joked, “It’s got high ceilings.” him would be the Alaska wilderness.”

He needed help setting up the internet and cable and figuring out how Last week, Spurgeon and his wife, Danielle, invited Kaprizov over to their and where to buy a TV. house for a sushi dinner. In the coming days, Marcus and Natascia Foligno plan to have Kaprizov over, too. And, as much as teammates like Ryan Suter and Jared Spurgeon have tried to help him out by having him over to their house, you do have to “I just picture myself in his position, going over to Russia, and it would be feel for the kid. pretty lonely,” said Marcus Foligno.

Upon his highly-anticipated arrival in Minnesota after starring in the KHL Suter and his wife, Becky, actually invited Kaprizov to live with their and internationally for Russia in the Olympics, world junior family. But Kaprizov had just signed that lease for his new apartment. championships and world championships, Kaprizov stepped off the plane “But we’ll probably make it a usual thing,” Suter said. “I told him, ‘Come with no fanfare because his touchdown at MSP came shortly after the over once a week and hang with the kids.’ I’m trying to reach out to him most recent COVID-19 shutdown went into place. pretty much every day: ‘Hey, if you want to come over, don’t be afraid.’ There was no big press conference, no fans in the stands to greet him at And I feel like he knows we have a good enough relationship where he TRIA or one of the suburban rinks Wild players often skate at. can say, ‘I’m on my way over,’ and everything will be fine.

When he makes his NHL debut in Los Angeles — fittingly, on the day “But you know what’s kinda cool? He’s not into the social life. He’s here Russians celebrate “Old New Year” on Jan. 14 — the Wild don’t know for to play hockey, and that’s all he wants.” sure yet if his mother and father, Oleg, will be allowed to attend the game Spurgeon and Foligno spent a lot of the summer texting with Kaprizov or as is tradition in the NHL for debuts. It’s believed he’ll play his first game messaging him on Instagram in an attempt to make him feel welcome. at Xcel Energy Center against the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 22, but it’s But Suter has actually corresponded with Kaprizov every now and then for three years. As Wild fans know well by now, 12 1/2 months ago, Bill Guerin was the There will be no going to stores, movies, golf courses and restaurants. All third Wild GM to fly to Moscow to sit down with Kaprizov during a meet- non-game-rink meals must occur at the hotel. and-greet. It wasn’t so much a recruiting method as simply an assurance to Kaprizov that the Wild were anxious to sign him and bring him over And when it comes to playing, in most cases, and certainly in Minnesota, once his KHL contract ended April 1. Kaprizov won’t get the excitement of playing in front of fans in these cavernous arenas. Kirill Kaprizov Suter looks at the bright side. “His English actually, I know everyone’s harping on it, it’s actually really good,” Marcus Foligno says of Kaprizov. (Erin Loughrey / Minnesota By the time Wild fans get their own eyes on him in-person, probably in Wild) 2021-22 if not late this upcoming season, Kaprizov will have his feet wet in the NHL. And if everything aligns for him, he’ll have the ability to be Three years ago, former Wild GM Chuck Fletcher asked Suter to reach one of the game’s next great Russian stars. out to Kaprizov during that ultimately futile attempt to lure Kaprizov over to the NHL. “I mean, he’s good. We all know he’s a good player,” Suter said. “He’s skilled and he works hard. It’s practice though, so I mean obviously, for Suter called Kaprizov and, in essence, tried to recruit him. our sake, we want him to be the best player to ever play the game. But, and I don’t want this to come out wrong, everyone has such high At the time, Kaprizov’s English wasn’t as refined as it is now, but Suter expectations: ‘He’s going to be the next Alex Ovechkin or Evgeni Malkin.’ said with a chuckle, “I think he understood what I was trying to do.” And he very much could be.

And in 2019 at the world championships, Suter happened to run into “But it takes time to adjust to style of play. There’s just a lot more that Kaprizov. He introduced himself to his future teammate and continued goes into it. But you can tell, he’s a good kid and he works his butt off, so the, “You’ve got to come to Minnesota already,” persuasion. he’s already ahead of the curve. And if he continues to do that, the sky is So Suter was excited to entertain Kaprizov at his home, as was the limit for him.” Spurgeon. The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 “He’s a very easy-going guy, that’s for sure. A good sense of humor. And I think his English is a lot better than he puts it off to be,” Spurgeon said. “It’s pretty easy to have a conversation with him. You can tell that he wants to get to know everyone.”

The one thing Spurgeon learned is Kaprizov is not shy.

He’ll try saying things in English, and even if he’s wrong in the way he says it, he welcomes correcting him so next time he knows how to say things properly.

“Like, he wants to know what certain words actually mean,” Spurgeon said. “For example, we were about done with dinner and I asked him if he wanted more and he said he was, ‘still hungry.’ But I think he meant, ‘full.’

“So there, you had to just let him know that he had it flipped around. After dinner, my kids, who started off shy, then just wanted to rip around and play with Kappy.”

Like Suter, Spurgeon said Kaprizov cannot wait to play for real. When Kaprizov debuts, he’ll be only the seventh Russian-born player in Wild history. Only one — Andrei Zyuzin — played more than 100 games for the franchise. He’s getting more at ease, even wearing a mic during practice Monday for a future Wild video feature.

At TRIA, because of numbers and COVID-19 protocols, Spurgeon hasn’t skated with Kaprizov a lot. And regardless, with Cam Talbot and Andrew Hammond not in town yet and Alex Stalock hurt, the Wild and Kaprizov were taking blasts mostly on shooter tutors until the middle of last week when practice goalies Connor Beaupre and Tino Vasquez arrived.

“So it’s been tough to tell if he’s picking the right corners or if they’re just going in,” Spurgeon quipped. “But he’s eager to get going. You can tell he loves having the puck on his stick.”

Added Foligno, who has seen all of Kaprizov’s highlights and knows he’s expected to be a Calder Trophy contender this season, “There’s just things that gifted players do in practice that you just know, and you can just say, ‘Wow,’ and he’s got that. … He’s (also) a really thick kid. He looks pretty solid. He’s very mature physically. And that’s big coming into our league. It’s great to see a player like that with skills, but he looks like he’s physically ready for the NHL.”

SHEEEEESH OKAY#MNWILD | @KAPRIZOVKIRILL PIC.TWITTER.COM/DNNLZARCNJ

— MINNESOTA WILD (@MNWILD) DECEMBER 9, 2020

But, as Spurgeon said, “It’s not going to be a normal season.”

Kaprizov won’t know what normal is until probably the 2021-22 season. He won’t get to see all 31 NHL arenas and cities/places, only seven (Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose and St. Louis) — and maybe only six since the San Jose Sharks, as of now, can’t practice or play in Silicon Valley due to COVID-19. On the road, he won’t get to explore cities because NHL protocols call for teams to only go to arenas, practice facilities and hotels. 1180988 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens set to open and close 2020-21 NHL season in Toronto

Montreal's 56-game schedule will see Habs play the Leafs and Senators 10 times each, and the four Western Canadian teams nine times each.

Montreal Gazette

The NHL released its 56-game schedule for the 2020-21 season on Wednesday, and it will see the Canadiens opening the campaign on Jan. 13 in Toronto against the Maple Leafs as part of a six-game road trip.

The Canadiens, playing exclusively against Canadian teams this season, will then travel to Edmonton for two games against the Oilers on Jan. 16 and 18, and finish with a three-game series against the Canucks in Vancouver.

They will get a five-day break following their return before beginning a seven-game homestand where they will host the Calgary Flames twice, the Canucks twice, the Ottawa Senators, Maple Leafs and Oilers at the Bell Centre from Jan. 28 to Feb. 11.

Regional health authorities in Canada have yet to approve the NHL’s plans for Canadian teams.

The boys are officially back on Jan. 13.

� https://t.co/GFK76UxLZU#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/pb6EQDvFtn

— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 23, 2020

Joining the North Division for the season, Montreal will play the Leafs and Senators 10 times each, and face the four Western Canadian teams nine times each.

Montreal will conclude the season with a three-game series in Toronto May 3 to 8.

The Canadiens’ training camp is slated to begin on Jan. 3 at a location to be determined.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180989 Montreal Canadiens What’s going to make this year’s tournament even harder is that Miller — and the players — will be living in a hotel bubble. Miller has experience after living in the Toronto bubble during the NHL playoffs.

World junior tourney has come a long way since debut at Forum in 1977 “I was a bit surprised at how difficult mentally it is,” he said about the Toronto experience. “It’s a mental grind being in there because you With no NHL yet, the junior hockey showcase should be a big TV ratings literally can’t go anywhere else. You look out your window, in my case it hit with fans stuck at home because of pandemic. was August and September in Toronto, and I’m looking out the window of the Royal York (hotel) and seeing people biking by and walking by, going

for dinner and all those things. You can’t do those things. I’d never Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette complain about it, obviously, because you’re happy to be working. But mentally it’s very difficult. It’s hard to be in that sort of sealed environment for that long.

Hockey fans in bad need of a fix will finally get one when the IIHF World “It’s going to be different in Edmonton,” Miller added. “Obviously, it’s Junior Hockey Championship begins Christmas Day with three games going to be colder. I could sit outside in the bubble in Toronto, but we scheduled in Edmonton. won’t be doing much of that in Edmonton. But we’ll be really busy. I think it will be great to be back working.” Canada is slated to play its first game on Boxing Day against Germany (6 p.m., TSN, RDS). It will also be great for fans to be able to watch hockey again.

The first official world junior championship was held at the Forum in Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.24.2020 Montreal in 1977 with an estimated crowd of 1,200 on hand to watch Team Canada — featuring a 16-year-old Wayne Gretzky — beat the U.S. 6-3 in the tournament opener. On New Year’s Day, there were just over 2,000 fans at the Forum when Canada lost 6-5 to Sweden in the semifinals and had to settle for a bronze medal, while Russia went on to win gold.

The tournament has grown into a huge event since then and has been a gold mine for TSN and RDS with huge audiences tuning in to watch games during the holiday period. The gold-medal game in Edmonton is slated for Jan. 5.

Canada’s 4-3 gold-medal victory over Russia in the Czech Republic at last year’s tournament attracted an average audience of 4.2 million viewers on TSN and RDS, becoming the most-watched world junior game in history broadcast from Europe. The most-watched game played in Canada was the 2015 gold-medal game, which attracted an average audience of 7 million on TSN and RDS as Canada beat Russia 5-4 at Toronto’s Air Canada Centre.

With the NHL season not starting until at least Jan. 13, the world junior tournament should be a big ratings hit with hockey fans stuck at home because of COVID-19. This year’s tournament will be held in a bubble in Edmonton — just like the NHL playoffs were — and there won’t be any fans in the seats at Rogers Place.

“The appetite for this year’s tournament is incredible,” TSN’s Gord Miller — who has worked at 28 world junior tournaments and will be doing his 20th as the main play-by-play commentator in Edmonton — said during a phone interview last month. “Everywhere I go, people are asking me about it. People are always excited about it, but I think even moreso this year there’s a real hunger for it. It looks like most of the top players are going to be there, so it’s going to be pretty interesting.”

Is Miller surprised at how big the tournament has become?

“It doesn’t surprise me that it’s gotten as big as it has,” he said. “I think what surprises me is that people don’t realize how big it is in other countries. This thing is huge in Sweden, Finland, Russia, the Czech Republic. Countries like that, it’s a big deal. Even though the games quite often air in the middle of the night, there are bidding wars for (TV rights) and the ratings are enormous.

“What I like about it is it’s a different cast of characters every year, so it’s a clean slate,” Miller added.

That makes Miller’s job more difficult, because he has to learn the names and numbers of the players from all 10 teams.

“The joke I say is people always say: ‘How do you get all those names right at the world junior?’ I say: ‘How do you know I’m right? You don’t know those players,’ ” Miller said with a chuckle.

“Doing the world junior is hard because you’ve never seen these players before,” he added. “If you called me at 4 o’clock today and told me to go down and call the Montreal (Canadiens) game tonight I could do it. It wouldn’t be great, but I could do it. You could not do that with a world junior game because you don’t know the players. So that’s one of the great things about it.” 1180990 Montreal Canadiens “In a lot of Europe, Christmas Eve is the big night and then Christmas Day things start to open up,” he added. “But I think being in different countries and seeing how they celebrate Christmas is pretty interesting. I buy Christmas decorations from every country I go to, so I’ve got boxes Working Christmas Day has become a tradition for TSN's Gord Miller full of Christmas decorations from all over Europe and North America from places I’ve been to.” During his 26 years as the TV voice of the world junior tournament, he has only been home in Toronto once for Christmas. The world junior tournament has become a holiday tradition for hockey fans. With the NHL season on hold because of COVID-19, there will be

even more interest in this year’s tournament with Miller working alongside Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette his friend and colour commentator , who played 18 seasons in the NHL.

“When Ray started (covering the world juniors) about 10 years ago, I TSN play-by-play commentator Gord Miller with his daughter, Blair, at the said: ‘You’ll be amazed how many people will come up to you and tell 2016 World Junior Hockey Championship in Helsinki. Credit: courtesy of you that you are part of their family tradition at the holidays,’ ” Miller said. Gord Miller. “It’s the greatest compliment that I ever get paid. I tell people this all the time but, no matter what time of the year, there is not a week goes by Gord Miller has no problem working on Christmas Day every year. that someone doesn’t stop me and ask me about the world juniors. … “Lots of people work Christmas Day,” the longtime TSN play-by-play man And for people to come up and say that we’re part of their family tradition said during a recent phone interview. “Police officers, firemen, is such a huge honour for all of us. It’s just a great thing.” ambulance EMTs, doctors, emergency-room people. So I’ll never Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.24.2020 complain that my job involves being away every Christmas to broadcast something that really has become such a huge part of people’s holidays. It’s an honour to do it and I would never complain, honestly. I’m very fortunate to do it.”

Miller, who lives in Toronto, will be working in Edmonton on Christmas Day when the World Junior Hockey Championship begins with three games on the schedule at Rogers Place. Team Canada will play its first game the next day against Germany and the tournament will run through Jan. 5, when the gold-medal game is scheduled.

This will be Miller’s 20th world junior championship as TSN’s main play- by-play commentator and the 28th tournament he has covered during the holiday season, including 26 in which he has been on-site. The only year he has been home for Christmas during that span was 2017, when the tournament was split between Toronto and Montreal.

Miller’s 16-year-old daughter, Blair, has been at 11 of the world junior tournaments her father has covered, but won’t be able to join him this year since it is being held in a bubble because of COVID-19.

“She’s been all over the world,” Miller said. “I remember when she was about three years old, we were in the Czech Republic and she bolted out of bed at 3 in the morning and said: ‘Dad! Santa doesn’t know we’re here.’ I said: ‘It’s OK, Blair. I let him know.’ She said: ‘Oh, good,’ and went right back to sleep while I sat there and stared at the ceiling for three more hours. … For her, being in a hotel on Christmas Day was kind of normal and she liked it. It was kind of a fun adventure for her.”

This year, Miller was planning to have an early family Christmas celebration with Blair before leaving Toronto for the world junior tournament and the Edmonton bubble.

When asked if there’s a favourite location he has visited to cover a world junior tournament, Miller said: “There’s so many, right? The Czech Republic was great … loved it last year. Amazing tournament. Loved Sweden and Finland. Had a great time in Russia. I don’t really have a favourite. There have been some places that weren’t great, places that were better than others. But in recent years, it’s been really good.”

NHL teams could raise $15M through helmet ads: report

Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Joel Edmundson, top, knocks Calgary Flames left-wing Matthew Tkachuk to the ice at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., on Oct. 29, 2019.

By the numbers: Canadiens banking on a rebound from Joel Edmundson

Canadiens' Jordan Weal, left, and Jake Evans create traffic for defenceman Shea Weber and goalie Carey Price during training camp practice at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard on July 15, 2020.

Canadiens closer to getting okay for training camp in Brossard

One of his favourite Christmas memories is from the 2008 tournament in the Czech Republic.

“It was in Pardubice, but we stayed in Prague, and just to be in Wenceslas Square on Christmas Eve with the snow falling and the Prague Philharmonic playing and my daughter being just old enough to appreciate just how cool it was,” Miller recalled. 1180991 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens sign right-winger Michael Frolik to one-year contract

Frolik, 32, who had six goals and eight assists in 57 games in 2019-20 with Calgary and Buffalo gets one-way deal for US$750,000.

Montreal Gazette

Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin announced on Wednesday that the team has agreed to terms with forward Michael Frolik on a one- way, one-year contract for US$750,000.

Frolik, 32, had six goals and eight assists in 57 games in 2019-20 with the Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres. The right-winger, a native of Kladno, Czech Republic, had 159 goals and 225 assists in 850 career NHL games with Florida, the Chicago Blackhawks, the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary and Buffalo.

Frolik was selected in the first round (10th overall) by the Florida Panthers in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180992 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield scores twice in world junior tuneup

Habs' first-round pick in 2019 draft notches two goals in a 35-second span Tuesday to lead the U.S. to a 3-2 exhibition win over Finland.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

Canadiens prospect Cole Caufield scored two goals in a 35-second span Tuesday to lead the United States to a 3-2 exhibition win over Finland at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

It was the only exhibition game for both clubs as they prepare for the World Junior Hockey Championship, which begins Friday.

Caufield, who was named U.S. player of the game, broke a 1-1 tie when he scored on a one-timer at 1:04 of the second period and he made it 3-1 at 1:39 on the same shift.

The right-winger was selected by Montreal in the first round (No. 15 overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

In other news from the World Junior Hockey Championship, Canadiens prospect prospect Jan Mysak was named captain of the Czech Republic team on Tuesday.

Mysak was selected by Montreal in the second round (No. 48 overall) at this year’s NHL Entry Draft. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound centre was an assistant captain for the Czech team at last year’s world junior tournament.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180993 Montreal Canadiens be banked as additional space, eventually creating space for Frolik to be called up if necessary (assuming he is on the taxi squad to begin with).

Is Frolik really worth the trouble? It could easily be argued he is. Michael Frolik elevates Marc Bergevin’s annual bargain shopping to an Before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres on New Year’s Day, Frolik had NHL level spent the previous five seasons with the Calgary Flames. Over the last two of those seasons in Calgary, in fairly limited minutes, Frolik stayed well above water in terms of possession (54.89 percent Corsi for) and By Arpon Basu Dec 23, 2020 expected goals for and against (53.54 percent) at five-on-five. He was a serviceable penalty killer who did not get scored on a ton at even

strength despite playing in front of substandard goaltending. Every year, like clockwork, Marc Bergevin goes bargain shopping. He In other words, as colleague Dom Luszczyszyn’s player card shows, can’t seem to help himself. Frolik is essentially a replacement-level player at this stage of his career. Remember Chris Terry? He was signed on July 2, 2016. He played 14 If Frolik were being brought in to play on the third line, this would be a games for the Canadiens, two goals, two assists, but he was one hell of problem. But there is nothing wrong with being replacement level as a a player for the St. John’s Ice Caps and, later, the Laval Rocket. Peter taxi squad player, because that is exactly what he is being brought to Holland, Byron Froese and Matt Taormina came in 2017, all excellent Montreal to do; he will be replacing players. Though that is not the AHL players – like Terry – but marginal NHLers. Tweeners, in other underlying meaning of being a replacement-level player, that term does words. Michael Chaput, Kenny Agostino and Xavier Ouellet came in have as a base assumption that Frolik is an NHL player, just not one who 2018, Riley Barber and Phil Varone in 2019, all tweeners. necessarily moves the needle a whole lot. This is what makes Wednesday’s signing of Michael Frolik to a one-year, The timing of Frolik’s signing could not have been more appropriate in $750,000 contract not only different – you can question the quality of this sense, coming a few hours before the NHL released the regular- Frolik’s game at this stage of his career, but he is definitely not a tweener season schedule Wednesday. It is a 56-game sprint to the playoffs, one – but also quite significant. that might require more players than usual due to any number of factors, The signing of Frolik is not some sort of game-changing, seismic blow to such as frequency of games, injuries, and of course this virus that has the Canadiens’ roster. He will surely get a chance to prove himself in turned our world upside down. training camp and earn a spot in the lineup, but chances are pretty good But when injuries first hit last season, Jordan Weal was already in the that he will wind up on waivers at some point and head to the taxi squad, lineup, the Canadiens had no one like Frolik to turn to, and a downward which is a role he is perfectly suited for. Because what you want on your death spiral began. They are both likely to be on the taxi squad now, taxi squad are players who can legitimately provide relief when injuries or largely because their general manager has too much invested in this – let’s hope this doesn’t happen – COVID-19 start taking their toll and season to let a couple of injuries throw it off the rails again. poking holes in your lineup. The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 Last season, when Jonathan Drouin and Paul Byron were injured in a game in Washington on Nov. 15, made his season debut one night later and played 7:55 in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New Jersey Devils, the first loss in one of two eight-game losing streaks the Canadiens had from that point onward. The following game, Jordan Weal played 17:28 in another loss. Not long after that, Matthew Peca made his season debut. Then Barber was called up from Laval. Then Dale Weise. And so on.

Having Frolik and, presumably, Weal on your taxi squad – two legitimate NHL players to varying degrees – means the Canadiens are no longer willing to rely on tweeners as a contingency plan. It is a sign they are serious and don’t want to leave anything to chance. Players will be needed this season, that much is clear, and the teams that are best able to handle the various blows to their lineup the best will likely be playing well into May and June.

Bergevin has a history with Frolik from their shared time with the Chicago Blackhawks, he knows he is a reliable player and a legitimate pro, someone who risked being squeezed by the tight market around the NHL and was willing to sign a league-minimum deal to serve essentially as a Plan B. But one thing that’s clear is that Frolik is no Chris Terry, and that is a sign of improvement for this club.

But it is also a confirmation of Bergevin’s belief in the team he has built, and that may be the more important aspect of this. He doesn’t want to leave things to chance and is willing to undergo a season full of salary cap gymnastics to do it. Because make no mistake, signing Frolik will require it, a daily balancing act with the salary cap.

On the surface, Frolik’s signing pushed the Canadiens above the $81.5 million cap, according to Cap Friendly, though they were for all intents and purposes already there because Jake Evans’ $750,000 cap hit was not included on Cap Friendly’s roster. But if you remove Weal’s $1.4 million and Frolik’s $750,000, the Canadiens are fine. The problems will come when the Canadiens require short-term replacements, or, put another way, when they’ll need Frolik and/or Weal to play.

This is where the gymnastics will come in. I would expect from Day 1 of the season that at least some of the Canadiens’ four players who don’t require waivers (Evans, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Nick Suzuki and Alexander Romanov) will be sent down either to the taxi squad or to Laval on any day they don’t play. There won’t be any consequence to doing it if they are sent to the taxi squad; they would still be able to practice with the team and act as if they are still on the team, but their daily cap hit would 1180994 Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators 2021 schedule is set — for now

Paul Skrbina

The NHL's 56-game shortened season will be long on familiarity.

The Predators and the rest of the NHL released the 2021 schedule Wednesday.

Nashville will open at home at Bridgestone Arena on Jan. 14 against the Blue Jackets in the first of 28 two-game series against the seven other teams in the newly aligned Central Division.

The team begins camp Jan. 3 at Bridgestone, where it plans to also hold 28 regular-season home games. It has not yet been determined whether a limited number of fans will be allowed but a decision is expected sometime shortly after Jan. 1.

The Predators are in the Central Division, along with the Blackhawks, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, Lightning, Panthers, Red Wings and Stars. The divisions were realigned to minimize travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Predators will have two six-game trips — one in February and one in March — and five four-game homestands.

All of this, of course, is subject to change because of the pandemic.

Tennessean LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180995 Nashville Predators

Predators sign forwards Mikael Granlund, Erik Haula

Paul Skrbina

Wednesday was signing day for the Predators.

The team inked free-agent forwards Mikael Granlund and Erik Haula to one-year contracts. Granlund's is worth $3.75 million, while Haula's is $1.75 million.

Rumors of Granlund's signing surfaced Tuesday evening.

His return to the Predators is something of a surprise considering general manager David Poile suggested a youth movement was on the way at the end of September.

He even hinted that free agents Craig Smith and Granlund would not return to Nashville.

"Right off the top you've got two guys that are in our top nine in Granlund and Smith that are not ... coming back, so that's going to open up a couple spots for some other, younger guys," he said.

"I'd like to see some promotion from within."

Granlund, 28, recorded 17 goals and 13 assists in 63 games last season. He'll very well could play on the second line with Matt Duchene.

Haula, 29, had 12 goals and 12 assists last season with the Hurricanes and Panthers. Haula's best season came in 2017-18, when he had a career-high 29 goals and 26 assists for the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. He has 85 goals and 90 assists in 405 games with the Wild, Golden Knights, Hurricanes and Panthers, and has 10 goals and 13 assists in 48 career postseason games.

Tennessean LOADED: 12.24.2020 1180996 Nashville Predators

Why did Mikael Granlund unexpectedly re-sign with the Predators?

By Adam Vingan Dec 23, 2020

Mikael Granlund’s decision to re-sign with the Predators, as reported Tuesday evening by Sportsnet and confirmed by The Athletic, came as a surprise.

Over parts of two seasons with the team, Granlund never seemed like a good fit. Before free agency opened in October, Predators general manager David Poile said that Granlund would not be returning.

But the Predators stayed in touch with Granlund and agent Todd Diamond throughout the offseason. Amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, Granlund ultimately felt most comfortable going back to Nashville, leading him to sign a one-year, $3.75 million contract.

The Predators had not announced the move as of Wednesday morning.

ONE YEAR, $3.75 MILLION CAP HIT. HTTPS://T.CO/BS2ZIIFP7O

— ADAM VINGAN (@ADAMVINGAN) DECEMBER 22, 2020

“Looking through the options that we had, the 56-game schedule, having to rush back into town, I think familiarity is an important issue not only for the player but for the family,” Diamond said Tuesday night. “Between the interest that the Predators continued to show and the comfort that the family (felt), I recognized that it would be better for them. That’s what kind of led us all to this reunion.

“Everyone’s on the same page. Everyone was disappointed in the team result and thinks they can do better. These are uncharted times. It’s hard to predict what’s going to happen tomorrow, let alone next week. A lot of times, absence makes the heart grow fonder, so that’s kind of the way things came full circle.”

Diamond said the Predators “showed Mikael a lot of respect” during the process, which dragged on into the winter as the NHL and NHL Players’ Association hammered out an agreement for the 2020-21 season.

“Honestly, it feels like two and a half decades ago,” Diamond said of the Oct. 9 start to free agency. “The flat cap had a huge effect on the marketplace. Different types of ownership had a huge impact on the marketplace. A lot of owners’ cash flow was good. A lot of owners’ cash flow was bad, and that had an impact on behaviors in the marketplace.”

Granlund’s numbers since being acquired in a February 2019 trade with the Minnesota Wild — 35 points in 79 games — are unexceptional. But he seemed to flourish under Predators coach John Hynes, leading the team with 11 goals after Hynes replaced in January. His ice time also increased by more than two minutes per game following the midseason coaching change.

“I would just say that the difference was Coach Hynes recognized Mikael’s versatility in a lot more situations than maybe the previous coach did,” Diamond said. “I think he also respected the effort and understood that Mikael’s effort should be rewarded when it can be.”

Granlund should slide back onto the Predators’ second forward line, where he spent most of last season with center Matt Duchene. They shared the ice for more than 540 minutes at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.

“At the end, we had about five, six teams with which to make decisions on, Diamond said. “Even talks with Nashville, (we had our) peaks and valleys. … (Predators assistant GM) Brian (Poile) and David were very persistent, even from October through now. At this point in time, it was the right thing to do.”

The re-signing of Granlund leaves the Predators with roughly $9.1 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.

Forward Luke Kunin is still without a contract less than two weeks before the start of training camp. The two sides are continuing to negotiate. Kunin has been participating in the Predators’ informal workouts.

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Notables games on Devils’ 2020-21 schedule: Get ready for 4 straight against the Rangers

By Chris Ryan

If you love games against the Rangers, Flyers and Penguins, the Devils’ 2020-21 schedule is right up your alley.

The Devils will play all seven teams in the newly-configured East Division eight times during the 56-game 2020-21 pandemic-shorted season, starting on Jan. 14 when the Devils open their schedule against the Boston Bruins.

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Here are some notable dates and games from the Devils’ 2020-21 schedule.

Season opener

The Devils will kick off their season one day after the league officially resumes play. They will host the Boston Bruins on Thursday, Jan. 14 at Prudential Center in Newark.

And following the general trend of the condensed schedule, the Devils will host the Bruins again in their second game on Saturday, Jan. 16.

Get ready for Rangers week

One of the biggest benefits of the new schedule format for 2020-21 is the increase in rivalry games, and for the Devils, that means more meetings with the Rangers.

The teams will first meet in the Devils’ third game of the season when they visit Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, Jan. 19.

They will continue to play sporadically throughout the season before meeting for four straight games in April, with the first game slated for Prudential Center, followed by two games at MSG, then one more game at The Rock.

Back-to-backs

Considering the NHL is playing a shorter season, seeing plenty of back- to-backs on the schedule is no surprise. However, the Devils don’t have an overwhelming number of games on back-to-back nights.

They will play games on consecutive days seven times this season. No month has more than a pair of back-to-backs. Six of those sets of back- to-back will come against the same team in both games.

No long breaks

A normal NHL season typically features a few pockets of games where teams have three or four days between games. That’s not the case in 2020-21.

The Devils have more than two days between any two games just twice, when they get three-day breaks toward the end of February and the beginning of April. Other than that, they’ll be essentially be playing every other night.

Regular-season finale

The Devils are slated to close their regular season with two road games against the New York Islanders on May 6 and May 8.

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Devils re-sign goalie Mackenzie Blackwood | What it means

By Chris Ryan

The Devils re-signed goalie Mackenzie Blackwood to a three-year, $8.4 million contract on Wednesday. His new deal carries a $2.8 million AAV.

Blackwood will make $1.475 million during the 2020-21 before his salary jumps to $2.8 million in 2021-22 and $4.125 million in 2022-23. Blackwood will be a restricted free agent again at this end of this new contract.

“Mackenzie is going to be one of the key young, core pieces for this organization for a long time and we are excited and extremely happy to have him under contract,” Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said. “He’s obviously shown that he can be a number one goalie, and the sky’s the limit for him.”

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Blackwood became the Devils’ primary option in net over the past two seasons. In 2019-20, he appeared in 47 games, where he posted a 22- 14-8 record with a 2.77 GAA and .915 save percentage.

Blackwood has a 32-24-8 record with a 2.72 GAA and .916 save percentage in 70 career NHL games.

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The 2015 second-round pick will likely be the team’s goaltender for the long-term future. He’ll form a tandem with Corey Crawford in 2020-21 after the Devils signed the veteran to a two-year contract during the offseason.

With Blackwood re-signed, the Devils have one restricted free agent left without a contract: forward Jesper Bratt. Training camp opens on Dec. 31, so the team and Bratt have a little more than a week to work out a contract for him to be a full participant in the preseason.

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NJ Devils re-sign goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood to three-year, $8.4 million deal

NorthJersey.com Digital Desk

Mackenzie Blackwood has his new contract in hand.

The Devils re-signed the restricted free-agent goaltender Wednesday to a three-year, $8.4 million deal.

“Mackenzie is going to be one of the key young, core pieces for this organization for a long time and we are excited and extremely happy to have him under contract,” Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said in a team release.

“He’s obviously shown that he can be a number one goalie, and the sky’s the limit for him.”

The average annual value of the new contract is $2.8 million.

Blackwood posted a 22-14-8 record and 2.72 goals-against average in 47 games (43 starts) last season, his second with the team.

He finished sixth in Calder Trophy voting and second in NHL All-Rookie Team voting at the goaltender position.

Bergen Record LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181000 New Jersey Devils The NHL and NHL Players Association’s current plan for the 2020-21 season is to play games in home arenas, while “understanding that most arenas will not, at least in the initial part of the season, be able to host fans.” Rangers open daunting NHL schedule with two games vs. Islanders Sunday, Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts told reporters that Dallas plans to have fans at home games with a reduced capacity of around 5,000 people. The Coyotes have also expressed their intention to allow a By Mollie Walker December 23, 2020 | 6:13pm | Updated limited number of fans, although the amount hasn’t been decided.

New York Post LOADED: 12.24.2020 In a year unlike any other, the Rangers will see back-to-back games against the Islanders to start the season, endure a four-game stretch against the Devils in mid-April and cap off the truncated 2020-21 season with games against the Capitals and Bruins.

The Rangers find themselves in the middle of what is likely the most competitive of all four divisions, which were realigned to minimize travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, joining the Islanders, Devils, Bruins, Sabres, Flyers, Penguins and Capitals in the East.

And with the condensed 56-game schedule, there are hardly any easy stretches.

To kick off the 2020-21 season, the Rangers will host the Islanders in back-to-back games at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 14 and 16. It will be the third time in franchise history the Rangers open the regular season against the Isles.

With teams in the East, Central and West set to face every other team in its division eight times, the Rangers and Islanders will meet six more times throughout the season. Teams in the North division, which consist of all the Canadian teams, will play every other team nine or 10 times.

The Rangers will host the Islanders again on Feb. 8 before traveling to the Nassau Coliseum – in its final season as the Islanders’ home before its Belmont arena opens – for three games in April. The Isles are set to return to MSG again on April 29 before they meet the Rangers for a final time on May 1 on Long Island.

While most games are scheduled in single or two-game blocks, the Blueshirts will play four-straight against the Devils from April 13-18, with both teams hosting twice. The four-game stretch against New Jersey is the longest on the Rangers’ schedule.

To cap off the 2020-21 regular season, the Rangers will play two games against both the Capitals and Bruins.

The Islanders are set to play seven of their first nine games in January on the road. Similarly to the Rangers’ schedule, most of the Isles’ games are arranged in single or two-game stretches.

At the end of March, the Isles will face what is likely the toughest portion of their schedule as far as competition and travel. After flying to Washington for back-to-back games on March 15 and 16, the Islanders then host the Flyers for two games a few days later.

The Islanders are then set to split four straight games on the road against the Bruins and Penguins, two teams that won at least 40 games during the 2019-20 regular season.

With the 2020-21 regular season set to commence on Jan. 13, the NHL rolled out a five-game slate, which will include the Lightning raising their second Stanley Cup championship banner prior to facing the Blackhawks in Tampa Bay.

The NHL is aiming for this upcoming season to conclude on May 8, with playoffs finishing up by July 9. The league’s ultimate goal is to return to a “normal” hockey calendar for the 2021-22 season beginning in October.

In an email sent to season-ticket holders Wednesday, the Rangers announced the organization wouldn’t be able to offer season tickets any time before at least the end of February due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Our highest priority remains the safety of our guests, players and staff. In the current environment, we are unable to have fans inside Madison Square Garden at the start of the season,” the release said. “Therefore, we will not offer season tickets through at least February 28, 2021.

“We will provide an update regarding ticket plans for the balance of the season beyond February 28, 2021 as more information becomes available.” 1181001 New Jersey Devils

Devils re-sign Mackenzie Blackwood to three-year deal

By Mollie Walker December 23, 2020 | 12:41pm | Updated

The Devils officially have their goaltending duo.

Restricted free agent goalie Mackenzie Blackwood signed a new three- year contract with a $2.8 million average annual value, the team announced Wednesday. The 24-year-old will make $1.475 million in the first year of his deal before it increases to $2.8 million in 2021-22 and $4.125 million in 2022-23.

“Mackenzie is going to be one of the key young, core pieces for this organization for a long time and we are excited and extremely happy to have him under contract,” general manager Tom Fitzgerald said in a statement. “He’s obviously shown that he can be a number one goalie, and the sky’s the limit for him.”

The Devils’ 42nd-overall pick in 2015 appeared in 47 games for the Devils during the 2019-20 season, posting a 22-14-8 record and a .915 save percentage. He primarily split games with Louis Domingue and Cory Schneider, who is reportedly on the verge of signing with the Islanders after he was bought out by the Devils.

Blackwood is widely considered to be the No. 1 netminder now after he finished in sixth place in the Calder Trophy voting for the league’s Rookie of the Year last season. He has accumulated a .916 save percentage and five shutouts in 70 career games over parts of the past two seasons in New Jersey.

“It’s really exciting and a really new experience for me,” Blackwood told reporters Wednesday. “I’ve never negotiated a contract before, but I have nothing but good feelings here. I’m really fortunate and thankful to be back.”

Blackwood is expected to share the crease with veteran Corey Crawford, who signed a two-year contract worth $7.8 million with the Devils in October after 13 decorated years with the Blackhawks. In 2019-20, Crawford had a .917 save percentage in 40 starts for Chicago.

Crawford, 35, reached out to Blackwood shortly after joining the organization, Blackwood said Wednesday.

“I grew up watching him play,” said Blackwood, who added that he hopes to incorporate parts of Crawford’s game into his own.

After training in Toronto during the summer, Blackwood said he’s back in New Jersey and quarantining in accordance with the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. The Devils are permitted to open training camp as early as Dec. 31 as one of the seven teams that didn’t compete in the 2020 playoffs.

New York Post LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181002 New Jersey Devils Again, this one might come down more to chemistry and fit than who should be where on the depth chart. Palmieri has been the team’s top right wing for years, but Gusev looked like a top-line talent during the second half of last season and his KHL resume suggests he could Breaking down the camp battles for every spot in the Devils lineup sustain that level of play. Both are pending unrestricted free agents, but that shouldn’t be a factor in where they line up on opening night. Bratt

played on the right side next to Hischier and Taylor Hall for about two- By Corey Masisak Dec 23, 2020 thirds of his rookie year, so he could flip to that side if needed, but it doesn’t seem likely given the current roster construction.

The best guess: Gusev, due more so to a long-standing hunch that Remember the Devils’ 2017-18 training camp, when there were several Palmieri could be paired with Hughes. surprise additions to the opening-night roster — Blake Coleman, Jesper Bratt, Brian Gibbons — who became key to the team’s playoff run? Second line

The Devils haven’t had as many unexpected developments in camp Left wing since then. Last year, Jesper Boqvist made it clear he deserved a roster The favorite: None spot, while Ty Smith scuffled and eventually was sent back to Spokane and the Western Hockey League. The contenders: Bratt, Johnsson

Uncertainty abounds for the Devils this year, as they get ready to open The long shots: Zacha, Boqvist, Kuokkanen, Gusev, Foote camp next week. That includes the big-picture questions: How will the players respond to a new head coach? How will the team navigate the The likely answer here is between Bratt and Johnsson, and whoever compressed schedule in the middle of a pandemic? It also includes the doesn’t end up on the top line. The Devils could also decide they want to finer details, such as open roster spots, lineup formations and the play Zacha on the wing and pair him with Hughes for assistance on the addition of the taxi squad, leading to decisions about where players begin defensive end. the season and how prospects will develop. The best guess: Johnsson On top of all of this, the Devils haven’t had a practice or a game in more Center than nine months. They’ll have just two weeks of training camp to answer some of these questions and adjust to Lindy Ruff’s system. Like every The favorite: Hughes team, New Jersey will almost certainly have to juggle its lineup and roster as the season progresses because of positive COVID-19 tests and The contender: Travis Zajac contract tracing, along with typical injuries and call-ups. The long shot: Zacha

Let’s dig into which players have a chance to make the team, and where A young center has been expected to replace Zajac as the No. 2 in each everyone could fit when the season starts in a little more than three of the past three seasons. It was Zacha in 2017-18 and 2018-19 and weeks. Hughes last year. But every year, it’s been clear that Zajac is still the First line team’s No. 2 center, according to time on ice and production. That’s partly due to the fact he had Coleman next to him for most of that run, Left wing and then Gusev for a while last year.

The favorite: None? Is Hughes ready for a true No. 2 center role? Based on the makeup of the current forward group, the Devils have the ability to put better wings The contenders: Jesper Bratt, Andreas Johnsson next to him this season to help with his development. He could line up The long shots: Jesper Boqvist, Janne Kuokkanen, Nikita Gusev, Nolan with Johnsson, Bratt, Palmieri or Gusev. Hughes and Gusev did not work Foote together early on last season, but the Devils could see if it clicks now that both have had time to adjust to the league. Bratt and Johnsson will both have big roles this season. Deciding how to split them between the top line and the second might come down to The best guess: Hughes which player the coaching staff thinks will fit best with . Bratt Right wing has played a lot with Hischier, so he’s a slight favorite, but Johnsson has the potential to put up top-line numbers if given the chance. The favorite: Gusev

Other factors here are whether the Devils will decide to give Gusev The contender: Palmieri another chance on the left side and whether Ruff will keep Bratt, Gusev and Pavel Zacha together after they finished last season on a great run. The long shots: Bratt, Nick Merkley If that happens, Boqvist or Kuokkanen could end up here — or even Same deal here as on the left side. This will probably come down to a Foote, though he has played in just two games since the 2020 world decision between Palmieri and Gusev. junior championships because of injuries. Even if Foote looks great at camp, the Devils will almost certainly send him to Binghamton to start the The best guess: Palmieri season. Third line The best guess: Bratt Left wing Center The favorite: None The favorite: Nico Hischier The contenders: Boqvist, Kuokkanen, Zacha, Miles Wood The contenders: None The long shots: Bratt, Foote, Yegor Sharangovich, Brett Seney The long shots: Jack Hughes This is a wide-open spot, unless the Bratt-Zacha-Gusev line gets This is going to be Hischier. Let’s not overthink it. If it is a debate by the reunited. Even then, that trio could end up as the second line, with end of this season or the start of the next one, the Devils will welcome it. Hughes or Zajac anchoring this one.

The best guess: Hischier Boqvist has the highest upside. Kuokkanen might be ready to fill this role. Zacha would make sense if Ruff wanted to pair him with Zajac as the Right wing start of a shutdown line. And it wouldn’t be that big of a surprise if Wood The favorite: Kyle Palmieri ended up here instead of on the fourth line.

The contender: Gusev Sharangovich is a wild card. He lit up the KHL with Dinamo Minsk and has played the most games in the run-up to camp. Will that help him earn The long shot: Bratt a spot in a shortened camp? The best guess: Kuokkanen, but that could easily change. This spot could go to the third player among the Merkley-Boqvist- Kuokkanen trio if the other two end up on the third line. They are the Center highest-rated, NHL-ready forward prospects. The Devils might want The favorite: Zajac someone here who is more likely to play on the PK, as in McLeod or Seney. Bastian or Sharangovich could also play their way into this spot. The contenders: Zacha, Hughes The best guess: Bastian, because he’d have to pass through waivers to The long shots: Sharangovich, Michael McLeod, Mikhail Maltsev get to the taxi squad or Binghamton. But if Boqvist gets some reps with the PK during practice, he’d be an easy choice. Whichever line Zajac ends up on will likely handle the majority of the toughest matchups and defensive zone faceoffs. The long layoff may Extra forwards/taxi squad mean he feels fresher, too. Hischier could also help out with some of the toughest assignments and keep Zajac even fresher over the course of The contenders: Street, Seney, McLeod, Sharangovich, Maltsev, the season. Studenic, Gignac

If Sharangovich, McLeod or Maltsev end up with the Devils on opening Cap-strapped teams will likely keep a 20-man active roster and store night, it’ll likely be because the Devils have dealt with injuries or COVID- their extras on the taxi squad, unless they are worried about losing a 19 cases. player to waivers. The Devils don’t have that issue, but they do have another: Do they want any of their prospects to be a healthy scratch early The best guess: Zajac in the season or be on the taxi squad, which means practicing with NHL players but not playing? Right wing The protocols for recalling someone from the AHL include a seven-day The favorite: None quarantine, which could play into the Devils’ decision of when and how The contenders: Nick Merkley, Zacha, Kuokkanen, Boqvist often prospects shuttle back and forth. One solution would be to sign another forward, with the intention of starting him on the taxi squad. The long shots: Sharangovich, McLeod, Nathan Bastian If that doesn’t happen, let’s say most of the younger prospects go to This looks like the same group from the left side, but add Merkley and Binghamton if they don’t earn a spot in the lineup. That would be Boqvist, subtract Wood. If Kuokkanen or Boqvist wins a spot on this line, it will Foote, Studenic, Maltsev and Zetterlund. Merkley and Kuokkanen have a likely be on the left side unless they both end up here. Merkley, lot of AHL experience, and the Devils could rationalize keeping them on Kuokkanen and Boqvist will need to show defensive aptitude to earn a the taxi squad because they are so close to being NHL-ready. chance to play with Zajac. Boqvist has the ability, but he didn’t look ready for it last year. Merkley might not be a prototypical two-way guy, but he’s But I’ve got them making the team. Another option is Sharangovich, smart and proved he doesn’t mind physical play in a brief audition last who’s already played 34 KHL games this season. Keeping him on the year. taxi squad for a few weeks won’t cost him as much development as other players who haven’t played since the spring. The best guess: Merkley The best guess: Seney, Sharangovich and one or two veterans who Fourth line aren’t in the organization right now. Seney or Sharangovich becomes the 13th forward, the other one joins a veteran or two on the taxi squad. Left wing Street goes back to Binghamton to play with Foote and serve as captain The favorite: Miles Wood of the B-Devils.

The contenders: Boqvist, Kuokkanen, Sharangovich, Seney First defense pairing

The long shots: Brandon Gignac, Marian Studenic, Maltsev The favorites: Ryan Murray

This spot is likely going to Wood, unless he wins a job on the third line or The contenders: Damon Severson, P.K. Subban, Will Butcher shifts to the right side to let a younger lefty play here. If the Devils don’t Murray seems like an obvious choice for this spot. Severson and Subban add any more players, they’ll have to answer two big questions: are likely to play more than he does, but he’ll still log heavy minutes on 1. Are they going to be OK with playing Boqvist, Kuokkanen or Merkley the PK. Which of the top two righties they decide to pair with Murray is a (or Foote even) on the fourth line, rather than letting them play heavy battle to watch. Severson makes sense to start the season: He and minutes for Binghamton? Murray are friends, their games seem to complement each other and Severson was the club’s No. 1 defenseman at the end of last season. But 2. Will contributions on the penalty kill be a deciding factor for one of the Devils are also playing in a new system under Ruff. these wing spots? The only players with significant PK experience over multiple seasons among the forwards are Zajac and Zacha. Hischier The best guess: Murray-Severson seems like a good bet to join them, but the fourth spot could be up for Second defense pairing grabs. The favorites: Butcher The best guess: Wood The contenders: Severson, Subban, Ty Smith Center The long shots: Dmitry Kulikov, Connor Carrick, Murray The favorite: Zacha Another reason to let Murray and Severson start the year together is that The contenders: Zajac, McLeod, Sharangovich Butcher and Subban had strong numbers when paired together last The long shots: Maltsev, Seney, Ben Street season. Playing with Murray could help Subban get off to a good start. But the success he had with Butcher last year — the Devils had more Where Zacha fits in the forward puzzle was one of our 14 biggest than 52 percent of the shot attempts and more than 54 percent of the questions for training camp. If the Devils decide they want to keep one of expected goals when they skated together at even strength — is a good McLeod, Sharangovich, Maltsev or Seney for the fourth line, Zacha could reason to see if they can replicate it. move up a line or two and play on the wing. If Smith makes the team, he’ll likely start on the third pairing. But he has The best guess: Zacha the potential to play higher in the lineup eventually.

Right wing The best guess: Butcher-Subban

The favorite: None Third defense pairing

The contenders: Merkley, Boqvist, Kuokkanen, Bastian, Wood, Seney, The favorites: None McLeod, Sharangovich The contenders: Smith, Kulikov, Carrick The long shots: Maltsev, Studenic, Gignac, Fabian Zetterlund The long shots: Matt Tennyson, Colton White, Butcher

If Smith is ready, he’ll make the team. Then this becomes a battle between Kulikov and Carrick for who plays with him. Kulikov is more experienced and might be a better option on the PK. Carrick has dealt with several injuries in recent years, but with nine months to get ready for camp, he could provide more all-around value.

It wouldn’t be a big surprise to see Tennyson or White have a strong camp and be in the mix, but the lack of exhibition games won’t help them. Even if Kevin Bahl, Nikita Okhotyuk or Reilly Walsh has a great camp, the Devils will likely opt for patience and send them to Binghamton to start their pro careers.

The best guess: Smith-Kulikov to start, but Carrick will play plenty, possibly as soon as the first back-to-back.

Extra defensemen/taxi squad

The contenders: Kulikov, Carrick, Tennyson, White, Josh Jacobs

Tennyson is the only AHL veteran defenseman the Devils have signed. Without a taxi squad, he’s likely ticketed for Binghamton as the mentor/leader for an otherwise young defense corps. Like Street, the Devils will need to decide where he helps them more. White and Jacobs have each played NHL games, though White is a year younger and has more upside.

The best guess: Either Kulikov or Carrick fills the role of the seventh defenseman. White could end up as the eighth or on the taxi squad if the Devils are worried about losing him on waivers. If not, he goes back to Binghamton and Tennyson and Jacobs both join the taxi squad. All of this could change if New Jersey adds another veteran to this group.

Starting goaltender

The favorite: None?

The contenders: Mackenzie Blackwood, Corey Crawford

It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which Blackwood or Crawford has a significant advantage early in the season unless one of them gets injured or tests positive for COVID-19. We expect the them to share playing time, especially with no exhibition games and little practice time for one of them to separate in the competition.

The best guess: None, for now. The Devils would be happy if both are playing well.

Extra goaltender/taxi squad

The favorite: Scott Wedgewood

The contenders: None

The longshots: Gilles Senn, Evan Cormier

Wedgewood seemed like a good signing as a veteran No. 3 who could mentor the younger goalies and provide insurance if needed. Then the league decided that every NHL team must carry the insurance goaltender, either on the active roster or the taxi squad. So, Wedgewood is likely to spend the entire season with New Jersey, while Senn and Cormier split time with Binghamton.

That works out for all involved. Senn and Cormier need to play as much as they can, and Adirondack opted out of the ECHL season so it would have been difficult to find a place for one of them to get more starts if Wedgewood were with the B-Devils.

The best guess: Wedgewood

The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181003 New York Islanders The NHL and NHL Players Association’s current plan for the 2020-21 season is to play games in home arenas, while “understanding that most arenas will not, at least in the initial part of the season, be able to host fans.” Rangers open daunting NHL schedule with two games vs. Islanders Sunday, Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts told reporters that Dallas plans to have fans at home games with a reduced capacity of around 5,000 people. The Coyotes have also expressed their intention to allow a By Mollie Walker December 23, 2020 | 6:13pm | Updated limited number of fans, although the amount hasn’t been decided.

New York Post LOADED: 12.24.2020 In a year unlike any other, the Rangers will see back-to-back games against the Islanders to start the season, endure a four-game stretch against the Devils in mid-April and cap off the truncated 2020-21 season with games against the Capitals and Bruins.

The Rangers find themselves in the middle of what is likely the most competitive of all four divisions, which were realigned to minimize travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, joining the Islanders, Devils, Bruins, Sabres, Flyers, Penguins and Capitals in the East.

And with the condensed 56-game schedule, there are hardly any easy stretches.

To kick off the 2020-21 season, the Rangers will host the Islanders in back-to-back games at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 14 and 16. It will be the third time in franchise history the Rangers open the regular season against the Isles.

With teams in the East, Central and West set to face every other team in its division eight times, the Rangers and Islanders will meet six more times throughout the season. Teams in the North division, which consist of all the Canadian teams, will play every other team nine or 10 times.

The Rangers will host the Islanders again on Feb. 8 before traveling to the Nassau Coliseum – in its final season as the Islanders’ home before its Belmont arena opens – for three games in April. The Isles are set to return to MSG again on April 29 before they meet the Rangers for a final time on May 1 on Long Island.

While most games are scheduled in single or two-game blocks, the Blueshirts will play four-straight against the Devils from April 13-18, with both teams hosting twice. The four-game stretch against New Jersey is the longest on the Rangers’ schedule.

To cap off the 2020-21 regular season, the Rangers will play two games against both the Capitals and Bruins.

The Islanders are set to play seven of their first nine games in January on the road. Similarly to the Rangers’ schedule, most of the Isles’ games are arranged in single or two-game stretches.

At the end of March, the Isles will face what is likely the toughest portion of their schedule as far as competition and travel. After flying to Washington for back-to-back games on March 15 and 16, the Islanders then host the Flyers for two games a few days later.

The Islanders are then set to split four straight games on the road against the Bruins and Penguins, two teams that won at least 40 games during the 2019-20 regular season.

With the 2020-21 regular season set to commence on Jan. 13, the NHL rolled out a five-game slate, which will include the Lightning raising their second Stanley Cup championship banner prior to facing the Blackhawks in Tampa Bay.

The NHL is aiming for this upcoming season to conclude on May 8, with playoffs finishing up by July 9. The league’s ultimate goal is to return to a “normal” hockey calendar for the 2021-22 season beginning in October.

In an email sent to season-ticket holders Wednesday, the Rangers announced the organization wouldn’t be able to offer season tickets any time before at least the end of February due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Our highest priority remains the safety of our guests, players and staff. In the current environment, we are unable to have fans inside Madison Square Garden at the start of the season,” the release said. “Therefore, we will not offer season tickets through at least February 28, 2021.

“We will provide an update regarding ticket plans for the balance of the season beyond February 28, 2021 as more information becomes available.” 1181004 New York Islanders

Islanders and Rangers will see a lot of each other in 2021 NHL season

By Andrew Gross

The Islanders and Rangers are going to be quite familiar with each other by the time the NHL’s truncated regular season concludes with the New York rivals playing eight times in a revamped East Division.

That includes back-to-back games at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 14 and 16 to start their seasons. The Islanders then have their home opener against the Bruins on Jan. 18.

The NHL has re-aligned into four divisions — with all play within the division — to limit travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Islanders and Rangers are in a division with the Devils, Bruins, Sabres, Flyers, Penguins and Capitals. Teams will often play opponents multiple times in a row at one site to limit travel.

The Islanders do not play one team more than twice in a row during the season but they do have at least one two-game trip to every divisional opponent except for the Devils.

The Rangers will play the Devils four straight times from April 13-18 — with two games at each team’s arena — marking the longest string of games against one opponent in Rangers’ team history.

The seven Canadian teams are also in one division to account for U.S.- Canada border restrictions and those teams will play each other either 10 or 11 times. The NHL is still waiting final approval for that plan from Canadian provincial and health officials and may have to adjust the divisional alignments if the Canadian teams are forced to temporarily relocate to the U.S.

Overall, the NHL has scheduled its 56-game season in a sprint-like 116 days between Jan. 13 and May 8.

The NHL plans to have its teams play at their home arenas if local health and government officials approve. But the league, in a joint statement with the NHL Players’ Association on Sunday, noted it will be flexible in its plans and may use neutral-site hub cities for the divisions if necessary.

Still, the Islanders are planning on one more season at Nassau Coliseum before opening UBS Arena at Belmont Park for next season.

The Islanders will play 13 of their first 20 games on the road, including the two games against the Rangers and separate five-game road trips from Jan. 24-31 and Feb. 15-23.

But the Islanders also have a seven-game homestand from Feb. 25- March 11m including two games in a row against both the Penguins and Sabrea, and a six-game homestand from April 1-11 that includes two games against the Capitals, Flyers and Rangers.

The Islanders conclude their regular season with a two-game homestand against the Devils on May 6 and 8.

The Rangers don’t visit the Coliseum until April 9 but that marks the first of three games at the Islanders’ barn in 11 days, including April 11 and April 20. The Rangers also play at the Coliseum on May 1.

The Islanders’ other games at the Garden are on Feb. 8 and April 29.

The Rangers’ longest homestand is three stretches of four games, from Feb. 8-16, Feb. 26-March 4 and from April 23-29. Their longest road trip is a five-game stretch from March 5-13, including two games at both Pittsburgh and Boston.

The Rangers play six of their last nine games at the Garden and conclude the season with a two-game trip to Boston on May 6 and 8.

The NHL playoffs are slated to start on May 11. The top four teams in each division will qualify, with the first two rounds intra-divisional series. Teams will be seeded for the league semifinals based on their regular- season point totals. All four rounds will be best-of-seven series. The last possible day for the Stanley Cup Final is July 9.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181005 New York Islanders Recent draft picks Felix Bibeau, Cole Coskey and Nick Pastujov all signed AHL deals, which would normally mean shuttling between the AHL and the ECHL. But Worcester, the Islanders’ ECHL affiliate, opted out of playing this season, so the Sound Tigers are the only option for How the Islanders are preparing to handle the challenges of an AHL signed players. Add them to a forward mix that includes younger pros like season Arnaud Durandeau, Blade Jenkins, Mason Jobst and Bobo Carpenter, and you’re looking at a green group up front.

On defense, 30-year-old Seth Helgeson, returning on an AHL deal, is the By Arthur Staple Dec 23, 2020 only prospective AHLer over 25. Bode Wilde and Samuel Bolduc, second-round picks in 2018 and 2019, should get heavy minutes alongside returnees Grant Hutton, Parker Wotherspoon and Mitch Vande For Chris Lamoriello, planning an AHL season for the Bridgeport Sound Sompel. Tigers means committing to one thing — adjusting. The other certainty about the Sound Tigers this season is that Brent “That’s probably the key word right now,” said Lamoriello, the Islanders Thompson and his coaching staff are back and in good standing with assistant GM who has served as Bridgeport GM for the last four seasons. Lamoriello. Thompson’s Sound Tigers teams have made the playoffs “We’re kind of planning without knowing what the next steps are.” twice in six seasons and were not close to the postseason when the 2019-20 campaign shut down. They’ll be long shots for a playoff spot The AHL announced back in October that its target date to start the again, with less experience up front and in goal since Bridgeport veteran 2020-21 season was Feb. 5. The NHL, of course, has announced its plan Christopher Gibson departed for the Lightning organization. to open training camps as soon as next week and get underway Jan. 13 with a 56-game schedule. That certainly takes priority over an AHL If Schneider is the preferred taxi-squad goalie, the Islanders have only season, but all 31 NHL teams need their prospects playing organized one other goalie in the system — the 21-year-old Skarek. games. That’s especially true since the vast majority of non-NHLers under contract have been idle since the AHL shut down March 12, the Overall, Lamoriello is very pleased with the way Thompson and his staff same day the NHL did when the pandemic brought all sports to a halt. have adjusted to the changing times in the organization.

So, the bulk of the young players in the Islanders’ organization will have “One of the biggest challenges at our level is player turnover, and you gone nearly 11 months between games. Only four Islanders prospects see a lot of players who’ve progressed to being NHL regulars,” he said. went to Europe to play games in the last few months. Oliver Wahlstrom “The coaching staff has done a great job managing the transition to played 10 games (4-4-8) in Sweden’s Allsvenskan, Otto Koivula played getting younger, the challenge of teaching and development and the 14 games (3-8-11) in Finland’s and Jakub Skarek played just four enthusiasm you have to have that goes with that. I think they’ve done a games (0-3-1, 4.44 GAA, .833 save pct) in Finland’s . All three great job.” have returned to the United States to prepare for training camp. Simon The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 Holmstrom played 11 games (1-1-2) in the Allsvenskan, and he’s now in Edmonton preparing to play for Sweden in the World Junior tournament.

But for almost everyone else below the NHL level, it’s been a frustrating run of trying to find ice time and ways to improve without games or meaningful contact with the organization. “We’ve been pretty creative in our ways to keep in touch with everyone and they’ve been great, very receptive, whether it’s one-on-one calls or Zoom calls,” Lamoriello said. “You’d rather have a development camp to get them all together to work with our coaches, but we’ve done some things we never tried before and the players’ cooperation has been great.”

There are also new considerations with the coming NHL season when it comes to development, which is the top priority above fielding a winning AHL team. The proposed taxi squad for the NHL means that the Sound Tigers won’t have regular access to one goalie and up to five skaters who might normally get time with Bridgeport.

Given the status of some veterans on bigger deals, the taxi squad could help the Islanders — it’s a potential place to stash Andrew Ladd, Thomas Hickey and if and Barry Trotz feel those veterans are taking up roster spots they don’t need to be.

Chris Lamoriello, Lou’s son, has a different viewpoint. Ladd and Hickey spent the bulk of last season with a young Sound Tigers team and they embraced AHL life, which included imparting some wisdom to the prospects. “The veterans we had there last year gave a lot of themselves to making the whole group better,” Lamoriello said. “Those are things that can only help some of your younger players.”

Two things are clear about this coming Bridgeport season: Outside of possible appearances by the three vets above and newly signed No. 3 goalie Cory Schneider, this Sound Tigers team will be young, especially up front. The Sound Tigers could have 12 first- or second-year pros on their roster and, as of now, have only three players 28 or older signed to NHL or AHL deals.

Even without a pandemic limiting the already tight revenue stream for the Sound Tigers, who averaged 3,537 fans last season (26th out of 31 AHL teams), they’d be getting younger since the last time they reached the playoffs two seasons ago with veteran AHLers like Ryan and Chris Bourque, Matt Lorito and Steve Bernier. Now, there may not be many teams willing to shell out for experienced vets on higher AHL guarantees.

“Our defense has been pretty steady and that’s really dictated by the stability at the NHL level,” Lamoriello said. “But we did get younger up front last year and we knew that would happen. With some prospects aging out of amateurs, it should happen again this year.” 1181006 New York Islanders

NEW YORK ISLANDERSIT’S ON! Islanders Open 2020-21 Season Against Rival New York Rangers

By Christian Arnold Anthony Beauvillier

In a whacky season, why not open the year against your biggest rival.

The New York Islanders will open the 2020-21 season against the New York Rangers on Jan. 14 at Madison Square Garden and then face them again two days later on Jan. 16. The Islanders will play their home opener at Nassau Coliseum on Jan. 18 against Boston Bruins.

It kicks off a 56-game sprint of a season that will see the New York Islanders face the Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, Philadelphia Flyers Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres eight times. Times for games this season were not announced on Wednesday.

The Islanders will wrap the regular season up with sets of games against the New York Rangers, Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils.

The Islanders will play 13 of their first 20 games this year on the road. The Islanders will play two extended homestands this season at Nassau Coliseum as well.

The first is a seven-game homestand that begins on Feb. 25 against Boston and ends March 11 against New Jersey. The second is a six- game homestand and runs from April 1 against the New York Rangers to April 11 when they host Washington.

The New York Islanders will not play more than two consecutive games against the same opponent. The Islanders will also play five sets of back- to-back games this season.

Home team on the right, just an FYI #Isles https://t.co/cSoEDxeiEb

— Christian Arnold (@C_Arnold01) December 23, 2020

One of the Islanders’ toughest stretches comes in the middle of March. The Islanders will play sets against the Washington Capitals on the road, Philadephia Flyers at home, and then play two games against the Boston Bruins on the road and Pittsburgh Penguins in the Keystone State.

The Islanders will get the chance to give Nassau Coliseum one final farewell this year, but it’s unlikely that Islanders fans can expect to be in the building for any of their 28 home games. While at an event at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky wouldn’t predict when fans would be allowed back in arenas.

“Coming to a game would be terrific,” Ledecky said. “That time will eventually arrive, but we are going to listen to the health authorities and the experts at each and every step.”

The Islanders are expected to move to UBS Arena next fall.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181007 New York Islanders

Anders Lee FaceTimes with Sick Islanders Fan in North Carolina

By Christian Arnold Anders Lee

Sometimes a FaceTime can go a long way.

That was the case when Anders Lee FaceTime called 17-year-old Alex Gross on Tuesday. Garrison was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer and has continued to fight it even after being told he may only live a few more weeks after surgery in February, according to Empire Sports media.

Gross is a die-hard Islanders fan and was shocked when the Islanders’ captain called him on Tuesday. The call lasted five minutes and Anders Lee invited Gross to practice and a game.

Gross’ father Garrison recorded the conversation and posted the six and a half minute clip on Youtube. Gross can be heard discussing the upcoming season with Lee, the excitement over the team’s new home, UBS Arena, and their holiday plans.

Video of Anders Lee Facetiming my Son Alexanderhttps://t.co/BE8JggW1R5@leeberr09 @NYIslanders @abreecker

— Garrison Gross (@GarrisonSpencer) December 23, 2020

“It was amazing to watch my son’s face light up when he got the call,” Garrison Gross told Empire Sports Media.

Lee has been known to be heavily involved within the community since he became an NHL regular. He has hosted an annual Kan Jam tournament to help raise money for organizations that support families affected by cancer.

Anders Lee, along with the rest of his teammates, is in the middle of preparing for the COVID-19 shortened 2020-21 NHL season, which will begin on Jan. 13. The Islanders will open training camp on Jan 3.

The expectation is that the Islanders will play games at the Nassau Coliseum this season without fans in the building to start the year.

The NHL released its COVID-19 protocols and a change to the offsides rule on Tuesday night in preparation for the start of the unique season ahead of them.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181008 New York Rangers The NHL and NHL Players Association’s current plan for the 2020-21 season is to play games in home arenas, while “understanding that most arenas will not, at least in the initial part of the season, be able to host fans.” Rangers open daunting NHL schedule with two games vs. Islanders Sunday, Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts told reporters that Dallas plans to have fans at home games with a reduced capacity of around 5,000 people. The Coyotes have also expressed their intention to allow a By Mollie Walker December 23, 2020 | 6:13pm | Updated limited number of fans, although the amount hasn’t been decided.

New York Post LOADED: 12.24.2020 In a year unlike any other, the Rangers will see back-to-back games against the Islanders to start the season, endure a four-game stretch against the Devils in mid-April and cap off the truncated 2020-21 season with games against the Capitals and Bruins.

The Rangers find themselves in the middle of what is likely the most competitive of all four divisions, which were realigned to minimize travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic, joining the Islanders, Devils, Bruins, Sabres, Flyers, Penguins and Capitals in the East.

And with the condensed 56-game schedule, there are hardly any easy stretches.

To kick off the 2020-21 season, the Rangers will host the Islanders in back-to-back games at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 14 and 16. It will be the third time in franchise history the Rangers open the regular season against the Isles.

With teams in the East, Central and West set to face every other team in its division eight times, the Rangers and Islanders will meet six more times throughout the season. Teams in the North division, which consist of all the Canadian teams, will play every other team nine or 10 times.

The Rangers will host the Islanders again on Feb. 8 before traveling to the Nassau Coliseum – in its final season as the Islanders’ home before its Belmont arena opens – for three games in April. The Isles are set to return to MSG again on April 29 before they meet the Rangers for a final time on May 1 on Long Island.

While most games are scheduled in single or two-game blocks, the Blueshirts will play four-straight against the Devils from April 13-18, with both teams hosting twice. The four-game stretch against New Jersey is the longest on the Rangers’ schedule.

To cap off the 2020-21 regular season, the Rangers will play two games against both the Capitals and Bruins.

The Islanders are set to play seven of their first nine games in January on the road. Similarly to the Rangers’ schedule, most of the Isles’ games are arranged in single or two-game stretches.

At the end of March, the Isles will face what is likely the toughest portion of their schedule as far as competition and travel. After flying to Washington for back-to-back games on March 15 and 16, the Islanders then host the Flyers for two games a few days later.

The Islanders are then set to split four straight games on the road against the Bruins and Penguins, two teams that won at least 40 games during the 2019-20 regular season.

With the 2020-21 regular season set to commence on Jan. 13, the NHL rolled out a five-game slate, which will include the Lightning raising their second Stanley Cup championship banner prior to facing the Blackhawks in Tampa Bay.

The NHL is aiming for this upcoming season to conclude on May 8, with playoffs finishing up by July 9. The league’s ultimate goal is to return to a “normal” hockey calendar for the 2021-22 season beginning in October.

In an email sent to season-ticket holders Wednesday, the Rangers announced the organization wouldn’t be able to offer season tickets any time before at least the end of February due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“Our highest priority remains the safety of our guests, players and staff. In the current environment, we are unable to have fans inside Madison Square Garden at the start of the season,” the release said. “Therefore, we will not offer season tickets through at least February 28, 2021.

“We will provide an update regarding ticket plans for the balance of the season beyond February 28, 2021 as more information becomes available.” 1181009 New York Rangers

Capitals figuring out what’s next for Henrik Lundqvist after heart issue discovered

By Mollie Walker December 23, 2020 | 2:03pm | Updated

Henrik Lundqvist’s heart condition is apparently something the veteran goaltender has been managing for most his career.

Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan said Wednesday the heart issue that will prevent Lundqvist from playing in the 2020-21 season – and potentially ever again – is not news to the 38-year-old goalie. After a routine physical, however, medical officials decided to run more tests on his condition and deemed it unsafe for the former Rangers franchise netminder to play.

“He’s had a heart issue all along that he’s managed and it’s been fine,” MacLellan told reporters. “We anticipated it would be the same as what it’s been for most of his career, all of his career. A routine physical that was an early physical turned into, ‘Well, we need to explore further what’s going on with you.’

“Following along, our trainer, Jason Serbus, did an unbelievable job. Our doctors, the cardiologists, the specialists, it kept getting deeper and deeper. As we went that far, Henrik got a lot more knowledge of what his situation is and where it’s going and what his risk levels are.”

Lundqvist announced last week that he would not play this season, but did not say that he would retire.

MacLellan said Washington has a few options for what they can do with Lundqvist’s contract, which he signed in October after the Rangers bought out of the final year of his deal. A decision is expected to be made some time before training camp opens for the Caps on Jan. 3.

“Obviously, we were all excited to add him to our team and he was excited to come,” MacLellan said. “It looked like a perfect fit for both side and everybody within the organization, his family, everybody was excited it see how it was going to play out. And then I think we started further exploring where he’s at physically and his risk level is not acceptable for him to continue to play, for him and his family.

“It’s unfortunate. I think it was emotional for him and his family. I think we’re grateful, everybody’s grateful that he went down that road, that our medical staffs, that our trainer pushed him down that road and explored it more. I think the result is good that he’s very aware of where his health is at. Everybody’s a little disappointed that we couldn’t see what we could’ve done with him in the lineup.”

New York Post LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181010 New York Rangers

Islanders and Rangers will see a lot of each other in 2021 NHL season

By Andrew Gross

The Islanders and Rangers are going to be quite familiar with each other by the time the NHL’s truncated regular season concludes with the New York rivals playing eight times in a revamped East Division.

That includes back-to-back games at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 14 and 16 to start their seasons. The Islanders then have their home opener against the Bruins on Jan. 18.

The NHL has re-aligned into four divisions — with all play within the division — to limit travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Islanders and Rangers are in a division with the Devils, Bruins, Sabres, Flyers, Penguins and Capitals. Teams will often play opponents multiple times in a row at one site to limit travel.

The Islanders do not play one team more than twice in a row during the season but they do have at least one two-game trip to every divisional opponent except for the Devils.

The Rangers will play the Devils four straight times from April 13-18 — with two games at each team’s arena — marking the longest string of games against one opponent in Rangers’ team history.

The seven Canadian teams are also in one division to account for U.S.- Canada border restrictions and those teams will play each other either 10 or 11 times. The NHL is still waiting final approval for that plan from Canadian provincial and health officials and may have to adjust the divisional alignments if the Canadian teams are forced to temporarily relocate to the U.S.

Overall, the NHL has scheduled its 56-game season in a sprint-like 116 days between Jan. 13 and May 8.

The NHL plans to have its teams play at their home arenas if local health and government officials approve. But the league, in a joint statement with the NHL Players’ Association on Sunday, noted it will be flexible in its plans and may use neutral-site hub cities for the divisions if necessary.

Still, the Islanders are planning on one more season at Nassau Coliseum before opening UBS Arena at Belmont Park for next season.

The Islanders will play 13 of their first 20 games on the road, including the two games against the Rangers and separate five-game road trips from Jan. 24-31 and Feb. 15-23.

But the Islanders also have a seven-game homestand from Feb. 25- March 11m including two games in a row against both the Penguins and Sabrea, and a six-game homestand from April 1-11 that includes two games against the Capitals, Flyers and Rangers.

The Islanders conclude their regular season with a two-game homestand against the Devils on May 6 and 8.

The Rangers don’t visit the Coliseum until April 9 but that marks the first of three games at the Islanders’ barn in 11 days, including April 11 and April 20. The Rangers also play at the Coliseum on May 1.

The Islanders’ other games at the Garden are on Feb. 8 and April 29.

The Rangers’ longest homestand is three stretches of four games, from Feb. 8-16, Feb. 26-March 4 and from April 23-29. Their longest road trip is a five-game stretch from March 5-13, including two games at both Pittsburgh and Boston.

The Rangers play six of their last nine games at the Garden and conclude the season with a two-game trip to Boston on May 6 and 8.

The NHL playoffs are slated to start on May 11. The top four teams in each division will qualify, with the first two rounds intra-divisional series. Teams will be seeded for the league semifinals based on their regular- season point totals. All four rounds will be best-of-seven series. The last possible day for the Stanley Cup Final is July 9.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181011 Ottawa Senators from Nashville, defenceman Erik Gudbranson from Anaheim and a trade brought defenceman Josh Brown to Ottawa from Florida.

Forwards Evgeni Dadonov (Florida) and Alex Galchenyuk (Arizona) were GARRIOCH: Thomas Chabot excited about changes and looking forward signed as UFA’s along with defenceman Artyem Zub from Russia. to this season with Senators “Just with the group of guys we’re going to have we’re definitely a better coming in Game 1,” said Chabot. “I think everyone feels that way.”

Bruce Garrioch Chabot has zero issues with the workload he gets from Smith.

Publishing date: Dec 23, 2020 “It wasn’t the first time I’ve seen work like that. I love being on the ice, I love playing big minutes. I don’t get that tired. I want to be out there. I love being out there as much as I can and I like being in the action and being in the position whether up by a goal or down by a goal. I love those Thomas Chabot was just leaving the Wednesday things. I don’t know that I’ve ever had 10 straight games where I’ve afternoon when he picked up the phone and talked about the upcoming played more than 30 minutes, but that’s a great experience,” Chabot season. said. As the Ottawa Senators’ defenceman prepares to spend Christmas at his BATTLE OUT OF THE GATE Ottawa home, he can finally see the finish line to the longest off-season he’s ever experienced and he’ll be quite happy to enjoy this short break No matter where the Ottawa Senators start the season they’ll do so with from skating to prepare for the opening of training camp New Year’s Eve a . at the rink. The NHL released the 56-game schedule and the Senators are The 23-year-old Chabot, who’s expected to serve as one of the alternate supposed to open against the Toronto Maple Leafs with back-to-back captains along with Brady Tkachuk and a couple of veterans, is excited games at the Canadian Tire Centre on Jan. 15 and Jan. 16. about the changes made by general manager as coach D.J. Smith heads into his second season behind the bench. The Senators will then host the Winnipeg Jets for two games before heading out on a seven-game road trip that includes a stop in , “We always talk about the fact that we’re in a rebuild and we want to be a three in Vancouver, two Edmonton and a quick trip to Montreal before better team for the upcoming years,” Chabot told Postmedia. “To see the returning home, but all this contingent on the club getting clearance from players and the pieces that we added, and you look at the draft, and all the province to play here. the young guys that are gaining another year by gaining experience and getting a bit older, if you combine everything I feel we’re going to do well. One of the most anticipated spots on the schedule is a stretch where Brady Tkachuk and the Senators will face the Matthew Tkachuk and the “We’re happy with what we have. We’re going to face some teams that Calgary Flames in five out of six games. are better on paper than us. Everyone is just excited. Everybody we went and got is excited to be here. Everyone wants to start winning games and turning things around.” Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.24.2020 Chabot’s eight-year, $64 million contract extension will kick in this season and down the road you’d have to think he’s the top candidate to be named the club’s captain. Of course, Tkachuk will also get consideration.

Chabot has been back in Ottawa for just over three months. He was skating at his home near City, but left there in the fall when the rinks were closed because the city was designated as a red zone. He’s been working with strength coach Chris Schwarz and until a couple of weeks ago was skating at the Bell Sensplex with local pros.

It’s nice to have a target and knowing Opening Night will take place Jan. 15 with a Battle of Ontario against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“The working out part has been fine but it’s been hard gauging when are we going to start,” Chabot said. “Anybody would tell you that we always try to peak at some point to get ready for camp. This summer has been different because there’s been a lot of different peaks, a lot of different times you’ve let down a little bit and maybe you’ve worked out a little bit lighter because we’ve been at it for so long.

“At the end of the day, it’s part of what we were dealing with. We knew that coming into this situation. Now, that we know we’re back. Everybody’s excited. We’ve got quite a few guys here and it’s good to see how many guys are in town, excited to get going and to get know each other. The skates have been hard, high-paced and they’ve been great.”

After finishing with six goals and 39 points in 71 games last season, Chabot is well aware he’s going to be counted on to help lead this team on the ice. He led the league with an average of 26 minutes per-game and is well aware his job is to shut down the top players on every team.

“It’s going to be another year that we want to take a step as a group and, for me, I want to help the team have success,” said Chabot. “Last year was a different season with a lot of injuries and I was getting a lot of ice time. Playing a lot of minutes is something I’ve always liked.

“When we get back, I still want to be the player I am. I want to keep on improving my defensive game and playing against the top lines. I play the best way I can help this team have success.”

The Senators made significant moves by dealing for goaltender for Matt Murray from the Pittsburgh Penguins along with winger 1181012 Ottawa Senators always been covered in blue-and-white for the previous meetings — will somehow decrease the damage that Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner have dished out to Ottawa in the past.

Canada Cup: Hockey's version of We The North In 15 games, Matthews has scored 13 goals and nine assists, more goals and points than he’s registered against any other team. Marner, meanwhile, has six goals and 10 assists in 14 contests against the Senators. Ken Warren With a heavy slate of Battle of Ontario games on the schedule, they have Publishing date: Dec 23, 2020 the potential to pile up big numbers against Murray and Marcus Hogberg, who will get a fair share of the workload because of the back-to-back set- up of games. More McDavid. More Matthews. More Pettersson. More Laine. Oh, and let’s not forget about captain John Tavares, who provides Merry Christmas, Canadian hockey fans. Toronto with that deadly 1-2 centre punch.

If and when the NHL decides exactly where the all-Canadian games are What’s also intriguing about the Maple Leafs is the addition of an old going to be played — in the home rinks, in a hub city, in a Covid-free guard including Joe Thornton and Wayne Simmonds up front and Zach alley somewhere? — the (Carey) Price is right for more entertainment for Bogosian and T.J. Brodie on the blueline. Ottawa Senators fans. Consider this: When Thornton was drafted first overall by Boston in 1997, Something will definitely be lost at not being able to see future Hall of Tkachuk, Chabot, Colin White, Drake Batherson, Logan Brown, Josh Famers Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin try to do their thing against Norris, Alex Formenton, Filip Chlapik, Vitaly Abramov and Erik the Senators, but with all due respect to the Carolina Hurricanes, Brannstrom hadn’t been born yet. Minnesota Wild and Arizona Coyotes of the world, there’s an increased buzz stemming from the increased all-Canadian matchups. Former Senators captain Jason Spezza remains in Toronto, but with Cody Ceci signing as a free agent in Pittsburgh, there’s nothing left from Beyond the novelty of national bragging rights and the increased the swap that shipped Connor Brown and Nikita Zaitsev to the Senators. attention on games against closest geographical rivals Toronto and Montreal, there’s so much talent north of the border. And yes, Virginia, a Senators versus Jets: There’s not much of a history here — there was a Canadian team is guaranteed to make to the Final Four. pivotal moment against Winnipeg during Andrew Hammond’s 15 minutes of fame in 2015 — but Winnipeg offers up some intriguing names and There’s plenty to chew on here. talent for a Senators fan base that hasn’t seen much of them over the years. Perhaps, we should begin with the fact that arguably three of the NHL’s top five centres — and maybe six of the top 20 — play in Canada? Up front, there’s endless intrigue about whether this could be Patrick Laine’s last season in Jets colours. Whether Laine stays in Winnipeg or It will be a highly competitive place. There have been shake-ups moves elsewhere, he’s in for a big payday if he puts up big numbers. He everywhere and the new-look, rebuilding Senators will be banking on has had some impressive games against Ottawa, piling up four goals and former Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray to keep them six assists in eight games. competitive. For what it’s worth, the Senators won only three of 13 games against fellow Canadian squads last season and the other six In keeping with a Canadian theme (see Toronto above and Edmonton delivered a combined 213-163-46 record in the Covid-19 shortened below), the Jets are also dangerous down the middle. 2019-20 campaign. The highly underrated Mark Scheifele (122 goals and 299 points in 292 The added bonus is the games should finish a couple of minutes earlier, games during the past four seasons) is now joined by Paul Stastny, who with only one national anthem to be played. was acquired from Vegas to the fill the void left by the injured . (The Senators did have a shot at drafting Scheifele back in 2011, With that in mind, Postmedia goes east to west to take a closer look at opting for Mike Zibanejad sixth overall, with Scheifele going seventh to the individual matchups. the Jets). Senators versus Montreal: We’ve said goodbye to the exchange of Jean- In terms of familiar faces, Dylan DeMelo, the best partner Chabot has Gabriel Pageau and Max Pacioretty breakaways and the heated 2013 had in his young career, was swapped to the Jets from the Senators last and 2015 playoff series have faded from the rear-view mirror. season for a third round pick that turned into long-term goaltending Thomas Chabot is the only remaining Senator from the outdoor classic prospect Leevi Merilainen. between the teams at TD Place in December, 2017. Senators versus Oilers: What a bonus for Senators fans. Connor For Ottawa, of course, it’s now all about Brady Tkachuk and the kids. McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have each played only nine games against Tkachuk was taken fourth in the 2018 draft and is fond of physical play Ottawa in their careers, but will be making up for lost time this season. against the Canadiens’ Jesper Kotkaniemi, who went third. Tkachuk has We probably don’t need to remind you of the offensive brilliance, but just two goals, two assists and 25 penalty minutes in seven games versus in case you forgot, the defending Art Ross Trophy winning Draisaitl Montreal. Kotkaniemi has one goal and four assists in six games versus scored 43 goals and 67 assists in 71 games and McDavid had 34 goals the Senators. and 63 assists in 64 games last season. Nick Suzuki might become something special for the Canadiens, but if he Now, over to you, Senators coach D.J. Smith: Whether Draisaitl plays on taps Murray on the head after a goal — you might recall his moment of the wing with McDavid or as a 1b) centre, what combination of White, immaturity in the playoffs — Tkachuk, Erik Gudbranson, Josh Brown or Chris Tierney, Norris, Brown, or, perhaps, Stuetzle, is Austin Watson promise to knock him on his ass, which would add some going to match up against that Oilers train? tasty spice to the feud. The Draisaitl-Stuetzle connection also adds a German flavour to the The Canadiens have no young defenceman to match Chabot, but the matchup. Both Draisaitl and Stuetzle were third overall selections. Keep rest of the makeshift Senators defence could struggle against a heavier this in mind, Senators fans, amid all the Stuetzle expectations: Drasaitl and improved Montreal forward group that now includes Josh Anderson went back to junior after being drafted by the Oilers, returning as a far and Tyler Toffoli. more polished and poised player. The Canadiens have a decided edge in veteran leadership, including For those who might have missed it, Kyle Turris, who served as the Shea Weber, Brendan Gallagher and Price. Senators number one centre only three seasons ago, quietly signed a Here’s another twist: Alex Galchenyuk, who played in those earlier one-year, $1.65 million deal to serve as a third (or possibly fourth line) playoff series for Montreal, is now trying to salvage his career in Ottawa. pivot after being bought out by the Nashville Predators. Change happens fast in hockey. Senators versus Maple Leafs: Senators fans can only hope the absence of spectators — both Canadian Tire Centre and Scotiabank Arena have Senators versus Flames: Tkachuk versus Tkachuk. Tkachuk versus Tkachuk. And so on. And so on.

As if brothers Brady and Matthew haven’t spent enough time together during the Covid-19 stoppage, imagine how much they might really got on each other’s nerves by playing so often against each other as pests on their respective teams?

So far, Brady has been more of an offensive threat (two goals, one assist) than a physical presence (no penalty minutes) in four games against Calgary.

Matthew has one goal, three assists and six penalty minutes in eight career games against Ottawa. While he has high-end offensive company with Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan and Elias Lindholm, the biggest changes for the Flames have come at the other end of the ice.

Former Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom jumped to Calgary as a free agent, signing a six-year, $36 million contract.

In keeping with the Vancouver-Calgary movement, Chris Tanev — previous defensive partner for standout Canucks rookie Quinn Hughes — also signed a four-year, $18 million contract.

Former Flames defenceman Brodie moved on to Toronto and Travis Hamonic, who opted not to play in the summer playoff bubble, remains an unrestricted free agent.

Senators versus Canucks: The Canucks are what the Senators should want to become – in a couple of years time, that is.

Vancouver is built around a core of their first round picks (Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Brock Boeser, Bo Harvat, Jake Virtanen) dating back seven years. Goaltender Thatcher Demko, whose emergence late last season made Markstrom expendable, was a second round choice in 2014.

The Canucks can fly and they can score, but much of that has been lost in Ottawa because they normally only play the Senators twice a year and they play most of their games on late, late night TV.

What kind of numbers might Pettersson put up in eight games against a Senators defence that is awaiting the future arrival of Jacob Bernard- Docker, Lassi Thomson and Jake Sanderson? Put it this way: in only four games against the Senators so far, Pettersson already has four goals and three assists.

Hughes, meanwhile, scored eight goals and 45 assists in his rookie season in 2019-20, narrowly losing the Calder Trophy to Colorado’s Cale Makar.

The Canucks also bought some insurance in case Demko isn’t quite ready, bringing in former Vezina Trophy winner Braden Holtby as a free agent from Washington.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181013 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers schedule opens with Pittsburgh on Jan. 13

by Ed Barkowitz

Hey, somebody call Rod Langway and Reijo Ruotsalainen. The Flyers schedule this year is gonna look like the 1980s.

“The Patrick Division,” general manager Chuck Fletcher quipped. “We’re bringing it back!”

The Flyers will play 56 NHL games in 116 days, an unprecedented sprint, but one that Fletcher sees as very fair. They open with Pittsburgh on Jan. 13, the first of four home games to start the season – two against the Penguins, two with Buffalo.

“Certainly, every game will be difficult,” Fletcher said. “In terms of schedule construction, I think it’s better than I anticipated. We only have eight back-to-backs. We obviously don’t change time zones. In terms of our division, I don’t think any of us could have any complaints. I’m sure we’ll have the fewest air miles flown. There’s going to be more recovery time than I think I anticipated. I guess I’m pleasantly surprised.”

Fans are not allowed in the Wells Fargo Center because of pandemic restrictions, and game times will be announced later.

In addition to the Penguins, Washington, New Jersey, the Rangers and the Islanders remain grouped with the Flyers from last year’s Metropolitan Division. Columbus and Carolina were swapped for Boston (which led the league in points last year) and Buffalo (which signed the hottest free agent on the market, Taylor Hall).

The top four teams in each division make the playoffs with 1 vs. 4, and 2 vs. 3 in the first round, and the winners playing in the second round. The survivors of the four divisions will be reseeded according to regular- season point totals.

Odds to win East Division

Boston 5-2 N.Y. Islanders 6-1

Flyers 7-2 N.Y. Rangers 8-1

Pittsburgh 9-2 Buffalo 14-1

Washington 5-1 New Jersey 20-1

Source: BetMGM.com

“Last year, I felt we had the best division in the league, and I think it’s the same this year,” Fletcher added. “Any of the eight teams can make the playoffs. We all can make it. We all can miss. There’s going to be some drama and some tension.”

The eight back-to-back games all are in the same city, which will give the players a little taste of their minor-league days, minus the turnpike burgers (urp!) at 1 in the morning.

“We have four cities we can bus to and only three cities we’ll have to fly to,” Fletcher said. “Pittsburgh, Boston and Buffalo are all about a one- hour flight. The three New York [area] teams and Washington are all relatively easy bus trips, particularly these days.”

Fletcher said the league this year has given teams the option of traveling the day of games, a departure from the requirement of visiting teams arriving the day before a game. The condensed schedule will mean less practice time, however.

The Flyers close with back-to-back games in Washington May 7-8. The playoffs are slated to start May 11 and end in early July.

“We’re very fortunately of the division we’re in, in that our travel should be really manageable compared to the other three divisions,” Fletcher said. “Every team in our division should be thankful for that.”

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181014 Philadelphia Flyers physical. Life is unpredictable. We saw that last year, and I certainly can’t make predictions on anybody. But I think we’re in good shape going into camp, and we’re excited to get these two players back.”

Shayne Gostisbehere is remaining with the Flyers for now, and GM Fletcher hinted that if Patrick passed his physical, he probably would be Chuck Fletcher is upbeat about Nolan Patrick and Oskar Lindblom ready for the season opener against the Penguins, the first of two straight games between the cross-state rivals.

“I don’t know that you take it slowly,” Fletcher said. “If anything, by Sam Carchidi everybody is basically on the same page right now. Nobody is in midseason shape. In some way, this may be the best time to reintroduce

players back in. I know he hasn’t played in a while, but there are seven Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher doesn’t plan to make any deals teams that haven’t had games since last March, so it’s going to be a or sign any free agents – high-scoring Mike Hoffman is among the different start for a lot of players and a lot of teams. forwards still available – before the pandemic-shortened, 56-game “Clearly, everyone will probably be in better form at midseason than what season starts on Jan. 13 against the archrival Pittsburgh Penguins. they are at the beginning.” That means Shayne Gostisbehere, who is coming off a disappointing season that was plagued by knee injuries, will be among the defensemen battling for a roster spot. Gostisbehere’s name was in numerous trade Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 12.24.2020 rumors in the offseason, especially after the Flyers signed offensive- minded defenseman Erik Gustafsson.

“I would anticipate this is our roster,” Fletcher said during a Webex call with reporters Wednesday afternoon. “We’re not entertaining any free- agent signings at this point in time. You never know with trades. It’s been relatively quiet, at least on our front. I think October was a pretty busy month with a lot of communication. Things have seemed to have quieted down since then.”

Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim, and Phil Myers are locks to be defensive regulars. (For what it’s worth, Fletcher said he “really liked” the way Myers and Sanheim complemented each other as a duo last season.) Justin Braun, Gostisbehere, Robert Hagg, Gustafsson, and Mark Friedman figure to battle for the other three spots.

Fletcher said he wanted to “see what we have in camp and how some of these players perform and get into the season. I’m sure there will be surprises, both positive and negative, that we have to deal with. And we should have the ability to deal with those things in a proactive manner.”

The Flyers will have medical and fitness testing Jan. 3 then begin the abbreviated on-ice portion of training camp Jan. 4 at the Skate Zone in Voorhees.

Fletcher said the team plans to carry 23 players on its roster and six on the taxi squad. The NHL requires teams to carry three goalies, and Fletcher plans to have one of them – most likely Alex Lyon – and five skaters on the taxi squad.

“We’ll build the taxi squad around those 23 in terms of performance in camp and the health of our club,” Fletcher said.

Taxi-squad players will practice and travel with the team. The Flyers have numerous prospects battling for a spot on the 23-man roster or taxi squad, including forwards Morgan Frost, Linus Sandin, Carsen Twarynski, Connor Bunnaman, Wade Allison, and Tanner Laczynski.

Flyers center Morgan Frost skates against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 10. Frost, 21, who played 20 games with the Flyers last season, is among the candidates for a spot on the roster or taxi squad.

Flyers center Morgan Frost skates against the Florida Panthers on Feb. 10. Frost, 21, who played 20 games with the Flyers last season, is among the candidates for a spot on the roster or taxi squad.

The AHL, which includes the Flyers’ affiliate in Allentown, the , isn’t expected to start until at least Feb. 5.

Fletcher said left winger Oskar Lindblom, who played two playoff games after missing most of the regular season because of a rare bone cancer, “has had a tremendous offseason. He’s been able to rebuild his body, if you will, and regain some of the muscle mass that he lost during his treatments last spring and summer. He’s in really good shape physically.”

The GM said he would find out if there were any issues with Lindblom, Nolan Patrick or any other players when they underwent physicals.

Patrick missed the entire 2019-20 season because of a migraine disorder.

“I watched him skate today, and he’s an amazingly talented young man,” Fletcher said of the 22-year-old center. “He looked great. He feels good, and, again, we’ll wait for the doctors to meet with him for the preseason 1181015 Philadelphia Flyers Team USA has won a gold medal four times: 2004, 2010, 2013, and 2017.

The NHL Network will televise all games in the tournament. Sweden Flyers prospects Cam York, Bobby Brink among Team USA leaders in defenseman Emil Andrae (5-9, 181), drafted in the second round in World Junior Championship October, is the other Flyers prospect in the tourney.

by Sam Carchidi Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 12.24.2020

Team USA, with Flyers prospects Cam York and Brink on its roster, is trying to improve from a disappointing sixth-place finish in last year’s World Juniors.

The 10-nation IIHF World Junior Championship runs from Friday until Jan. 5 and will be held without fans at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The Americans, led by goalie Spencer Knight, are expected to be strong contenders even though they have lost five players because of COVID- 19.

Team USA, which is seeking its fifth medal in six years, will play its first game Friday at 9:30 p.m. against talented Russia. Defending champion Canada has 20 players who were first-round NHL picks the last two years and is favored to win the under-20 tournament, with Russia, Team USA, Finland, and Sweden also expected to contend.

Cole Caufield, a Montreal Canadiens prospect, will trigger the Americans’ offense. The Flyers passed on Caufield in the 2019 draft. Twice.

They could have had him at No. 11 overall. Instead, they traded down three spots in the first round — and again passed on the high-scoring Caufield. Instead, they selected York, a small but promising defenseman, at No. 14.

Caufield, who had a pair of goals in the Americans’ 3-2 exhibition win Tuesday over Finland, went to Montreal with the next pick.

The sting of not selecting the dynamic Caufield was lessened when Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher moved up 11 spots in a trade with Nashville and nabbed Brink, a gifted winger, in the second round (No. 34 overall).

York is a mobile 5-foot-11½, 175-pound native of Anaheim, Calif., who finished with 16 points, including five goals, in 30 games as a Michigan freshman last season. He was off to a great start at powerful Michigan this season (two goals, three assists, plus-5 rating in eight games) before joining the American team.

Three of York’s USA teammates are also from California.

“It’s pretty crazy to think where we all started from. I don’t think any of us imagined we’d be where we are today,” York, who was scoreless in five WJC games last year, told the NHL Network. “The game out there has grown so much. It’s awesome to see so many California players coming through the ranks. I think we’re going to see California hockey grow. I’m just so proud of California and proud to be a part of that.”

York is the only returnee among the nine defensemen on Team USA’s roster, and he will likely quarterback one of the power-play units. The team will rely on Knight, the Boston College star goalie who was the Florida Panthers’ first-round selection (13th overall) in 2019 and will be playing in his third World Juniors.

York, who turns 20 on the final day of the tournament, is a smart player who is rarely out of position. In the Americans’ exhibition win over Finland, York was paired with Harvard’s Henry Thrun, a 6-2, 190-pound native who was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the fourth round of the 2019 draft.

“If you want to win a gold medal, you have to be defensively strong,” York said.

Brink, 19, made an impressive debut last season at the University of Denver, an NCAA powerhouse. The 5-8½, 165-pound winger had 11 goals and 24 points in 28 games. This season, he had a total of three assists in three games before joining Team USA.

Like York, Brink played in last year’s World Juniors and had a goal and an assist over five games. The Minnesota native isn’t as flashy as Caufield, but he is an energy player in the mold of Flyers All-Star Travis Konecny. He has an uncanny ability to elude defenders and set up his teammates. 1181016 Philadelphia Flyers The eight sets of back-to-back games over the course of the season will take place in the same city with no travel in between. Five of these eight situations will see both games played in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Flyers' 2021 schedule released for NHL's 56-game season There are two road back-to-backs in March – the Flyers will visit the Rangers on the 17th and Islanders on the 18th, and will play a pair of games in Buffalo on the 29th and 30th. The season then ends with a back-to-back set at Washington. Wayne Fishflyingfishhockey.com The schedule is fairly consistent from month to month, with 10 games

over the final 18 games of January, 12 in February, 15 in March, 14 in Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher April and five in the first eight days of May.

When it comes to a new schedule, it’s always good for a hockey team At no point in the campaign will the Flyers have more than two days off when the pros outweigh the cons. between games; their lightest stretch will come during the third week of February, when they will play just once from Feb. 19-23. Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher reinforced that notion on Wednesday when he said he was “pleasantly surprised’’ by the team’s The Flyers say that due to current local and state restrictions, the Flyers reconfigured 56-game slate. anticipate beginning the season with no fans inside Wells Fargo Center.

The NHL released the schedule for all teams Wednesday afternoon and Flyers to players: don't let guard down Fletcher gave the impression he breathed a sigh of relief when getting his Playing in a bubble like the Flyers did in Toronto during last year’s first look at the way the Flyers’ games are configured. playoffs is one thing. As things are set up, the Flyers and the rest of the teams will only play Competing in different NHL buildings and traveling from city to city is intradivision games. quite another. That means far less plane travel and hotel stays. Fletcher believes the Flyers players have been through so much due to As for a possible down side, such as fewer days off, etc., Fletcher the pandemic that they’re not about to let their guard down now. pointed out there will be only eight back-to-back situations as opposed to On Wednesday, Fletcher acknowledged he will address the team at recent seasons when the Flyers had as many as 18. some point to remind them to stay smart, stay safe. “I’m really pleased with our schedule,’’ Fletcher said during a media The Flyers have made it a point to strictly follow CDC protocols, such as conference call. “Obviously we’re in an incredibly difficult division. It was taking the temperatures of all players, coaches and visitors (including difficult last season and it certainly isn’t any easier this season. media) before entering the team’s practice facilities at the Skate Zone in “In terms of schedule construction, it’s better than I anticipated. We have Voorhees, N.J. eight back-to-backs (and) we don’t change time zones. In terms of our The same can be expected at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly when NHL division, I don’t think any of us can have any complaints.’’ play begins. Essentially, the Flyers will only have to fly to three cities: Boston, Buffalo Fletcher said some of the old NHL travel rules have been suspended. and Pittsburgh. Those are just one-hour or so flights. Teams are now allowed to bus into places like New Jersey the day of the The others – Washington, New Jersey and the two New York teams – game if preferred. can be reached by train or bus. Lindblom ready, optimism for Patrick “We’ll have fewer air miles flown,’’ Fletcher said. “There’s going to be Fletcher said Oskar Lindblom enjoyed a good offseason, continuing his more recovery time than I anticipated. I guess I’m pleasantly surprised.’’ recovery from Ewing’s sarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer). Then there’s the prospect of playing the old Metro Division rivals eight Also, Nolan Patrick has been skating and exercising with hopes of times each. There’s time to get some real bad blood going with the likes returning to action after missing all of last season due to a chronic of teams like the Penguins, Capitals and Rangers. migraine headache condition. “The Patrick Division – we’re bringing it back!’’ Fletcher said with a “Oskar is doing really well. He was cleared to play in the (Toronto) bubble chuckle. “It will be great. It will be tough, last year I thought we had the (and) played two games in there,’’ Fletcher said. “Since that time, he’s best division in the league. had a tremendous offseason. He’s been able to rebuild his body and “I think it’s the same this year. All eight teams could make the playoffs – regain some of the muscle mass he lost." all eight could miss. There will be a decent amount of drama and tension. If Patrick can return, it would be a big boost to the Flyers’ lineup. Most “In terms of establishing some rivalries and renewing some others, I think scouts, coaches project him to be a steady 20-goal scorer if he can it will be tremendous. It will be great for our fans and I think the players regain good health. will enjoy it.’’ “I watched him skate today (at the Skate Zone/Voorhees, N.J.),’’ Fletcher The 56-game campaign will begin on Wednesday, Jan. 13, when the said. “He’s an amazingly talented young man. Flyers host the Pittsburgh Penguins at Wells Fargo Center. The regular “He feels good. We’ll wait for the doctors to meet with him for the season runs through Saturday, May 8, when the Flyers will conclude the preseason physical. I can’t make predictions on anybody but ... we’re campaign in Washington against the Capitals. excited to get these two players back.’’ According to the Flyers, as mentioned, the schedule will see the Flyers No more big moves anticipated play each of the seven other teams a total of eight times – four at home and four on the road. According to Fletcher, the Flyers have pretty much set their roster, meaning they won’t be making any more big free-agent signings (they did They will not play any regular-season games against any other NHL ink defenseman Erik Gustafsson) or trades. teams. As a further health safeguard, the schedule is constructed generally in pairs of games against teams in the same city. “I would anticipate this is our roster,’’ Fletcher said. “We’re not entertaining any free-agent signings at this time. You never know with Pittsburgh’s season-opening trip to Philadelphia also includes a second trades, (though) it’s been relatively quiet, at least from our point. We like game on Friday, Jan. 15, after which the Buffalo Sabres come to town for our team.’’ two games on the 18th and 19th. Flyers defenseman Erik Gustafsson gets some ice time Wednesday at The Flyers then hit the road for pairs of games in Boston and New the Skate Zone. Jersey. This scheduling technique is predominant over most of the season, and is exclusive over its first month through mid-February. Taxi squad alignment Due to the pandemic situation and the uncertainty surrounding the American Hockey League (Lehigh Valley Phantoms), the Flyers can carry up to six extra players on their roster.

Fletcher indicated the taxi squad will be a mix of prospects and possibly a few experienced players (such as defenseman Mark Friedman). There will be one goalie on the taxi squad.

The AHL hopes to get going in early February.

Burlington County Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181017 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers 'pleased' with 56-game division-only schedule

By Rob Parent, [email protected] @ReluctantSE on Twitter

The Flyers seemingly got off easy when it came to assessing one of the most challenging seasons in league history. It's a history which twice featured shortened seasons and once cancelled a season altogether.

With fans still presumably absent from arenas at least to start the season, the league is trying to address not only strict coronavirus safety protocols, but a massive loss of revenues across the board in 2020.

The league split into four geographically based divisions of eight teams each, except for the seven-team all-Canadian North Division. During a 56-game regular season, teams will only play games within their division. Although games won't be played in a so-called "bubble" as the playoffs in Toronto and Edmonton instituted, travel will be severely restricted.

For the Flyers, who reportedly check in with fiscal losses approaching $150 million, it appears the only air travel they'll incur will be to Boston, Buffalo and Pittsburgh. The other cities they could bus to include the New York (for the Rangers and Islanders), New Jersey and Washington.

The teams within this East Division will play each other eight times, four at home and four on the road. And games will usually be played in two- game sets. For example, the Flyers' first two games of the season are at home on Jan. 13 and 15, both against the Penguins.

As for playing on consecutive days, the Flyers only have eight of those situations on the season.

"I’m really pleased with our schedule. Obviously, we’re in an incredibly difficult division, it was very difficult last season and certainly isn’t any easier this season," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Wednesday. "Certainly every game will be difficult. In terms of schedule construction, it’s better than I anticipated. We only have eight back to backs. We obviously don’t change time zones.

"In terms of our division, I don’t think any of us can have any complaints. I’m sure we’re going to have the fewest air miles flown."

As for playing their logistically and historically close rivals such as the New York teams, the Bruins and the Penguins so often, Fletcher added, "It’ll be great. Again, it’s a hard division. Last year, I felt we had the best division in the league, and I think it’s the same this year.

"In terms of re-establishing rivalries and renewing a few others, I think it will be tremendous. It will be great for our fans."

From a TV standpoint, that is.

As for fans eventually being allowed back into Wells Fargo Center, don't hold your breath. But the club said it will keep in close contact with the league powers and officials to see if a semblance of a fan- return plan can be hashed out at some point during the season, tentatively set to run through early May.

"I’m just thrilled we get a chance to play," Fletcher said. "The league and the union did a tremendous job getting this all together. It’s going to be exciting. It’s equal footing for everybody."

Fans in place or not, the Flyers don't anticipate making Wells Fargo Center a nice place to visit.

"Obviously there’s no fans this year, but it’s a tough building to get two points in," center Kevin Hayes said Tuesday. "Hartsy (goalie Carter Hart) feels comfortable playing on that ice. We’re a tough team at home."

Delaware County Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181018 Philadelphia Flyers are seven teams that haven’t had games since last March. It’s going to be a different start for a lot of players and a lot of teams."

2. Lindblom's rebuild 'Amazingly talented young man,' the top D-pair, roster talk and more on Speaking of a talented young forward vying to be a regular contributor Flyers again, the 24-year-old Lindblom is doing well, Fletcher and head coach said.

BY JORDAN HALL Lindblom was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma last December. In July, he completed his radiation treatments at Pennsylvania Hospital and was deemed without evidence of cancer. In September, he inspirationally returned to the Flyers' lineup in the second round of the 2020 Stanley At the beginning of last season, the Flyers played in four different Cup Playoffs. countries over the span of 13 days, a stretch that started with an exhibition game in Lausanne, Switzerland. Prior to his diagnosis, Lindblom was tied for the 2019-20 team lead in goals with 11 and was projected to finish with 30. For the entirety of the 2020-21 regular season, the Flyers won't leave the Northeast. "He’s doing really well," Fletcher said. "Obviously, he was cleared to return to play in the bubble and he played two games in there. Since that The Flyers are getting closer to the start of an unprecedented season time, he’s had a tremendous offseason. He’s been able to rebuild his with significant adjustments required because of the coronavirus body, if you will, and regain some of the muscle mass he lost during his outbreak. The Flyers will be one of eight teams in a realigned East treatments last spring and summer. He’s in a really good shape Division. The club's shortened schedule was released Wednesday, a 56- physically." game slate covering 116 days and featuring seven teams. Lindblom recently received news that he has remained cancer-free. "I’m really pleased with our schedule," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said Wednesday in a video interview. "Obviously, we’re in an "All of our players will get their preseason physicals in early January and incredibly difficult division. It was very difficult last season and certainly at that point, we’ll find out if there are any issues," Fletcher said. "We’re isn’t any easier this season. The quality of the competition will be high, anticipating no problems at this point. Oskar looks good." that’s exciting. Every game will be difficult. 3. Provorov's new sidekick "In terms of schedule construction, it’s better than I anticipated. We only have eight back-to-backs, we obviously don’t change time zones. In A big storyline entering training camp is the competition for who will take terms of our division, I don’t think any of us can have any complaints. I’m Matt Niskanen's top-pair spot alongside Ivan Provorov. sure we’ll have the fewest air miles flown. There’s going to be more Philippe Myers and Travis Sanheim are clear-cut candidates. Myers, who recovery time than I think I anticipated." turns 24 years old in January and has bubbling upside, will be asked to Let's get into five takeaways after Fletcher's media availability ahead of play a much larger role. The 24-year-old Sanheim is only getting better. the Jan. 3 start to training camp. Both played together down the stretch and showed plenty of promise.

1. Perspective on Patrick "I really like Sanheim and Myers together," Fletcher said. "I think they have great chemistry, I like the way they complement each other, I like It has not been an easy road for Nolan Patrick, who is aiming to the way they play the game and I like that they're both continuing to participate in his first Flyers training camp practice since September evolve and develop into really good National Hockey League 2018. After missing all of last training camp and the 2019-20 season with defensemen. But ultimately that will be up to A.V. and his coaching staff a migraine disorder, Patrick has made progress. There's optimism for the to decide. My conversations with A.V., I think we’re open-minded to 22-year-old center's status as Flyers players undergo their pre-camp anything. We could have different pairings depending on the time of the physical examinations on Jan. 3, which is around when the team will game, the score of the game, a lot of it's going to depend on health and learn if Patrick is cleared for contact. how players are performing."

The Flyers did not add a forward during the flat-cap offseason. There's a Fletcher said he believes Myers has the ability to eat up some of good chance nobody will remember that if the Flyers get Patrick and Niskanen's penalty-kill duties. Oskar Lindblom back in the fold and they're making an impact the way the club believes those two can when they're healthy. "Phil did not kill a lot last year for us," Fletcher said. "That’s a role I think he can excel at as he gains experience in the league. We’re excited "Nolan, I watched him skate today; he’s an amazingly talented young about Phil’s future and I think there’s opportunity for Phil to take on a man," Fletcher said. "He looked great, feels good. We’ll wait for the bigger role, regardless of the pair that he’s in." doctors to meet with him for the preseason physical. Life is unpredictable, we saw that last year. I certainly can’t make predictions on 4. Any moves on the horizon? anybody, but I think we’re in a good shape going into camp and we’re Fletcher said he anticipates the club's current group making up the roster excited to get these two players back." heading into the season. There's no denying Patrick's talent when watching him skate. We saw it "We’re not entertaining any free-agent signings at this point in time," last training camp when he would do solo work with skills coach Angelo Fletcher said. "You never know on trades. It’s been relatively quiet, at Ricci. You leave impressed and envisioning him back in the Flyers' least on our front. I think October was a pretty busy month, a lot of lineup. communication; things have seemed to quiet down since then. We like But as great as it is for the club and its fans to see his talent, that our team, we like our group and I like the fact that we have a little bit of obviously is not the doubt regarding his ability to help the Flyers. We'll cap space to make adjustments as we may need to in-season." have to see what's next for Patrick come January, when important next The Flyers signed defenseman Erik Gustafsson to a one-year deal and steps to his return could be made. Once Patrick was diagnosed with the like their in-house prospects providing depth at forward. migraine disorder back in September 2019, there was going to be a multistep process to his return and he has made positive steps, which "Let’s see what we have in camp," Fletcher said. "Let’s see how some of should rightfully yield optimism. these players perform and get into the season. I’m sure there will be surprises, both positive and negative that we have to deal with. We When Patrick may be cleared, could the Flyers be conservative with should have the ability to do those things in a proactive manner if need bringing him back into games? be once the season starts." "I guess we’ll have to wait and see how things are going with Patty and 5. The taxi squad how he feels," Fletcher said. "I don’t know that you take it slowly. I mean, if anything, everybody’s basically on the same page right now. Nobody’s In the 2020-21 season, teams will be allowed to loan a minimum of four in midseason shape. In some ways, this might be the best time to and a maximum of six players to their "taxi squad," as the league is reintroduce players back in. I know he hasn’t played in a while, but there calling it, a group that will be permitted to travel and practice with the team. Such players will be available to play but must be recalled and placed on the roster before the game, and no later than 5 p.m. ET the day of the game.

"The taxi squad’s basically going to be our top recalled players that will physically be in our own little bubble here in Voorhees with us," Fletcher said. "It will depend on performance in training camp, obviously the health of our roster and where we may need to fill. I think we anticipate having a 23-player roster this year; we have enough cap flexibility to easily carry 23, so we’ll build the taxi squad around those 23, in terms of performance in camp and health of our club. Obviously we’ll carry a third goalie (on the roster or taxi squad) and we’ll have to make other decisions as we see fit."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181019 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers' schedule released, featuring opportunities for 'bad blood'

BY JORDAN HALL

The get-to-know-you-well sprint that is the 2020-21 NHL season will begin with a bang for the Flyers as they open against the Penguins at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 13.

With four realigned divisions, the Flyers will play in the East group against the Bruins, Sabres, Devils, Islanders, Rangers, Penguins and Capitals. They'll play those clubs eight times apiece.

"It’s going to make for some interesting games," Kevin Hayes said Tuesday. "Playing the same team over and over again, eight times, there’s bound to be bad blood, there’s bound to be some big hits and big plays."

Some notes on the schedule:

• The Flyers have eight back-to-back sets.

• The Flyers' longest stretch of consecutive home games is four (twice).

• The Flyers' longest stretch of consecutive road games is five (Feb. 26- March 7).

• The Flyers' longest stretch of days between games is two.

• The Flyers will fly to Boston, Buffalo and Pittsburgh. They'll travel via bus to Washington, New Jersey and the two New York clubs.

"It becomes a lot like playoff hockey, you’re going to be playing back-to- backs against the same team, whether it’s in your building or on the road," Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said Monday. "It’s going to be a little bit different, but at the end of the day, you’re trying to win games so that you can get into the playoffs and have an opportunity to compete for the Stanley Cup. We’re going to be in a tough battle, but I really believe that our group, once we all get back to Philly, is going to be excited, is going to be ready for this challenge and this opportunity.”

In 2019-20, the Flyers went 7-4-2 in the first game of back-to-back sets and 6-5-2 in the second game. They were 24-7-1 after they had one day between games and 9-7-3 after two days between games.

Carter Hart played only once on no days rest during the regular season and it was in relief duty. In his only back-to-back scenario of the playoffs, the 22-year-old shut out the Canadiens in Game 4 of the first-round series but then allowed four goals in a 5-3 Game 5 loss. Hart played a lot on no days rest in his junior hockey career, during the WHL regular season and playoffs.

Regardless of the back-to-back trends, veteran backup Brian Elliott will be an important piece to the Flyers' goals of clinching a playoff berth and making a run.

The Flyers open training camp Jan. 3 in Voorhees, New Jersey, where the roster construction will get underway.

“A shortened schedule but a more condensed schedule, if ever we’re going to need depth at all positions, it’s going to be this year," Vigneault said. “We’re going to be playing four games in six nights, a lot of back-to- backs, you’re going to need depth throughout the lineup.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181020 Pittsburgh Penguins Capable of killing penalties and mixing it up physically, Lafferty can do a little of everything in a bottom-six slot. With a grinder of a condensed schedule this upcoming season as well as the potential for players being sidelined due to the coronavirus, there figures to be ample opportunity for Penguins A to Z: Sam Lafferty has a job, now he needs a role Lafferty to be useful to the Penguins’ coaches once again.

SETH RORABAUGH Tribune Review LOADED: 12.24.2020 Wednesday, December 23, 2020 10:48 p.m.

As the NHL prepares for a new season scheduled to start in mid- January, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by- player look at all 48 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Sam Lafferty

Position: Center

Shoots: Right

Age: 25

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 195 pounds

2019-20 NHL statistics: 50 games, 13 points (six goals, seven assists)

2019-20 AHL statistics: Six games, three points (three goals, zero assists)

Contract: First year of a two-year contract with a salary cap hit of $750,000. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Acquired: Fourth-round draft pick (No. 113 overall), June 28, 2014

Last season: When Sam Lafferty made his NHL debut on Oct. 8, 2019, it was quite the occasion. A native of Hollidaysburg, he joined a limited fraternity of Western Pennsylvanians who had played for the Penguins.

A kid who grew up watching Sidney Crosby getting to skate with him? It was a nice story.

A nicer story, as it turned out, was the fact that Lafferty was much more than a local who got a chance with the Penguins. He was a viable contributor who was relied upon in a variety of roles when injuries sidelined many of the Penguins veteran forwards.

He was a legit NHL player.

Salary cap concerns forced Lafferty, who was still exempt from waivers, to make a handful of trips across the state between Pittsburgh and Northeast Pennsylvania as he was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on three occasions during the regular season.

But he proved he was an NHL player, particularly with a strong first 21 games of the season when he put up 10 points (four goals, six points), primarily in a bottom-six role while averaging 11:57 of ice time.

The rigors of the NHL game appeared to catch up with Lafferty, however. In his final 29 games, he could only generate three points (two goals, one assist) and saw his time on ice dip to an average of 7:56 over that span.

After halting play in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL staged a postseason tournament starting in August that included expanded rosters. Lafferty was part in the group of players the Penguins took to Toronto and even made his playoff debut, appearing in one game.

A restricted free agent this offseason, Lafferty was re-signed Oct. 8.

The future: Given Lafferty’s success last season, his new one-way contract and that the NHL will once again operate with expanded rosters in the 2020-21 season, Lafferty will have a job with the NHL club. But he’s still looking for a role.

As one of the few right-handed forwards capable of taking a faceoff, he’ll always have value on a roster dominated by southpaw centers, even if his faceoff winning percentage wasn’t that impressive (49.6%) last season. 1181021 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins’ 2020-21 schedule released, includes only division foes

SETH RORABAUGH

Wednesday, December 23, 2020 3:39 p.m.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ rivalries with the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals feature some of the most heated blood-feuds in the history of the NHL.

They are born out of geography but also out of frequency, having met one another so often on so many stages.

In other words, they don’t like one another because they see each other too much.

The 2020-21 season, which will take place only in the 2021 calendar year, will amplify that.

On Wednesday, the NHL released schedules that will feature division- only play during the regular season.

That means the Penguins will face everyone in the new, temporary East Division eight times. And oftentimes, they will face them in consecutive games in the same city.

First on the schedule will be meetings with their familiar foes in Philadelphia. The Penguins and Flyers will meet Jan. 13 at Wells Fargo Center then square off again Jan. 13 at the same venue.

The Penguins’ first home games will follow against the Capitals at PPG Paints Arena on Jan. 17 and 19.

Each team is scheduled to play 56 games strictly against division foes.

For the Penguins, that means they will be limited to contests against the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Flyers and Capitals.

Their regular season is scheduled to conclude May 8 with a home game against the Sabres.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the NHL wanted to limit travel — particularly because of the indefinite closure of the United States-Canada border — and will stage only intradivision games this season. Should the Penguins qualify for the postseason, the first and second rounds also would be against East Division foes.

“Certainly, the East is a very strong division,” general manager Jim Rutherford said Tuesday. “It’s teams that are used to each other. We’ve got good rival teams in there. … It will, obviously, be very competitive.”

The idea of staging regular season “series” in the same city — similar to an NCAA hockey or MLB schedule — is something many players — most notably Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews — have suggested for several years in order to reduce the number of hours players and staff are physically traveling during the season. The unique nature of this pandemic-delayed season appears to offer a chance to experiment with that theory.

Game times will be announced at a later date.

Tribune Review LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181022 Pittsburgh Penguins pestilence. He may, on occasion, be asked to dress as the backup, given the condensed schedule.

In the event Jarry and DeSmith are not available this upcoming season Penguins A to Z: Maxime Lagace has already been promoted for any reason, Lagace is a safe option to turn to, albeit on a limited basis. Should Jarry or DeSmith be absent long-term, management likely would look for a trade to, at the very least, supplement Lagace.

SETH RORABAUGH The real challenge for Lagace next season will be to maintain his game with so few actual games to play. Wednesday, December 23, 2020 12:36 p.m.

Tribune Review LOADED: 12.24.2020 As the NHL prepares for a new season scheduled to start in mid- January, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by- player look at all 48 individuals under NHL contract with the organization, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to high-profile trade acquisition Jason Zucker.

Maxime Lagace

Position: Goaltender

Catches: Left

Age: 27

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 190 pounds

2019-20 AHL statistics: 33 games, 22-7-3 record, 2.37 goals-against average, .919 save percentage, five shutouts

Contract: One-year, two-way contract with a salary cap hit of $700,000. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2022.

Acquired: Unrestricted free agent signing, Oct. 10, 2020

Last season: Maxime Lagace is no stranger to being the third goaltender in an NHL’s hierarchy. Much of his professional existence has come with that designation, or even lower.

In 2017-18, Lagace was pressed into service with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights when that organization’s top three goaltenders — Marc- Andre Fleury, Malcolm Subban and Oskar Dansk — went down with injury.

Lagace performed admirably during that stretch, appearing in 14 games and going 6-7-1 with a 3.92 goals-against average and an .867 save percentage before those ahead of him on the depth chart recovered and returned to net.

Since then, Lagace primarily has bounced around the American Hockey League ranks with the Chicago Wolves and Providence Bruins.

In 2019-20, Lagace was part of a fantastic platoon with Dan Vladar for the Bruins, who were the top team in the Eastern Conference before the AHL season was halted in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lagace’s 22 wins were a career high for him at any professional level, and his five shutouts, also a career-best, were the second-best total in the AHL last season.

When the NHL resumed play in August for a postseason tournament, Lagace was included on the Boston Bruins’ expanded roster but did not play in any games.

The future: Lagace has already received a promotion of sorts without even playing a game for the Penguins.

With the NHL making all teams carry a minimum of three goaltenders for the 2020-21 season, Lagace will inhabit that role for the Penguins behind starter Tristan Jarry and backup Casey DeSmith and, barring anything unforeseen, will not be assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton when the AHL opens play Feb. 5, as scheduled.

A veteran with some size, Lagace is a technically proficient goaltender. While he won’t make anyone forget some of the Penguins’ better No. 3 goaltenders of the past such as Wendell Young, Ty Conklin or , he’s a reliable and steady option for that role.

Ideally, Lagace doesn’t play a game, as that will mean Jarry and DeSmith weathered the 2020-21 campaign unscathed by injury or 1181023 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins to open 2020-21 season against Flyers

MIKE DEFABO

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

DEC 23, 2020 4:24 PM

When the NHL restructured its divisions for the shortened 2020-21 season, it decided to keep the Penguins close to two of their biggest rivals: the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals.

And they won’t have to wait long to see them.

The Penguins will drop the puck on the new season at Philadelphia on Jan. 13, the NHL announced on Wednesday. They’ll play a second game at the Flyers on Jan. 15 before traveling back to Pittsburgh for the home opener against the Capitals on Jan. 17. Game times have yet to be announced.

As a part of the unique season structure, the Penguins were placed into the new-look East Division. In addition to the Flyers and Capitals, the division includes the three teams in the New York City region (New York Rangers, New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils) and two Atlantic Division clubs (Boston Bruins and Buffalo Sabres).

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87), center Evgeni Malkin (71) and defenseman Kris Letang (58) react after losing to the Montreal Canadiens in an NHL hockey playoff game Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, in Toronto.

During the 56-game schedule, the Penguins play eight games against each of their division foes — four at home and four on the road. The overwhelming majority of the games will be played in two-game blocks in one city in order to reduce travel. The Penguins play the same opponent twice in a row 26 times.

That means just nine road trips. The longest one occurs April 1-11 and spans just five games — two at Boston, two at the New York Rangers and one at New Jersey. The longest Penguins' home stands are four games, which will occur five different times during the season.

The Penguins close out their season with a two-game set in Buffalo on May 6 and May 8. That will be followed by a 16-team playoff in which just four teams from each division qualify unlike in the past when as many as five teams from one division could earn a spot.

Competition will be fierce in a challenging East Division. It features four of the seven best teams from last year in terms of points percentage (Bruins, Capitals, Flyers and Penguins). Plus, the New York Islanders are not in that group but had the most postseason success, advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference Final. At least one of those clubs will miss out on the 2021 postseason.

The Penguins will begin to ramp up for their season on Jan. 3 when they open training camp at PPG Paints Arena.

The full schedule can be found below.

Post Gazette LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181024 Pittsburgh Penguins One could argue Guentzel was the Penguins’ team MVP prior to the injury, as he was leading the club in points (43) and goals (20). Not a huge surprise there. But what stood out was the way he seamlessly transitioned between centers. Countdown to camp: Will the long-term vision of the Jason Zucker trade be realized in 2021? Guentzel began the season as expected, skating next to Crosby. By every metric, they were a force, producing 57.69% of the high-danger scoring chances and 55.34% of the expected goals during five-on-five play, according to Natural Stat Trick. MIKE DEFABO Then Crosby went down. Somehow, Guentzel was even better. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sans Sid, coach Mike Sullivan basically threw his three best healthy DEC 23, 2020 10:06 AM players together on a line: Malkin, Rust and Guentzel. They controlled more than 60% of the high-danger chances and 60% of the expected goals. In the more traditional metrics, Guentzel tallied 12 goals and 17 To count down the days until Penguins training camp, Pittsburgh Post- assists to lead the Penguins to a 14-5-3 record without Crosby. Gazette beat writers Matt Vensel and Mike DeFabo will dive into a new hockey topic each weekday until the first puck rattles the Plexiglass at It was fun to wonder, when Crosby gets back, might Sullivan entertain PPG Paints Arena. Today we will look at the left wingers. the idea of keeping that line together? We never got to find out.

When Jake Guentzel’s 2019-20 regular season ended with a loud, While Guentzel flourished with Crosby out, the Penguins’ captain clearly dangerous crash into the boards on Dec. 30, it left the Penguins missed his left winger over the back stretch of the season. Crosby got searching for top-six wingers. dealt a mashup of wingers when he returned. The Penguins controlled just 45.32% of the high-danger chances and 48.6% of the expected goals The Alex Galchenyuk experiment had failed — and failed quite with Crosby skating between a rotating cast of wingers. Both of those miserably. Dominik Kahun was recovering from a concussion. And the stats were worse than the Penguins’ team averages with neither Crosby other options were, well, less-than-ideal. nor Guentzel on the ice.

Insert Jason Zucker. The Penguins sent their best defensive prospect in Odds are, Guentzel will start the season and play the overwhelming Calen Addison, their 2021 first-round pick and Galchenyuk to Minnesota majority of the time alongside the Penguins’ captain this year. The other in exchange for Zucker. main scoring line is likely to feature Zucker at left wing, Malkin at center and at right wing. Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) celebrates with defenseman Marcus Pettersson (28) after scoring the second of his two But maybe, just for fun, we’ll see that Guentzel–Malkin–Rust line at some goals during the third period of the team's NHL hockey game against the point this season. New Jersey Devils, Tuesday, March 10, 2020, in Newark, N.J. Will McCann settle into a position? Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford had long-coveted Zucker because of his speed and playmaking ability. Months earlier, he Had you asked Jared McCann two years ago what position he plays, he appeared to have a deal in place to acquire Zucker before wouldn’t have hesitated. Center, of course. nixed it. The second effort and the connection with new Minnesota GM From youth hockey and the OHL to the Vancouver Canucks and the Bill Guerin made the trade happen after all. Florida Panthers, McCann always made his living in the middle. During the regular season, Zucker transitioned smoothly to the Penguins. However, when the Penguins acquired McCann and Nick Bjugstad from In 15 games, he scored six goals and recorded six assists. His role Florida during the 2018-19 season, McCann’s job description changed. during the regular season was to mostly fill the void created by For the first time in his life, he became a winger. Guentzel’s injury and play alongside Sidney Crosby. But what is he now? Now, with Guentzel healthy after shoulder surgery, the long-term vision It seems the Penguins are still trying to decide exactly where McCann fits of that trade will begin to be realized. best into their system. Last year, he began the year as the third-line With Guentzel and Zucker, the Penguins have two left wingers to play winger. That soon changed when the roster was ravaged by injury. With with their star centers. What looked like such a weakness in the middle of Malkin hurt for most of the first month, Crosby out the next several and last season should be one of the Penguins' strengths this year. And it then Bjugstad limited to just 13 games, McCann reclaimed his familiar could be that way for some time. Zucker is signed through the 2022-23 role at center. season on a deal that carries at $5.5 million average annual value, while He eventually earned the nod in the middle for the postseason, as well, Guentzel is on contract through 2023-24 with a $6 million average annual skating between Patrick Marleau and Patric Hornqvist. But when that line value. struggled in the shortened series, McCann became the player Sullivan Zucker, 28, said when he joined the Penguins that Mike Sullivan’s up- sent to the press box as a healthy scratch. tempo system is like “night and day” different than what he was used to Now, when the season starts, McCann will be one of the great X-factors. with the Wild. However, in the long term, that should be a good thing. He’s scheduled to start out on the left wing with newly acquired center Playing within a system that showcases his best attribute — his speed — Mark Jankowski and right winger Evan Rodrigues. should set Zucker up for success as he becomes more comfortable and builds chemistry with his linemates. Those latter two signed prove-it, one-year, veteran minimum contracts. But McCann may be the one with the most to prove. He was one of the Will Guentzel pick back up where he left off? Penguins’ most-productive forwards through the early stretch last Scoring 40 goals in a season is no small feat. It takes the perfect season, scoring 14 goals and tallying 14 assists in 44 games. However, confluence of speed, skill, luck, linemates and — as Guentzel found out he failed to find the back of the net in the final 22 games. last year — health. The Penguins inked McCann to a two-year deal this offseason with an Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87), center Evgeni Malkin average annual value of $2,940,000. At 24 years old, he is still a young (71) and defenseman Kris Letang (58) react after losing to the Montreal man who has yet to reach his ceiling. He’s already been part of three Canadiens in an NHL hockey playoff game Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, in different organizations in his brief career and been asked to change Toronto. positions.

The 26-year-old winger was right on pace for his second consecutive 40- Finding a way to settle into a role and get comfortable may help McCann goal season when his skates collided with Thomas Chabot. Even as recapture the scoring touch he showed early in his Penguins tenure. Guentzel was flying head-first into the wall, his last touch on the puck in Does Aston-Reese’s injury absence open the door? the 2019-20 regular season ended up in the back of the net for his 20th goal of the year. No Penguins trio stuck together more last season than left winger Zach Aston-Reese, center Teddy Blueger and right winger Brandon Tanev. However, with Aston-Reese recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, a position battle could be brewing — at least in the short term.

The club initially projected Aston-Reese will be sidelined until about mid- February. During that first month, maybe Tanev flips to his natural left side. That would open the door for righties like Sam Lafferty and Colton Sceviour. Or, maybe 2019 first-round pick Sam Poulin can make the team for the first time out of camp to fill one of these holes. Dartmouth product Drew O'Connor is another dark-horse candidate to watch on the roster's fringe.

It will be a story to follow in camp, for sure. Then, when Aston-Reese gets healthy, can any of those players hold him off to keep their spot in the lineup?

Post Gazette LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181025 Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins 2020-21 schedule: 9 thoughts, plus a full list of games

By Sean Gentille

Dec 23, 2020

We knew what to expect from the NHL schedule, generally speaking, ahead of the Wednesday afternoon drop. It’d be 56 games starting in mid-January, played solely between teams among the (temporarily) shuffled divisions.

Still, it was wild to actually see it laid out. It’s really short, and the back-to- back format evokes baseball more than anything else.

In any case, it’s here, about three weeks before the games begin, and it’s still worth analyzing. Here are a few thoughts (with the Penguins’ entire schedule at the bottom).

1. The Penguins play 26 two-game series with two one-offs apiece against the Islanders and Devils, all on the road, and all sandwiched between other games against New York-area teams — so the travel is, functionally, a wash. They probably won’t even need to change hotels. Their entire home schedule is composed of two-game series. All of that seems like a recipe for extra shenanigans between teams; normally, if there’s a line brawl, you hear stuff like “The rematch in four weeks will be interesting.” Now, there’s a good chance it’ll be in 24 hours.

2. Opening night is Jan. 13, and they’re in Philadelphia for one of four league-wide games. It’s also one of their four two-game road trips. They have nine road trips overall: the two-gamers, one three-gamer, three four-gamers and one season-long five-game trip at the start of April to Boston, New York and New Jersey.

3. Things ramp up quickly. Six of their first eight games, including the Jan. 17 home opener against the Capitals, are against teams that bypassed the qualifying round of the 2020 playoffs.

4. By my count, they’re looking at about 13 sets of flights, all exceedingly short. Two trips to Boston are the longest on the board, and that takes less than 90 minutes for lowly commercial flyers. Certainly beats West Coast swings. Their last one did not go well; zero points in three February games against the Kings, Ducks and Sharks.

5. There are only six back-to-backs, which bodes well if you’d like to see them maximize the number of starts for Tristan Jarry. However, there are never more than two days between games. Good for watching hockey … not great for playing it.

6. Eight games of Sidney Crosby vs. Alexis Lafreniére? Fine by me. Eight games apiece against the Caps and Flyers, separated by less than four months? That’ll be interesting.

7. None of their games, at this point, will occur in front of fans. The Stars, Coyotes, Panthers and Lightning all plan on allowing spectators into their arenas, but they aren’t on the Penguins’ schedule.

8. The end of the season could be rough. They play two games against Boston, then two apiece in Washington and Philadelphia before finishing up at home against the Sabres. The glass-half-full view is that they close out against the weakest team in the division, but the run-up looms large, with points at a premium and four playoff spots allocated for eight teams — four of whom are coming off runs past the playoff qualifier. We know how that went for the Penguins.

9. Training camp opens Jan. 3. The playoffs start on May 11. The latest possible date of the Stanley Cup Final is July 9.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181026 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins Bringing Legare to Training Camp

Published on December 23, 2020

By Dan Kingerski

Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Nathan Legare impressed Penguins scouts and coaches enough in his first training camp to earn his three-year entry-level contract before departing for Baie-Comeau of the QMJHL and the 2019-20 season.

The Penguins prospect winger with a wicked wrist shot and stocky frame will get another training camp to impress. On Wednesday afternoon, a source with direct knowledge confirmed to PHN the Penguins invited Legare to the abbreviated Penguins 2020-21 training camp, which will begin on Jan. 3 at PPG Paints Arena.

The Penguins will begin their season on Jan. 13 in Philadelphia. The full schedule is here.

The goal-scoring winger popped 35 goals last season with Baie-Comeau and 45 goals two seasons ago. This season, he scored eight goals in 14 games before the QMJHL shut down due to the pandemic.

Legare, 19, was the Penguins third-round pick (74th overall) in the 2019 NHL Draft. Penguins GM Jim Rutherford reacquired a third-round pick to select Legare. The 6-foot 208-pound right-winger impressed with his wrist shot but acknowledged his skating had to improve to play in the NHL.

Nathan Legare was the captain of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar but has been traded to Val d’Or Foreurs. Legare has not yet played for Val-d’Or Foreurs. The QMJHL scheduled the resumption of play for Jan. 22.

Legare’s friend and fellow Penguins draftee Sam Poulin both figure to be in training camp. Poulin was the Penguins’ 2019 first-round pick (21st overall) and plays for the QMJHL’s . The league also shut down Poulin’s season.

Team Canada invited Poulin to the World Juniors training camp, but Poulin did not make the final squad.

The Pittsburgh Penguins also invited Poulin to the shortened training camp in July before the NHL Qualifying Round. However, Poulin was one of nine players who were quarantined after secondary exposure to the coronavirus. He showed well in the scrimmages but did not have enough time to make the team or the Black Aces travel squad.

Pittsburgh Hockey NowLOADED: 12.24.2020 1181027 Pittsburgh Penguins We don’t think Erik Haula is completely off the table based on chatting with sources but don’t get your hopes up. UPDATE:

Moments after publishing, Haula signed a one-year, $1.75 million deal One-Timers: UFAs, NHL Trade Market, Penguins Lines with Nashville. The Penguins missed out, bigly.

3. Tampa Bay Lightning and NHL Effects

Published on December 23, 2020 Tampa Bay either kicked off the trading or further clogged the NHL trade market by signing Erik Cernak and Jan Rutta. The team is almost 10% By Dan Kingerski over the salary cap and won’t get below without serious maneuvers.

They also signed Alexander Volkov (no relation to Nikolai) on Wednesday morning. Yet, their prized RFA, Anthony Cirelli, remains Call me a cynic with a naive and optimistic streak, but I believe the NHL unsigned. is going to pull off this miraculous season without a hitch. I don’t think the Canadian politicians have left themselves enough wiggle room to actually It’s a dramatic game of chicken that will begin player movement or cost allow the NHL with all of its extreme precautions to play at home, but the Tampa Bay dearly. One thinks Julien Brisbois wouldn’t start splashing NHL will figure it out. As we tee up the puck, I’ll also hit the Pittsburgh the cash unless he were sure he could make it work. If he’s right, it Penguins in the one-timers, too. should affect all teams, including the Penguins.

I also believe the 2020-21 NHL season is in good hands. Commissioner 4. Sidney Crosby Gary Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daley have proven their wartime bonafides and been brilliant throughout the 2020 pandemic. We hear that Sidney Crosby has been working out like a maniac. Crosby is determined to remain elite, and he’s determined to play hockey well The one-timers posts are columns of opinion, inside tidbits that aren’t past what others would consider “normal” playing years. quite a full news story, and anything else from the top of my Diet Coke addled mind. Also, make sure to vote in the poll! Of course, overly strenuous workouts also have a downside, evidenced by his sports hernia (core muscle surgery) last season. 1. Pittsburgh Penguins Lines If there’s a player alive who could be the next Jaromir Jagr, it’s Crosby. The numbers and eye tests were clear to me. Jake Guentzel with Evgeni Of course, if a player could be the next Steve Yzerman, a star player Malkin and Jason Zucker with Sidney Crosby is a more potent duo than turned star GM, it’s also Crosby. Zucker with Malkin. Much of the Pittsburgh Penguins season in the stacked Atlantic Division I also believe it’s clear the Pittsburgh Penguins coaches disagree. We’ve depends on a good year from No. 87. been over the numbers and extrapolations. Zucker and Malkin combined for one goal in 60 minutes of play. Further, I didn’t think they had an 5. Canadian and California Regulations. ounce of chemistry. That’s not a knock on Zucker or Malkin. Sometimes, I work hard to avoid politics here. Many of you have thanked me for such, it just doesn’t work. and the thanks usually go both ways. Below, my internal philosophy will The top-six from our vantage point: bleed through. I don’t think you’ll need a safe space.

Zucker – Crosby – Kapanen When you give up too much power, you never get it back.

Guentzel – Malkin – Rust There isn’t a logical reason why the Canadian teams cannot play in their home rink. Daily testing. Strict social rules. In its new protocols, the NHL Where Should Guentzel Play? even mandated infected players undergo a battery of heart tests to receive approval to return to play. With Crosby My two cents, because it is my column after all, is politicians are taking With Malkin their mandate too far. The bottom lines are where the surprises are hiding. Perhaps head The NHL has gone well beyond adequate protections against COVID. coach Mike Sullivan will run out of time to try a few combinations. Or, Yet, Canadian authorities and California politicians are chasing away perhaps his veteran team won’t need as much time to gel, and he can their teams in a public show of power. Edicts trump common sense. seek the best lineup. That’s a problem. Insert Sam Poulin, and the bottom six looks dramatically different. Will The hotels and restaurants near the arenas cannot be happy, either. the youngster have enough time in a 10-day camp to prove his worth? He could stick around for seven games. PHN continues to hear the NHL could uncork an out-of-the-box solution that surprises everyone. We chatted with a QMJHL source on Monday, who dished praise for Poulin. We’ll have more, but one quote stuck out.

“He adapts to players around him,” the source said. Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020 Poulin – McCann – Tanev/Lafferty

Without Poulin:

McCann — Jankowski – Tanev

Rodrigues – Blueger – Sceviour

Though I can’t help but wonder what a Nolan – Blueger – Rodrigues line would produce.

2. UFA Market

The Penguins could stash an extra $2.1 – $2.3 million on the taxi squad without harm and have over $3 million of salary-cap space.

Looking at the third line, count me as a little surprised Rutherford hasn’t kicked tires on Carl Soderberg. The reliable third-line center had 35 points last season (17g, 18a) and comes without risk.

Soderberg, 35, would bolster the Penguins lineup for peanuts and assuredly keep McCann on the LW. 1181028 Pittsburgh Penguins

Dan’s Daily: NHL Changes Off-Side Rule, Penguins Not Pursuing UFAs

Published on December 23, 2020

By Dan Kingerski

The NHL changed the off-side rule, released their advanced medical protocols and safety procedures for COVID-19, teams are unveiling their helmet advertisements, and the Pittsburgh Penguins don’t appear to be shopping for any of the remaining UFAs.

How’s that for an opening sentence with some meat on the bone?

We’ll start with the Penguins. After an afternoon of digging, the Penguins aren’t pursuing the most notable free agents. Though they have checked in on at least one (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

In the story, we explained how the Penguins will have well more than the listed $1.3 million of cap space. And, I’m a little surprised GM Jim Rutherford hasn’t expressed interest in Carl Soderberg.

Never again will hockey fans be tortured with celebrating a goal, then watching five minutes of super zoomed, slow-motion replays to see if a player’s skate was actually on the ice as he crossed the blue line (NHLPA.com)

You can also read the NHL’s full medical protocol. The NHL has gone above and beyond for player safety, including daily tests for the first four weeks, and holding infected players out of competition until they not only have negative tests but pass heart tests, too. On the road, rules essentially confine players to the hotel and the rink. And, teams must purchase two hotel rooms for each player, so if a player tests positive he must immediately quarantine in that city.

* COVID-19 Protocol

* Positive Test Protocol

* Travel Protocol

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Deryk Engelland retired. In Pittsburgh, fans will remember the gritty d-man for pounding in a fight and being a “salt of the Earth” guy. In Las Vegas, he will always be THE first Golden Knight and community pillar (Vegas Hockey Now)

Sound the opening bell. The Tampa Bay Lightning are now well over the salary cap.

It’s about time someone moved forward. Tampa Bay signed forward Erik Cernak to a three-year, $8.85 million deal ($2.95 AAV), and defenseman Jan Rutta to a $1.3 million deal. Tampa Bay is now almost 10% over the salary cap (Raw Charge)

The San Jose Sharks are officially going to open camp in Arizona and begin their season in the desert. Sheng Peng broke the news (San Jose Hockey Now)

Get this — Elliotte Friedman suggested the Sharks could be forced to play in … Kansas City. Here’s Freidman’s podcast. The K.C news is at 6:30 (Sportsnet)

Canadian politicians are taking a firm line on the NHL. Ontario Premier Doug Ford says no decisions have been made to allow (or disallow) the Toronto Maple Leafs to play in Toronto (CBC)

At some point, adults have to be allowed to make decisions for themselves. But that’s my philosophy. It seems almost preposterous to me that the NHL can propose such complete and sweeping protections but be held up by politicians.

And Conor Sheary signed with the Washington Capitals. To celebrate, he chose Jack Johnson’s number (Russian Machine Never Breaks)

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181029 San Jose Sharks After staying in a hotel together for the duration of a two-week training camp that starts Dec. 31, the Sharks will be on the road for at least their first eight games of the season. The Sharks will remain in the Phoenix area to play the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena in Glendale on Jan. Bob Boughner’s most important job for San Jose Sharks may come off 14 and 16, then travel to play two games each against St. Louis, the ice Minnesota and Colorado.

The Sharks’ first scheduled game at SAP Center, should it be allowed to take place by Santa Clara County health authorities, is Feb. 1 against the By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Vegas Golden Knights. Area News Group From Boughner’s perspective, maybe all this time together can be a good PUBLISHED: December 23, 2020 at 5:14 p.m. | UPDATED: December thing. 23, 2020 at 7:08 p.m. “If you had asked me last season what this team probably could have

used from a chemistry standpoint, from a culture standpoint. I would have The San Jose Sharks will no doubt be working on fundamentals, said a training camp where we all get away together, and then have no implementing new systems, evaluating young players and improving their distractions, and probably a good, long road trip to start the season,” power play when they begin training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona in a Boughner said. “I think that this is a little more than I wish for, but I think week’s time. it’s going to be a good thing for us.”

Just as critical to coach Bob Boughner will be rebuilding the team’s cohesion, which fell apart during a turbulent 2019-20 season. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 12.24.2020 The Sharks, in their first year without former captain Joe Pavelski, were rarely on the same page as they stumbled to a 29-36-5 record and last- place finish in the Western Conference. The more the Sharks struggled, the worse things became, with goalie Martin Jones saying in May that, “when it started to spiral, we went our own ways instead of coming together.”

Now also without another emotional leader in Joe Thornton, who signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Sharks have to find a way to re- establish a winning culture.

“I think that’s one of the most important things I can do as a head coach this year,” said Boughner, who was named the Sharks’ full-time coach in September. “Obviously, you’re going to miss (Thornton) just like as we missed (Pavelski), but it’s a way to pass a torch on to other guys.”

The last time the Sharks’ team chemistry came into question was after the playoff-less 2014-15 season.

Tensions between Thornton and Doug Wilson had bubbled to the surface a month before the season ended, with Thornton accusing the general manager of lying to season ticket holders about the circumstances under which Thornton lost the captaincy.

Although the issues between the two were soon resolved, it was clear at the end of the season that Thornton’s relationship with then-coach Todd McLellan had soured.

That offseason, McLellan and the Sharks parted ways, and Wilson went about trying to improve the chemistry in the room by signing free agents Joel Ward and Paul Martin — two team-first guys — to multi-year contracts. Pavelski was named the captain by new coach Pete DeBoer, and everyone, it seemed, was able to get a fresh start.

This offseason, the Sharks did bring in Devan Dubnyk and Ryan Donato via trade, and signed the affable Matt Nieto and franchise icon Patrick Marleau to one-year contracts. But Boughner is looking for other players already on the roster to now fully establish themselves as the team’s leaders.

Logan Couture will be in his second season as the Sharks’ captain this year and Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson and Tomas Hertl will continue to be the alternates, with one more alternate to be named before the regular season starts Jan. 13. Younger players, too, who have been in support roles in the past, have to also take ownership of the team.

“I think that the guys realize that when things weren’t going our way last year, that maybe we tried to fix everything individually and we went on our own page and it didn’t work,” Boughner said. “The good thing about coming back this year is they realize you learn from your mistakes and you learn from things that didn’t work.

“I’ve already addressed a lot of this during the offseason through video calls, and it’s something that I’m really going to key on and address when we get back together as a group. That’s a work in progress. But I know we have really good people and guys that really care, and guys that are out to prove everybody wrong and get back to where we belong.”

The Sharks will no doubt get a chance to be up close and personal with each other throughout January. 1181030 San Jose Sharks game regular season. Teams will play each other twice in a row to reduce costs at limit exposure.

There’s bound to be a bit more bellicosity when you play the same team Takeaways from Sharks’ schedule: Mental challenge will be greater than that amount of times over 15 weeks. Add the fact that every point will be physical one critical with only the top four teams in the division making the postseason, and the desperation level will be high.

COULD IT ALL PAY OFF LATER?: If the Sharks can make it though the By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay first five weeks of their schedule, when they play 14 of their first 18 Area News Group games on the road, they could be in good shape. Eighteen of their final 28 games are scheduled to be played in San Jose, although it is PUBLISHED: December 23, 2020 at 1:43 p.m. | UPDATED: December unknown when fans would be allowed inside SAP Center. 23, 2020 at 6:57 p.m. It’s not out of the question to suggest the Sharks will still be in the playoff

mix by then. They caught a break when it was announced Minnesota will The NHL released its regular season schedule Wednesday and as be part of the West Division, not Stanley Cup finalist Dallas. expected, the San Jose Sharks won’t be playing home games at SAP So assuming St. Louis, Colorado and Vegas take the top three sports, Center anytime soon. the Sharks would need to beat out Arizona, Anaheim, Los Angeles and The Sharks’ first eight games of the season will be away from San Jose, the Wild to get that fourth playoff spot. Not an impossible task if the as they start the year by playing two games each against Arizona, St. Sharks can stay healthy. Louis, Minnesota and Colorado from Jan. 14 to Jan 28. It is the Sharks’ Of the Sharks’ final 26 games, four come against Colorado and two come longest road trip of their 56-game season. against Vegas. Otherwise, they have six against Arizona, Los Angeles The first games the Sharks are scheduled to play in San Jose are Feb. 1 and Minnesota and two Anaheim. and 3 against the Vegas Golden Knights. However, Santa Clara County’s So for the Sharks, it’s all about staying afloat in the first few weeks of the ban on contact sports, as well as its mandatory 10-day quarantine for season. anyone traveling to the county from more than 150 miles away, may force those games to be relocated.

The county’s directives are in place until at least Jan. 8, and it is unclear San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 12.24.2020 whether they would be extended further into next month. The Sharks announced Sunday that their training camp would be held in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The Sharks said in a news release that the location of those home games in early February will announced at a later date, “in accordance with current local health directives.”

Here’s three takeaways from the Sharks’ schedule.

JANUARY WILL BE MORE A MENTAL CHALLENGE THAN A PHYSICAL ONE: The Sharks are scheduled to play on back-to-back nights 12 times — six times at home and six times on the road. On other occasions, they’ll play games every other night.

The Sharks, and every other NHL team, are used those type of challenges. The problem for the Sharks will be the amount of time they’ll be spending away from home, with no exact knowledge of when they’ll be able to return, see their families again and sleep in their own bed.

Sharks coach Bob Boughner said the team is still figuring out what they’re allowed to do once they arrive in Scottsdale. Whether wives and children can come to Arizona, or join the team on the road, is still being investigated. Whether the Sharks, too, can leave the hotel and go for a walk or maybe go golfing in Scottsdale is unknown, Boughner said.

Dallas Stars coach Rick Bowness said in August in the midst of his team’s playoff run that being in the bubble in Edmonton was an absolute grind.

“People don’t understand how hard it is, this bubble,” Bowness said. “It’s great that we’re playing and the league is back, but it’s tough.

“Until you’re living it day-to-day, you don’t understand what everyone is going through.”

Now, to be honest, there’s worse places to be in January than Scottsdale (hello Edmonton). We’re sure the hotel the Sharks will be staying at will have all of the amenities an NHL player is used to on the road.

Still, the Sharks are looking to get off to a good start and return to the playoffs, and who knows how they’ll feel by the end of the month and whether they’ll have dug themselves a hole they can’t escape.

THE INTENSITY WILL RAMP UP: Under normal circumstances in the NHL, a team might have to wait weeks to try and even the score if their opposition had gotten the better of them. Not so this year, where if you lose the first game of a series, you can come back one or two nights later to level things.

The Sharks are in the same division as Arizona, Anaheim, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, St. Louis and Vegas. Each team is scheduled to play each other eight times, four at home and four on the road, for a 56- 1181031 San Jose Sharks

Boughner believes road-heavy start could be good for Sharks

BY BRIAN WITT

The 2021 NHL season schedule was released Wednesday, and it laid out a daunting road ahead for the Sharks. Aside from the fact that three of the four best Western Conference teams from last season are members of the new West division that San Jose is now a part of, 14 of the Sharks' first 18 games will come on the road.

That would never occur in a typical season, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and Santa Clara County's resulting ban on contact sports has left the Sharks without the use of their usual home. The hope is that SAP Center will be available to them again at some point, which played a significant role in how San Jose's schedule was constructed.

The Sharks will hold training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona and will remain on the road throughout all of January. And even then, it's certainly possible their "home" games will be held far outside of the Bay Area. It will be an immense challenge for a Sharks team hoping to rebound from a last-place finish, but coach Bob Boughner actually thinks it could work in their favor.

In fact, he wishes the Sharks had a similar beginning to last season -- to a degree.

"I guess in this new world without any fans, walking into an opposition's building may not be quite the same as it was before," Boughner told reporters Wednesday. "It doesn't really give you a home-ice advantage. You're sleeping in your own bed maybe and those things are big and those things count, but if you were to ask me last season what this team could have used from a chemistry standpoint, from a culture standpoint, I would have said a training camp where we all get away together and have no distractions, and probably a good, long road trip to start the season.

"This is a little bit more than I wished for, but I think it's gonna be a good thing for us. I think we really need to spend some time together. I think the guys realize how grateful we are for a chance to get back on the ice, how much we missed it. As much as it's a challenge to start on the road early on, it could be a tool for us."

Aside from the potential team-building benefits the Sharks could experience starting the season on the road, Boughner sees another silver lining to the situation.

"The good thing is, if you come out on the good side of that, you're looking at our schedule and you look at parts of February and March and April and it's heavy home games," Boughner continued. "You hope that you're in a position, getting off to a solid start, that it's going to be an advantage for us in the end."

No matter how difficult of a start the Sharks will have this season, it can't end any worse than the last one.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181032 San Jose Sharks The penalty kill, inexplicably the NHL’s best last season despite the Sharks finishing in the Western Conference basement, will be overseen by Madden — a three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward. While the team isn’t Sharks are bracing for training camp and their first 8 games all away from likely to change much in terms of its penalty-killing philosophy, some new home players will have to take part, as mainstays like Barclay Goodrow and Melker Karlsson — who were on the Sharks’ top PK unit — are no longer

in the organization. By Kevin Kurz “The penalty kill when I watch and go through the analytics, it’s amazing Dec 23, 2020 how much structure there is in front of them, how well they trigger,” Madden said in September. “They have so many good aspects and details to their game.”

Three months ago, Bob Boughner uttered a line that turned out to be Madden will join the Sharks in Scottsdale; Thompson and Boughner are prescient. currently in San Jose. Put another way, one week before camp is set to begin, the full coaching staff hasn’t yet met all together in person. On Sept. 22, the day he was officially named as the Sharks’ ninth head coach, he said: “When you don’t play for nine or 10 months and someone “We spent a ton of time doing most of our work virtually, (on) Zoom calls,” says you’ve got two weeks to prepare for your first game, obviously that’s Boughner said. “During the summer, we had special projects on not the ideal situation. If that’s the case, we’ll deal with it.” individual players as well as talking and conversation through Zoom with different players. When it came to the team and systems and things like That’s almost exactly the case, as the Sharks will open training camp on that, we did all that from a distance.” Dec. 31, or 15 days ahead of the season opener against the Coyotes on Jan. 14 at Gila River Arena in Glendale, Ariz. Their first game will come The Sharks have made it clear that their priority is to return to San Jose 10 months and three days after their 2019-20 season was cut short on a as soon as they can. Their road-heavy schedule to start the season was chilly Chicago night on March 11. something they requested in order to kick the can a few weeks with the hope that the situation is improved and the county health restrictions are But it’s also not close the full story. Camp will be held in Scottsdale, Ariz., eased. as the Sharks are not permitted to practice in Santa Clara County due to restrictions designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. Further, the But could there be a benefit to spending so much time together on the Sharks’ first eight games and 12 of the first 14 will be in their opponents’ road after the lengthy offseason? After all, this is a team that had buildings because the Sharks and the league are unsure when they’ll be significant chemistry issues on and off the ice in 2019-20, stemming at allowed to play at SAP Center. The NHL revealed the full 56-game slate least in part from Joe Pavelski’s departure in the 2019 offseason. On far on Wednesday. too many nights, they played without passion or an identity. Now, they’ll have to overcome the loss of another beloved teammate in Joe Thornton, On Feb. 1, the Sharks are set to host the Vegas Golden Knights in what who has moved on to Toronto. will technically be their home opener. Where that game takes place, though, is anyone’s guess. The local ban on contact sports runs through When asked about establishing a better culture and fostering a tighter- Jan. 8 but is likely to be extended. The Sharks could play anywhere from knit group, Boughner said: “I think that’s one of the most important things San Jose to Glendale to maybe even Kansas City, Mo. “The location of I can do as a coach this year. Obviously, we need to pass the torch on to those home games will announced at a later date, in accordance with other guys, and Logan (Couture) being our captain has been underneath current local health directives,” the Sharks said in a statement. these guys for years now and I think we’re blessed to have guys like (Thornton) that left their mark on this team. But it’s time for the new group The pandemic-related complications are numerous for every professional to step up.” sports team in operation right now. The Sharks, though, are dealing with more than most. Having camp in Scottsdale, holed up in a hotel, followed by an eight- game road trip over 15 days means these guys are going to be around Along with picking up and moving their entire operation to another state, one another a whole lot. When asked if family members would be Boughner is starting his first season as full-time coach coach with new allowed to be with the players or what the players would be allowed to do assistants and John Madden joining the fray and will outside of the hotel and rink during camp, Boughner said those protocols be attempting to install some new systems without the benefit of any are still getting worked out. preseason games. They’ll also do their best to get a handle on which young players and prospects are deserving of a place in the lineup or on Boughner is hopeful, of course, that it will bring the group together. the “taxi squad” that is in place for the 2021 season only. “If you had asked me last season what this team probably could have “The biggest challenges for us is we feel that we’re bringing some used from a chemistry standpoint, from a culture standpoint, I would have change to the way we play,” Boughner said in a Zoom call on said a training camp where we all get away together and have no Wednesday, shortly after the schedule was released. “That window of distractions, and probably a good long road trip to start the season,” opportunity to try and get all those changes down and perfect them and Boughner said. “This is a little more than I would have wished for, but I make them become instinct in a matter of a couple weeks, that’s really think it’s going to be a good thing for us. what our focus has been on — planning the day-to-day (of) training camp, what those practice plans are going to look like, what we’re going “We need to spend some time together. I think the guys realize how to show on video, and how we’re going to get through practice. The grateful we are for a chance to get back on the ice and how much we biggest thing is not only getting all of this new information in and try to miss it. … The good thing is if you come out on the good side of that, you perfect it, (but) also making sure that practices are as game-speed as look at our schedule and parts of February, March and April, where it’s possible.” heavy on home games.”

In other words, it’s going to be a massive scramble. Later, though, The preferred location of those home games is obvious, as well as Boughner, took a broader view. unclear.

“We’re not recreating the wheel,” he said. “There’s going to be some “Hopefully we’re back here (in San Jose) sooner than later, and things things after (Pete DeBoer was fired) that we brought in (last season) that start turning for the better in our community,” Boughner said. need improvement, but the guys have already seen some of that on the offensive side of the puck. We’re definitely looking to get our D involved a lot more into the offense. … These guys are elite athletes, and The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 adjustments aren’t going to take them as long to feel comfortable with.”

Thompson, who joined the Sharks after three seasons manning the bench for the AHL Chicago Wolves, has already indicated there will be changes to the power play, which ranked 23rd in the league last season. “There are some creative ideas that we’re going to have for those players, and I think they’re going to love it,” he said in September. 1181033 San Jose Sharks Boughner, on who might join Logan Couture, Karlsson, Burns, and Tomas Hertl in getting a letter:

That’s a decision that we want to make probably through camp, just Boughner on Why Training Camp in Arizona “Good Thing,” Sharks’ Next before the season starts. We’ve talked about that as a staff already. We Alternate Captain want to just see how the first week or two play out in training camp.

We have some options we can go with. We don’t have to name one. We can name one. Published on December 23, 2020 Boughner, on Couture, Hertl, Karlsson, and Burns’s health: By Sheng Peng Logan looks good. Tommy Hertl looks good. I’ve talked to Karlsson a bunch over the phone. He seems like he’s feeling good. Even Burnzie was nicked up a little [last year]. Everybody sounds like they’re doing well Incoming head coach Bob Boughner has been in the lab for the last nine and healthy and ready to go. months, concocting a winning formula for the San Jose Sharks.

Well, not quite a lab, but he’s been in front of his laptop a lot, scheming with new assistant coaches Rocky Thompson and John Madden. San Jose Hockey NowLOADED: 12.24.2020 Boughner and Thompson are in San Jose, while Madden will meet them in Arizona after Christmas, in the lead-up to the opening of training camp on Dec. 31.

Instead of flying to Ottawa to meet up with Erik Karlsson or Texas to grill ’em up with Brent Burns, he’s also spent a lot of time on the phone or Zoom with his defensive kingpins.

“We’ve made it work,” Boughner said. “There’s that trust factor with the players that they’re doing what they need to do to get ready. From all my conversations, everything that I’ve seen, guys are doing the right things.”

He added, looking on the bright side: “Sometimes, you have a little bit more of a candid conversation when you’re long distance and on a computer.”

Boughner was all about being optimistic in his first media availability since September.

He even painted a rosy picture about the San Jose Sharks needing to hold training camp in Arizona and open the season on a eight-game road trip.

2021 NHL Schedule Released: Sharks Begin Season on 8-Game Road Trip

Here are some of the highlights from his availability:

Boughner, on on-the-ice changes we’ll see from the San Jose Sharks:

We’re looking to get our D involved a lot more in the offense. It’s going to be in-zone and up the ice. That will be one of our biggest changes.

Boughner, on what wrong last year:

I think the guys realized that when things weren’t going our way last year, that maybe we tried to fix things individually. We went on our own page and it didn’t work.

You learn from your mistakes, things that didn’t work. I already addressed a lot of this during the off-season through Zoom and it’s something that I’m going to key on and address when we get back together as a group. That’s a work in progress.

I know we have really good people, guys that really care, guys who are out to prove everybody wrong and get back to where we belong.

Boughner, on the bright side of starting training camp in a different state and the season on an eight-game road trip:

If you had asked me last season what this team probably could have used from a chemistry standpoint, from a culture standpoint, I would have said, a training camp where we all get away together and have no distractions — and probably a good long road trip to start the season. (laughs) Maybe this is a little more than I wish for. I think it’s going to be a good thing for us. I think we really need to spend some time together.

Boughner, on possibility of Patrick Marleau and Ryan Donato lining up at third-line center:

Those are definitely options. But guys that I see: Noah Gregor didn’t play a lot of center here last year, but he’s a natural centerman. Obviously, Dylan Gambrell being a righty, being able to take faceoffs on that side would be an advantage for us if he can take a hold of that position. Max Letunov has had a good off-season, Alex True, guys like that. Kellman made an impression on me last year. 1181034 St Louis Blues As a leader, he invariably is among the first players on and last off the ice every practice.

“He leads by example with his hard work and his play obviously,” Berube There was really only one choice to wear Blues' "C" — O'Reilly said. “He’s really there for his teammates, which is important to be a captain. He’s always looking out for everybody and trying to do the right thing all the time.”

Jim Thomas In short, his time in St. Louis couldn’t have gone any better after a rocky finish in Buffalo.

“It’s amazing how things change,” O’Reilly said. “To go from one thing to When it comes to picking a Blues captain and alternates, the decision is winning. And now this, being a captain. It’s something I never felt would made by general manager Doug Armstrong and coach . happen. Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. But obviously, there’s a lot of work Naturally, with input from others. that comes with it that will be very challenging and fun.” Armstrong never is afraid to think outside the box, so when the Given O’Reilly’s industrious nature, it’s a given that he will take the discussion surfaced he broached the subject of rotating captains — a captainship seriously. Even over the summer, long before being captain practice not unheard of in the National Hockey League. was on the horizon, O’Reilly gave some thought to increasing his role as Even with veterans Alex Pietrangelo, Alexander Steen, Jay Bouwmeester a veteran voice. and Jake Allen no longer on the team because of retirement, free agency “We were kind of honestly unsure what was gonna happen with a lot of or trade, the Blues still had a stable of veterans with leadership. our veteran players, and unfortunately we lost a lot of them,” he said. “Because we had (Brayden) Schenn, and because we had ‘Schwartzy’ “But I kind of knew that it was my turn to evolve as a leader and be more (Jaden Schwartz) and (Vladimir) Tarasenko and (Colton) Parayko — involved. there’s a lot of guys there,” Armstrong told the Post-Dispatch. “I really do “Getting the ‘C,’ there’s an instant responsibility that you feel for believe that it’s a group of four or five or six.” everyone’s well-being. And not just the players but the staff as well. I He also included in that group. think it’s my job to be responsible for everyone.”

Additionally, Armstrong believes the game of hockey is evolving into a The challenge will be uncomfortable at times. Being named captain, after sport of leadership groups on each team. all, is not like winning a popularity contest.

But at the end of the day, Armstrong and Berube found themselves right “But I’m excited for that because I know I have to find new ways to do back at the intersection of obvious and no-brainer. From the moment the things,” he said. “Things are gonna happen and I have to adapt. I have to team’s captain of the previous four years — Pietrangelo — signed a free- go through them and experience them and do it with a good heart and agent deal with the Vegas Golden Knights, it seemed a foregone the trust of the team and trying to win.” conclusion that his successor would be Ryan O’Reilly. O’Reilly’s predecessor in St. Louis, Pietrangelo, quickly reached out to So it came as a surprise to no one when the Blues on Wednesday offer his congratulations and support. announced O’Reilly as the 23rd captain in franchise history. “He kind of extended an olive branch, too — if there’s anything you ever Hockey is a sport of tradition, perhaps like none other. And maybe that’s need, don’t hesitate to call him,” O’Reilly said. why the mystique of being a team captain is pretty much unique in Then he added with smile: “I probably wouldn’t want to reveal too much hockey among professional sports. Armstrong thinks that aura might since he’s now the enemy.” stem from the fact that the first player handed the Cup by the NHL commissioner every year is the captain of the winning team. Spoken like a true captain.

Not the owner. Not the coach. The captain.

So here comes O’Reilly, joining a storied list of Blues to wear the “C” — St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.24.2020 from to Red Berenson, Garry Unger, Frank St. Marseille, Bob and Barclay Plager, Jimmy Roberts, Brian Sutter, Bernie Federko. And so on. St. Louis’ long Blue line.

“I’m excited for it,” O’Reilly said on a Zoom call Wednesday. “It’s definitely an honor to be seen in this light from the organization and the players as well.

“To hear from them and get their support, it’s pretty amazing. I know my parents and family are very excited, too. It’s something that’ll take a little while to get used to but it’s an exciting challenge.”

The Blues’ alternate captains will be Tarasenko, forward Schenn and defenseman Parayko. Tarasenko will begin the 2020-21 season on long- term injured reserve, but when he returns to game action, Armstrong said Schenn and Parayko will rotate wearing the “A.”

As for O’Reilly, it has been an amazing 2½ years since the blockbuster trade in the summer of 2018 brought him to St. Louis from Buffalo.

He was one of the catalysts in the Blues’ Stanley Cup run in 2018-19, earning the as playoffs MVP.

In last year’s coronavirus-shortened regular season, he led the squad in scoring. He had 61 points, on 12 goals and 49 assists, in 61 games. He also notched a team-best 11 points in the postseason, on four goals and seven assists in nine games.

Along with that production, O’Reilly is one of the best faceoff men in the league and is considered one of the top defensive forwards in the game. (He won the Selke Trophy, which goes to the NHL’s top defensive forward, in 2018-19). 1181035 St Louis Blues

A different kind of season means a different kind of schedule for Blues

Tom Timmermann

If it’s true that familiarity breeds contempt, than the Blues and the rest of the NHL are in for an angry season.

The Blues schedule released Wednesday features (as do the schedules of the rest of the league) eight games against the other seven teams in their new division, the West. Almost all of those games are parts of consecutive games played against the same opponent, some with an off day in between, some without. In one stretch in late April and early May, the Blues will play four consecutive games against Minnesota. Right before that, they play three in a row with Colorado. Only once all season, on April 3 at Colorado, do they play a team just once.

It’s all part of the NHL dealing with the pandemic. Games are scheduled to be played in teams’ home buildings, usually with no fans. The Blues said no fans will be allowed in Enterprise Center through at least Jan. 31, which means the first four games will definitely be in an empty building. The team said they are working with the city and healthcare partners “to determine the best path forward.”

The Blues have 10 sets of back-to-back games in their 56-game schedule, two more than they had scheduled last season in an 82-game season. The season opener is Jan. 13 at Colorado, one of five games on opening night in the NHL. The home opener, which figures to have much less fanfare because no one will be inside, comes on Jan. 18 vs. San Jose.

Alex Pietrangelo will make his return to St. Louis with Vegas on March 13, though the limited, if anyone, attendance will take away much of the buzz. All four of Vegas’ appearances here are in the back half of the season, increasing chances some fans might get to see him.

There are two five-day breaks in the schedule, both in March, which presumably could be used if games needed to be rescheduled.

“It’s going to be very difficult,” Blues center Ryan O’Reilly said. “We always ended up playing Nashville back-to-back days and it’s tough. It’s becomes a bit of a war but as a group, we know it’s going to be different. It’s a difficult time for everyone and it’s unique, but I think we do good with this. I think we want to have those type of matchups and it’ll be tough and exhausting but I think the more we play teams, the more competitive we get, the more like a rival they are, so I think it does help us in ways. But we have to be smart, we have to take care of our bodies, we have to do things very well. But it’s going to be unique. For sure.”

And for the first time ever, the Blues don’t have Chicago on their schedule.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181036 St Louis Blues "There’s a culture that’s been built here," O'Reilly said. "We’re hard to play against. That’s not changing.

"Overall that is our mindset going in. You’re going to work first and you’re Gordo: O'Reilly is more than ready to assume Blues' captaincy going to trust the system."

Jeff Gordon St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.24.2020

Of course the Blues named Ryan O’Reilly as the next team captain.

“I’m excited for it," he said at his unveiling newa conference Wednesday. "It’s definitely an honor to be seen in this light by the organization.

O'Reilly became a transformative figure soon after arriving from the woeful Buffalo Sabres. He led by example during games with his excellent all-around play and unfailing attention to detail.

He led by example during practice, putting in extra time on his skills day after day after day.

His commitment became contagious with this teammates – and that newfound team commitment lifted the Blues out of their baffling funk and onto the Stanley Cup fast track.

“It’s amazing how things change, from one thing to winning and now this, to be captain,” O’Reilly said. “It’s something I never thought would happen.”

O’Reilly does so many small things well, like winning key faceoffs, hunting pucks on the forecheck and converting deflections like the one that sent the Blues rolling toward their historic Game 7 victory over the Boston Bruins.

O’Reilly is comfortable as a team spokesman, too, more so than previous captain Alex Pietrangelo. That’s not the top requirement for wearing the “C”, but it’s a nice positive for a franchise that will need the marketing side after the pandemic shutdown of its business.

So the Blues move on.

They will miss all that the classy Pietrangelo did on the ice and behind the scene. "I was kind of blown away with seeing what it takes to lead, seeing Petro and the way he handled himself," O'Reilly said.

They will miss all that heady veterans Alexander Steen and Jay Bouwmeester brought to the table.

But they have O’Reilly showing the way, as he has done since arriving. He figured he would have to shoulder more responsibility this season with other leaders departing.

"I kind of knew it was my turn to evolve as a leader," he said.

Assistant captain Brayden Schenn is another leader by example with his tempo-setting physical play. Coach Craig Berube is asking assistant captain Colton Parayko to take charge of the defensive corps in the absence of Pietrangelo and Bouwmeester.

That’s a big ask, so Parayko's growth will be one of the more interesting storylines this season. “He just has a presence," O'Reilly said. "With Petro being going his role enhances for sure."

Then there is the case of assistant Vladimir Tarasenko, who will attempt another comeback from another shoulder surgery. The Blues have no idea how much they will get from No. 91 this season, but he must give whatever he has left with a positive attitude.

That will be another storyline of the season. Frustration has gotten the better of Tarasenko from time to time in his career, but the Blues need him to return this season with his head up and the interests of his teammates at heart.

Jaden Schwartz, David Perron and newcomers Torey Krug and should be part of the leadership corps as well. These guys have done lots of winning in their career and they will be essential to the maintenance of the team’s culture.

"One of the best things about this team is we have so many different good leaders," O'Reilly said.

The Blues are transitioning into a new phase that should look much like their previous Cup-winning phase. 1181037 St Louis Blues

Blues will open 2020-21 season at Colorado on Jan. 13

Tom Timmermann

The Blues will open their 2020-21 season — really just the 2021 season now — on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at Colorado. It will be the only game in the new West Division that night.

The team's home opener will be Monday, Jan. 18, against San Jose, though no fans will be present. The team said Enterprise Center will be closed to fans through at least Jan. 31, encompassing the first four home games of the season.

No start times have been announced.

Almost all of the schedule consists of the Blues playing consecutive games against the same opponent. The Blues, for instance, will play at Colorado again on Jan. 15. After playing San Jose on Jan. 18, they will play them again on the 20th. At the end of April, the beginning of May, the Blues play four consecutive games against Minnesota. the first two in St. Paul, the second two at Enterprise Center.

The Blues have 10 sets of back-to-back games. The Blues have two five- day breaks in the schedule, from March 6 to 12 and March 20 to 26. Presumably those days are open in case games have to be rescheduled.

Under the NHL's format for this season, the Blues will play only games against teams in their division: Minnesota, Colorado, San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim, Arizona and Vegas. The Blues will play each of those teams eight times, four at home and four on the road.

"It’s gonna be very difficult," Blues center Ryan O'Reilly said. "When you're playing two teams back to back every time ... I remember last year and we always ended up playing Nashville back-to-back days and it's tough. It becomes a bit of a war but as a group, we know it's gonna be different. It's a difficult time for everyone and it's unique, but I think we do good with this I think we want to have those type of matchups and it'll be tough and exhausting but I think the more we play teams, the more competitive we get, the more like a rival they are so it I think it does help us in ways. But, again we have to be smart we have to take care of our bodies, we have to do things very well. It's gonna be unique. For sure."

The only exception to the two-game sets involves the Avalanche. The Blues will play a single game at Colorado on April 3 and again on April 20.

While the Blues schedule usually has them making a California swing that involves three games with the Kings, Ducks and Sharks, when they make one this season, they'll play six games, crammed into nine days. Though it's also possible the Sharks might not be playing in San Jose at then. They'll be starting the season, it appears, in Arizona because of health restrictions in San Jose.

Alex Pietrangelo and Vegas don't come to town until March 12, by which point there could be fans in the building to acknowledge the return of the former captain.

For the first time ever, the Blues will not play the Chicago Blackhawks this season. The only way they could possibly meet would be if both teams won their divisional tournament.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181038 St Louis Blues

Ryan O'Reilly named 23rd captain in St. Louis Blues history

Jim Thomas

The Blues made it official on Wednesday morning. To the surprise of no one, center Ryan O’Reilly has been named the 23rd captain of the St. Louis Blues.

O’Reilly became the slam-dunk choice from the moment defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, the Blues’ captain for the past four years, signed with the Vegas Golden Knights via free agency in October.

“Ryan’s work ethic on and off the ice, and his commitment day-in and day-out is second to none,” coach Craig Berube said in a statement released by the team. “He leads by example with how hard he works during practices and our games, and he relays the right message from our coaching staff to our entire team.”

Vladimir Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn, and Colton Paryako will serve as alternate captains. The team’s alternate captains last season were Tarasenko and Alexander Steen, who announced his retirement last week.

"I'm excited for it," O'Reilly said on a Zoom call Wednesday. "It's definitely an honor to be seen in this light from the organization and the players as well.

"To hear from them and get their support, it's pretty amazing. I know my parents and family are very excited, too. It's something that'll take a little while to get used to but it's an exciting challenge."

It has been an amazing 2 1/2 years for O'Reilly since the blockbuster trade in the summer of 2018 brought him to St. Louis from Buffalo. He was one of the catalysts in the team's Stanley Cup run in 2018-19, earning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

In last year's coronavirus-shortened regular season, he led the team in scoring with 61 points on 12 goals and 49 assists, and also notched a team-best 11 points in the postseason on four goals and seven assists in nine games.

Along with that production, O'Reilly is one of the league's best faceoff men and among the top defensive forwards in the game. As a leader, he was almost invariably among the first players on the ice and last off the ice every practice.

In short, his time in St. Louis couldn't have gone any better after a rocky finish in Buffalo.

"It's amazing how things change," O'Reilly said. "To go from one thing to winning. And now this, being a captain. It's something I never felt would happen, yeah, it's pretty amazing. But obviously there's a lot of work that comes with it that will be very challenging and fun."

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181039 St Louis Blues My thoughts: I like that he’s acknowledging that teammates respect him. A lot of people in his situation wouldn’t say that, or they might say you have to ask his teammates. O’Reilly is emphasizing, “Guys know I want to win.” Sure, that’s stating the obvious, but the more they know that Thoughts on Ryan O’Reilly’s first words as Blues captain and the about him, the more they’re going to allow him to push them. The rest of schedule his response is what I was talking about earlier — as quality a leader as O’Reilly is, he had an awakening after the Blues’ disappointing

postseason, and he was going to be even more of a driving force By Jeremy Rutherford whether Pietrangelo was back or not. It’s hard to imagine, but I’m looking forward to witnessing that. Dec 23, 2020 Which captains have taught you lessons?

O’Reilly: When I first came into the league, I had (Colorado’s) Adam I’ve listened to a majority of Ryan O’Reilly’s interviews in his two seasons Foote as a captain and I remember what he did, and the relationships with the Blues, and I’ve always thought of him as someone who speaks that he had with the staff and everyone. It was pretty amazing to see. It’s directly and holds people accountable, especially himself. definitely something you admired and looked up to, and eventually you wanted to be that kind of guy. I know coming (to St. Louis), and being But I thought O’Reilly took it to another level Wednesday in his first press part of this group, I was blown away seeing what it takes to lead. Seeing conference as the Blues’ captain. Petro and the way he handles himself and the other veterans here, it was Yes, he’s wearing the “C” now, so why wouldn’t he speak with a little amazing. I’ve learned a lot in these past two years about what it takes more authority? That’s fair, but a close listen Wednesday suggested we and how hard it is, but also how rewarding it can be. were going to see a more focused O’Reilly whether Alex Pietrangelo left My thoughts: In response, O’Reilly is displaying several key or not. And with the transition in leadership taking place, the timing characteristics of a captain. First, he has been paying attention, soaking couldn’t be any better for the Blues. things up. Believe it or not, many young players just show up and play I’ve decided to go with a different approach to this story, giving you a few the game, live the lifestyle. But O’Reilly was keeping a close eye on of the questions O’Reilly was asked by reporters. Then I’m going to offer Foote and remembers what he witnessed eight-plus years ago. Then he my thoughts on why No. 90’s first words as Blues captain were so got to St. Louis and watched Pietrangelo. He’s been taking notes. Not impactful and promising for the organization. only that, but being in St. Louis for two years now, he knows how certain guys will respond. Are you used to being called the captain? Have you gotten any words of wisdom from Pietrangelo? O’Reilly: Not yet. Obviously, it’s very different, for sure, but I’m excited for it. It’s definitely an honor to be seen in this light from the organization and O’Reilly: Yeah, it was very nice of him. He reached out and just sent a the players as well, and to hear from them and get their support, it’s few messages back and forth. He’s very supportive of it, which was nice pretty amazing. My parents and family are very excited, too. Yeah, it’s to hear from him. We’re definitely going to miss him, but yeah, he kind of something that will take a little while to get used to, but it’s an exciting extended an olive branch — if there’s anything I ever need, don’t hesitate challenge. to call him. I probably wouldn’t want to reveal too much since he’s now the enemy. But still, to have that support from him, he’s been here for so My thoughts: We’ll get to the more serious stuff in a minute. Like most long and built that culture, it’s great to have the support for him and to press conferences of this nature, it opened up with an icebreaker, and it reach out to him if I need. got a smile from O’Reilly’s gap-tooth grin. He’s known for a few weeks that he would be getting the “C,” and you can tell that he’s still glowing My thoughts: The only point O’Reilly was trying to make here is that about it. A few athletes might have put on a serious face right away, but Pietrangelo has gone out of his way to be a friend. But even if he didn’t O’Reilly is comfortable admitting that this means a lot to him, and he’s mean anything by it, I like the fact that O’Reilly made it a point that not afraid to show it. He knows there’s a lot of work ahead, but it’s a good Pietrangelo is now on the other side. The Blues are going to play Vegas sign that he’s keeping it light out of the gate. eight times; it’s time to establish that. O’Reilly is going to get a few “attaboys” from fans with that comment. Have you been able to reflect on your ascension with the Blues? Do you change your approach at all interacting with the team? O’Reilly: I haven’t really had much time to look back. We’re busy preparing as best we can for the season and with the stuff that’s going on O’Reilly: Getting the “C,” I think there’s an instant responsibility that you here. But yeah, it’s amazing how things change … To go from one thing feel for everybody’s well-being. Not just the players, but the staff as well. to winning to now this, being a captain, it’s something I never thought I think it’s my job to be responsible for everyone. I kind of mentioned this would happen. Yeah, it’s pretty amazing. But obviously there’s a lot of before, but it’ll be uncomfortable at times. But I’m excited for that work that comes with it that will be very challenging and fun. because I know I have to find new ways to do things. It’s not just preparing for them. Things are going to happen, and I have to adapt. I My thoughts: Uh, he’s had plenty of time to look back. Like us, he has have to go through them and experience them. (But) I think doing it with been sitting in his house for four months. We get it, though. Modesty is a a good heart and the trust of the team, it will figure itself out for the best. good trait to have. But my takeaway here is this was the first of many times he’s going to mention the hard work ahead. He’s just laying the My thoughts: Players play the game, but trainers and equipment staff are groundwork for that conversation. vital parts of the team. O’Reilly has learned that along the way, and before the Blues even drop the puck, he’s telling those people, “We’re all How do you define leadership? in this together.” Furthermore, he knows it’s not going to be smooth O’Reilly: I think leadership is very different and can be described in so sailing. There will be issues in the future. But he believes in the process many different ways. For myself, I think I have certain strengths that I that he’ll use to handle them. think the guys respect a lot. They know I want to win, and I think I help Why is there a mystique with the “C” in hockey? push guys in that sense. But there’s a lot of ways for myself to grow. There’s a lot of things that I kind of find uncomfortable, and when that O’Reilly: Gosh, it’s tough to say. I think one of the best things about our usually happens, that means there’s growth to be had. game is that you need every player and you need everyone on the staff. You need every single guy in order to win, and I think a captain’s job is to Over the summer, I kind of realized it was time for me to take a step bring everyone together and bridge that gap from the coaches to the regardless of the “C” or not. Really to have more communication and players, the training staff to the players. I think a captain has a big really be more responsible for the way things operate and the way the influence on that. That’s why it’s something I’m so excited for, to make team functions as well. It’s an exciting challenge and leadership comes in those relationships as strong as they can be. It’s definitely a unique thing many different ways. I think it’s one of the best things about this team is that I will take a lot of pride in. that we have so many different, good leaders. We have so many guys that step up in all different areas, and it’s comforting now as captain to My thoughts: This is similar to the last response, but in this response, kind of see that there’s that support there. But I’m excited to be able to he’s demonstrating a deeper understanding of his new job description. initiate it and get things going. What will the Blues’ identity be this season? O’Reilly: Yeah, there’s a culture that’s been built here. It’s known that when we touch the ice, we’re hard to play against. I think in talking with our leadership group, that’s not changing. We know when you put on that The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 Blues jersey, it’s required that you will compete and make it as tough as possible on the other team. We have some different personnel and such, but overall that is our mindset going into it. You’re going to work first and you’re going to trust the system. That’s kind of what we want to continue, and I think we’ll be very effective.

My thoughts: Strong words. They might sound cliche’, but I’ve heard Bobby Plager say something similar hundreds of times over the years. It really does get passed down from generation to generation, and in just two years, O’Reilly can already recite it without a script.

How can you help groom Colton Parayko as a leader?

O’Reilly: Well, he’s already an amazing leader and probably one of the nicest guys on the planet. He truly is an amazing guy (who) really cares about every single person. His game, too, the way he performs, he’s a guy that just takes it over sometimes, which is very impressive. He has a ton of respect from everyone in this room. It’s not necessarily me teaching him, it’s him constantly doing what he does. He just has a presence. I think with Petro being gone, (Parayko’s) role enhances for sure, which he will do a great job of elevating to it. He’s a huge piece of this team, and it’s exciting to see he’ll be getting more opportunities.

My thoughts: “Hey Colton, if you’re listening, you don’t need me to be great. You can be great on your own. I will help, but believe in yourself.”

How will the Blues respond to the loss of significant leaders?

O’Reilly: What those guys built here is something special. They were really responsible for each other and made sure they competed in everything they did. Our leadership group has talked about it. That’s something we want to maintain. We want to play like (Alexander Steen), the way every time he touched the ice he played so hard and did whatever he could to win. That’s why I think we are the team we are now and what we have to improve on as well. It’s definitely to carry on what these guys have built. There’s going to be little things where we have to find our own way, but with the staples of what’s been built here. It’s very important.

My thoughts: The future is important, but again, it’s built on the past. The Blues have lost Steen, Pietrangelo, Jake Allen and Jay Bouwmeester, who were all well-respected leaders. Rosters in the NHL evolve — maybe not to that degree every year — but they do evolve. But what O’Reilly had to convey here is that there are players in the locker room who can assume those roles, and he did a good job of that.

In addition to confirming O’Reilly’s captaincy Wednesday, the Blues also announced that Vladimir Tarasenko, Brayden Schenn and Parayko will be assistant captains.

2020-21 schedule

The NHL announced the 2020-21 regular-season schedule, and as expected, it’s going to take a while to get used to.

The Blues will be in the West Division and play 56 games — eight each against Anaheim, Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles, Minnesota, San Jose and Vegas. Their season opener will be Jan. 13 in Colorado, and their home opener will be Jan. 18 against the San Jose Sharks.

The Blues will play 56 games in 116 days, or one every 2.07 days.

“It’s going to be workable,” O’Reilly said. “Obviously, guys are talking about it around the room. It’s not ideal. It’s not anywhere close to the way it’s normally done, but it is a pandemic and we know that. We know it’s going to be difficult, but now being here on the ice with the guys, we’re excited about competing again and that’s the ultimate goal. We don’t want to jeopardize that. We know there’s going to be challenges and things that are going to be a little frustrating. But the main thing is playing hockey and competing again.”

The club will have 10 sets of back-to-back games, and in a quirky aspect of the schedule, they’ll play Colorado in three consecutive games (April 20, 22, 24) and Minnesota in four straight (April 26, 28, 30 and May 1).

“It becomes a bit of a war out there,” O’Reilly said. “It’s unique, but I think the more we play teams, the more competitive we get, like a rivalry. I think it does help us, but again, we have to be smart, we have to take care of our bodies, we have to do things very well. But yeah, it’s going to be unique for sure.” 1181040 Tampa Bay Lightning Though losing Kucherov is devastating to the Lightning — the 27-year- old Russian won the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy (league MVP) for the 2018-19 season after leading the league with 128 points — BriseBois expects captain Steven Stamkos to be ready for the start of the season, Lightning’s Nikita Kucherov will miss regular season with hip injury and the core from last year’s Cup-winning team returns.

Stamkos is recovering from two core muscle surgeries this year and missed all but one game of the playoffs. By Eduardo A. Encina “Teams lose high-end players every year,” BriseBois said. “It’s part of the Published Yesterday challenge of winning at the NHL level. … It wasn’t going to be easy even Updated 6 hours ago with ‘Kuch’ in the lineup, and now it’s more of a challenge.

“But from my conversation with a number of our players over the last few days — although it wasn’t official at the time that ‘Kuch’ was going to be TAMPA — The Lightning will have to defend their Stanley Cup missing the regular season — the mindset of the players as a whole and championship without their leading scorer at least through the regular the hunger and how excited they are to get a chance to chase another season. Cup and go back-to-back … I’ve just been really, really struck by how positive everyone’s mindset is.” Wing Nikita Kucherov has hip surgery scheduled for next week and is expected to miss the 56-game regular season, general manager Julien BriseBois announced Wednesday. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 The team hopes to have Kucherov back in time for the playoffs, which are scheduled to start in mid May.

“Those are the cards that we’ve been dealt,” BriseBois said. “No one loves playing hockey more than Nikita Kucherov. I know how much it pains him and that he will be missing the regular season. I also know how hard he’s going to work to get back as soon as possible.

“And now it’s our job as a group — players, coaches, management — to get ourselves into the playoffs so that we give ‘Kuch’ an opportunity to compete this year and help us defend the Stanley Cup championship.”

Kucherov — who led the Lightning with 33 goals, 52 assists and 85 points last regular season and 34 points in the playoffs — first reported discomfort in the hip Dec. 3, BriseBois said. He received treatment that included a cortisone injection, but the injury didn’t improve. The Lightning received another evaluation from hip specialist Dr. Bryan Kelly in New York.

The surgery will be similar to those performed on forwards Brayden Point and Yanni Gourde, who both returned to full strength.

“Everyone felt that it was the best thing to do to have the surgery now,” BriseBois said. “Dr. Kelly felt that with this type of injury, the sooner in your career you have the surgery, the better the likelihood is that you will come back just as good, if not better than ever. So factoring in that, and the fact that it was looking like it was going to be impossible for ‘Kuch’ to fight through four months of this and then playoffs, we felt the timing was best to have the surgery now.”

Kucherov’s situation gives the Lightning an easier, though unfortunate, way to get under the $81.5 million salary cap by placing him on long-term injury reserve.

They will retain their top three restricted free agent targets. They have re- signed defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak, and have a deal in place for forward Anthony Cirelli.

Even with long-term injury relief from Kucherov’s situation, the Lightning don’t have much cap maneuverability, so BriseBois is still trying to clear additional space to give them added spending flexibility.

“At least now, I know that if none of those trade talks come to an agreement, at least we’ll be able to be cap compliant and that the roster is going to include a lot of really good players, some high-end players, and when I look at the team on paper, it’s a really competitive team,” he said. “Now we have to go out there and do it on the ice.”

The Lightning tried to trade forward Tyler Johnson during the offseason to free up cap space; they also put him on waivers and found no takers. BriseBois said three teams were interested in a trade while last season was shut down for the coronavirus pandemic, but when BriseBois reached back out to those teams in the offseason, two no longer had interest and the other was in a cap crunch.

“If Tyler Johnson is on my team to start the year, I think that’s a good thing, because Tyler Johnson is a good player. He’s going to help us win hockey games, and ultimately that’s what I want to do,” BriseBois said. “The reality is not that long ago he scored 27 even-strength goals in a single season. He just won the Stanley Cup playing on the second line of our team.” 1181041 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning unveil 2021 regular-season schedule

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated 6 hours ago

TAMPA — The Lightning will open the 2021 season — and raise a second Stanley Cup championship banner — on Jan. 13 with a matchup against the Blackhawks at Amalie Arena.

In the schedule for the NHL’s abbreviated 56-game regular season released Wednesday, Tampa Bay will play eight games against each of its seven new Central Division opponents: Carolina, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Detroit, Florida and Nashville.

Divisions were realigned and conferences abolished for this season to limit travel because of the coronavirus. The Central is one of four divisions.

The unique part of the schedule is that teams will play mostly two-game series against the same opponent with at least one day off between games. Most road trips will be two-city jaunts.

The Lightning have one three-game series, March 4, 5 and 7 in Chicago. They will play single games three times, twice at home against Florida — their nearest opponent — on Feb. 16 and May 4, and once in Chicago on April 27 before a two-game series in Detroit.

Tampa Bay will play Dallas for the first time since beating it in the Stanley Cup final last season in a two-game home series Jan. 17 and 19.

The Lightning also will play the Stars at home Feb. 27 and March 1, and in Dallas on Feb. 18 and 20, and March 23 and 25.

Tampa Bay will make its first road trip with two games at Columbus on Jan. 21 and 23, then two games in Carolina on Jan. 26 and 28.

The Lightning’s longest home span will be from April 15-25, a six-game stretch in which they will play two games each against Florida, Carolina and Columbus.

Tampa Bay is scheduled to finish the regular season with five of its last six games on the road, concluding with two games at Florida on May 6 and 8.

Game times were not announced.

In an email sent to season-ticket holders Monday, the Lightning said that a limited number of fans will be allowed to attend home games, with information on how many and how tickets can be purchased announced in the coming days. Season-ticket holders will receive first priority.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181042 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning ink Mathieu Joseph, Alex Volkov to one-way deals

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated 6 hours ago

TAMPA — The Lightning continued their rush to get restricted free agents under contract Wednesday as training camp looms, re-signing forwards Mathieu Joseph and Alex Volkov to short-term, one-way contracts.

Joseph, 23, signed a two-year, $1.475 million deal, and Volkov, 23, received a one-year deal worth $700,000.

The pair split time between the Lightning and AHL Syracuse last season. Joseph played in 37 games with the Lightning, averaging 11:31 of ice time and getting four goals and three assists. As a rookie two seasons ago, he compiled 13 goals and 13 assists in 70 regular-season games.

Volkov saw action in nine games with the Lightning last season, recording one assist while averaging 10:16 of ice time as a rookie. He played 9:34 in the Stanley Cup-clinching Game 6 win over the Stars.

A one-way contract pays the player a set salary regardless of whether he plays in the NHL or the AHL.

The signings, along with those of restricted free-agent defensemen Mikhail Sergachev and Erik Cernak, put the Lightning about $7.6 million over the $81.5 million salary cap. They must get under the cap by the beginning of the season Jan. 13.

Forward Anthony Cirelli is the only remaining unsigned restricted free agent.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181043 Tampa Bay Lightning When the Lightning returned the print signed by Hedman, the package included some extra goodies, too. Hedman signed and personalized a blue No. 77 jersey for Thomson, and it arrived in a reusable Hedman bag from the team store. Lightning’s Victor Hedman buys Stanley Cup portrait from Scottish artist Thomson’s interest in hockey began when she was 12 years old, passed down from her granddad, Andrew Fleming, an ardent fan for more than 40 years. Thomson became a fan of the Fife Flyers, the oldest By Mari Faiello professional hockey team in the United Kingdom, and has cheered for Published Yesterday them ever since.

Updated Yesterday Appropriately, her first experience at a hockey game was a Lightning game in Tampa when she was 7 years old while on vacation with her family in Florida.

As Rebecca Thomson watched the on-ice celebration following the “I’ve wanted to draw a Lightning player for awhile, especially because I Lightning’s win in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final from her home in know it’s my first game ever,” Thomson said. “And then they won the Kirkcaldy, Scotland, the 22-year-old artist focused on the emotion on the Cup, so it was very fitting.” faces of captain Steven Stamkos and defenseman Victor Hedman. While art always has been a hobby for Thomson, she’s now trying to turn When Hedman lifted the Cup over his head, she knew that was the it into more of a personal business. precise moment she wanted to capture. Thomson, who graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Thomson made a rough sketch of Hedman skating with the Cup and the Design (part of the University of Dundee in Dundee, Scotland) in May, Conn Smythe Trophy, then filled in the details of his face, paying special runs her own Etsy store, where she sells prints of some of her work, attention to his eyes. including the sketch of Hedman.

“It’s just that one little bit can make it look wrong,” Thomson said. “After Some of her illustrations have been featured in the NHL’s personalized that, it’s just where it feels right. Once you get those main features, then children’s book, “A Fan For Life”. you can get a sense of if it’s going well.” In addition to her Stanley Cup portraits, some of her favorite sketches Twenty-three hours later, she had captured the moment for posterity with over the years have featured hockey players Henrik Lundqvist and John a detailed colored pencil sketch. Tavares, soccer player Marcus Rashford, tennis player Andy Murray and golfers Shane Lowry and Tiger Woods. Thomson has been an artist since she could hold a pencil. She estimates that she’s sketched more than 100 portraits over the past seven years, But no matter what Thomson’s working on, she’s happy as long as she’s though she’s never had full confidence in her work. creating something meaningful.

But a direct message a couple of days after the Lightning clinched the “I just love making things,” she said. Cup changed everything. The team complimented her sketches and told her Hedman had asked to purchase her original portrait.

Thomson said she’s never had a player make such a request. She was Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 flattered and didn’t have to give it much thought. She knew the portrait belonged with Hedman.

“He’s a fantastic player,” Thomson said. “I said, ‘I’d love for Victor to have it. If there’s anyone I’d like it have it, it’s him.’”

Hedman wasn’t Thomson’s first Stanley Cup portrait.

She previously sketched Washington’s Alex Ovechkin in 2018 and St. Louis’ Alex Pietrangelo in 2019. The portraits, signed by the players, hang on the wall in front of her easel.

After completing Hedman’s portrait, Thomson posted a photo of it on Twitter, along with a video of her sketching process.

She figured her Twitter followers would like it, as they seemed to enjoy the other portraits she had shared over the years. But a day after posting the Hedman photo, she started to receive attention from the NHL, Sportsnet and Tampa Bay Lightning accounts, too.

When a preview of a direct message popped up on the screen of her iPhone 11, she couldn’t unlock her phone fast enough.

“I just never expected it to say that Victor loves it and he’d like to buy it if that’s okay,” Thomson said. “You do them out of the love of the game, really, and for him to want to buy it is insane.”

She created a copy of the portrait to send along with the framed original to the United States, making sure it was wrapped safely with an excess of bubble wrap for its trip across the pond.

A few days later, the Lightning messaged her a photo of Hedman with the sketch. Thomson was blown away.

“It almost never feels real, even though it’s happening,” she said. “When you actually see that photo of him holding it, you really get a sense that he really loved my drawing.”

This is the most exciting photo I’ve been sent in a long while, I was super lucky that after drawing Victor Hedman with the cup a couple months ago he liked it so much he offered to buy it! 1181044 Tampa Bay Lightning BriseBois said Kucherov’s torn labrum in his hip was not tied to the groin injury the Hart Trophy-winning winger endured throughout the playoffs. BriseBois explained Kucherov did not have any hip issues at that time. The first time Kucherov reported the injury to the Lightning was Dec. 3, Nikita Kucherov’s injury solves a lot of Tampa Bay Lightning’s problems BriseBois said. The club had a consult over the all-star winger’s status before he began a rehabilitation program to see if that would work.

“We were fairly optimistic that would be – especially with the time he had By Ryan S. Clark to get ready for the start of the season – that he should be able to rehab Dec 23, 2020 and not need any further treatment beyond that,” BriseBois said. “Unfortunately, the treatment protocol doesn’t work. It included getting a cortisone injection and as things were not progressively positively in this case and Nikita continued to fight through the discomfort and the pain he Losing a franchise cornerstone winger such as Nikita Kucherov to a was skating, we got another consult this week. … Everyone felt the best regular season-ending hip surgery should create a perception the Tampa thing to do was to have the surgery done now. It was a similar surgery Bay Lightning could be facing a series of problems. Brayden Point had not that long ago and Yanni Gourde before that, and Yet announcing Kucherov’s absence Wednesday offered answers into we expect Kuch to make a full recovery like those two players did.” solving three of the larger challenges facing the reigning Stanley Cup Kucherov’s injury was the primary concern over a 17-minute press champions. They were searching for a way to become salary cap conference BriseBois had with reporters. So was the salary cap and how compliant weeks before the season started. They were trying to find a the upcoming season could work with Johnson. deal that works for both the team and restricted free agent center Anthony Cirelli. And they were also figuring out the next step forward with Completing contracts, all while maneuvering how to stay cap compliant, Tyler Johnson. was one of the biggest obstacles facing the Lightning this offseason. But Kucherov’s injury and how the club could exercise the LTIR provision Now those questions no longer appear to be issues. Kucherov and his made handling that challenge a bit simpler by comparison. The Lightning $9.5 million cap hit move to long-term injured reserve. That, in turn, entered the week $2 million over the limit largely due to re-signing RFA means the Lightning have more financial flexibility to sign Cirelli. defenseman Mikhail Sergachev to a three-year bridge deal in late Furthermore, it means they can hypothetically have Tyler Johnson on the November carrying an annual average value of $4.8 million. They then roster for the last campaign before the Seattle Kraken expansion draft in came to terms Tuesday with RFA defenseman in Erik Cernak on another which the Spokane, Wash., native is viewed as a potential option for his three-year bridge deal with a $2.95 million cap hit. homestate team. Earlier in the day, they completed deals for Joseph and Volkov with The “Our hope, and it is a realistic hope based on the expected timeline of Athletic’s Joe Smith reporting BriseBois has had “active talks” with recovery for this type of surgery, is that he would be ready for the Cirelli’s camp on a new deal that could be finalized in the coming days. playoffs,” Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois told reporters during a Zoom press conference. “Those are the cards we have been BriseBois said he will still seek opportunities to create more cap space. dealt. No one loves playing hockey more than Nikita Kucherov. I know how much it pains him he will be missing the regular season. I also know “We don’t have a lot of maneuverability so that is why I am still going to how hard he is going to work to get back as soon as possible. Now it is continue to explore freeing up some cap space,” BriseBois said. “I have our job as a group as players, coaches and management to get had some ongoing conversations with a couple of teams. I will continue ourselves into the playoffs so that we give Kuch an opportunity to to explore those. I will at least now know that if none of those trade talks compete this year and help us defend the Stanley Cup championship as come to an agreement, at least we will be able to be cap compliant and we are chasing another one.” that roster is going to include a lot of really good players, some high-end players. When I look at the team on paper, it is a really competitive team An option Lightning coach Jon Cooper could pursue when it comes to and we just have to go out there and do it on the ice.” filling Kucherov’s spot on the first line is captain Steven Stamkos. BriseBois said he expects Stamkos will be ready to start the season. Part of the Lightning’s pre-existing cap struggles led to them placing Stamkos’ potential promotion could lead to Cooper plugging that second- Johnson on waivers this offseason. The 30-year-old still has four years line role with either Blake Coleman or Johnson. That could plausibly lead left on his contract that carries an annual $5 million cap hit. He cleared Cooper to rotate through forwards to fill out the opening on the fourth waivers and was a likely trade candidate considering he supplied the line. team with eight-to-nine teams he was willing to move to in a trade. BriseBois said he spoke with Johnson a few times over the summer and Pushing Coleman to the second line would create a combination that that he understood the team’s cap situation along with the club’s current adds a three-time, 20-goal scorer alongside Cirelli and Alex Killorn. cap dynamics. Cirelli, Coleman and Killorn were on the ice together in 2019-20 for a total of 66:13 of 5-on-5 play for the nine games they were teammates, BriseBois said he had a number of general managers inquire about according to Natural Stat Trick. It was a trio that was plus-3 in high- Johnson before the NHL went on pause in March. BriseBois said he was danger scoring chances that did not allow a goal but also scored three not actively shopping Johnson but told other GMs that he knew he was once Coleman arrived in a trade from the New Jersey Devils. But it was going to have to offload cap space going into the summer. Then, the also a line that only had a shade over five minutes in 5-on-5 ice time pandemic happened and the introduction of the flat cap along with other together in the playoffs. financial challenges meant the landscape was different.

Johnson is the more familiar option by comparison. Still, Cirelli, Johnson “When we came back to Tampa after the playoffs and I started calling and Killorn had little playing time together. They have skated as a line for teams back, two of them, it just didn’t work for them anymore,” BriseBois a combined 56:28 in 5-on-5 ice time in a span of 159 regular-season said. “Then, a third team still had interest but did not have sufficient cap games, starting with the 2017-18 season, according to Natural Stat Trick. space. We looked jointly at getting a third party to broker the deal and eat The bulk of that time (41:28) came last season and it led to them scoring some of the cap space and move Tyler to that specific team. It was just one goal while allowing none. Yet what they achieved in the playoffs so expensive that ended up being not feasible.” provided more insight. Cirelli, Johnson and Killorn were together for a BriseBois said he does not foresee any problems that could arise with little more than 240 minutes in 5-on-5 sequences. It was an Johnson. BriseBois described Johnson as “courteous and professional” amalgamation that led to them being minus-5 in goal differential, while during their first discussion about the Lightning’s dilemma. BriseBois also being a minus-20 in scoring chances. admitted Johnson was not happy, but understood why he felt that way. The belief is the odd forward out between Coleman and Johnson would “If Tyler Johnson is on my team to start the year, I think that’s a good then move to the third wing to create a potential partnership with Yanni thing because Tyler Johnson is a good hockey player,” BriseBois said. Gourde along with Barclay Goodrow or Patrick Maroon. Whomever gets “He’s going to help us win hockey games and ultimately that’s what I pushed to the fourth line between Goodrow and Maroon would lineup want to do.” alongside two of Cedric Paquette, Mathieu Joseph, Mitchell Stephens and Alexander Volkov.

The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181045 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs release schedule, hope for the best

Lance Hornby

Publishing date: Dec 24, 2020

With more asterisks attached than a string of starry Christmas tree lights, the NHL schedule has been released.

And the most worrisome condition is tied to the North Division, with the Maple Leafs among seven Canadian teams thrashing out a deal with the provincial government on safe travel, arena and hotel protocols to keep COVID-19 from further grinching a 56-game season.

With cases still trending too high, there’s the chance one or two teams will have to ‘bubble up’ in the same city or at worst, all seven get restricted to a hub as was the case in the summer playoffs.

However, as of Wednesday’s release from the league, the Canadian septet along with 24 American clubs plan 28 games in their home arenas and 28 on the road. League officials and the NHL Players Association are optimistic they will eventually work out something with the politicians.

The Leafs start Jan. 13 at home against the Montreal Canadiens, one of 10 games against their oldest rivals, not counting a possible playoff match-up as the top four in each division qualify to meet each other again in post-season play. Toronto also takes on the Ottawa Senators nine times and make two road trips to each Western city; Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, making two-city trips and playing four to five games in each town in all.

Connor McDavid and the Oilers will take on Auston Matthews and the Leafs a total of nine times, one of the many crowd-pleasing match-ups after Toronto played only five games the past nine months, a playoff series loss to Columbus. In the Original Six days, the Leafs played their foes 14 times in a 70-game schedule. But forget the 48th Highlanders showing up to pipe in the 103rd season season — from inside Scotiabank Arena at least. Health safeguards aren’t likely to allow any fans at the 19,000 -capacity rink until the spring, if at all.

Toronto is slated to wrap up the schedule May 7-8 at home with two against Montreal. Camps for teams who made the playoffs last season are to open Jan. 3. In its statement Wednesday after the entire 868-game schedule was revealed, the league said all games would be actual home rink dates, but “depending on prevailing conditions both in local markets and across North America, (we) will be prepared to play games in one or more neutral site venues per division should it become necessary.”

Alberta, Quebec and Manitoba are believed close to signing off on agreements with the league regarding Covid precautions, leaving Ontario and B.C. Lisa MacLeod, an Ottawa area MPP and Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries for Ontario, told Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch on Wednesday she’s not sure if all the provinces will get on board.

“If one or two weren’t able to (green light the NHL) there would probably be potential to play out of a different city that was allowing it. We’re not at that point yet.”

Should it be a case of Ontario agreeing and B.C. not for example, the Canucks could shift their base to Edmonton. That’s where all seven could theoretically wind up in a worse-case scenario, that city already in restricted hockey mode as it hosts the world junior tournament.

If there’s no hitches, each team in the East, Central and West divisions will play every other in its division eight times, with nine or 10 times for the North. The Stanley Cup playoffs are to begin after May 8 and end around the first week of July. Prior to that is an April 12 trade deadline, after that the July 21 Seattle expansion draft, followed by the entry draft July 23-24 in Montreal.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181046 Toronto Maple Leafs In eight games with Bars Kazan of the VHL (which serves, in part, as the KHL farm league), he has posted a .935 save percentage.

“To put it very simply, he’s stopping the puck at all three levels,” said Maple Leafs prospects at the world juniors: Who to watch and what to Lilley. expect What can we expect from him on the ice? One Russian-based NHL scout offered this assessment: “He has many of the qualities that make a good goalie – good size, quickness, angle control, set of skills. However, I By Joshua Kloke would probably like to see him play with his stick more, try to develop his vision through traffic and to become tougher mentally.” Dec 23, 2020 What does his future with the Leafs look like? As promising as his

season has been, Akhtyamov is undoubtedly the furthest away from the An emphasis on drafting and developing skill has been a central tenet of NHL of any of Toronto’s prospects playing in the world juniors. the Toronto Maple Leafs since Kyle Dubas took over as general manager Akhtyamov is currently without a contract for next season, but the Leafs in 2018. The 2021 World Junior Championship in Edmonton will feature feel no rush to move him to North America. Before he moves to the AHL, six Leafs prospects, the most of any NHL team that qualified for the Leafs would first like to see him become a proven KHL goalie. Lilley postseason play in 2020. said Akhtyamov emerged late as a draft option for them and they didn’t get as many looks in-person as they’d hoped. With so much NHL cap space tied up in a few high-priced players, building around the margins with inexpensive young talent will be critical “(Akhtyamov) has a long way ahead in terms of gaining experience and to the Leafs success. confidence in himself to play at KHL level,” said the same scout. “I think we may see him a number of times defending the goal of the big team What should Leafs fan expect to see from these six young men, five of this and next season, but mainly he will be on the roster of the VHL whom are playing in their first world juniors? And how do they factor into team.” the Leafs’ plans moving forward? Mikhail Abramov, F The Athletic spoke to Maple Leafs director of amateur scouting John Lilley, as well as scouts and coaches, to better understand what will be Country: Russia | 6-feet, 183 pounds on display over the next two weeks. Acquired: Drafted fourth round, 115th overall, 2019 Rodion Amirov, LW What role will he play with Russia? Given his playmaking ability, Country: Russia | 6-feet, 167 pounds Abramov should feature both in a top-six role and on the power play. He scored 35 goals and 76 points in 63 QMJHL games last season and he Acquired: Drafted first round, 15th overall, 2020 continues to score at a blistering pace this season with the . He currently leads all players on the Russian team in points per What role will he play with Russia? Expect to see a lot of Amirov. The game. skilled winger can manipulate defenders with the puck on his stick and his wrist shot has become a dangerous tool. He’s logged top-line minutes What can we expect from him on the ice? Smooth skating, high-end in practices and will feature prominently on Russia’s power play. offensive instincts and deceptiveness with the puck when both finding his teammates and using his quick release. “What you hope is (the world juniors) just gives him an added confidence level,” said Lilley. “Every time we do a smaller game, he does everything to win,” said Tigres head coach Carl Mallette. “Whenever I say a ‘golden goal,’ he’s What can we expect from him on the ice? It’ll be interesting to see what the one who scores that goal.” Amirov is capable of playing alongside equally skilled players. There’s a need for Amirov in the KHL to use his teammates more and play quicker, Mallette believes Abramov has more to give with his defensive play. give-and-go passes than simply trying to beat opponents one-on-one. “What we’ve been working on is being consistent and dominating every “Ufa has a really good program and there’s a demand from all the shift,” he said. “Because there are some shifts where he’s just gliding. coaches at the pro level, when you have a young player, to be The work ethic needs to be the same every shift. And it needs to be both responsible defensively,” said Lilley. “And he’s taken steps. He’s been ways.” responsible and improved his play away from the puck and his defensive responsibilities.” What does his future with the Leafs look like? Abramov is the only Leafs prospect at the world juniors signed to an ELC. He’ll be 20 in March and He’s spent a lot of time on Ufa’s fourth line as the coaching staff tries to is the surest bet to be a Marlie next season. The Leafs like what his improve his defensive play. If he can dominate offensively it could experience as captain in Victoriaville will do for him in the future. provide a glimpse into his upside. “With him taking a leadership role, it says something about him and his What does his future with the Leafs look like? Amirov is interested in ability to want to learn and want to get better,” said Lilley. playing in North America and could end up on this side of the pond in 2021. But his KHL coaches believe one more season in Russia would After multiple on-ice sessions with Leafs director of player development benefit his development. His KHL contract is up at the end of the season, Stephane Robidas, Mallette has noticed Abramov’s protection of the and there is word Ufa is looking to extend his deal. puck through cutbacks in corners has improved drastically.

Whenever Amirov does make his way to North America, his combination “He takes more pride in keeping the puck,” said Mallette. of skill and skating would suggest a top-six role. And a strong showing in Mikko Kokkonen, D Edmonton would likely only increase his desire to move to the Leafs organization sooner than later. Country: Finland | 5-foot-11, 194 pounds

Artur Akhtyamov, G Acquired: Drafted third round, 84th overall, 2019

Country: Russia | 6-foot-2, 170 pounds What role will he play with Finland? As the only returning player to Finland’s WJC team, it’s safe to assume Kokkonen will chew up big Acquired: Drafted fourth round, 106th overall, 2020 minutes. While he doesn’t have the offensive instincts to see him What role will he play with Russia? With Russia already boasting quarterback a power play, there’s enough maturity and understanding of Yaroslav Askarov in net, the highest-drafted Russian goalie in the history defensive positioning in his game to play against some of the of the NHL draft, Akhtyamov likely won’t see more than a game in the opposition’s best players. round robin, and only to give Askarov some rest. Nevertheless, the Leafs He’s an assistant captain with Jukurit, no small feat for a 19-year-old, and have been happy with Akhtyamov’s development this year as he’s made will probably wear a letter for Team Finland. Teemu Suokas, an assistant his KHL debut as an 18-year-old this season, and is holding his own. coach at Jukurit, saw him play with more self-assurance in his game after he returned from last year’s world juniors. Kokkonen has continued that What does his future with the Leafs look like? After recovering from a leg style this season. injury, Niemela has moved into a top-four role with Karpat’s senior team. At 18, there’s no need to rush him over to North America. He needs to “He does the right things over and over again,” said Lilley. “And it’s not add size to his frame and improve his shot before being considered for a always the flashiest play, but it’s the right play.” spot on the Marlies.

What can we expect from him on the ice? Kokkonen can be easy to miss But what can’t be taught, including his instincts with and without the puck, out there, but not for the wrong reasons. If you believe it’s a good thing to do put him in contention for an eventual spot in the Leafs organization in not be talking about a defenceman post-game, you’ll like Kokkonen. 2023.

“You can’t have six or seven wild stallions,” said Lilley. “You need all “We like the attitude he plays with,” said Lilley. “He plays like he’s having types of different players and I think he’s a guy that gives the coaches an fun. I think he’s got a lot of potential to continue to grow.” easy feeling when he goes out on the ice. And that’s the sign of a smart, mature player.”

What does his future with the Leafs look like? As valuable as reliability is, The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 it won’t vault Kokkonen to the NHL. The qualities that make him a great Liiga defenceman for his age: poise, IQ, and reliability, translate to a bottom-pair defenceman. No one should be surprised if Kokkonen is a Marlie next season.

Roni Hirvonen, C

Country: Finland, | 5-foot-9, 172 pounds

Acquired: Drafted second round, 59th overall, 2020

What role will he play with Finland? There’s no shortage of talented centres on Team Finland, including 2020 first-round pick Anton Lundell, so Hirvonen could spend time on the wing, where he’s played with his Liiga team, Assat. But it’ll be on the power play where his hockey IQ will stand out.

“He’s got a real good hockey sense,” said Lilley. “And he has a sneaky high compete level. I think it’s underrated.”

It’s for that reason that he could be deployed against the opposition’s better lines. He plays with far more of a physical presence than perhaps to be expected from a 5-foot-9 forward. And despite his propensity to create offence from the half-wall, he isn’t strictly a perimeter player.

What can we expect from him on the ice? Craftiness and composure. His ability to find dangerous passing lanes and his presence of mind prevent him from getting fazed in difficult situations. Hirvonen is also something of an old man in a young man’s body. Lilley sees that maturity too.

“When you go in a locker room, and you’re 16 or barely 17, with men, I think you need to figure out real quick how to fit in and not seem like your age, not act your age,” said Lilley.

What does his future with the Leafs look like? His maturity and puck skills alone put him in a good position to consider a move to the Marlies in 2022. If Dubas and the Leafs continue to go heavy on skill and smarts throughout the lineup, there is a path for Hirvonen to eventually become a Leaf. But before that, there’s plenty of room for improvement.

“I think he’s got to improve his overall speed. I think he has speed of mind, so he can get to places with his sense and brain. But he still could improve his first few steps, which he needs in order to make that next jump to get to the NHL, which isn’t anytime really soon,” said Lilley.

Topi Niemela, D

Country: Finland | 5-foot-11, 165 pounds

Acquired: Drafted third round, 64th overall, 2020

What role will he play with Finland? Niemela will feature on Finland’s top four. Don’t be surprised if he eventually logs top-pair minutes. The intelligent defender doesn’t have natural offensive inclinations or strong puck-moving skills in the offensive zone to justify time on the power play, but he’ll kill penalties regularly.

What can we expect from him on the ice? Niemela has been described as fearless.

“He just doesn’t have fear in his game,” said Lilley. “He’s not afraid to get up in the play and not afraid to join the attack. He’s good defensively and has a good stick.”

Niemela doesn’t possess a heavy shot, and won’t wow onlookers with consistent highlight-reel offensive plays.

“He’s a really good defender,” Lilley said after he was drafted. “He’s really quick to close gaps, take away time and space.” Vegas Golden Knights Rotating through players on the taxi squad could potentially help the 1181047 Knights’ salary cap situation. Sending a player up and down from the taxi squad will function similarly to recalling or demoting a player to the American Hockey League. Players who require waivers have to clear Kelly McCrimmon says Golden Knights healthy as camp nears before going down, but if they do, the first $1.075 million of their cap hit doesn’t count.

That means the Knights can shuffle waiver-exempt players such as By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal December 23, 2020 - 5:15 PM Glass, Krebs and defensemen Nic Hague and Dylan Coghlan on and off the taxi squad as often as they want. They could potentially send them down on off days and promote them for games, much like they did with The players are back, the opponents are set and the schedule is out. several players in the AHL last season — most notably rookie Nicolas Roy — to gain incremental cap savings. The Golden Knights are ready to get rolling with the 2020-21 season. The Jan. 3 start of training camp is on the horizon, and the team will The Knights, if they begin the season with a 20-man roster that includes open the 56-game season Jan. 14 against the Anaheim Ducks at T- Glass, are projected to be $124,104 over the $81.5 million upper limit. Mobile Arena. “We’re right tight against the cap, (and) we will be all year,” McCrimmon “We’ve got a real good sense of closure on our offseason,” general said. “We’re a little bit over the cap right now. There’s a number of manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “We’re really happy with the makeup of different ways that we can sort this out, but by the 12th of January, we’ll our team and extremely excited to get playing.” be cap compliant.” McCrimmon spoke at a virtual news conference Wednesday to wrap up LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.24.2020 the offseason and preview the upcoming season. Here are three takeaways: 1. Team is healthy and ready Good news for the Knights entering training camp: McCrimmon said the team will have everyone healthy and available. All players — except for potential camp invitees Peyton Krebs and Kaedan Korczak, who are at the World Junior Championship — are participating in informal workouts at City National Arena. “We won’t have players that are quarantining right up until camp begins and haven’t been on the ice for seven days,” McCrimmon said. “We’ll have everybody in a groove that’s been practicing regularly.” The news in particular is positive for goaltender Robin Lehner, who had shoulder surgery in October, and center Cody Glass, who had right knee surgery in March. Glass, the team’s first-ever draft pick, gained 13 pounds in the offseason in the hopes of filling the void left by the departure of center Paul Stastny. Left wing Max Pacioretty and right wing Mark Stone have sung the 21- year-old’s praises at recent charitable appearances. “He’s healthy, excited, ready for camp and has really matured,” McCrimmon said. “He’s a bigger, stronger man, and that’s really going to help his confidence and, in turn, his game.” 2. Krebs will get a chance Krebs will arrive to camp late after playing for Team Canada. But once he does, McCrimmon said the Knights will “give him an opportunity to be evaluated.” That could mean big things for the 17th overall pick in 2019. In Krebs’ first NHL camp, he impressed the team enough to earn a spot on the expanded postseason roster last summer. The 19-year-old even got a chance to warm up with the Knights in the playoffs. Now, the forward, who can play center or wing, can show he’s worth a spot on the NHL club or the four- to six-man taxi squad. A lot of factors will go into that decision. The Western Hockey League, where Krebs’ junior team plays, doesn’t have a start date and the Knights don’t want him idle. “We need him playing,” McCrimmon said. Keeping Krebs in the NHL could affect his contract status, however. He can play up to six games before burning a year on his three-year, entry- level deal. 3. Taxi squad will churn The taxi squad, which will be allowed to practice and travel with the NHL team but not play in games, was added this season so teams could have players on hand in case injuries or illnesses arise. McCrimmon, for now, doesn’t anticipate naming a set of players to that group and leaving them there all season. Instead, he expects to cycle through players on the taxi squad to ensure they have the opportunity to play games. “There will be benefits to being on the taxi squad,” McCrimmon said. “You’re going to practice with NHL players. You’re going to be doing things at a high pace. But I don’t know in terms of the overall development piece that a player wouldn’t be better served by a little bit of both (practices and games).” 1181048 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights schedule released for 2020-21 season

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal

The Golden Knights will open the season with a four-game homestand starting Jan. 14 against Anaheim at T-Mobile Arena. The NHL released its 56-game schedule Wednesday with the Knights facing each of their division opponents eight times. The Knights will play 12 two-game series on the road and 12 two-game series at home to go with four-game series against Arizona (Jan. 18 to 24) and Colorado (Feb. 14 to 22). “The uniqueness when you look at it is every situation is playing the same team twice,” general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “There are back to backs involved in that. The back to backs in the schedule this year will be different than what traditional back to backs are.” Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo will face St. Louis for the first time Jan. 26 at T-Mobile Arena. Pietrangelo spent 10 seasons with the Blues and captained them to the 2019 Stanley Cup before signing a seven-year, $61.6 million contract with the Knights in October as a free agent. The Knights travel to San Jose on Feb. 1 and meet the rival Sharks again two days later. The location of those games has not been announced. The Sharks will hold their training camp starting Dec. 31 in Scottsdale, Arizona, because of guidelines for professional sports in Santa Clara County, California. The NHL temporarily realigned this season while the border between the U.S. and Canada remains closed to nonessential travel and formed an all-Canadian division. Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver were replaced by Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis in a newly named West Division. The Knights play a season-high six straight at home starting Feb. 5 with a two-game set against Los Angeles. Anaheim and Colorado also visit before the Knights hit the road for two straight at the Avalanche. There is also a six-game trip from March 5 to 13 when the Knights play two games each at San Jose, Minnesota and St. Louis. The Knights finish the season with two games in St. Louis on May 7 and 8, one of eight back to backs on the schedule. “Our division is very strong. Colorado and St. Louis are two teams that have dominated the Central Division, that have had great teams,” McCrimmon said. “That’s going to provide a real stiff test for us.” Fans are unable to attend home games at T-Mobile Arena through Jan. 15 based on guidelines and directives from county and state officials for public gatherings, but the Knights are hopeful that could change. Gov. Steve Sisolak extended a statewide pause until Jan. 15 that restricts public gathering sizes to 50 people or to 25 percent of capacity, whichever number is lower. “I think the NHL, in general terms, is really hopeful that as the season progresses there will be more and more fans that can safely attend games,” McCrimmon said. “We’re obviously hoping that we can have people in our arena that get to watch the opportunity to watch us live, and as importantly that our players can hear. It’s been awhile. “We’re sure hopeful that will happen, and that’s our expectation. But again, tough to say with certainty that will be the case.” The majority of Knights games will be on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain, with times and broadcast information released at a later date. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181049 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights to begin shortened season Jan. 14 at home

By Justin Emerson Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020 | 12:38 p.m.

The Golden Knights will start the season Jan. 14 against the Anaheim Ducks. The NHL today released the schedule for the truncated 2020-21 season, which starts for Vegas with two home games against Anaheim on Jan. 14 and Jan. 16. The 56-game regular season will conclude with a back-to-back at home against the Blues on May 7-8. The pandemic forced not only a shortened season but a reconfigured schedule and divisional lineup as well. The strict border policies between the U.S. and Canada necessitated the seven Canadian teams forming their own division, which in turn caused realignment for the remaining 24 U.S. teams. The Golden Knights will play in the newly formed West Division, along with traditional Pacific foes Anaheim, Arizona, Los Angeles and San Jose, along with Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis from the traditional Central. “There’s a lot of things that are going to be new and unique about this season, and that’s a reflection of the times we are in,” Golden Knights general manager Kelly McCrimmon said. “You’re going to have to beat some really good teams to come out of the West Division.” Teams will play eight games each against the seven opponents in the division. Games will be clustered into a baseball-like series, where Vegas will play two games at a time against each opponent. The Golden Knights’ longest homestand and road trip will be six games each. There are eight sets of back-to-back games, with the first coming Feb. 26-27 in Anaheim. Former Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo’s first game against his old club will be Jan. 26 at home. His return to St. Louis is not until March 12. LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181050 Vegas Golden Knights

2021 Vegas Golden Knights Schedule Release

By Tom Callahan

The Vegas Golden Knights schedule release for 2021 has hit the internet, and it features baseball-like mini series, a division-only format, and a setup that could see the West Division decided in the final two weeks via the Golden Knights’ matchups. The Breakdown It all begins on Thursday, January 14 with the Anaheim Ducks at T- Mobile Arena. Every team Vegas plays at home or on the road will be for at least a pair of consecutive games, and in a few instances there will be four consecutive games against the same team. In each case, the four game mini series is split two-and-two between each team’s home arena. The first time this happens is right after opening weekend when the VGK will face the Arizona Coyotes four straight times starting Monday, January 18. The Golden Knights will also play four in a row against the Colorado Avalanche in February, the only other time this happens on the schedule. The Golden Knights will play seven back-to-back series over the course of the schedule. In a 56-game season, that means 14 games (25%) are part of a back-to-back. Travel isn’t too bad for anyone in the division, but the Golden Knights schedule is a good one. The only tough stretch as far as air miles is from February 20 – March 13 when the VGK will play 10-of-12 games away from T-Mobile Arena. Over that span they play twice at Colorado, twice at Anaheim, two at home versus the Minnesota Wild, twice at the San Jose Sharks, twice in Minnesota and finally twice at the St. Louis Blues to wrap it all up. Vegas plays six home games in each month except April (8) and May (2), while playing a high of ten games on the road in March. The longest home stand will be February 5 – 16 and last six games, two each against the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim and Colorado. Likewise the longest stretch on the road is six consecutive contests, part of the aforementioned 10-in-12 away from Nevada. Notes: January looks particularly good to the Golden Knights, giving them the chance to start 6-0 against Anaheim and Arizona. Looking further ahead, Vegas only plays a pair of games against St. Louis at the end of January. Otherwise 12 of the Golden Knights first 14 games are against teams that did not make the playoffs in any fashion last season. Depending on how the division goes, the last two weeks provide a chance to make or break the VGK. Pairs of games against Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis could prove pivotal. Vegas plays each of the other seven teams in the division eight times for a total of 56 games. There is no All-Star Game this season. The NHL regular season ends May 8 this year, with the potential to make up any missed games coming after that date. Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181051 Washington Capitals

Capitals unveil 2020-21 regular season schedule

Samantha Pell

The Washington Capitals will open their pandemic-shortened 2020-21 regular season in Buffalo on Jan. 14 against the Sabres. Washington’s first four games will be on the road, with the team playing the Sabres in a back-to-back on Jan. 14 and 15, then traveling to Pittsburgh to play the Penguins on Jan 17 and 19. The NHL regular season is 56 games this year, with all contests being played within each temporarily realigned division. The Capitals are playing in the East Division, along with the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. The other three divisions are the Central, West and the North. The Capitals will play eight games against each team in the East to complete their schedule. The league plans to play at home arenas, even though many facilities are not expected to allow fans. That’s true of Capital One Arena, which isn’t letting crowds in to start the season. Washington enters the year with a new coach in Peter Laviolette. Brought in to kick-start an underperforming Capitals team, Laviolette will have a handful of core players from the 2018 Stanley Cup roster still at his disposal, including the entirety of Washington’s top six forwards from its championship run. Laviolette has already won a Cup as Carolina’s head coach in 2006. Capitals’ goaltending picture starts to clear up as camp nears This season marks the last year of captain Alex Ovechkin’s 13-year, $124 million contract. Ovechkin, who negotiated his extension in 2008 without an agent, has expressed a desire to stay in Washington. Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom recently signed his own five-year, $46 million deal in January. He also negotiated his own contract. Washington Post LOADED: 12.24.2020 Washington Capitals Notes: After the Capitals signed forward Conor Sheary to a one-year, 1181052 $735,000 contract Tuesday, MacLellan said he was open to making more moves before camp. Sheary is seen as a middle forward who will compete for a spot on the roster, probably on the third or fourth line. Capitals’ goaltending picture starts to clear up as camp nears MacLellan hopes to find time during training camp to talk to captain Alex Ovechkin about a contract extension. If no deal is reached before the season, Ovechkin will be playing the final season of the 13-year, $124 Samantha Pell million contract extension he signed in 2008. Washington Post LOADED: 12.24.2020 When Washington Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan looks at his team’s roster, he is content with the lineup in front of him. The team has nearly the same forward group as last season and a blue line that added pieces. In goal — perhaps the biggest question in Washington — MacLellan sees a path forward. Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek appear to be the 1-2 combination headed into training camp, which starts Jan. 3. Samsonov posted a 16-6-2 record and a 2.55 goals against average during his rookie season in 2019-20. He was injured in an off-ice accident in Russia before the postseason and was unable to travel with the team. Samsonov, 23, has been skating with other Caps players at Capitals Iceplex for the past six weeks and is expected to be ready for the start of camp. NHL officially set to return Jan. 13 with a 56-game schedule Vanecek, 24, who has yet to make his NHL debut, served as the team’s backup to Braden Holtby in the playoffs. The past two seasons, Vanecek was an all-star with the in the American Hockey League and posted a .917 save percentage and 2.26 goals against average last season. His cheap cap hit ($716,667) is a positive for a team still close to the salary cap. While the organization feels comfortable with its young goaltenders, if Washington sees a netminder become available who fits well and is “willing to accept a certain role,” the Capitals are willing to make an addition, MacLellan said. Behind Samsonov and Vanecek on the depth chart are Pheonix Copley and Zach Fucale. Samsonov is the only netminder under contract who played in the NHL this past season. Under the new rules this season, all teams must carry three goaltenders. Most are expected to have two on the active roster and at least one on the taxi squad. “We’ve always been kind of going down this route,” MacLellan said on having Vanecek jump up to the big leagues. “We want to see Vanecek play. We’re happy with his progress. We’re happy with his experience. The only thing for us is that he hasn’t played much in the NHL.” When the Capitals entered the offseason back in October, they knew they were set to lose Holtby, their longtime goaltender, and Samsonov seemed poised to take the reins. When New York Rangers legend Henrik Lundqvist fell into the Caps’ laps after his contract was bought out, though, Samsonov’s automatic ascension to the team’s No. 1 goaltender slot was placed on pause. But Lundqvist announced this month he had a heart condition and would not join the team for the upcoming season. That took the veteran out of Washington’s plans and again left Samsonov at the top of the depth chart, with Vanecek waiting in the wings. “Obviously he has something to prove to everybody,” MacLellan said of Samsonov. “So far, he’s given every indication that he can handle it and this will be a step forward for him. I think it’s going be a lot different when you’re the guy — you’re not coming in behind a guy. So I think he’s a competitive guy, he’s got the skill, he’s got a good mental makeup, so all indications are that he can handle it. It’s going to be a leap in his development here this year.” MacLellan told reporters Wednesday that Lundqvist’s heart condition is one he has managed his entire career. The New York Rangers would not comment on Lundqvist’s medical condition Wednesday. “We anticipated it would be the same as what it’s been for most of his career, all of his career,” MacLellan said. “A routine physical that was an early physical turned into, well, we need to explore further what’s going on with you . . . and [we found that] his risk level is not acceptable for him to continue to play, for him and his family. It’s unfortunate. I think it was emotional for him and his family.” MacLellan said there are a few options for what to do with Lundqvist’s $1.5 million contract. At some point before training camp, the Capitals will make a firm decision, but placing Lundqvist and the entirety of his salary on long-term injured reserve seems likely. 1181053 Washington Capitals

Capitals reveal 56-game schedule opponents, open season Jan. 14 vs. Sabres

By Andy Kostka - The Washington Times - Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Right before the 2019-20 regular season slammed to a halt, the Washington Capitals traveled to Buffalo to play the Sabres. And 10 months later, when the Capitals take the ice again to begin the 56-game slate, they’ll do so back in Buffalo. The NHL announced team schedules Wednesday, outlining how the new division alignments will work. Teams are organized roughly into four geographic divisions, and Washington will face its other East Division opponents eight times during the 56-game season. The Capitals open the campaign Jan. 14 against the Sabres — playing consecutive nights at KeyBank Center — before traveling to Pittsburgh for a two-game stand. Washington hosts Buffalo for its home opener at Capital One Center on Jan. 22. In an attempt to limit travel while playing only divisional foes, the Capitals’ regular season schedule includes 24 two-game sets against the same opponent. Washington has four homestands lasting at least four games, too. “I think back-to-backs with no travel are probably going to be a bit better,” general manager Brian MacLellan said Wednesday. “The fatigue shouldn’t be as much with some of the travel we do.” The Capitals finish their regular season at home against the Philadelphia Flyers on May 7 and 8. The Stanley Cup playoffs should begin May 11 and conclude in early July. Washington’s divisional opponents are the Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins. The top four teams in each division will make the playoffs, and the winner of the first- and second- round games against those same divisional opponents will advance to facing out-of-division foes. “It’s going to be competitive,” MacLellan said. “Our division is going to be tough. It’s got a lot of good teams. It’s going to be interesting how it pans out in the end. “Every game is going to be intense,” he added. “All the teams are pretty close talent-wise. Some teams are improving a little. I expect high- intensity games throughout the whole schedule.” Playing the same opponent on consecutive nights will be unique for NHL teams. MacLellan compared it to more of a baseball atmosphere, and he figures with an experienced coaching staff — led by Peter Laviolette, who’s brought three teams to the — can take advantage by making changes on a night-to-night basis. “You’re going to do a lot of prep, and you’re going to have a very good knowledge of where that team’s at after you play that first game,” MacLellan said. “I would think an experienced coaching staff is going to be a benefit from that in all situations. The ability to adjust, tweak game plans, I think that’s going to be beneficial for us there.” Washington Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181054 Washington Capitals

Capitals partner with Capital One for on-helmet Follow Us

By Andy Kostka - The Washington Times - Tuesday, December 22, 2020

The Washington Capitals announced a season-long partnership to make Capital One the team’s official helmet entitlement partner, replacing the Capitals‘ logo with the financial corporation’s symbol on both sides of the helmet. The Capital One decal is 2.25 inches by 3.75 inches and will be featured for home and away games, as well as during the playoffs and the team’s practices. Capital One acquired the naming rights for Washington’s stadium in 2017. “Monumental Sports & Entertainment has a long-standing relationship with Capital One, and we are thrilled to add a valuable piece of real estate to their portfolio as the Capitals helmet entitlement partner,” Monumental Sports & Entertainment President of Business Operations and Chief Commercial Officer Jim Van Stone said in a release. “We are excited to further grow our relationship with Capital One through a unique, first-of-a-kind opportunity in hockey that greatly showcases the brand across local, national and international audiences.” The Washington Capitals have announced Capital One as the team’s season-long official helmet entitlement partner with the placement of the company’s branding on the team’s helmet. Full Details: https://t.co/CWgaSNDsaF pic.twitter.com/FwUqP2Xa5R — Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 22, 2020 The Capitals were one of three NHL franchises to announce an official helmet sponsor Tuesday. The New Jersey Devils announced Prudential Financial’s logo would be affixed to their helmets, and the Nashville Predators added a Bridgestone decal. The NHL approved helmet ads this week, and TSN reports the league hopes to raise $15 million by selling those ads — with some teams making as much as $1 million while others might draw far less. TSN reported the move was made to counteract some of the losses the league will face without fans in the stands. Washington Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181055 Washington Capitals

Capitals add scoring depth with one-year deal for Conor Sheary

By Andy Kostka - The Washington Times - Wednesday, December 23, 2020

The Washington Capitals added scoring depth Tuesday, announcing the signing of forward Conor Sheary on a one-year, $735,000 contract. In six NHL seasons, the 28-year-old left-hander has accumulated 72 goals and 78 assists. He has played most of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, joining the franchise after going undrafted. The Penguins traded Sheary in 2018 to the Buffalo Sabres, but he soon rejoined Pittsburgh midway through the 2019-20 campaign. Sheary featured in four games for the Penguins during the NHL’s Return- to-Play playoffs, notching two assists. He’s a two-time Stanley Cup champion with Pittsburgh, scoring six goals to go along with 15 assists in 61 postseason games. The NHL has finalized plans for a 56-game season beginning Jan. 13. Training camp starts Jan. 3, and Sheary will likely find his place on the third line, helping to replace Ilya Kovalchuk, who departed in free agency. Washington Times LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181056 Washington Capitals

It sounds like the backup goalie job is Vanecek's to lose by J.J. Regan

The loss of Henrik Lundqvist for the season has thrown the Capitals for a loop and now the team is left with a hole in the lineup between the pipes just weeks before the start of the season. Even so, general manager Brian MacLellan isn't worried because he has faith in the goalies already in the organization to back up starter Ilya Samsonov, specifically Vitek Vanecek. "We want to see Vanecek play," MacLellan said on a Zoom conference Wednesday. "We're happy with his progress, we're happy with his experience. The only thing for us is that he hasn't played much in the NHL. Had a good showing in the bubble in the chance he got in so I think all along we've been hopefully trying to get him some games and he hasn't gotten them and this should be a good opportunity for him to get some games to see where he's at." Vanecek, who will turn 25 in January, has yet to make his NHL debut, but he became the likely candidate to step into the No. 2 role after beating out Pheonix Copley for the job in the 2020 postseason. Vanecek played one period of an exhibition game against the Carolina Hurricanes in the bubble, but was not called upon in the playoffs in relief of Braden Holtby. Vanecek has spent the last four seasons with the Hershey Bears where his game has significantly improved. He was named an AHL all-star in each of the past two seasons and managed a .917 save percentage and 2.26 GAA in 2019-20. He also carries a cap hit of only $716,667 which is important for a Capitals team tight against the salary cap. Should the team peg Vanecek as the No. 2, however, that would give Washington an incredibly inexperienced duo. Samsonov and Vanecek have a combined 26 games of NHL experience, all of them by Samsonov. While Maclellan said he is open to signing a veteran goalie, he also made clear he was comfortable with the team's goalie depth. "I think Copley is a good option there for us," MacLellan said. "As a No. 2, I thought he did a good job for us. Vanecek's played well. We like our three. We got [Zach] Fucale as four. But I think it's evolving. We'll do our due diligence on the guys who are out there. And if we see somebody that fits, that has experience, that's willing to accept a certain role, we're open to adding a guy, too. We're open-minded, but we also like where we're at." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.24.2020 Washington Capitals MacLellan added: “The result is good, that he’s very aware of where his 1181057 health is at. But everybody’s a little disappointed that we couldn’t see what we could’ve done with him in the lineup.” Ilya Samsonov’s health and more Brian MacLellan press conference 4. What’s the Alex Ovechkin contract-extension timeline? takeaways MacLellan described extension talks with Alex Ovechkin as “status quo.” The Caps’ 35-year-old captain is signed through this season and will be representing himself in the negotiations, which figure to pick up steam By Tarik El-Bashir Dec 23, 2020 after the holidays. “Once we get to camp, hopefully we get time or space to be together and we will go from there,” MacLellan said. “We want Alex coming back and On Wednesday, Capitals General Manager Brian MacLellan addressed we said all along we would talk at the beginning of the year and hopefully reporters for the first time since Oct. 9, the opening day of free agency. we get a chance to do that during camp.” A lot has transpired since then. So, as you might imagine, MacLellan’s 5. Any new injuries? press conference was chocked full of newsy updates. With a truncated training camp set to start early next month, MacLellan Here are the top seven items as the team gears up for the opening of said he’s not aware of any injury concerns and no players have come to training camp 11 days from now: him to discuss opting out of the season. The opt-out deadline for teams 1. Is Ilya Samsonov healthy and ready to start in goal? that made the playoffs is Sunday. Ilya Samsonov, who missed summer training camp and the postseason “No injuries to report and no indication of anybody opting out, so far,” he due to an upper-body injury, is expected to be full-go once camp begins said. on Jan. 3. That’s obviously good news for the Caps, who have already endured “He’s been with us — our main group skating — for the past six weeks,” rough offseason from a health standpoint. In addition to losing Lundqvist, MacLellan said. “Seems like everything is in order. He’s handling that ice defenseman Michal Kempny and forward Beck Malenstyn suffered time very well, and we anticipate him being good to go when camp season-ending Achilles’ tendon injuries while training. starts.” 6. How much will Conor Sheary help the team’s depth? MacLellan pointed to Samsonov as the presumptive No. 1 when the MacLellan said he expects winger Conor Sheary to push for playing time season begins. Although the 23-year-old 2015 first-round pick has all of in the middle-six of Peter Laviolette’s lineup. The 28-year-old former 26 games of NHL experience, he showed plenty of promise as a rookie, Penguin signed a one-year, $735,000 deal with the Caps on Tuesday. posting a 16-6-2 record to go along with a .913 save percentage and 2.55 goals-against average. “We’ve got a competitive situation in our bottom-six,” MacLellan said. “I view him as a middle-six forward, adds speed to the lineup, adds some “He’s on track for it,” MacLellan said. “Obviously, he has something to offense. He’s a guy that the coaches could move around and be flexible prove to everybody. So far, he’s given every indication that he can with. He’s played right wing, he’s played left wing, he’s played up in the handle it and this will be a step forward for him. It’s going be a lot lineup so he’s a real good option for us to give our coaches some different when you’re the guy; you’re not coming in behind a guy. He’s a flexibility in their lineup decisions.” competitive guy, he’s got the skill, he’s got a good mental make-up, so all indications are that all he can handle it.” The one obvious opening up front is on Lars Eller’s right. With Ilya Kovalchuk not returning and Richard Panik finding his fit on the fourth 2. So since Samsonov is healthy, who will back him up? line, Daniel Sprong had been penciled into third-line right-wing hole. MacLellan indicated that the goaltending depth chart as of right now goes Now, it looks like he might have some competition. Samsonov, Vitek Vanecek, Pheonix Copley and Zach Fucale. Sheary amassed 10 goals and 13 assists in 63 games for Pittsburgh and Vanecek, the Caps’ second-round pick in 2014, leapfrogged Copley Buffalo last season. during the restart. 7. Where will Connor McMichael play? “We want to see Vanecek play,” MacLellan said of the 24-year-old two- Connor McMichael, the organization’s top prospect, could land on the time AHL all-star. “We’re happy with his progress, we’re happy with his four-to-six man taxi squad if there are no other options for the 2019 first- experience. Had a good showing in the bubble, in the chance he got, so rounder, MacLellan said. The OHL again pushed back the start of its all along we’ve been hopefully trying to get him some games and he season on Wednesday from a possible Feb. 4 opening day and under hasn’t gotten them. This should be a good opportunity for him to get current rules McMichael is too young to play in the AHL. some games to see where he’s at.” “Yeah, he’s a possibility,” MacLellan said. “We’re going to have him come MacLellan would not, however, rule out signing a veteran to add some into camp after world juniors are over. Then he’ll have to go through experience to the group. (COVID-19) protocol so I don’t know how much camp he’ll get in. We’re “We’ll do our due diligence on the guys who are out there,” he said, “and not sure what the OHL is doing — if they’re not playing or if playing. if we see somebody that fits, that has experience, that’s willing to accept That’ll factor into our decision. Maybe his performance at the world a certain role, we’re open to adding a guy, too. We’re open-minded, but juniors … did he take a big step forward? Where is he at development- we also like where were at.” wise? We’re going to talk about all of those things. If it makes sense for him to be on the taxi squad we’re all open to it.” Ryan Miller, 40, headlined a thin group of free agents before being re- signed by the Ducks on Wednesday. On the flip side, MacLellan added, if Canada’s junior leagues and the AHL do get up and running, it probably will make more sense for young 3. Thoughts on Henrik Lundqvist players to be playing rather than being limited to practicing on the taxi squad. As far as Henrik Lundqvist’s stunning decision to step away from the game, MacLellan said the future Hall of Famer had managed a heart “That would hurt their development,” MacLellan said. “(But) if there’s not condition throughout his career, and the expectation was that he’d an availability for them to play, it might be beneficial for them to be on a continue to do so in Washington. taxi squad. We’re going to balance development and what the coaches feel we need roster-wise.” But things changed after a doctor’s visit this summer. The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 “A routine physical that was an early physical turned into, ‘Well we need to explore further what’s going on with you’,” MacLellan explained. “Henrik’s got a lot more knowledge of what his situation is and where it’s going and what his risk levels are. Obviously, we were all excited to add him to our team and he was excited to come. It looked like a perfect fit for both sides and everybody within the organization, his family, was excited to see how it was going to play out. Then we started further exploring where he’s at physically, and his risk level was not acceptable for him to continue to play, for him and his family. It’s unfortunate.” 1181058 Winnipeg Jets Thursday, Mar. 18 at Edmonton Saturday, Mar. 20 at Edmonton

Monday, Mar. 22 at Vancouver Jets open season against infuriating Flames Wednesday, Mar. 24 at Vancouver

Friday, Mar. 26 at Calgary Mike McIntyre Saturday, Mar. 27 at Calgary

Monday, Mar. 29 at Calgary Matthew Tkachuk and the Calgary Flames snuffed out the hopes of the Winnipeg Jets in controversial fashion last summer, delivering a Wednesday, Mar. 31 vs Toronto questionable hit that helped facilitate a speedy playoff series victory against a suddenly short-handed opponent. Mark Scheifele and his angry Friday, Apr. 2 vs Toronto teammates won't have to wait much longer to try and exact their pound of Sunday, Apr. 4 vs Vancouver flesh, drawing their former rivals to kick off a 2021 NHL season that is going to be like no other. Tuesday, Apr. 6 vs Vancouver 'Tis the season — for revenge? It appears someone in the NHL has a Thursday, Apr. 8 at Montreal twisted sense of humour, or just loves a good old fashioned blood feud, based on the full slate of games released Wednesday. Saturday, Apr. 10 at Montreal WINNIPEG JETS 2021 SCHEDULE: Monday, Apr. 12 at Ottawa (Home games in bold. Start times, broadcast details still to be Wednesday, Apr. 14 at Ottawa announced) Thursday, Apr. 15 at Toronto Thursday, Jan. 14 vs Calgary Saturday, Apr. 17 vs Edmonton Monday, Jan. 18 at Toronto Wednesday, Apr. 21 vs Toronto Tuesday, Jan. 19 at Ottawa Friday, Apr. 23 vs Toronto Thursday, Jan. 21 at Ottawa Saturday, Apr. 24 vs Toronto (Home games in bold. Start times, broadcast details still to be announced) Monday, Apr. 26 vs Edmonton Thursday, Jan. 14 vs Calgary Wednesday, Apr. 28 vs Edmonton Monday, Jan. 18 at Toronto Friday, Apr. 30 at Montreal Tuesday, Jan. 19 at Ottawa Monday, May 3 at Ottawa Thursday, Jan. 21 at Ottawa Wednesday, May 5 at Calgary Saturday, Jan. 23 vs Ottawa Friday, May 7 vs Ottawa Sunday, Jan. 24 vs Edmonton Saturday, May 8 vs Ottawa Tuesday, Jan. 26 vs Edmonton The Jets will go face-to-face with the Flames on Jan. 14, with the exact location of the game still to be determined. The hope is Winnipeg can Saturday, Jan. 30 vs Vancouver play their 28 home dates at Bell MTS Place, but all seven Canadian teams are still waiting on approval from provincial government and health Monday, Feb. 1 vs Calgary officials who apparently have concerns about teams criss-crossing the country with infection numbers soaring in some cities and citizens being Tuesday, Feb. 2 vs Calgary told to lock down and restrict their contacts. Thursday, Feb. 4 vs Calgary Talks are ongoing, with the NHL proposing extremely tight protocols Tuesday, Feb. 9 at Calgary which essentially restrict players to either their hotel, or the rink, while on the road. They will also fly on private charters and be tested daily. If Thursday, Feb. 11 vs Ottawa permission isn't ultimately obtained, the most likely scenario is moving the all-Canadian division to the hub city of Edmonton, at least to start the Saturday, Feb. 13 vs Ottawa season. Monday, Feb. 15 at Edmonton That could also trigger some changes to the schedule, so you might want Wednesday, Feb. 17 at Edmonton to mark these dates down in pencil, not permanent ink, until the issue is settled. Friday, Feb. 19 at Vancouver But one thing is guaranteed — with an all-divisional format across the Sunday, Feb. 21 at Vancouver league this year to limit travel, it shouldn't take long for the tempers to flare. Winnipeg will play Ottawa and Toronto 10 times each this year, with Thursday, Feb. 25 vs Montreal nine meetings each against Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver and Saturday, Feb. 27 vs Montreal Montreal. Sunday, Feb. 28 vs Vancouver Mark Scheifele is helped off the ice after being injured against the Calgary Flames during the first period of a qualifying round game last Tuesday, Mar. 2 vs Vancouver summer. Thursday, Mar. 4 at Montreal The Jets will actually square off against the Flames four straight times at one point in the season, with three of those games slated for Winnipeg Saturday, Mar. 6 at Montreal and the last one in Alberta. Winnipeg no doubt hopes this mini-series goes better than the last one, when Calgary punted them from the bubble Tuesday, Mar. 9 at Toronto last August by winning their best-of-five qualifying round series in four Thursday, Mar. 11 at Toronto games. Saturday, Mar. 13 at Toronto It was over before it really began, with Tkachuk taking out Scheifele in the opening minutes of Game 1. No penalty was called, but Jets coach Monday, Mar. 15 vs Montreal Paul Maurice accused Calgary's talented super-pest of deliberately targeting Winnipeg's top centre, who suffered a serious leg injury and Wednesday, Mar. 17 vs Montreal never returned. Coupled with a hand injury later that game to sniper Patrik Laine, the Jets were easy prey against a bigger, tougher, meaner opponent. Tkachuk later apologized, saying no harm was meant. And Scheifele, who resumed skating last month and declared himself 100 per cent recovered, said he bears no ill will. Time will tell if that's the case. Winnipeg will play an additional three-game series against the Flames later in the season, and a pair of three-game sets against Auston Matthews and the Maple Leafs. They also have one triple-header against the Ottawa Senators, with the rest of the schedule comprised of 16 two- game sets and eight one-off meetings. Blake Wheeler took on Matthew Tkachuk after his hit took Scheifele out of the game. The Jets are scheduled to play 10 of their first 14 games at home, although how much of an advantage that really is remains to be seen. There will be no fans at the games to start, and that's unlikely to change through the course of the regular-season which runs until early May. A handful of U.S. teams will have limited spectators right off the hop. Winnipeg's longest homestand is seven games, between Jan. 23 and Feb. 4. Their longest road trip is also a seven-game swing through western Canada, set for March 18-29. March is the busiest month on the calendar, with 16 games in 31 days. And the Jets will play nine sets of back-to-backs in the truncated season. In terms of days of the week, the Jets will be busiest on Saturdays (12 games), followed by Thursdays (10 games), Mondays (nine games), Wednesdays (eight games), Tuesdays (seven games), Fridays (six games) and Sundays (four games). The NHL has not yet released start times for the games, which could potentially be held at various times of the day and evening the way last summer's playoffs were. Television broadcast details are also still to come, although TSN owns the regional rights for the Jets and will do the majority, while Sportsnet is expected to carry some national broadcasts. On the radio side, Global News Radio 680 CJOB has taken over the rights from TSN 1290 and will carry all 56 games, both on the AM station and simulcast on Power 97 FM. Broadcaster Paul Edmonds has also made the move and will continue his play-by-play role, while Jamie Thomas, most recently employed by True North as part of their in-house media team, joins Edmonds to provide colour commentary. It's going to look a lot different, that's for sure. But it should also be a lot of fun. The Jets open training camp Jan. 3 in Winnipeg, which will be closed to the public. This season they can invite a maximum of 36 skaters and an unlimited number of goalies, but must reduce their roster to a maximum of 23 players by Jan. 13. Teams can also carry a taxi squad of four-to-six skaters, with at least one goalie required, to keep players ready to step into the lineup, as the American Hockey League won't start play until February at the earliest. It's going to look a lot different, that's for sure. But it should also be a lot of fun — a four-month sprint through the regular season that ends with the top four teams in each division making the playoffs. The first two rounds will be entirely divisional play (1 vs. 4, 2 vs. 3), with all four divisional champions then meeting in the semifinals, with seeding based on their overall record. And as long as the pandemic doesn't have other plans, it will all culminate with a Stanley Cup champion being declared by early July, allowing the NHL to get back on track and begin what is hoped to be a full 2021-22 season in early October, complete with the expansion Seattle Kraken joining the league as the 32nd team, and the top players in the world going to the Winter Olympics. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 12.24.2020 1181059 Winnipeg Jets One thing to count on rests ‘tween the pipes You won’t hear complaints or even a gripe.

Last line of defence, solid as a truck 'Twas the night before Christmas The Vezina Man, Connor Hellebuyck.

And then in a twinkling, we’ll arrive at springtime Paul Friesen For prancing and pawing of a whole other kind.

They missed a whole season, done in by the virus ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the country To repeat would be a most dangerous chorus. Not a creature is skating in a game of real shinny. In blue and gold, from helmet to cleat No stockings are hung in the lockers with care With rings all a-sparkling from a championship feat With hopes that soon Wheeler or Scheifele be there. The Cup still in tow, a year now or more No gloves on the dryer, waiting for Ehlers The Bombers are hoping to open their doors. No sticks in the rack, no tunes from the speakers. When they can play and tell fans to come The same story told throughout all the land All up in the air, like a Collaros bomb. The game put on ice, all crowds are banned. Whether it be June, July or September When out in New York there arose such a clatter The return of football, a day to remember. We sprang from our shovelling to see what was the matter. But who will be left to carry on the tradition Away to our iPhones we flew like a flash When the last thing they’ll get is a salary addition? Swiped at the news that arrived here at last! The stub of a pencil held tight in his fist The light of the phone off our faces did glow The GM with the mighty free-agent list. Gave lustre and wonder to the objects below. First Harris, then Bryant, Hardrick and Medlock What to our wondering eyes should appear No time to waste, it’s a fast-moving clock. But an NHL schedule starting in the New Year. Demski, Alexander, end Jeffcoat too With the swipe of a thumb, so lively and quick If they don’t sign new deals, they won’t be in Blue. We knew in a moment this would do the trick. Others left town for greener pastures More rapid than eagles the games they will come Like Rose and the dual-threat QB named Streveler. But so few opponents, a little humdrum. Fortunate they are, employed in a pandemic Now Leafs, now Senators, now Flames and Vancouver While those left behind have great cause to panic. The Oilers and Habs, over and over. It’s the same ’round the globe, hardship the world over Fifty-six in all, brought to you by Covid Tears, pain and strife, like no other year ever. One question remains: will the top docs allow it? The future provides some hope, though, it seems If not, then Gary from the top of his wall The arrival of one or more COVID vaccines. Will say dash away! Dash away! Dash away all! With few games to cheer, few athletes to view To the U.S. you go, the land of the free We’ve discovered new heroes who just do what they do. To take your chances against COVID-19. Risking their health, on the front lines they stand Wherever they skate, in what cities they lace With our old and our sick, throughout all the land. The Jets will have questions and problems to face. This poem’s for them, when all’s said and done On top of the list, who’ll forget the day For the selfless ones giving up holiday fun. A trade request came from Patrik Laine? To those staying home to limit the spread A scenery change would benefit him With you we share wine and break virtual bread. When his agent said that, Jets fans were grim. We’ll look back with sadness at the year 2020 Yet Chevy stood pat, not pushed in a corner But look closely and find you still may have plenty. And he’s still a Jet, despite all the clamour. It’s not what we’ve lost, a wise man did say Trade winds did bring in a face so familiar It’s what we have still, every single day. But Paul Stastny’s age is not in his favour. So spring to your sleigh, run to your rink He’ll likely fill in for the hurt Bryan Little Fresh air is calling, there’s no time to think. Will that be the answer for the second line’s middle? Set fear aside, the end is in sight And what of the blue line, that gang made-over Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night. That last year lived through the Byfuglien hangover? Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.24.2020 It’s still rather thin, a little young and quite small To improve on their standing is an order quite tall. 1181060 Winnipeg Jets

Repetition, asterisk, mark Jets COVID NHL schedule

Paul Friesen

Ten games each against Ottawa and Toronto. Nine against Montreal and every team from the west. And that’s it. The Winnipeg Jets released their tentative, all-Canadian COVID schedule on Wednesday, and the theme is homegrown repetition, albeit with a giant asterisk. The NHL’s plan to have teams fly province-to-province while based in their own cities, and while the pandemic swirls around them, is still subject to approval from politicians and health officials in Ottawa and Manitoba. If that approval comes, and it could come within days, the Jets will open the 56-game, 2021 season at home in an empty arena against Calgary on Thursday, Jan. 14. The oddest part of the schedule will see the Jets and Flames meet in four consecutive games, the first three in Winnipeg and once in Calgary, from Feb. 1-9. Other mini-series will come at home against Ottawa in January (three games), on the road in Toronto and on the road in Calgary in March (both three-game sets) and at home versus the Maple Leafs in April (three games). On 16 other occasions, the Jets will face the same team in back-to-back games. During a seven-game stretch beginning March 4, the Jets will face only Toronto (three times) and Montreal (four). During another seven-game run in the back half of April, Winnipeg will see only the Leafs (four times) and Edmonton (three). The bunching of games and opponents is designed to limit travel and allow for the potential to make up postponed games, in case of illnesses, rather quickly. Three- and four-day breaks are also built in to make up missed games. Winnipeg gets its first three-day break after the first game, gets two such breaks in January and a four-day hiatus from Feb. 5-8, inclusive. Nine times the Jets will play on back-to-back days, five of them at home, three on the road and one a home-away split. Winnipeg’s longest homestand is a seven-gamer from Jan. 23 to Feb. 4. Its longest road trip, a seven-gamer to Western Canada, March 18-29. The regular season concludes on May 8, and if fans still haven’t had their fill of the Oilers, Canucks, Flames, Leafs, Senators and Habs, the NHL plans to keep the first two rounds of the playoffs within divisions. The top four teams in each division will make the Stanley Cup tournament, with the top seed facing No. 4, No. 2 playing No. 3, all in best-of-sevens. The winners meet in a division final, with the winner of that advancing to the Stanley Cup semifinal against a U.S.-based team. Where those last two rounds of the playoffs take place, and whether cross-border travel is even allowed in May, remains to be seen. “While we are well aware of the challenges ahead, as was the case last spring and summer, we are continuing to prioritize the health and safety of our participants and the communities in which we live and play,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement earlier this week. By month, the Jets schedule breaks down as follows: eight games in 17 days in January; 13 in 29 days of February; 16 in 30 days of March; 15 in 29 in the month of April; four in six days in May. There will be no pre-season games. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.24.2020 1181061 Winnipeg Jets 7. Considered by many to be the greatest Canadian women’s curler of all-

time, Jones has inspired legions of younger players by becoming a six- TOP 50 IN 50: Part 5: Golden Girls, the Golden Jet, the Finnish Flash time Canadian champion, two-time world champion and Olympic gold and the man who brought the NHL back to Winnipeg medallist. At 46, Jones continues to build on her glowing curling resume, while working as a lawyer and occasional motivational speaker. Jones was voted Canada’s Greatest Female Curler in a poll conducted by TSN in 2019. The crowning moment of Jones’ career was going undefeated in Ted Wyman Sochi in 2014 to win the Olympic gold medal, becoming only the second Canadian women’s skip to do so. Today we reveal the top 10 names on our list of the 50 most influential 6. CAL MURPHY sports figures in Winnipeg over the last 50 years. Kindly Cal was general manager of the from It was not an easy task to put together this list and not taken lightly by 1983-1996 and served as head coach in eight of those seasons. During anyone on our panel of selectors. his time with the team, the Bombers had their most successful run of the last 50 years, winning Grey Cups in 1984, 1988 and 1990. A Canadian Each member of the panel was asked to provide a ranking of influential Football Hall of Famer, Murphy was born in Winnipeg and eventually sports figures and the names that made it into the top 10 are among the became the face of the Bombers. He had a great reputation for finding most recognizable this city has ever known. talent, building great defences and winning, which was something coaches in Winnipeg had not done for a long time when he took over the Seven people were named on every panellist’s ballot. Bombers. In Murphy’s second year at the helm (1984), he controversially What we ended up with was a top-10 list that recognizes Olympic traded star quarterback Dieter Brock to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for QB greatness, hockey scoring prowess, football in the trenches and the Tom Clements. The Bombers won the Grey Cup that year — over Brock and the Ticats — ending a 22-year drought. Murphy, who had a heart leadership of those who build in sports. transplant while working for the Bombers in 1992, died in 2012. Among those in the top 10 are three women, all of whom have become Olympic athlete Clara Hughes displays her new book icons in the city through their athletic accomplishments, but are also tremendous ambassadors for Winnipeg and their sports. 5. CLARA HUGHES One thing to take note of — this list is about the 50 most influential sports Hughes is one of the most influential women in sports in all of Canada. figures in Winnipeg over the last 50 years. It applies to people who are During her athletic career, she won six Olympic medals — four in speed from Winnipeg or made their mark here. It’s not a provincial list, skating at the Winter Olympics and two in cycling at the Summer Thank you again to our panel of Paul Friesen, Mark Hamm, Judy Owen, Olympics — tying fellow Winnipegger Cindy Klassen for the Canadian Ashley Prest, Patti Dawn Swansson, Kelly Moore, Andrew (Hustler) record. Hughes went on to become the face of Right to Play, an Paterson, Sean Grassie and Rick Brownlee for helping to put together international organization that uses sports and play programs to improve this comprehensive list. health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the world. A recreation park Our final list had been unveiled over five days, in reverse order. Today, in Winnipeg is named in her honour. we present 10 to 1. Enjoy and let the debate begin. 4. CINDY KLASSEN 10. Who could ever forget the winter of 2006, when the 26-year-old He was the founder of the Winnipeg Jets and the man who gave the Winnipegger became the first and only Canadian to ever win five medals organization its nickname — all because of his love of the New York Jets in a single Olympic Games? At the Winter Games in Turin, Klassen won football team. He was also the person who legitimized the team and the a gold medal, two silvers and two bronze, was named Canada’s flag- entire by signing to a $1 million bearer for the closing ceremony and was called the “woman of the contract. It is fair to say there would be no Jets organization today had it Games” by International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge. not been for Hatskin, who laid the groundwork for Winnipeg to become a She also won the Lou Marsh Trophy as Canada’s athlete of the year in major league sports city. A fact forgotten by many: Hatskin also played 2006. Klassen, who finished her career with a total of six Olympic medals six seasons in the CFL, with the Bombers, winning two Grey Cups. (bronze in 2002) was an inspiration to thousands of young Canadians and is revered in Winnipeg, where a recreation complex and a street are 9. CHRIS WALBY named in her honour. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Big Bluto played all but five games of his 3. DALE HAWERCHUK lengthy CFL career with the Blue Bombers. During that time he won three Grey Cups, was a nine-time CFL all-star and was twice named the Drafted first overall by the Jets in 1981, following their second season in league’s most outstanding offensive lineman. Inducted into the Canadian the NHL, Hawerchuk followed in Bobby Hull’s footsteps by signing his Football Hall of Fame in 2003, Walby has remained in Winnipeg in first contract at Portage and Main. He went on to become the Jets’ retirement and has served as an analyst on CFL broadcasts. He’s in the leading scorer, captain and first NHL superstar. He was the favourite Blue Bombers Ring of Honour, and came in at No. 22 in TSN’s list of the player for a generation of Jets’ fans and a great citizen of Winnipeg. He all-time 50 greatest CFL players. later became a highly-respected coach in the , serving as mentor to many NHL prospects, including Jets current star 8. TEEMU SELANNE Mark Scheifele. His death from cancer in August of this year was widely mourned in the city he once called home. He was not in Winnipeg for a long time but did he ever make a mark while he was here. Selanne burst onto the Winnipeg sports scene by 2. BOBBY HULL scoring a rookie-record 76 goals in 1992-93 and providing the city with an instant superstar. Who can forget his epic celebration after scoring his This is a controversial pick because of allegations of domestic abuse rookie-record 53rd goal that season? Selanne was controversially traded surrounding Hull, but our voters still recognized the influence he had on away from the Jets during his fourth NHL season and went on to become the sporting community in this city. In 1972, Hull signed on with the World a beloved scoring star and Stanley Cup champion with the Anaheim Hockey Association’s Winnipeg Jets for an unheard of $1 million. He Ducks. But Winnipeggers never stopped loving him and when he instantly legitimized the team and the league, became instantly returned with the Ducks in December of 2011 — the same year the city synonymous with the Jets’ brand, and continued to be the Golden Jet on got an NHL team back after a 15-year absence — he was showered with the ice, helping the team become perennial AVCO Cup contenders. He adoration by Jets’ fans. teamed up with Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson to form the Hot Line, one of the truly great forward units in hockey history. Hull’s contract is Winnipeg skip Jennifer Jones follows progress of her rock during the believed to be one of the most important in sports history, from a player semifinal of the the 2020 provincial women’s curling championship on standpoint, and paved the way for a generation of athletes to begin Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Rivers, Man. The 45-year-old from Winnipeg earning million-dollar compensation. beat top seed, defending champion and Canadian No. 1 Tracy Fleury 8-7 in an extra end in the semifinal of the provincial Scotties Tournament of 1. MARK CHIPMAN Hearts Sunday morning. Jones will face Gimli’s , the 2016 The man who spearheaded the return of the Winnipeg Jets, and made it Manitoba champion, in the final. The winner of the game will represent happen with the help of partner David Thomson, will always be revered in Manitoba at the national Scotties in Moose Jaw, Sask., Feb. 14-22. this city. Many people thought the idea of Winnipeg getting an NHL team, Connie Laliberte/Curl Manitoba after losing the original Jets to Phoenix in 1996, was a pipe dream. But Chipman stuck with it and finally purchased the in 2011, moving the franchise north to play out of what is now Bell MTS Place. The re-branded Jets are more popular now than they ever were before, as the sold-out buildings and huge playoff street parties would suggest. The news of the Jets return in 2011 was greeted with citywide celebrations, and people dancing in the streets at Portage and Main. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 12.24.2020 1181062 Winnipeg Jets Jan. 3 — Training camp opens (Geoff Burke / USA Today)

This is the exciting part where we find out if Mark Scheifele will be Winnipeg Jets: 2021 key dates, decisions and deadlines unpacked reunited with Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler, whether or not Paul Maurice and his coaching staff have prepared new systems for us to dig into, and whether or not Heinola, Samberg, or perhaps even Cole Perfetti By Murat Ates Dec 23, 2020 can make the team. It will be a whirlwind 10 days without preseason games and, if Maurice’s approach to the qualification round training camp this summer is any indication, we’ll get insight into his preferred lines The NHL confirmed the 2021 season’s most important dates on Tuesday right from the opening whistle. and will announce its full schedule on Wednesday. Camp will consist of up to 36 skaters and an unlimited number of For Winnipeg, the details will define the very way the Jets can do goaltenders. business this year. Jan. 12 — Cap compliance deadline (5 pm ET) The Jets need to sign Jack Roslovic, get cap compliant, decide how to Winnipeg will need to move Bryan Little to the Long Term Injured handle their 23 man roster plus their four-to-six player “taxi squad” — all Reserve (LTIR) by the end of January 12 to ensure cap compliance this before the season begins. season. We already knew that training camp was set to open on January 3 and Little’s LTIR situation is where the Jets will find cap room to sign Jack that Winnipeg is scheduled to play 56 games in an all-Canadian division. Roslovic despite already being pushed right up against the $81.5 million We knew that teams would be given 23-man rosters with taxi squads of cap maximum. 4-6 players and we knew that players would have to go through waivers to get on and off the taxi squad if they require waivers to go to the Recall that the size of the LTIR pool Winnipeg gets goes up the closer to minors. the cap maximum the Jets are the day they make the move. The Jets could be looking at close to $5 million in cap relief from Little’s contract, These new dates give us insight into Winnipeg’s most important roster providing enough room for Roslovic and a little bit extra. This is great and decisions, its available cap strategy, and more. necessary news but comes with an important caveat: LTIR relief isn’t like There’s big opportunity available through some of the smallest details, typical cap space — it doesn’t build up if you don’t use it. whether it’s the fact that the number of games played for an ELC to slide The Jets have smartly stayed beneath the salary cap throughout past is now set at seven games — hello Cole Perfetti — or the fact that every seasons only to add big-ticket players like Paul Stastny or Kevin Hayes single day’s worth of cap space is worth more in 2021 than in a typical at the trade deadline. That won’t be an option this year. Instead, year simply because the season is shorter. Winnipeg’s trades will have to be dollar-for-dollar (or close.) With so many important details in mind, I thought it would be valuable to Jan. 13 — 2020-21 regular season begins look at the NHL’s most important changes through a strictly Winnipeg Jets lens. Drop the puck drop the puck drop the puck let’s go. So much of Winnipeg’s season will depend on how the Jets navigate Feb. 1 — Players may waive no-movement clauses for purposes of these unique situations. Seattle expansion Dec. 27 — Opt-out deadline I can’t imagine a scenario wherein the Jets ask Blake Wheeler to waive his no-movement clause such that he becomes an option for Seattle. No Winnipeg Jets opted out of the 2019-20 postseason when given the chance this summer and I don’t expect any players to opt out of the If, for some reason, you can imagine that scenario, then the date you regular season, either. The very short list of Jets I’ve spoken to about this need to know is February 1. directly have indicated that they will play — and they can’t wait. Feb. 11 — Deadline to sign Group II restricted free agents Dec. 28 — Waivers opens What if Roslovic holds out? None of Winnipeg’s eight most experienced defenceman is waivers- exempt. I don’t believe this is a likely scenario — he and the Jets will want his contract signed before training camp begins. You can even look back to The Jets need to keep all of Josh Morrissey, Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, September 27 and 28, 2019, when Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor signed Derek Forbort, Nathan Beaulieu, Tucker Poolman, Luca Sbisa and Sami their second contracts. Niku on their 23-man roster or risk losing them to another club. It’s not at all unusual for restricted free agents’ contract negotiations to This is obviously not an issue for roster locks like Morrissey and DeMelo last well into camp. but consider the position that Niku and Sbisa are in. That said, if negotiations do turn sour, then keep this date in the back of They’re expected to be on the outside of Winnipeg’s top-six looking in — your mind. Roslovic must be signed by February 11 or he won’t be and that’s without considering rookies Dylan Samberg or Ville Heinola eligible to play this season. who could win a job out of camp. Mar. 12 — Players on one-year contracts can sign extensions Waivers applies to all of Winnipeg’s non-waivers-exempt players — even if all the Jets want to do is move them to the taxi squad. (Sergei Belski / USA Today) In a way, this means it’s possible that we’ve already seen Niku or Sbisa’s Winnipeg could sign pending UFA centremen Adam Lowry or Paul last game as a Jet. Stastny to contract extensions today if all parties agreed — both of their previous contracts were longer than one year. Still, it’s likelier that Winnipeg opens the season with 13 forwards, all eight defencemen, and two goaltenders on its main roster. Shifts happen But if the Jets want to extend forwards Nate Thompson and Dominic here in Winnipeg and each of Sbisa and Niku would be candidates for a Toninato or defencemen Derek Forbort or Luca Sbisa — all of whom they job should injuries strike. If Heinola or Samberg excel, things get more signed to one-year deals this off-season — they’ll need to wait until complicated — but that would be a great problem to have. Whereas other March 12. teams may be able to save cap space by keeping 20 players on their I think the player to watch here is Forbort. official roster instead of 23, He could be a one-year stopgap, keeping as clean a defensive zone as Eric Comrie is also at risk. Comrie isn’t waivers-exempt anymore. He was possible while the Jets wait for Samberg and Heinola to develop. claimed on waivers by Arizona last season before being reclaimed by the Jets when Detroit waived him later in the year. The Jets could risk losing Forbort could also be a perfect fit. him for the second time or keep him on their main roster, thus using all 23 available roster spots. I think the odds are stacked against him — his top-four days involved Drew Doughty as a partner, while Calgary used him predominantly on its It may seem trivial but the NHL is mandating that teams carry a minimum third pair — but a healthy Forbort would be big, strong, and defensively of three goalies this season, whether all three are on the main roster or sound. If the Jets like what they see, they could re-sign him as soon as one is on the taxi squad. Whether it’s Comrie or a veteran to be signed March 12. between now and January 13th, Winnipeg will carry three goaltenders. April 12 — Trade deadline (3 p.m. ET) Winnipeg will choose its next Perfetti or Heinola on July 23 in an as of yet unconfirmed location. It’s difficult to imagine the Jets being big game hunters at this year’s trade deadline. Montreal was scheduled to host the 2020 edition and is presumably first in line for the next in-person event. In a perfect world, that event takes As discussed, Winnipeg won’t be building up cap space throughout the place this summer in a packed, post-pandemic Bell Centre but it’s too season as it has done in the past. soon to be sure. There is a unique quirk of the shortened season that makes Winnipeg’s July 24 — Rounds 2-7 of NHL Draft LTIR situation a bit unfortunate. If the Jets were able to stay beneath the cap as they typically like to do, it would become an even bigger It’s hard to imagine that Connor Hellebuyck was the 130th overall pick. advantage this season than usual. Who will be Winnipeg’s next late-round gem? Quoting PuckPedia: Find out on the 24th — or, more realistically, find out five or six years down the road. In a normal 186 day season, each day of the season represents 0.54% (1/186). This year the season is 116 days, so each day represents 0.86% July 28— Restricted Free Agent/Unrestricted Free Agent signing period (1/116); each day is worth more towards the final cap hit. Therefore, begins (12 p.m. ET) accruing cap space earlier in the year or by having a lower cap hit on non-game days allows for even more cap hit to be added later in the year The free agency frenzy will happen 27 days after Canada Day this than in a normal season. summer. Winnipeg’s biggest concern will be sorting out the future of pending RFA Patrik Laine but will also need to re-sign pending RFA’s That doesn’t mean that Kevin Cheveldayoff won’t be able to make Neal Pionk and Andrew Copp. tweaks if the dollars work out. I suppose it’s also possible that Stastny re-signs and I fully expect the While I suppose it’s possible that Roslovic gets dealt, it would be much Jets hope Lowry will, too. simpler from a cap perspective to add cheap depth if Winnipeg is in the playoff hunt or ship out pending UFA’s if not. Outside of Winnipeg, there are some incredible players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer. And the easiest thing to do would be for the Jets to play out the season the way they are built. Could Winnipeg sign Alexander Ovechkin, Taylor Hall, Dougie Hamilton, or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins? May 8 — Last day of regular season You have until July 28 to dream. The season will be compressed, it will involve several back-to-backs and it will be over before May long weekend. For more, check out Eric Stephens’ full 2021 UFA primer. Probably. The next date on this list comes with an asterisk because it The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 could be pushed back. The NHL is aware that it may need to reschedule games this season depending on what happens with COVID-19. If those games are necessary, they’ll happen in May. *May 11 — Stanley Cup Playoffs begin It’s too soon to say whether or not the COVID-19 situation will allow for a proper white-out but I’ll leave this here for old time’s sake: *July 9 — Last possible day of Stanley Cup Final Sure beats September! July 17 — Deadline for Protection Lists for Expansion Draft (5 p.m. ET) Winnipeg seems primed to lose a good forward to Seattle this summer. If the Jets protect all of Wheeler, Scheifele, Laine, Connor, and Ehlers, then there are only two spots left to protect Andrew Copp, Adam Lowry, Jack Roslovic and Jansen Harkins, among others. We dedicated a whole series of Jets articles to this very question. That said, the Jets landscape could look very different by July 17. Roslovic could be traded by then. Lowry could be re-signed. The Jets could even work out a side deal with Seattle to protect all of its most desired players. Whatever considerations Cheveldayoff can secure, Seattle expansion will loom large over the entire 2021 season. July 21 — Expansion Draft for Seattle Kraken (8 p.m. ET) Seattle will get four days to review its options — and even to speak to its prospective new players. AN INTERESTING TWIST ON THE EXPANSION DRAFT FOR @SEATTLEKRAKEN: NHL TEAMS SUBMIT THEIR PROTECTION LISTS AT 5 P.M. ET ON JULY 17, AND SEATTLE CAN START INTERVIEWING PLAYERS LEFT UNPROTECTED AT 10 A.M. ON JULY 18. THE KRAKEN HAVE TO FINALIZE THEIR PICKS BY 10 A.M. ON JULY 21. — CHRIS JOHNSTON (@REPORTERCHRIS) DECEMBER 20, 2020 Let’s say you’re the Kraken and you see pending a pending UFA like Lowry left unprotected. You can use this interview period to try to sign him — thus making him your selection from the Jets — before the final deadline on July 21. July 23 — Round 1 of NHL Draft 1181063 Vancouver Canucks

NHL asked to take additional COVID-19 measures to play in Canada, according to report A joint letter written by five provincial health officers outlines the additional measures the NHL will have to take in order play games this coming season in Canada, according to a TSN report

Mike Raptis

A joint letter written by five provincial health officers outlines the additional measures the NHL will have to take in order to play games this coming season in Canada, according to a TSN report. TSN senior hockey reporter Frank Seravalli writes that the letter, authored by Alberta Health chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw and obtained by TSN, provides the provinces with two options that could result in each team playing home games in its own arena. According to Seravalli, the PHOs are asking the NHL to do more regular testing of close contacts or wait to start the season. They also suggest making travel less varied early in the schedule, which the NHL released on Wednesday. The letter was written in response to the NHL’s Return to Play proposal. “We just received the plan in the last few days,” Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said on Monday during a Facebook Live question period. “We’re considering it. It’s not my only priority right now. “We’re not the only province that expressed concern. We’ve given options back to the NHL I think some of the public messaging from the NHL gives the impression of pressure.” Later, during a COVID-19 briefing she added: “The NHL and the Canucks in particular have a proven record of doing the right things and have been very strong in terms of the protocols. We’re looking at this in detail and I’ve been talking to my colleagues across the country and we’ll be responding with our advice in the coming days.” Provincial Health Minister Adrian Dix went one step further. “The proposals are significantly different from what was presented in the summer, which was a bubble, and during a time of relatively low COVID- 19 caseloads,” said Dix. “They’re taking a step back from that and it’s something to be reviewed to see if it meets the needs of people. “And there are other leagues that play hockey and it’s important that they all be treated fairly in this process.” As it stands, the Canucks are scheduled to play opening night (Jan. 13) in Edmonton against the Oilers. That’s the first of two games they’ll play in the Alberta capital to open the season, as they’ll play again the following night against the same Oilers. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181064 Vancouver Canucks JANUARY Jan. 13 at Edmonton, Jan. 14 at Edmonton, Jan. 16 at Calgary, Jan. 18

at Calgary, Jan. 20 vs. Montreal, Jan. 21 vs. Montreal, Jan. 23 vs. Patrick Johnston: Canucks' all-Canadian schedule still lacks approval for Montreal, Jan. 25 vs. Ottawa, Jan. 27 vs. Ottawa, Jan. 28 vs. Ottawa, Vancouver home games Jan. 30 at Winnipeg. The NHL revealed its 2020-21 schedule Wednesday, but due to the FEBRUARY COVID-19 pandemic things could change quickly, especially for the Feb. 1 at Montreal, Feb. 2 at Montreal, Feb. 4 at Toronto, Feb. 6 at Canucks Toronto, Feb. 8 at Toronto, Feb. 11 vs. Calgary, Feb. 13 vs. Calgary, Feb. 15 vs. Calgary, Feb. 17 at Calgary, Feb. 19 vs. Winnipeg, Feb. 21 vs. Winnipeg, Feb. 23 vs. Edmonton, Feb. 25 vs. Edmonton, Feb. 28 at Patrick Johnston Winnipeg. MARCH It’s still unclear where they’ll play their home games, but the Vancouver March 2 at Winnipeg, March 4 vs. Toronto, March 6 vs. Toronto, March 8 Canucks at least know what their new schedule looks like. vs. Montreal, March 10 vs. Montreal, March 13 vs. Edmonton, March 15 at Ottawa, March 17 at Ottawa, March 19 at Montreal, March 20 at On Wednesday the NHL revealed its 2020-21 regular-season schedule, Montreal, March 22 vs. Winnipeg, March 24 vs. Winnipeg, March 31 vs. which begins Jan. 13. Calgary. The Canucks are scheduled to play opening night in Edmonton against APRIL the Oilers. That’s the first of two games they’ll play in the Alberta capital to open the season, as they’ll play again the following night. April 3 at Edmonton, April 4 at Winnipeg, April 6 at Winnipeg, April 8 at Calgary, April 10 at Calgary, April 12 at Edmonton, April 14 at Edmonton, The Canucks will then head to Calgary for a two-game series against the April 17 vs. Toronto, April 19 vs. Toronto, April 22 vs. Ottawa, April 24 vs. Flames on Jan. 16 and Jan. 18. Ottawa, April 26 at Ottawa, April 28 at Ottawa, April 30 at Toronto. Playing multiple games in opposing cities is a feature of this season’s MAY schedule, which also features games within realigned divisions because of the COVID-19 challenges and border closures between Canada and May 1 at Toronto, May 4 vs. Edmonton, May 6 vs. Edmonton, May 8 vs. the United States. Calgary. That’s put the seven Canadian teams together in the same division for Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.24.2020 the first time. This all-Canadian division has been dubbed the North Division by the NHL. The top four teams in each division will square off over two playoff rounds beginning in May, with the divisional playoff winners advancing to the Stanley Cup semifinals. Under the current schedule, the last possible date for the Stanley Cup Final is July 8, albeit the NHL has acknowledged that circumstances beyond its control could change those plans. The Canucks are scheduled to play their first home game Jan. 20 against the Montreal Canadiens, who will playthree games in the Vancouver home arena, with games on Jan. 21 and 23 as well. The Ottawa Senators will then play a three-game set in the Vancouver home arena Jan. 25, 27 and 28. Whether that home arena is in Vancouver or Rogers Place in Edmonton remains to be seen, as B.C.’s ministry of health has yet to approve the team’s plans to play home games at Rogers Arena. (Alberta hasn’t approved the Oilers or Flames’ plans either, though officials there are expected to sign off on their plans). If the Canucks don’t receive approval to play in Vancouver — games with no fans in the stands — contingency plans are being drawn up for them to play their home games in Edmonton, with the hope they’d be approved to play in Vancouver at a later date. Those plans, however, are said to still be preliminary. According to Micah Black McCurdy of HockeyViz.com, the Canucks will have the “most favourable” schedule in the league, as they’ll face a tired opponent while they’re rested six times and will be the tired team playing a rested team just once. (In this case, a tired team is a team that is playing on no days’ rest. A rested team is one that has at least one day off between games.) Rest advantage / disadvantage for 2020-2021. Vancouver has the most favourable rest schedule, Montreal and Edmonton the least favourable. pic.twitter.com/SvIDNMvWEV — Micah Blake McCurdy (@IneffectiveMath) December 23, 2020 The Canucks play on consecutive nights the fewest times of all their rivals, doing so just seven times. Ottawa and Edmonton both go back-to- back 11 times, the Maple Leafs and Flames 10 times and the Jets nine times. Last season the NHL introduced a bye week for every team in the league, built around the annual All-Star break, but there is no formal bye week this season though many teams have a multi-day break built into their schedule at some point. The Canucks, for example, have scheduled six days off in late March. 2020-21 Canucks regular-season schedule 1181065 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks shuffle coaching staff, hand new roles to Jason King, Chris Higgins A pair of former Canucks are joining Travis Green's coaching staff for the new season

Patrick Johnston

The vacancy on the Vancouver Canucks’ coaching staff, created by Manny Malhotra’s departure in the fall, has been filled. Jason King, who once drew notice as a winger for the Sedin twins leading to the trio being dubbed The Mattress Line — two twins and a king — has been promoted from the to serve as an assistant coach to Canucks head coach Travis Green. King has been on the Comets’ staff since 2016-17, which was Green’s final year as Utica’s head coach. He’d spent the three seasons before that with the St. John’s Ice Caps. “We’re excited to add Jason King and Chris Higgins to our coaching staff,” Green said in an emailed statement. “Jason is a bright, young coach with an eye for the technical aspects of the game. He enjoyed a long playing career, and with his coaching experience in Utica, showed an ability to guide young and veteran players alike.” He played 55 games for the Canucks in 2002-03 and 2003-04, scoring 12 goals in the latter season, which began with a flurry of tallies when he started the season on Daniel’s and Henrik’s wing. He was the NHL’s rookie of the month for November 2008 but his goal scoring dried up and so did his ice time. He was eventually demoted to the AHL’s . During the 2004-05 lockout season he was a point-per-game player in the AHL, but suffered a concussion playing for the Moose. He played another 36 games for the Moose in 2005-06 before moving to Sweden for a season with Skelleftea. He played four games for the Ducks in 2007-08 but never played in the NHL again after that, finishing out his career in Europe and the AHL. It’s not clear if there are any imminent plans to hire a replacement for King to work with Comets’ head coach Trent Cull and assistant coach Gary Agnew. Long time Canucks coach departs King’s promotion wasn’t the only bit of coaching news on the day: longtime skills coach Glenn Carnegie is departing the team “to pursue a new opportunity.” It’s believed that Carnegie is joining The RINK’s Kelowna hockey academy, formerly known as the Pursuit of Excellence. The RINK, based in Winnipeg, bought the long-standing Kelowna operation this summer. Canucks players at both the NHL and AHL levels were said to be big fans of Carnegie’s coaching approach. Carnegie had been with the Canucks since the 2008-09 season. He spent a season as a conditioning coach with the Moose before being promoted into a skills coach role with the NHL club a season later. Carnegie’s position is being taken over by another former Canuck: Chris Higgins. Higgins joined the club as the assistant director of player development last season. “Chris brings a wealth of NHL experience as a player, great knowledge of the game and a strong work ethic. He’ll support the skill and development of our players and expanded roster while working alongside our team and coaching staff day-to-day,” Green said. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 12.24.2020 Websites able to take this game to a different level. And the concerns people have 1181066 will not materialize over time.

Both sides seem to be in agreement over needing to get back on cycle The Athletic / LeBrun: Donald Fehr on NHL negotiations, Canadian next season, which is why the schedule for this season had the Cup final teams, Olympics, future with NHLPA ending by July 9, or by July 15 at the latest. It’s a shortened schedule. There seems to be desire to get back on cycle with a normal puck drop next fall? By Pierre LeBrun Dec 23, 2020 From our standpoint, the players would have been prepared to play 82 games and stretch it out if we had to. But I think the experience we had last year suggests that there’s a time of the year that everybody is used It is crazy how time flies. Can you believe it was 10 years ago last week, to. And it could have affected the (U.S.) TV negotiations if the timing had on Dec. 18, 2010, that Donald Fehr was voted in as executive director of changed. So the desire was, if we can figure out a way to do this, let’s do the NHL Players’ Association? it. I remember him saying at the time he wasn’t sure how long he’d be One of the things that getting back on cycle next season will help with is needed in the post. with the hopeful participation of NHL players in Beijing … Two collective bargaining agreement negotiations later, not to mention a (Fehr interjecting). Absolutely it will. And I think guys are and will be pair of return to play negotiations in the middle of a pandemic, and the looking forward to it. Hopefully by the time we get to a year from now, 72-year-old Fehr has indeed taken on a lot in his decade at the helm of much less 14 months from now, the kind of problems we’re going through the NHLPA. will be a fresh memory and a troubled one but a memory nonetheless. And we can celebrate in Beijing. He has kept a low profile the last few months but on Wednesday began to do some interviews, including with The Athletic. Now the NHLPA and the NHL still have to negotiate a deal with the IOC and the IIHF, in terms of a timeline, how do you feel that’s going to play Now that all the protocols and rules have been negotiated and out? You’ve obviously had bigger fish to fry over the past few months. announced for the 2020-21 season, I wonder if you could compare the process that led to all this to the process that led to the return to play last We’ll turn to that before too long, I’m pretty optimistic that will be summer? Both had a lot of obstacles obviously and required both sides negotiated. to work together. But it feels, from my vantage point, that this one may In terms of the vaccine, where do you stand on the importance of the have been even more difficult? players — when the general population has access to it — getting Well it is, but not conceptually so, just in the details. What I mean by that vaccinated as far as it being an individual decision or something that you is, in the summer — forget the CBA part of it — I’m just talking about strongly encourage? Where do you stand as the NHLPA leader on that? scheduling and establishing the hubs and getting going and the health As a personal matter, based on what I know now, and always subject to and safety protocols. It was difficult, we had never done it before, nobody subsequent events, it seems to be that as the vaccine becomes available had any experience with it, but we were dealing with two locations and and players can get access to it, that they probably should. And I suspect essentially no traveling except for traveling in. And only 24 teams, I say that a very healthy majority will. But that’s a bridge that everybody will only. Now we’re dealing with 31 teams, multiple locations, travel, a much cross when we get to it. As I understand the rollout of it in the States, and longer period of time; so the number of variables increases. That makes I suspect it will be similar in Canada, it’s going to go first to the people it not conceptually more difficult, but intricate in terms of looking at it. And who have the greatest need. People with underlying conditions, elderly, it’s going to make the implementation something that we’re going to have front-line workers, medical people and all the rest of it. to pay even closer attention to, I think. I guess you can’t make it mandatory for players is what I was getting to. I’ve read through all the (COVID-19) protocols and I think I’m going to have to read through them again over the weekend, but they are We haven’t crossed that bridge, and in the event, I don’t think it’ll be a incredibly detailed. I was struck by one passage that essentially is asking major issue. and hoping that the players and team staff adhere away from the rink, sort of a reliance on the fact this isn’t a bubble this time around. There’s a There’s a continuing issue with the seven Canadian teams and the hope reliance on everyone involved to try as much as they can to limit their they can actually play in their own home arenas this season. I know the societal interaction. NHLPA has been involved in that with the NHL as far as talks with the Canadian provinces. What’s your sense of it, at this hour, in terms of People aren’t in jail, let me put it that way. They’re not confined. You where that’s headed? have to rely on people to be responsible, to obey the rules. To pay attention and so on. If our experience is any indication, I don’t expect that At the moment, as I suspect you know, there have been a number of to be a major issue at all. Everybody understands what’s going on with conversations and there was a call a few days ago. And we’re continuing the virus. Everybody understands that if you do something foolish, you to give them (provinces) information on things like schedules and so on. can damage yourself, damage your team, take something back to your And I expect we’ll hear back from them before too long. I’m reasonably family. So I’m pretty sure we’re going to get a very positive response. optimistic we’ll find a way through this. You know, these people People aren’t happy by it, nobody likes it, but nobody likes the virus (provincial health authorities) have a tough job. I certainly wish them the either. best in trying to do it. On the other hand, I think they recognize that in terms of an industry or something that’s going to be open, we’re about as It was a very layered negotiation with the league, and there was a safe as they get. And we have a good track record with the protocols in stumbling point. Commissioner Gary Bettman did touch on this publicly a terms of making sure we’re not a danger to anybody else. So I’m keeping couple of times that the league had some financial requests that my fingers crossed, but I’m reasonably hopeful. ultimately didn’t come to pass. The players, and I’m sure you agree, showed resolve on this matter as far as sticking to the terms of the memo And finally, let’s talk about your future as NHLPLA executive director. of understanding (CBA extension) from the summer. (Fehr jumping in). My future? My future, first of all, I want this stupid thing Well, I think it’s pretty simple. We negotiated an agreement last summer. (pandemic) to end so I can see my grandchildren. I haven’t seen my It was not at all easy to do. It was something unique in my experience. grandchildren since February. You know, Zoom only goes so far. Players didn’t like parts of it. Owners didn’t either. But we got it done. FaceTime only goes so far. When your granddaughter calls you up and Given that, the basic feeling of the guys was that we ought to stick to this she says she hasn’t seen you in a long time, and says, “When are you agreement absent some overly compelling reason not to do so. And coming,” in a plaintive little voice that a 5-year-old has, you know, it gets that’s where we ended up. Stumbling blocks, snags, whatever you want to you. That’s first. to call them, those things happen in labor negotiations and you get Secondly, in terms of the institution, we’ll get through this, we get the through them and you go on. season going, and then like almost everybody in North America or for And listen, I saw the league’s point on this, it’s not like there’s a perfect what I know everybody around the world is going to do, we’re going to answer, as far as the amount of debt the players will carry forward, right? take stock of the world, take stock of the situation; figure out what tasks But you guys knew that in June when you were negotiating the terms we haven’t done that we need to get back to. What things have changed, then. what new things we have to examine. I’ll worry about it then. Yeah, we knew what it was, we knew what the possibilities are. And The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 hopefully revenues are going to rebound, hopefully we’re going to be Websites because a) they were Black, in a mostly White game; and b) because 1181067 they were really good players — way above average players unlike myself. So, I thought it would be interesting, given everything that’s happened in hockey over the last number of years with race, to go back The Athletic / Catching up with friend Bob McKenzie: World juniors, semi- and talk to Terry Mercury and Lindbergh Gonsalves, and compare and retirement and more contrast their experiences with mine. As I suspected, there was a world of difference between the two.

What happened to your friends? By Eric Duhatschek Dec 23, 2020 Terry’s actually a broadcaster now; he’s on SiriusXM, and so he was easy to find. Lindbergh is retired now. He became a very busy minor- Bob McKenzie and I started out in the hockey-writing dodge at roughly hockey referee and still does it today. Lindbergh did GTHL games at the the same time. McKenzie in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., covering the junior highest level; and junior games. Now, he does mostly women’s hockey Greyhounds; me in Calgary, as a jack-of-all-trades (junior hockey, games; and he also drives a school bus on the side. Olympic hockey and after 1980, the NHL). Over the years, we became Not many things make me laugh out loud on social media, but that little friends – and had way too much fun in way too many bars at an earlier bit of bookstore comedy that you posted on Twitter was pretty great. stage in our respective careers. More recently, our focus shifted to figuring how those careers would eventually wind down. My contention People on our social media are probably sick to death of James and has long been that everybody we know in the sports-writing/broadcasting myself constantly pushing and otherwise shamelessly promoting our world is either over-employed or under-employed, and finding a happy books – but it’s the nature of the beast and it’s only for a short period of medium between too much work and too little is an elusive and often time. Anyway, James is the creative one in the TSN family, so he’s had impossible task. lots of funny things that he’s said and done on Twitter. I was in Chapters- Indigo the other day and I saw the books on display, all three of them One of two things usually happens. Either your work latches on to you together, and I thought I’d just have a little fun. So, I just shot that short and never releases its grip. You live with the perpetual knowledge/fear video with my iPhone and actually sent it to James as a text message that if something happens in the world of hockey, you need to be ready to and then put it up on social media as a joke. People seemed to like it and pounce. But the alternative is worse. Too many jobs have disappeared it was good fun. But I was looking at the Toronto Star’s bestseller’s list: recently, in print, radio and television. The result: Many of our friends and Burkie’s book is No. 1, James is No. 5 and mine was No. 10. And there’s peers have been pushed out of the business, either into the freelance a lot of really good books this year. Peter Mansbridge has a book out, world or premature retirement. Jann Arden has a book out and Alex Trebek has a book out. So, when Ultimately, the goal was always to find a work-life balance. McKenzie, you start talking about the number of high-profile Canadians doing non- who was always on the cutting edge of innovation, looks as if he’s forging fiction right now, it’s really something to be on the best seller’s list. that path. In Canada, McKenzie will start re-appearing on your television Shifting gears a little here, I think I’ve told you I’m alternately jealous and screens imminently, as part of TSN’s coverage of the World Junior full of admiration for the way you’ve plotted out the final chapter of your Hockey Championship, to be held in Edmonton. McKenzie always professional life. You’re still involved with the projects at TSN that interest insisted that the job he did for decades – as the pre-eminent NHL Insider you the most, but you’ve stepped away from the all-consuming work that – wasn’t the sort of thing you could do on a part-time basis. You had to being a Hockey Insider involves. I never did that Insider thing full-time the be all in. If you weren’t, you fell behind. So, when McKenzie got to the way you did, but even those years on , which point where he didn’t have the appetite to go all-in anymore, he let the were great for profile and remuneration, were incredibly stressful. people at TSN know he was contemplating his exit. Probably not everyone understands how all-in you have to be to do that In the end, the network came back to him with a proposal that he remain job. You imagined a certain outcome from this switch from full- to part- part of the broadcasting team for major events, such as the world juniors time. Have the first four-to-six months been what you expected and or the NHL Draft, and the rest of the time he could re-adopt his “Bobby hoped for? Margarita” persona on Twitter, which features blender drinks and costly The rationale for doing what I did when I did it was motivated by two wine — and doesn’t seem to include his old staple, a rum and Coke. factors: No. 1, my 10-year contract with TSN was expiring in September Over the years, we’ve attended concerts together, frequented bars, 2020. The second thing is, I turned 64 this summer. A while back, a visited each other’s cottages and squeezed in time to cover the buddy of mine had given me a theory that while people may live a lot occasional hockey game, as well. As he moves on to the next stage of longer now than ever before, the reality is, that period between 60 and 70 his life on his own terms, which few ever get a chance to do, we got a could conceivably be your last really good decade where you’re still chance to catch up the other day. healthy and you’re still mobile. Obviously, there are a lot of people aging well into their 70s and 80s to disprove this theory, but on the one hand, Here is a lightly edited transcript of our conversation: there are a lot of people who don’t make it that far either. So, his advice to me was: Whatever you plan on doing that doesn’t include working for Ultimately, I want to ask you about semi-retirement, work-life balance and the rest of your life, it’s not a bad idea to get it going between 60 and 70 the upcoming world juniors, but this week, you posted a funny, semi- because maybe, when you’re in your 70s, you won’t be able to do the subversive entry on Twitter, a video in which you pretend to hide newly things you want to do. So that stuck with me and left me thinking: I’m 64. published books by Brian Burke and your TSN colleague James Duthie I’m almost halfway through that phase, and while I’m hopeful to lead a behind your own latest offering, the second volume of your “Everyday long happy life and be in great physical condition, you never know. As Hockey Heroes” project. So, let’s start there. When you announced last much as my job was my life, it really wasn’t. I knew there were other summer that you were stepping back from your full-time role as an NHL things I wanted to do that didn’t involve work. As you mention, this Insider Insider, wasn’t the idea was to shrink your workload? And yet here you thing meant sacrificing a lot when it came to family functions – and never are, back on the Canadian best-seller list again. What made you carve being in the moment with people, because you’re always on your phone, out the time to write a new book? or somewhere else. So that’s the general background of why I thought When Simon and Schuster approached me three years ago about doing this would be a good time. the first one, they indicated that “Everyday Hockey Heroes” was the type For a lot of people, retirement poses its own unique challenge, because of project that could be replicated every couple of years. So, I wasn’t you can go from 100 to zero very quickly and they find it difficult to cope surprised, when the first one sold as well as it did, they said, “we’ll be with so radical an adjustment. doing this again.” Knowing that allowed me and my collaborators Jim Lang, he’s the co-author, and Sarah St. Pierre, she’s the editor, to I knew I didn’t want to go from 100 miles an hour to zero, and so, it was a stockpile names and bat around some different ideas. And it meant we matter of trying to sort out what I do in my job that I wanted to keep had a little more preparation time than the first time around. doing. I always said: You can’t be a part-time Insider. You can’t say, “I’m going to do the Insider job on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and Without giving too much away, was there a particular story or anecdote take four-day weekends the rest of the time.” You’re either watching all that resonated with you? the games and chasing all the news or you’re out of touch. And so, when I looked at what I do in my job, I was fortunate that it wasn’t just being an The first chapter of the book is called Black and White and is most Insider. I do the World Junior championships. I do a series of draft meaningful to me, simply because I wanted to go back and talk to two Black guys who I grew up with in Scarborough, Ont. Because you’re a rankings over the course of a whole year. I cover the NHL Draft. So that fellow Scarberian like me, you know that growing up in Scarborough in was the basic starting point. I said to TSN, “I don’t want to go anywhere the 1960s was a lot different than it is today. Now, it’s one of the most else” and they said “we don’t want you to go anywhere else either.” I racially diverse communities in Canada – and has put more Black players said, “OK, let’s craft a deal that allows me to do these jobs, where I know into the NHL than any other Canadian community. Back then, there exactly how much work is involved.” I’ve been doing them my whole life, weren’t many Black kids playing. But I remembered two in particular, so I know what the start date is and I know what the end date is. It’s not the same as covering a CBA or trade negotiation, where it’s 24 hours a about not being home for Christmas and missing out on that. But the flip day, seven days a week, for months at a time. It’s not open-ended. I side is, my sons got to go to some of these tournaments and we did have know exactly what my workload is. And that’s what I was looking for. some family adventures at the world junior. The first stage of your semi-retirement has occurred in a worldwide As for the COVID side of things, you have a job to do. I’m really pandemic, so obviously you’re not able to travel as freely as you probably comfortable with all the protocols that Hockey Canada, the IIHF and TSN wanted to, or spend as much time with your children and grandchildren has put in place going into the bubble. I got tested three times in the last the way you anticipated. But given all that’s going on in the world, has seven days before I left. I had to quarantine four days. You just do all the this been everything you hoped it would be? things you’re supposed to do to stay safe – wear a mask, wash your hands. Then the excitement for the actual tournament is tremendous. I Under the circumstances, it’s been fantastic. Fortunately, even with the know myself and James Duthie, we felt it was really important for us to pandemic, the golf courses opened up. I was a bad golfer. I didn’t golf be there, on site, even though there’s no fans, to do this one live from frequently and I didn’t really enjoy it because golf takes way too much Edmonton. So, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s going to be exciting. time if you have other things that need to be done — and I always had work to do. So, spending four, five, six, seven hours playing golf, I The Athletic LOADED: 12.24.2020 couldn’t really enjoy it — and I was terrible at it too. So now, having the time, I took some golf lessons and I started getting into it. I started showing some significant improvement. I still suck, but I don’t suck as badly as I once did, and I really, really enjoy it. I find golf challenging and stimulating, but also relaxing. That ended up being a big part of my summer. I would only play once or twice a week, but I’d also go to the driving range to work on my game. And I’d get to play golf with my son, Shawn, and James Duthie and friends in the business. And I enjoyed getting to visit with my grandkids. I’ve got two now. I’m not glued to my phone. I’m much more mindful of the moment. Now, having said all that, with the pandemic, it’s been Bizarro-world, so I haven’t settled into the real rhythm of what semi-retirement will or won’t be. That’ll take some time. The book promotion in November was off the charts busy. And December is world juniors, so I’m semi-retired but I’m not retired at all these past two months. It’s been busy as hell. Do you anticipate that once you settle into more of a traditional semi- retirement, you’ll have more energy and enthusiasm for your work? I know I always do my best work after being refreshed and energized by a little time off. Sometimes, it’s hard to be at your creative best, when you’re ground down by a full season of covering the NHL. The short answer to that is, yes. It’s a lot easier to do what can be a labor-intensive job of interviewing scouts and doing the draft rankings when you’re not worried about what the NHL’s return-to-play protocols are going to be for the 2021 season. I’m watching Dregs () and Pierre (LeBrun) and Frank Seravalli and all these guys and it’s really labor-intensive, and it’s every day. I don’t have to do any of that stuff. So, when I sit down to do the draft rankings, I’m not cramming it in anymore. I’m taking my time and enjoying it more. Same thing with the world juniors. There’s occasionally been times in November and December when, momentarily, I have had that frazzled feeling that I’ve got this going, that I’ve got that going. But 95 percent of the time, everything’s been at a leisurely pace, and I’ve found it to be a much more enjoyable experience. So here we are in Canada, a nation of hockey fans. The world juniors have always been appointment viewing at Christmas time anyway. But we haven’t had the NHL for the first three months of the season. Do you think the appetite for the tournament is going to be higher for this year’s event than in other years? Yes, I do. It could be a world junior like no other, which would be only fitting because it’s been a year like no other. As you say, in any given year, even with the NHL on, with college football bowl games on, with the NFL on, the world juniors are huge in Canada. This year, given everything that’s happened and that we haven’t seen the NHL yet, the pent-up demand is going to be at an insane level. I assume the hockey’s going to be great. The kids might be rusty, but Canada’s got a hell of a team. Twenty first-round picks. The Russians have a hell of a team. The Swedes do too, but they got dinged up a little by a bunch of kids testing positive for COVID and not being able to play. Same thing with the Americans. But they’re still all these really good teams. So, I think it’ll be similar to the 1995 and 2005 dream team world juniors, which were in lockout years. This year, it’s not a lockout, but it’s got that same sort of feel to it. How do you feel personally about the safety measures that’ll have to be followed as a result of COVID-19? Let’s face it: You’re not a spring chicken anymore. You’re a bit of an older gentleman now. (Laughs) Speak for yourself about the older gentlemen thing, you’re a year older than me and always will be. The world juniors have always been a mixed-emotion thing for me. I love it from a hockey point of view. I love it from a job point of view. And there’s no doubt a big part of the special feeling of it is it happens around this time of year. But for me, that’s often meant being away from the family at Christmas. Back in the 1990s, if the tournament was in Europe, I’d have to leave on the 21st or 22nd of December and either leave the family behind or do the McKenzie version of the Griswolds and pack up the whole family for Gavle, Sweden, let’s say. So, there were always some pangs of guilt Websites The NHL did a great job making sure all the best rivalries are given to us 1181068 the most.

Here is the breakdown of how often each Canadian Division team will Sportsnet.ca / Five things to know about the NHL's 2021 regular season play against one another: schedule vs.

The first all-Canadian division in NHL history is set to deliver more Sportsnet Staff than triple the number of all-Canadian matchups versus the usual 82- game schedule (196 in 2020-21 vs. 58 scheduled in 2019- 20).#NHLStats: https://t.co/hkOXa1arei pic.twitter.com/UVa2hnNkuJ While details still need to be sorted out within Canada about where each — NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) December 23, 2020 team will be able to play, we now know where the NHL hopes everyone plays when the puck drops for the 2020-21 season on Jan. 13. SAN JOSE'S LONG ROAD TRIP TO START THE SEASON The league released its full 56-game schedule for every team on Due to local health regulations, the San Jose Sharks won't be able to Wednesday, and it's all supposed to wrap up on Saturday, May 8, with access SAP Center for the next while, and will host their training camp at the playoffs starting a few days later. There is a minimum of one game the Ice Den in Scottsdale, Ariz. It's too early to tell when they'd be every night between the start and end of the season, and there will be allowed back into their home arena again, and the NHL built more time more than that played on every night but four. for that to get sorted into the Sharks' schedule by starting them on an eight-game road trip. We know that the opening night plan is to feature five games: Toronto- Montreal, Edmonton-Vancouver, Colorado-St. Louis, Pittsburgh- But the won't begin far from where they're doing training camp, playing in Philadelphia, and Chicago-Tampa Bay, where the defending champion Arizona against the Coyotes for the first two games. From there, the Lightning will raise their banner. Sharks will go to St. Louis, Minnesota and Colorado -- playing each of them twice -- before their first home game shows up on Feb. 1 against Every game this season will, of course, be played only within the Vegas. realigned divisions, which are as follows: In all, twelve of San Jose's first 14 games are on the road, and their North: Ottawa-Montreal-Toronto-Winnipeg-Edmonton-Calgary-Vancouver second home series isn't scheduled until Feb. 13. Hopefully by either of those dates it will be safe enough to play in Santa Clara county. If not, East: Boston-Buffalo-New Jersey-NY Islanders-NY Rangers- though, the Sharks are considering backup plans. Philadelphia-Pittsburgh-Washington “There’s a couple potential options that we’ve been exploring, just like we Central: Carolina-Chicago-Columbus-Detroit-Florida-Dallas-Nashville- were exploring for training camp,” GM Doug Wilson said earlier this Tampa Bay week. “Could be a hub city. Could be us playing in another NHL city for a West: Anaheim-Arizona-Colorado-Minnesota-Los Angeles-Vegas-San while." Jose-St. Louis BACK-TO-BACK SITUATIONS At the end of the regular season, the top four teams in each division will The dreaded games on back-to-back days. In this compact schedule, qualify for the playoffs. The first two rounds will be best-of-7 series to fatigue will be a factor when you're averaging one game roughly every play out of your division, leaving one "champion" from each grouping. other day. So each team's back-to-back situation is of note, especially Those teams will be re-seeded from 1-4 based on regular season points, since it'll be harder to start the same goalie for each one. and then a best-of-7 semifinal will lead to a best-of-7 Stanley Cup Final. The Eastern and Western Conferences are of no consequence this The Sharks lead the way with the most back-to-back situations, a total of season. 12 on the season. Edmonton and Ottawa have the most in the Canadian division with 11 each, while Vancouver has the least among the The 2021 schedule is also unlike any we've seen before. Here are some Canadian clubs with just seven. The fewest back-to-back situations of things you should know about how it looks: any team in the league are the six for Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and the That’s right: on Jan. 13, the #NHLonSN returns. New York Rangers. This season, #ItsOn. pic.twitter.com/4qd6HrEOkV Via Sportsnet Stats, here is the full breakdown of back-to-backs: — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 22, 2020 San Jose: 12 THE 'BASEBALL-STYLE' SCHEDULE IS CONFIRMED Ottawa: 11 To limit travel between cities, when a visitor comes in they aren't only Edmonton: 11 there for one game. You'll see a lot of two-game road trips now, but not Montreal: 10 necessarily on back-to-back nights. Having two games in three days will be a regular occurrence. Toronto: 10 And, in fact, there are a number of situations where one team will fly into Calgary: 10 a city for a two-game series, then fly home and play that same team twice more for a four-game home-and-home. Nashville: 10 This idea of a "baseball-style" schedule had been assumed for some Carolina: 10 time. In , it is normal to play the same team three St. Louis: 10 or four days in a row to get a 162-game season in over the summer. The NHL doesn't have quite that much of a crunch, but has aligned the Los Angeles: 10 schedule in such a way that the same teams will play against one another for four games in a row on occasion. Anaheim and Los Angeles Winnipeg: 9 find themselves against each other five times in a row from April 20-May Minnesota: 9 1. Arizona: 9 There are a few instances where the same teams will play each other three times in a row, and in the same destination. For example, the Anaheim: 9 Toronto Maple Leafs will host the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 4, 6 and 8, and Ottawa on Feb. 15, 17 and 18. Similarly, Vancouver will host Columbus: 8 Calgary on Feb. 11, 13 and 15, Montreal will host Edmonton on March 22, 24 and 26, and Calgary hosts Winnipeg on March 26, 27 and 29. Detroit: 8 CANADIAN TEAMS FACING EACH OTHER 10 TIMES Boston: 8 In a 56-game schedule for a seven-team division, the games can't Buffalo: 8 completely be split evenly. Each team will matchup against four of its NY Islanders: 8 divisional rivals nine times, and will face the other two rivals 10 times. Philadelphia: 8 Vegas: 8 Washington: 8 Vancouver: 7 Florida: 7 Chicago: 7 Dallas: 7 New Jersey: 7 Colorado: 7 Tampa Bay: 6 NY Rangers: 6 Pittsburgh: 6 MAXIMUM NUMBER OF GAMES ON LAST TWO SATURDAYS In a 31-team league, the most games you can have on one day is, of course, 15. Over the course of this coming season, that doesn't happen as much as you may think, but the two times we will get treated to max hockey land is right in the thick of playoff hunt. If all goes according to plan, Saturday May 1 and 8 will be the only two days where 15 games will occur around the league. Those are the last two Saturdays of the regular season, and May 8 is the final day of the regular season. Hockey Night in Canada was already circled on your calendar, but maybe circle these last two again and again. Playoff spots will be on the line and those last two Saturdays will include matchups like Toronto- Vancouver and Toronto-Montreal, Edmonton-Calgary on both days, Pittsburgh-Washington, Boston-NY Rangers, and Philadelphia- Washington. It's on. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.24.2020 Websites Also Tuesday, the NHL announced a deal with Guaranteed Rate — now 1181069 the league’s official U.S.-based mortgage partner. In the hunt to grow revenues as COVID vaccines are distributed through North America, the NHL is going to be aggressive in trying new things. Sportsnet.ca / NHL will be aggressive in trying new initiatives amid hunt to grow revenues Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.24.2020

Elliotte Friedman

Amidst great fanfare, three NHL teams — New Jersey, Washington and Nashville — unveiled their helmet ads on Tuesday, becoming the first teams to do so. They won’t be the last, and these ads won’t be the only new sponsor activations fans notice during the upcoming season. “Of course, the teams are in a big hole,” Nashville chief revenue officer Chris Junghans told The Associated Press. “So, they're looking for valuable, tangible assets that will help us make partners whole. And it needed to be valuable, it needed to be dynamic.” As the bubbled Stanley Cup Playoffs concluded last September, the NHL and its teams worked together to figure out what worked from an advertising standpoint; how to best serve/protect local and league-wide sponsors. The major question: “What can we do if we don’t have fans in the arenas?” According to multiple sources, the league believes it will be able to retain $80 to $90 million in sponsorship revenue that would have been lost in 2020-21 without new initiatives. What’s particularly interesting is that these are all one-year contracts for brand preservation and make-good value. It allows everyone to test/learn the true value of these placements, without locking into long-term marriages. What you are going to see: HELMET DECALS You’ll notice that the first three sponsors — Capital One (Capitals); Prudential (Devils) and Bridgestone (Predators) — have their names on those teams’ arenas. This sponsorship is reserved for that kind of major partner. Teams are allowed to use one sponsor with the home helmets, another for the road helmets if they wish. (There is also the option of placing an ad on practice helmets.) The dimensions are 2.5 inches high, and 3.7 inches wide. The equipment managers played a key role in this process, testing the ads’ placement on the three different helmets allowed by the NHL. The league wanted as uniform a look as possible. Elliotte Friedman on helmet ads, where the Canucks will play Any NHL television viewer is familiar with the area around the blue line where the league will stamp “Welcome back, fans” or “Stanley Cup Playoffs” on the ice. Hockey Operations isn’t crazy about this process, especially during the post-season. It wants the ice protected, not tampered with. The exact details are still being negotiated with everyone involved (including the TV partners), but the league is working on projecting “virtual ads” just inside the bluelines. The technology necessary to do this is already being installed in arenas as part of the NHL’s puck-tracking system. SMT, the league’s partner in that endeavour, created football’s yellow first-down line. The NHL will monitor fan reaction to these initiatives. Helmet ads sure caused a ton of social media debate, but I’m curious to see the reaction to this when it occurs. EXPANDED BENCH SIGNAGE There are already ads on the boards behind the coaches as they stand, but what’s also being discussed are ads on the glass. Over the holidays, an LED system will be tested, but there will be stiff standards against glare onto the ice and into the players’ faces, so that’s no guarantee. If there are no fans in the building, no one has to worry about seeing through these ads. But see-through versions are also being examined. EDGE WRAP On the glass, just above the boards. Six different configurations, including behind both nets. See-through. Two partners to share the opportunity. TARP SEAT COVERS If you watched last summer’s playoffs in the bubble, you saw these in the lower bowl. Neutral colours, no black so the puck is hidden from goalies. Websites he's been the second-best goalie in every series he's played for the 1181070 Leafs. If he loses in Round 1 again this season, it'd be difficult to bring back the same goalie who lost five playoff series in a row. Sportsnet.ca / Six bold predictions for the NHL's Canadian division But the conditions are ripe for the Maple Leafs to finally breakthrough. No offence to the Oilers, Canucks, Flames or Jets, but none of them are at the same level as the Bruins, who the Leafs have lost to twice with Andersen, or the Lightning, another Atlantic Division rival and defending Rory Boylen Cup champion. If it's going to happen for this core and goaltender, this is the season for it. The NHL's four realigned divisions will give us a much different look than If Andersen stabilizes this regular season and wins a round or two in the we're used to in 2021, especially when it comes to playoff hockey. playoffs the price point on his next contract would become the biggest hurdle to a re-sign, but the state of the free agent market is more cloudy Whenever we get to the post-season, the top four teams in each division than ever. There will be no Sergei Bobrovsky-like contract out there for will have to play through one another first before advancing to a final Andersen, but matching Markstrom's $6 million AAV could be a four, when conferences are thrown out and teams are re-seeded based possibility -- that would represent a $1 million raise. If all goes well, it on regular season point totals. might be hard for the Leafs to walk away from the free agent, and also hard for the free agent to walk off into that uncertain market. Even though we're not sure where they're going to play yet, the "North" division, aka the Canadian division, is certainly the most interesting one If the Leafs don't sign Andersen, they'd be left with Jack Campbell and a on this side of the border. Rivalries will be front and centre, with 10 UFA market that doesn't clearly have an upgrade on Andersen. Next off- meetings between Edmonton and Calgary, Toronto and Montreal. And if season's list of UFA goalies includes soon-to-be 34-year-old Tuukka two teams don't meet 10 times this season, they'll still see each other Rask, 38-year-old Pekka Rinne, Jordan Binnington, Devan Dubnyk, nine times, so plenty of animosity will be built up everywhere. Philipp Grubauer and David Rittich. How many of those would be obvious improvements, and how many will even make it to the market? The mid-season "blahs" shouldn't really be a thing in a 56-game season, where one prolonged bad stretch could end your hopes. A playoff Toronto's goal of being better defensively, the fact they are now the atmosphere should be a nightly occurrence this season. divisional favourite and that this is a motivational contract year for Andersen appear to be optimal conditions for him to recover in the So, while we gear up and get excited for what's to come among these regular season. If that happens, the Leafs may find it too big a risk to seven teams, we tried to have a little fun with it before training camps get seek a replacement. going. Here, then, are six bold predictions for the Canadian division that will self destruct on Jan. 13. Remaining Time -1:17 *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. Is Frederik Andersen about to see a decreased workload? | Over/Under Maple Leafs Edition FREDERIK ANDERSEN HAS CAREER YEAR, RE-SIGNS WITH LEAFS CALGARY WILL FINISH FIRST IN THE REGULAR SEASON In Andersen's first three years with the Toronto Maple Leafs he was remarkably consistent in the regular season, with save percentages of This might be an odd prediction after proclaiming Toronto's goalie will .918, .918, and .917. He won 33, 38 and 36 games in those seasons and recover for a career year, but that can be true while Calgary finishes with led the team to the playoffs each time. the most points in a Canadian division. The 2019-20 version of Andersen was not the same and now that he's There's no doubt the Flames have much to prove this season. Not only heading into the final year of his contract, that dip leaves Andersen as have they lost in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of Toronto's biggest question and X-Factor heading into the season. Will he their past three attempts, but GM Brad Treliving added some key pieces be his same old predictably solid self, or was last year's .909 save to the roster this off-season with the goal being to get them over the percentage indicating the start of a decline? It is worth noting that as last hump ASAP. season went along, Andersen's save percentage moved the wrong way, posting a .904 save rate in December, .893 in January, and .884 in Markstrom is in as the starter and will team with Rittich for the compact February. schedule -- Rittich himself was good enough to be at the All-Star Game last season. Another former Canuck, Chris Tanev, was signed and added Here's predicting he comes back in 2021. to the defence group, which may be the deepest collection of all the Canadian teams. Calder hopeful Jusso Valimaki could be on their third While, yes, there is a non-zero chance that Andersen's absolute best pair after missing all of last season to injury. seasons are behind him now that he's 31, it's certainly not a foregone conclusion. We could have easily assumed Jacob Markstrom's best The forward group remains the same and though they finished 20th in years were behind him when last season started, but he ended up with a goals per game last season, they got better as it went along and ranked career year, which turned into a six-year, $36 million contract as an sixth from Jan. 1 to the end of the regular season. In the playoffs, unrestricted free agent. He turned 30 last January. Calgary's 3.30 goals per game were the third-most. Most of Mike Smith's best seasons came in his 30s. Corey Crawford had Remaining Time -2:01 more solid seasons in his 30s than he did in his 20s. That age is not is not necessarily a marker where goalies fall off, and Andersen had more Why Flames still have tons of confidence in Rittich as their backup consistent and solid regular season performances in his 20s than those Consider, too, the environment this team played through at points last examples. And he was still a late-blooming starter, so it's not as though season. The controversy and subsequent parting of ways with Bill Peters he's had a notably long career he could be wearing down from. came in November when the Flames were below .500 and 20th in the Remaining Time -3:35 NHL in points. That episode and the transition to interim head coach Geoff Ward could have set them back further and sunk their playoff Are the criticisms of Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen fair? hopes, but instead they rallied, won their first seven games under Ward, and had the league's eighth-best points percentage the rest of the On top of that, the Maple Leafs are aiming to be a better defensive unit in season (tops among Canadian teams in that span). 2021 and made the off-season acquisitions to prove it. T.J. Brodie is excellent in transition, which means getting the puck out of the defensive You know Matthew Tkachuk is going to thrive in the spotlight of a zone and down the ice efficiently. Zach Bogosian was a nice depth add Canadian division, especially in the 10 Battle of Alberta games we're and 26-year-old blue liner Mikko Lehtonen brings promise and upside. going to be treated with. Johnny Gaudreau is still a star point-getter in the They've also floated the idea of using a lineup of 11 forwards and seven regular season. defencemen, to create challenging matchups for opponents up front, and to keep the 'D' more rested and refreshed. Doubts around the Flames mostly revolve around their failure to meet playoff expectations and that, ultimately, will be how this team is judged. The Leafs have been in the top half of the league in high danger scoring But they've been solid in the regular season and, remember, finished chances allowed at 5-on-5 each year Andersen has been in net, and last atop the tough Pacific Division in 2018-19. season was their worst, finishing within the top 10 for the first time. Cutting back on those sort of opportunities would go a long way to It's their playoff failures that everyone remembers, which is why too many helping Andersen get back on track. are sleeping on Calgary's regular season upside. The regular season is one thing, and the playoffs another for Andersen Remaining Time -1:25 though. It's not that he's been objectively bad in his playoff career, but Are Flames betting lines (+650) too low in the Canadian division? For anyone to reach the century mark in 56 games played, they'd need to average 1.79 points per game, which no one has been able to MONTREAL WILL REIGN AS PLAYOFF CHAMPS accomplish in the salary cap era. Over the past 30 years, only two The Canucks and Canadiens were the two most impressive Canadian players not named Wayne Gretzky or Mario Lemieux have averaged teams in the playoffs last season -- one of them added a few key pieces more than that mark in a season: Adam Oates in 1990-91 (1.89) and in the off-season, and the other lost a few key pieces. Jaromir Jagr in 1995-96 (1.82). Lemieux went over two points per game three times in the '90s and Gretzky once. In the salary cap era, Nikita I'm buying into what the Habs did and the reason why is that GM Marc Kucherov's 1.56 is the best mark in a full season, though Sidney Crosby Bergevin has done a solid job rebuilding his team on the fly to this point. averaged over 1.6 points per game in two seasons where he played less Centre was once a major weakness on the team, but the rise of Nick than 43 games. Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the playoffs hugely improves their situation there, while Phillip Danault will again build a Selke Trophy case So, ya, this is a big ask. as a strong two-way pivot. If McDavid is going to do this, his health is paramount, as any missed The trade for and signing of Josh Anderson is a huge risk to take games could derail it. The schedule could prove difficult in that teams will considering he scored just once in an injury-shortened 2019-20 season, be playing basically every other day, so fatigue will be even more of a but he is a natural winger where Max Domi had to play out of position factor to contend with. there. And, come playoff time, Anderson's big power forward game But, considering the overall strengths of the teams within the Canadian should thrive, though the 26-year-old hasn't shown that yet in his 21 division, the conditions for him to pile up these points may just be career post-season appearances. perfect... Tyler Toffoli will add scoring punch. Tomas Tatar should be motivated by IT WILL BE THE HIGHEST-SCORING DIVISION his contract year. Joel Edmundson adds depth and size to the blue line, which again should help in the playoffs. I'm going to make this argument for a few reasons. First, the obvious: But the biggest reason why we're boldly predicting the Habs to come out McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Auston Matthews, Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele, of the Canadian division in the playoffs is that Carey Price should be in a J.T. Miller, Mitch Marner -- all of these players finished within the top 20 great position to lead them there. in NHL scoring last season. And then there is Elias Pettersson, Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk (maybe Brady takes a step up, too), John 31 Thoughts: The Podcast Tavares -- this division is stacked with offensive stars. And that's just the Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey start. world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what If you look at team stats from Jan. 1 to the season pause in March (giving they think about it. rosters time to settle and figure it out), four Canadian teams were in the It has been a few years since Price's numbers rose to the level that put top 10 in average goals for (Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver), him in the conversation of world's best goalie, but as he got up in age and four were in the bottom seven in average goals against (Ottawa, (he's now 33) there was some wonder about how much fatigue played a Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary). Using that same time frame, but looking at role in that. In the past two years combined, Price has played more 5-on-5 totals, four of the five worst teams in goals against came from games than any goalie, and faced more shots than anyone other than Canada, with Calgary also fitting inside the bottom 10. Meantime, from Connor Hellebuyck. The team has been on his shoulders, but he may be Jan. 1 on, Canada had four teams within the top nine league-wide in getting relief at a crucial time. expected goals for at 5-on-5. Jake Allen may prove to be Montreal's most important off-season And, while five of Canada's teams finished in the bottom half of the addition because now they have an NHL veteran who will give them league in penalty killing percentage last season, five finished in the top more starts to be confident about. And with so many games being half in power play percentage, including three of the top six. packed into a short schedule, Price will need to be rested more often Now, there are factors that could change this equation for some teams. than usual. Calgary now has Markstrom in net, which will theoretically improve their The 2020 playoffs gave us an indication of what a rested Price could do. goals against. Toronto has added to its defence corps and Andersen has After taking four months off between starts, Price posted a .947 save contract-year motivation, so that could help them. The Canadiens, on percentage against the Penguins to eliminate them, and then posted a paper, are better this season. And with Matt Murray, Ottawa has .926 against the favoured Flyers, losing in six games when many seemingly upgraded from Craig Anderson in net. predicted a sweep or something close to it. In his 10 playoff starts, Price But for as many possible defensive/goaltending improvements as there never allowed more than three goals, and kept opponents under that are within Canada's NHL teams, there are just as many questions. number seven times. Edmonton was 25th in 5-on-5 team save percentage last season and are With an improved roster in front of him that was built with an eye on returning the same two goalies. The Jets' leaky defence was buoyed by playoff hockey, a rested Price could be devastating come playoff time in Connor Hellebuyck's outstanding performance last season -- but can he 2021. play at the same extreme level again? Remaining Time -2:33 In this division, there are no Dallas' or New York Islanders -- shutdown teams known for their defensive strengths. To the contrary, each of these Why Burke believes Canadiens are most playoff-ready Canadian NHL teams is built on offence and I'd expect that to shine through in division- team only play. CONNOR MCDAVID REACHES 100 POINTS Remaining Time -1:16 In any normal season this would be a rather tepid prediction -- the best What has Oilers’ GM Holland most excited about the all-Canadian player in the world challenges for the Art Ross you say? Wow, how bold. division But in a 56-game season, which amounts to 68.3 per cent of a regular THE OTTAWA SENATORS WILL NOT FINISH LAST schedule, reaching this height is an awful lot to ask. Only one player reached 100 points last season -- Leon Draisaitl ended at 110 in 71 Really sticking the ol' neck out on this one because, well, on paper the games. McDavid finished second in the scoring race, and remember he Senators are clearly the worst Canadian team (these are bold wasn't too far off the pace he'd need to hit 100 this season, finishing with predictions, not boring predictions people!). They're the only one still in 97 points in 64 games. As amazing as that is, he'd need to do better still. the middle of a rebuild. Their long-term outlook is promising and the cap space they have in the coming years could help launch them before long, You might be screaming at your screen right now about why this bold but there's not much optimism this is the season they'll do it in. prediction is being directed at McDavid and not last season's highest- scoring Oiler by average points or actual points. To that, I say, if I'm The bold prediction isn't that they'll reach the playoffs (no one is that going to guess anyone to score at this crazy pace, it's going to be the bold), just that they won't finish last. player who can seemingly produce at will. The Senators' big weakness is the blue line, where Nikita Zaitsev and Remaining Time -2:37 Erik Gudbranson could both be in the top four. But, in a division where defence is the general weakness, perhaps it won't matter as much if the Why Holland ‘thinks’ Oilers are better, deeper and more prepared for this Sens can score a bit more and get improved goaltending. season And there should be optimism that both of those things could happen. Remaining Time -1:34 Can Evgenii Dadonov be a 20 goal scorer for the Senators? Their big UFA signing up front was Evgenii Dadonov, a 31-year-old who scored 25 times last season and recorded 70 points the season before. Younger players such as Brady Tkachuk or Colin White could reasonably be expected to improve, while perhaps Drake Batherson or Josh Norris could add pop in stepping up from the AHL. And the most important new addition, Tim Stuetzle, arrives as a hyped third overall pick who put up 34 points in 41 games for Mannheim in Germany's top professional league last season. Hope is what you have when you're built on youth. Murray should improve the situation in net though, granted, he is coming off his statistically worst season yet. It is really easy to see how Ottawa could finish last here and that is the most likely outcome. However, they did make some positive improvements in the off-season and the "bottoming out" part of the rebuild may be over. They have nothing to lose and are full of youthful exuberance. So, in what will be a strange season where anything could happen, we'll boldly predict the Sens will not be last in the Canadian division. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181071 Websites

TSN.CA / Provinces provide road map to potential green light for NHL's Canadian teams The five Canadian provincial health authorities with jurisdiction over NHL games have presented the league with two options to start the season with each of the seven Canadian teams playing out of their own arenas, but with the 2020-21 season puck drop set for Jan. 13 the clock is ticking, Frank Seravalli writes.

By Frank Seravalli

The five Canadian provincial health authorities with jurisdiction over NHL games responded to the NHL’s Return to Play proposal with a joint letter on Wednesday asking for additional measures. In the letter, written by Alberta Health chief medical officer Dr. Deena Hinshaw and obtained by TSN, the provinces presented the NHL with two options that could provide a road map to a green light to start the season with each team playing out of its own arena. The fate of the NHL’s all-Canadian “North” division hangs on approval by Alberta, , Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec. The first option called for a “regular testing schedule for players, staff, coaches and close contacts, with close household contact testing required if players are living at home between travel episodes.” It also asked for “enhancing the schedule … to group games into blocks to limit inter-jurisdictional travel between provinces.” “Specifically in the early part of the season, it will be important to make these considerations wherever possible,” Dr. Hinshaw wrote. Currently, the NHL’s protocol calls for daily testing for team members only during training camp and the first four weeks of the regular season. After that, the need for daily testing will be re-evaluated. In addition, family members are only tested “when requested,” and it is at the cost of the players. The provincial health authorities’ request might also require the NHL to readjust the schedule that was released on Wednesday. The Canadiens, Senators and Maple Leafs all travel out to Western Canada in January in the first weeks of the season. That is the NHL's best bet. Because the second option is decidedly less palatable. It called for the NHL to “reinstate a ‘bubble’ model for the beginning of the season, similar to what was used in the Hub City Series in Edmonton and Toronto.” The health authorities jointly said that they would support a “phased bubble model (full bubble for 4-6 weeks and then a modified bubble following) … or a full bubble model would be most appropriate.” If not, the provinces called for a delay to starting the season. “Should any iteration of the bubble model not be achievable for the NHL, we would recommend that the start of the season be delayed for a few weeks to allow for disease rates to drop and our health systems to recover,” Dr. Hinshaw wrote. For both the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association, there does not appear to be any appetite to open the season in a bubble or hub environment in Canada. Sources indicated that message had previously been delivered to the health authorities during the course of their ongoing dialogue. However, Dr. Hinshaw’s letter seemed to indicate that the provinces are jointly “committed to working towards a collective approach to reviewing the fine protocols from the NHL,” and conveyed their “collective support to allow the NHL to resume play with the appropriate risk mitigations in place.” The NHL is expected to respond to Dr. Hinshaw’s letter on Thursday. The clock is ticking. The puck is scheduled to drop on Jan. 13 in Canada with a Leafs/Habs and Canucks/Oilers doubleheader. TSN.CA LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181072 Websites

TSN.CA / Condensed schedule comes at a dangerous time for Oilers Eleven sets of back-to-back games are sure to ramp up the pressure on an Edmonton goaltending duo that was already under the microscope, Travis Yost writes.

By Travis Yost

That is the number of back-to-back games on the 2020-21 regular- season schedule for the Edmonton Oilers released on Wednesday, a number exceeded by only the San Jose Sharks out in the Pacific Division. The Oilers, like most teams, were prepared for a high percentage of back-to-back games through a compressed National Hockey League schedule. But it is of particular interest to an Edmonton team that knows its core weakness is on the defensive side of the ice, and in particular between the pipes. A high percentage of back-to-back games will put an increased burden on the Oilers’ goaltending tandem – a burden that isn’t exactly shared equally across the league. The New York Rangers, as one example, will play just six sets of back-to-back games this season: On one hand, the Oilers are a victim of circumstance. The closing of the U.S.-Canadian border, a highly compressed 56-game slate, and a degree of scheduling inflexibility the league hasn’t seen before created a difficult situation for all 31 franchises. But it comes at a dangerous time for the Oilers. Compressed by the salary cap and with limited backup options available, the Oilers decided to run their goaltending tandem back for another season. Last year, Mikko Koskinen (.917 save percentage in 38 games) and Mike Smith (.902 save percentage in 39 games) were good enough to get the Oilers into the playoffs, but their performance – Smith’s in particular – predictably eroded over the second half of the season. Making matters worse, Edmonton’s goaltending duo was abysmal in their qualifying-round loss to the Chicago Blackhawks. Oilers goalies stopped just 87.2 per cent of shots in the series, and gave up five goals more than expected based on the quality of shots faced. If head coach Dave Tippett was hoping that the 38-year-old Smith would take a back seat this season – well, that’s no longer the case. Teams across the National Hockey League have opted to balance starters in back-to-back situations for years now, partially motivated by a desire to keep starting goaltenders fresh and healthy, and partially motivated by compelling data-driven arguments about performance degradation observed in goalies when forced to play two games in 24 hours. (Oh, and goaltender prospect Olivier Rodrigue will be spending this year playing overseas, so other internal options are quite limited.) At any rate, it is safe to say that the pressure has been dialled up for an Edmonton goaltending duo that was already going to be under the microscope. Should they get off to a rocky start, expect general manager Ken Holland to be aggressive on the trade market. A number of veteran goaltenders – including Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Antti Raanta, Devan Dubnyk, and – see their contracts expire at the end of the year, and depending on how their respective regular seasons play out, may be available come the trade deadline. TSN.CA LOADED: 12.24.2020 Websites Quinn had never been invited to a Hockey Canada camp before this year 1181073 so this will be his first ever game wearing the Maple Leaf.

--- TSN.CA / Canada aims to make statement in first game as a team Levi, a freshman at Northeastern University, started Team Canada's Some 37 days after the World Junior selection camp opened, we will get camp in a cohort quarantine with two other NCAA players. our first look at what Team Canada can do in an actual game on forward Dylan Holloway was his roommate. Wednesday night, Mark Masters writes. "He has a ton of rituals that he does just before practices or games," Holloway said. "He's a driven guy." By Mark Masters He’s also resourceful. Initially, Levi didn't have any juggling balls in his room during quarantine, so he had Holloway flick bottle caps at him so he could do some hand-eye drills. Team Canada held an optional morning skate in Edmonton on Today, as he prepares for his first start with Team Canada, Levi should Wednesday ahead of its lone pre-competition game against Russia (6 be able to execute his elaborate three-and-a-half-hour pre-game routine. p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT on TSN3/5, TSN Direct, and streaming on TSN.ca). "First, I like to get my body warmed up," he explained. "A lot of stretching It's been a long and winding road to get to this point, but 37 days after the to make sure I don't go out there and pull a groin. I like to be loose. I like World Junior selection camp opened we will get our first look at what to be able to move quick, so I do a lot of stretching and activation. So Team Canada can do in an actual game. that's part one. Part two is getting my eyes ready with the hand-eye drills and tracking drills. Part three is getting my mind ready, so visualization, "We're finally here," said alternate captain Dylan Cozens. "It's game day. meditation and just calming down before the game and looking forward to It's a big one against the Russians. It's only exhibition, but we don't see it playing and tapping into just the enjoyment of the game." as that. It's a rematch of the gold medal last year. We're all super excited to get out there and finally play a game as a team." Team Canada goalies on pressure, shootouts and misconceptions "It's probably the biggest test we could ask for in a pre-tournament Prince George's Taylor Gauthier, Kamloops' Dylan Garand and game," said winger Jack Quinn. "That's the way we wanted it. We wanted Northeastern University's Devon Levi took part in a Team Canada goalie to measure ourselves right away." round-table discussion on Tuesday explaining how they deal with pressure and breaking down some misconceptions about their position. Only five players on Team Canada have suited up in a league game this The trio also evaluated their shootout abilities and provided insight which season, while the entire Russian roster has seen action. So, what will be players at camp are the best at breakaways. the biggest challenge? --- "It will be a fast-paced game, so just getting used to that again and managing the puck," said Quinn. "Without playing games you get a little Shortly after being named Team Canada's captain Dach taped an rusty with that kind of thing and where to put pucks under pressure." interview with the Spittin Chiclets podcast, which dropped this week. Here are some highlights from the interview with hosts Ryan Whitney, "We will have broken plays," said head coach Andre Tourigny. "We will and Mike Grinnell. have mistakes with the execution and then you need to recover and get back inside your structure and play the right way. That's something that On keeping in touch with Blackhawks defenceman and 2005 World takes a little bit of time. For us, we don't have time, so we have to be Junior gold medallist Brent Seabrook during Canada's camp ... really urgent in the task." "I had an hour-long conversation with him on the phone. Lived with him Hockey Canada initially planned to play 11 games in the lead up to the and learned quite a bit. Hopefully I don't disappoint him. He told me if I World Juniors, but a couple positive COVID tests early in selection camp mess it up I'm not allowed to live back with him." saw that number fall to five, including four intra-squad scrimmages. On his 'Tic-Dach-Toe' foot pass during practice ... But this group, which features a record 20 first-round picks, isn't interested in making excuses. Instead, they plan to make a statement. "I learned that four or five years ago from a skills coach. Darryl Belfry actually taught me that ... I tried it all the time in practice. I was in a four- "Our coaching staff has got a message for us," said captain Kirby Dach. on-four league back home and Kaiden Guhle, who's here with Team "They expect us to be at a level tonight to show people that we're here to Canada, we skate together in the summer, and I must've tried it 100 not only defend, but chase a gold medal and it all starts tonight." times in those games and it never f--king worked. Never. Not one time. And he comes to me and says, 'This is the one time it's worked, and it's --- televised everywhere, so now you're getting all this clout and stuff.' And How deep is this Team Canada roster? I’m like, 'Yeah, you’re right' ... I've tried in a game a couple times and it hasn't worked." Phil Tomasino, who racked up 100 points in the Ontario Hockey League last season, will be a healthy scratch tonight. Dawson Mercer, who won Tic-Dach-Toe@kdach77 opening up his bag of tricks! ♂ gold last year in Ostrava, starts as the 13th forward. #WorldJuniors pic.twitter.com/kKHhHvBaQS Canada will dress eight defencemen tonight, but Kaedan Korczak and — #WorldJuniors (@HC_WJC) November 18, 2020 Jordan Spence are designated as the fourth pair and may not see many On defenceman Bowen Byram ... shifts. Tourigny is eager to give his top players as many minutes as possible to get them up to speed. "I'd describe Bo as a fourth forward. He's good with the puck. He's fun to play with. He always puts it on your tape and on the power play he's so Dylan Garand will dress as the backup goalie with Devon Levi expected patient with the puck up top and always seems to make the right play. to play most if not all of the game. But, at the same time, he's really good in the D-zone. He's got a good --- stick and is really starting to fill out and be kind of a hassle in the corners to deal with. I think that's something he learned going back to Colorado Quinn, a righty, will start on left wing on the top line with Cozens and for the bubble experience too is just how hard it is to play at that level Dach. against those big guys. Obviously, he's got [Nathan] MacKinnon, [Gabriel] Landeskog, [Mikko] Rantanen to practice against all the time "I like the left side because I can cut to the middle and can kind of see and I'm sure that's no fun, but he's taken a lot of strides. He'll be a really the ice a little better having the puck on the inside when I'm coming down good player for a long time." the wing," he explained. "I'm a little more dangerous being able to cut to the middle and make plays with my linemates that way." On Team Canada's dressing room jokester ... Quinn scored 52 goals in 62 games last season with the Ottawa 67's "Our goalie, Taylor Gauthier. I'd say he's No. 1 for sure." where he plays for Tourigny. Will Canada struggle with having the big dogs play 4th line minutes? "He's playing the left side as a righty and that opens him up to use his shot even more," observed Cozens. "He's got a great one timer, a great LISTEN: https://t.co/G6Iit3v3lK pic.twitter.com/zENU4e8Nv1 shot, quick release, and he's such a smart player, too. With Kirby there — Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) December 23, 2020 as a playmaker and me as kind of a 50-50 playmaker and goal scorer, Quinner will be able to bury a lot of pucks." --- Team Canada has decided on its goal song for the 2021 World Juniors and we may just hear it tonight. "We did some votes," revealed Cozens. "It took us a while to find the song, but as soon as we heard it everyone kind of agreed on it. We had one other goal song in mind, but then this one came on and we're like, 'Yeah, that's the one.'" The centre refused to say much more when pressed by TSN. "It's a goal song that fits well with where we are now in good ol' Alberta, so you'll see." Sources say there are a lot of Country music fans in the Canadian dressing room. Would a Country song work as a goal song? "Just wait and see," Cozens said coyly. The only thing that Cozens would confirm is that the 'Hey Baby' song that helped Canada win gold in Buffalo in 2018 will not be used this year. Last year's song was "Let Me Clear My Throat" by DJ Kool. With the tournament taking place in a bubble, the goal song is taking on even more importance this year. It will be heard loud and clear with no fans in the building. "We got to get hyped up and we'll be really hyped up after every goal," Cozens vowed. "The goal song will really help get the boys going." --- Projected Team Canada lineup for Wednesday's pre-tournament game against Russia: Fowards Quinn - Cozens - Dach Holloway - Newhook - Pelletier Perfetti - McMichael - Krebs Zary - Byfield - Suzuki Mercer Defence Byram - Drysdale Harley - Schneider Guhle - Barron Korczak (R) - Spence Goalies Levi Garand Scratches: Tomasino, Gauthier Projected Team Canada power-play units for Wednesday's pre- tournament game against Russia: Byram McMichael - Krebs - Cozens Dach Harley Perfetti - Quinn - Newhook Byfield TSN.CA LOADED: 12.24.2020 1181074 Websites

TSN.CA / NHL teams begin to unveil advertisements on helmets

Staff

There will be advertisements on NHL players' helmets this season as teams try to recoup revenue lost to the pandemic. The New Jersey Devils, Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators became the first teams to unveil helmet ads Tuesday. It's a one-year trial with fans not allowed in most arenas and a financial shortfall coming with a shortened 56-game regular season. "Of course, the teams are in a big hole," Nashville chief revenue officer Chris Junghans said after the team announced its deal with Bridgestone. "So, they're looking for valuable, real valuable, tangible assets that will help us, guys like me, make partners whole. And it needed to be valuable, it needed to be dynamic." The NHL is leaving jerseys alone, largely because it was quicker and easier to sell ads on helmets than anything else. Commissioner Gary Bettman said in 2017 after the NBA approved jersey advertisements that it would take an "unusual circumstance" to make that leap in hockey. This would qualify, though helmets were a natural first step. "This is very unobtrusive, and that's something that we took into account as we were looking at this," said Devils President Jake Reynolds, who boasted about being the first NHL team to find a helmet sponsor in Prudential. "We wanted this to have a natural fit and a natural look to it, and we wanted to make sure we did this the right way." Conversations about the possibilities from the league office down to teams began after last season ended. Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and Chief Business Officer Keith Wachtel kept in touch, and just over a week ago, teams were given the green light to find up to two existing sponsors to put logos on helmets that match with various uniform combinations. Each of the first three teams got a deal done with the company that sponsors the naming rights for its arena. "We were prepared for it and looking forward to the opportunity," said Jim Van Stone, the president of business operations for Monumental Sports & Entertainment. Van Stone finalized the Capitals' agreement with Capital One, armed with the experience of getting a Wizards jersey sponsor. "We all want to get back in with fans in the building and get back to normal," he said, "but these are really unique broadcast opportunities and I think the value of social media and the ability to create content around our teams and players really made this just a perfect opportunity based on the current situation." The NHL could sell jersey ads at some point when it feels it could make significant money from the venture. In the immediacy of the pandemic, it's expected to roll out other places for arena ads that will be visible on television, such as tarps covering empty seats. "There are only elements that we are having conversations on and looking for unique and creative and innovative ways to be able to retain and drive some revenue," Reynolds said. "The league has been very progressive in terms of kind of how they are looking at this and what some of those potential options could be." TSN.CA LOADED: 12.24.2020