SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 6/22/2021 Canadiens 1216204 The Ducks’ branding? Ryan Getzlaf’s future? Maxime 1216224 The Canadiens’ playoff run has the makings of movie Comtois’ scoring ceiling? Mailbag, Part 1 magic 1216225 Canadiens Notebook: Busy travel schedule ahead for Habs and Golden Knights 1216205 Why Bruins shouldn't pursue an Ekman-Larsson trade this 1216226 Luke Richardson brings plenty of experience behind offseason Canadiens' bench 1216227 Stu Cowan: NHL allowing 'prison rules' in semifinals 1216206 Sabres GM applying lessons learned from 1216228 Former Canadiens dies from difficult first year on the job lung cancer at 58 1216229 About Last Night: Robin and refs frustrate Habs in Game 4 Flames loss 1216207 Flames’ bet on Chris Tanev paid off in Year 1. How did he 1216230 Canadiens playoff notebook: Creating doubt in Vegas, exceed expectations and what does it mean going forw Danault line waiting to bust out, Gustafsson more than a 1216208 OTR: Sticker Shock, GMs Gasp At Sabres’ Trade Ask For 1216231 Inside Tennessee State University’s plans to become the Eichel first HBCU with DI hockey teams 1216209 Dater’s Daily: Lehner fires back at critics, Eichel trade rumors persist 1216232 Islanders on brink of elimination after Game 5 no-show with ejected in Tampa 1216210 Trading for would include list of pluses, 1216233 How Islanders’ watch party at came minuses for Blue Jackets together 1216234 This wasn’t the first time Mat Barzal has lost his cool 1216235 Tough break early was start of Islanders’ playoff disaster 1216211 Dallas Stars announce signing of Blake Comeau to 1216236 Mat Barzal’s antics put unrecognizable Islanders in bad one-year, $1 million deal spot 1216237 Islanders on brink after ugly 8-0 loss to Lightning 1216238 Trading for Cal Clutterbuck helped build Islanders’ identity 1216212 Monday's NHL playoffs: Stamkos, Vasilevskiy pace 1216239 The best Islanders-Lightning betting angles Lightning's 8-0 rout of Islanders 1216240 Matt Lauer has been cheering on the NY Islanders at games Oilers 1216241 Islanders on brink of elimination after embarrassing 8-0 1216213 OILERS NOTES: The long dance with Nugent-Hopkins loss in Game 5 and continues 1216242 Who were those guys? Certainly not the Islanders 1216214 Lowetide: The 7 Oilers roster spots GM Ken Holland must 1216243 Like Islanders fans, couldn't resist watch improve this offseason party at Nassau Coliseum 1216244 The Islanders aren't the only team that plays solid defense 1216245 UBS Arena sells out its Islanders general admission 1216215 OTR: Sticker Shock, GMs Gasp At Sabres’ Trade Ask For season tickets for inaugural season Eichel 1216246 Islanders take center stage in the New York sports landscape for this playoff run 1216247 How do Islanders get past blowout loss? Faith, hope, love 1216216 to the Kings? Alex Turcotte regret? Possible and ‘Ted Lasso’ return of Alec Martinez?: Mailbag 1216248 ‘Disappointed’ by Undisciplined Mathew Barzal 1216217 Kings Seasons In Review – Mikey Anderson 1216249 Rapid Reaction: Islanders Self-Destruct in Game 5 Loss 1216250 Islanders Fans, Alumni get Extra Chance to Take in 1216218 J.T. Brown retires from hockey to be Kraken TV Nassau Coliseum at Viewing Party analyst 1216251 Remains a Strong Presence Around Islanders 1216219 Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers dies at age 58 During Playoff Run 1216221 Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers, a Stanley Cup champion 1216252 New York Islanders Sell Out Season Tickets for Inaugural from Bloomington, dies of lung cancer at 58 Season at UBS Arena 1216222 JT Brown’s path to becoming the ’s TV 1216253 NYHN Daily: Viewing Party at Nassau Coliseum for Game color analyst 5, Save & More 1216223 Wild assistant GM and Minnesota hockey legend Tom Kurvers dies after battle with cancer 1216254 Burning Rangers questions for and Gerard 1216282 Graney: Officials take center stage for Golden Gallant Knights-Canadiens 1216283 Golden Knights fans express displeasure with TV broadcasters 1216255 NIGHTMARE COMING TO AN END? Sens plan for 'full 1216284 Golden Knights on comeback wins in playoffs: ‘We don’t building' in October quit’ 1216285 Marc-Andre Fleury or Robin Lehner as Game 5 goalie? Stay tuned 1216256 Mark Madden: Beware of handling pucks 1216286 Golden Knights still searching for offense heading into 1216257 Penguins A to Z: When healthy, Brian Dumoulin remains Game 5 against Canadiens as reliable as ever 1216287 Playoff philanthropist: Local has sent 26 kids and counting 1216258 Ron Cook: Don't let recent Pittsburgh history fool you — into Knights games it's hard to win a championship 1216288 Golden Knights’ Nic Roy showed ‘unbelievable poise’ and 1216259 Penguins Free Agency: What is Cody Ceci Worth? scored a dream goal in Montreal in front of family 1216289 Down Goes Brown: Three lessons to learn (and one to avoid) from each of the final four teams 1216260 Sharks re-sign Matt Nieto, get closer to satisfying 1216290 Lehner’s Motivation, Roy’s Winner Thrills Family, expansion requirement Stephenson’s Return? 1216261 Making Sense of Nieto Re-Signing 1216291 Lehner Motivated by Twitter Hate & Fans: ‘Watch You 1216262 OTR: Sticker Shock, GMs Gasp At Sabres’ Trade Ask For Guys Talk Shit’ Eichel 1216263 ony Ferrari on Why Wallstedt Can Be Game Changer for Sharks 1216292 When does the clock hit 00:00 on the Caps' championship window? Seattle Kraken 1216264 JT Brown retires from NHL, joins Seattle Kraken broadcast Websites 1216265 JT Brown’s path to becoming the Seattle Kraken’s TV 1216295 The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Three lessons to learn color analyst (and one to avoid) from each of the final four teams 1216296 .ca / Stamkos puts to rest questions about his St Louis Blues play as Lightning seize series lead 1216266 Where are they now: Blues' Pettersson had 'best time of 1216297 Sportsnet.ca / Islanders unrecognizable as they beat my life in St. Louis' themselves in biggest game of season 1216298 Sportsnet.ca / NHL officials losing the plot as missed penalties pile up 1216267 Statement game: Lightning rout Islanders 8-0 in Game 5 1216299 TSN.CA / Habs ‘comfortable’ in long series; ‘pressure falls 1216268 Lightning’s Jan Rutta shaken up after cross-check to head on’ Vegas 1216269 ‘Just one more win’: Twitter reacts to Lightning’s Game 5 1216300 USA TODAY / New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal win over Islanders ejected for cross-check in blowout loss to Tampa Bay 1216270 Stanley Cup semifinal: Lightning-Islanders Game 5 live Lightni updates 1216301 USA TODAY / Minnesota Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers, 1216271 Vintage Steven Stamkos is the best kind of Stamkos in the former hockey great, dies of lung cancer at 58 playoffs 1216273 Jill Biden to attend Lightning vaccination event 1216274 Former Lightning assistant GM Tom Kurvers dies from SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 lung cancer 1216276 Lightning’s Steven Stamkos on his health: I’m ‘good enough to play’ 1216277 5 things Lightning need to do to pull out Islanders series 1216278 How video review failed the Lightning in Game 4 1216279 ‘It was a matter of time’: Lightning Steven Stamkos sparks 8-0 rout in Game 5 1216280 Is Lightning’s Steven Stamkos hurt? He says he’s ‘good enough to play’ Maple Leafs 1216281 Is it time for the Maple Leafs to re-examine the Core-4 experiment? Canucks 1216293 Canucks: Former defenceman Tom Kurvers loses long battle with lung cancer 1216294 Should the Canucks consider J.T. Miller as their next full-time, third-line ? 1216204 Anaheim Ducks Center and down Katella Avenue through the season and on bus stops during the playoffs. There may have been the occasional billboard, but I can’t remember when those were on display off of freeways or major The Ducks’ branding? Ryan Getzlaf’s future? Maxime Comtois’ goal arteries. And there have been Ducks-themed events at nearby shopping scoring ceiling? Mailbag, Part 1 centers like Irvine Spectrum and The Market Place.

I’m not here to bash the club’s marketing department. They know a lot more about the business of selling a team than I do. And I’ll be happy to By Eric Stephens Jun 21, 2021 be corrected if there have been many concerted efforts to capture the attention of a populace of more than 3 million in the O.C. alone. But

you’ve got a bold eye-catching color in orange. (Or lean into the retro Once again, you’ve stuffed the Ducks mailbag and it’s bursting at the look.) Put it throughout the county. See if large businesses – some of seams, to the point where it was impossible to fit all your queries into one whom are nationally known or worldwide brands – that are located off the neat little response piece. Add in my occasional wordiness and, well, a nine different major highways that run through the county will have a Part 2 is going to be necessary. I’m not sure I’d even want to read 7,000 large banner with the club logo draped over their buildings from time to words in one . time (or permanently).

The wide array of questions was impressive. Naturally, there were quite a A team’s colors and logo is a dominant element that shapes its identity. few that were trade-related as we venture further into a key offseason for The O.C. should effectively be seen and known as Ducks Country. the Ducks. We’ll group all that together for a bookend to this Part 1. Whenever I’ve been in Tampa, I’ve always seen the Lightning’s logo through the different areas around the city. Blue flags flying. Banners on Thank you once again for being faithful readers and welcome to those buildings. Images of players riding around on city buses or display high who might have stumbled onto the mailbag for the first time. July should up on billboards. Now the Bolts have far fewer competition when it comes be a particularly active month for the club. We’ll have plenty of stuff to other pro teams in the Tampa-St. Petersburg than what the Ducks are coming over the next little while to tide you over. up against in carving out their place in Southern California.

Let’s get to the questions. Some were very thoughtful and impossible to I get that there are an inordinate of transplants from other cities answer with just a few words. who have put down their roots in SoCal but have their own favorite teams to root for. Focusing on hockey, there are many who still carry a torch for Note: Submitted questions may be edited for clarity and style. the team they grew up with before moving, and the Ducks may even be Hi Eric! As always, we appreciate your time and valuable insight into all their “second” team. But the club has its minor-league team in San things Ducks! A boring question about branding/marketing: What can be Diego, a big city now reduced to just one team among the major sports said about how poorly the Ducks market themselves to not just their leagues. Larger suburban cities such as Riverside, Temecula and existing fans but to those outside Anaheim as well? Murrieta are 60 to 90 minutes away depending on that day’s drive. It seems to me that there’s a vast region that the Ducks can make It seems to be an overwhelming sentiment that the original Mighty Ducks themselves omnipresent in some sort of way. logo and (elite and unique) color scheme – though previously maligned by naysayers and hockey purists alike – is the preferred identity for the The Ducks continue to do some wonderful things to engage with the southernmost Californian NHL team. Despite that (or perhaps in spite community. But I still get the vibe that they prefer to fly under the radar – of?) it seems like ownership is hell-bent on selling us on the eyesore of or off it – when it comes to the hockey world. Maybe it’s just my own an orange and gold color scheme and intentionally torpedoes any feeling. It doesn’t help that the sport’s culture remains cool to focusing on opportunity to capitalize on nostalgia; the most recent example being individuals rather than the team. Some of the younger core that’s coming them only deploying their Reverse Retro jerseys twice all season. along have great personalities to hype and market.

What do you think it would take for the Samuelis to embrace a return to a Hi Eric, will (Max) Comtois ever hit the 40-goal mark playing next to a Mightier identity? I can’t imagine a better opportunity than now as the Zegras in his prime? – Michael B. franchise turns a page to the future with the infusion of young, dynamic Forty goals in a year is a feat. Even if you adjusted player statistics for talent in (Trevor) Zegras, (Jamie) Drysdale and the inbound third overall 2020-21’s 56-game schedule over a full 82-game slate, only 11 NHL selection (or perhaps even a Jack Eichel?). The world is ready for a players scored at the .471 goals-per-game average that’s necessary to return of the eggplant and jade. The only question is if ownership is brave hit 40. Who knows if all 11 would have kept scoring at that clip? It makes enough to make it reality. – Christian G. Auston Matthews’ 41 scored in just 52 games last season an impressive Eric, how would you define the marketability and the impact that the achievement. If you look back at the last complete season, 2018-19, Anaheim Ducks organization has on the NHL? It would appear that many there were 13 players, from Jake Guentzel to Alex Ovechkin. Pretty tend to discredit the fan base as a serious and knowledgeable one within impressive company. a non-traditional market. However, L.A. with their history and Tampa Bay It will be a massive plus for the franchise if Comtois becomes that prolific with their successes are able to surpass this notion. What does of a finisher. If he can score 18 times while playing on a line with Zegras Anaheim’s ownership need to do to address this? I personally think it is a for only a handful of games, what are the possibilities if the two stuck as rebrand back to (at least) our mighty logo. Thank you! – Greg S. partners over 82? I don’t know if he has 40-goal potential and I’ll be Christian, I don’t think it’s a boring question at all. How the team brands happy to be proven wrong. His shot volume (182 attempts last season) or markets itself is one I’ve thought about from time to time for a long improved dramatically and that trend needs to continue upward. He’ll while. There is a lot to this and I surely can’t say I have all the answers. need to stick with Zegras and I think that’s very doable. And while I think But Christian and Greg, I can try unpacking some of the things you both he took advantage of teams not respecting his ability to put away pucks touch on here. from in close, I do think he could still take others by surprise when he’s going against 31 teams instead of seven next season. The Samuelis went heavy into orange given their affinity for Orange County and the franchise residing there. I’ve said on multiple occasions Teams will adjust and Comtois will adjust to how they play him as well. that I don’t find that color to be the abomination that others do and we’re The growth he displayed from 2019-20 to this past season was all entitled to our opinions. It’s a bold color. Without question, it’s divisive. tremendous and I think he has much more in him. He loves the game – But it’s also not black, which is overdone. But I do feel in terms of as evident by his desire to play roller hockey in the offseason – and I marketing and strategy, there are two ways to go about it. Go full bore think he’s a driven individual who wants to be an impact player and and embrace it or bring back the eggplant and jade with the original logo leader. I know I’ve given a long-winded answer, but I do think 30 goals is and make that the main look. very reachable. He has said that he sees himself as a 20-goal scorer on the regular. And with his one-timer, who knows what can happen if he Now a bit of full disclosure. I live in the South Bay and commute into and Zegras create the kind of chemistry Ryan Getzlaf found with Corey Irvine and Anaheim for practices and games. I can’t say that I’ve been Perry. through every inch of Orange County, but I’ve driven through and spent time, whether for business or leisure, in many of its communities often What teams, in your opinion, are the most and least successful from over many years. Perhaps I’m wrong but the only times I’ve seen any each era of NHL expansion? In my mind, there are three eras: 1967, Ducks-related signage or advertisements is either right around Honda 1970s and 1990s/2000. – Nathaniel H. Looking at the original 1967 expansion, I’d put the Penguins above the Ottawa’s Connor Brown and Calgary’s Andrew Mangiapane that carried Flyers and Kings, followed by the Blues. With Pittsburgh, you can point to Canada offensively. Even if this past season was one he won’t look back five Stanley Cups that were powered by superstar duos in on fondly, I think Henrique’s standing as a player in the hockey and Jaromir Jagr, who won a pair in the early 1990s, and Sidney Crosby community is still pretty strong. I think GMs still like the player. It’s the and Evgeni Malkin, who got one in 2009 and then matched Lemieux- contract that will make them cool to visualizing him on their rosters. Jagr’s back-to-back in 2016 and 2017. Philadelphia and Los Angeles each have two and while it’s true the Flyers not having won one since The Ducks have some options with him and I’m looking at a piece going back-to-back in 1974 and 1975, they’ve also had more consistent digging further into those. Keeping him is one of those options and I success over the decades. agree that a place on their roster improves if Ryan Getzlaf decides that he’s competed enough after 16 seasons. I’m not going to place any odds Unlike the above, it did not go well for Oakland. The Seals tried different on Henrique being part of the 2021-22 mix but I wouldn’t rule that out, geographic surnames and then uprooted from the Bay Area after nine especially if a deal can’t be found with another team. I’m not seeing him seasons, moving to Cleveland. And then the Barons lasted only two getting the captaincy, however. I just think others are more in line to years before ceasing operations. As for the 1970s, it’s hard to argue succeed Getzlaf if a change were to occur. But he could still wear the “A” against the New York Islanders, given their dynasty in the next decade on occasion. and the fact that they’ve remained largely competitive since. I can’t really count the four WHA teams as expansion, so I’d say Atlanta edges out Hi Eric, why is there so much chatter about Getzlaf retiring? Has he Kansas City (and then Colorado) for least successful. Both teams did far hinted at it? Age-wise there are much older players than him in the better in relocation. league being productive. – Shakeel S.

The Flames lasted longer in Georgia but have only won one Cup in Some of that is simply based on what he said, which is that he’ll take Calgary despite icing some excellent teams on occasion. Meanwhile, some time and talk things over with his family and the team. Murray after languishing as the Scouts in K.C. and the Rockies in Denver, the indicated that the two have had discussions about his future and expect Devils found a home in New Jersey and captured three titles. As to the to have more, with Getzlaf’s potential role on next year’s club being expansion explosion in the 1990s and 2000s, it’s got to be the Lightning among the topics. And Getzlaf has consistently said that he isn’t going to followed by the Sharks, Ducks and Predators. We’ll lament the Thrashers be one to play into his 40s like Teemu Selanne and others have done. and a failed second attempt in Atlanta but at least they’ve found new life But I do think he is strongly considering playing next season and I would and a little more success in as the new Jets. Vegas, of course, not be surprised if he takes things a year at a time. is the new standard when it comes to smashing success right out of the The Ducks want to retain him and he has long stated a preference to play gate. his entire career with the team, even if he was open to waiving his no- Considering next year is a contract year for Bob Murray and Dallas movement clause at the deadline if a trade could be worked out to get Eakins, do you think the default is that neither gets a new contract unless the club some assets. It didn’t happen but it was an example of how the team clears some bar for performance? If so, what do you think that much he values the only franchise he has ever been with. Getzlaf knows bar is/should be? – Surjan S. that he will make significantly less next season if he returns. It makes all the sense in the world for both to wait until after the July 21 expansion What would have to happen to see a change in GM? Seems like nothing draft and announce a deal if one is to be had, so that they don’t have to will get the owners to change the current GM, not even falling to second- use one of their protection slots on him. last place. – Grant R. Hey Eric! Do you think any of the kids will change their numbers this year Let’s look at some recent history. Bruce Boudreau was fired with a year and if so, what will they be? I would assume Comtois, Terry, Zegras and left on his contract. There was interest in “Gabby” from the moment he Drysdale would want their own numbers now that they are NHLers for became available and he wound up coaching Minnesota that next good. And what number would you wear? Thanks! – Justin B. season. Anaheim was off the hook for his salary in 2016-17. Randy Carlyle was fired in the final year of his deal. Instead of bringing in I don’t know if anyone will change their number, but I’ll do my best to another coach midseason, Murray stepped behind the bench. Once keep track of that and report it out on our Real Time function. (And if again, ownership did not have an extra person drawing checks who anyone happens to know before I notice, please feel free to pass along.) wasn’t shepherding the team. Hopefully, when we get access to the dressing rooms again, I’ll do a story talking to each of the Ducks players and find out why they chose Do finances factor into when changes are made in the coaching staff or the number they did. For instance, Haydn Fleury went with 51 when he management? I don’t have any proof or testimony on that being the case. joined the team because Jake Gardiner wears that number and he’s I can only go by what the people who make those decisions say the been a good friend to him. Rickard Rakell stuck with 67 because he reasons are, unless I have something definitive that runs contrary which I noticed many fans had started purchasing his jersey. can comfortably report. Murray and Eakins know their status and this will be an important year for both. When asked directly in his year-end For all the players you mentioned, there are numbers available that address if both were returning next season, Murray didn’t take a they’ve worn previously. Max Comtois has worn 44 when he was in the defensive or defiant tone. Both know results matter. QMJHL and again at the worlds this summer. Trevor Zegras had 13 at Boston University. The number 19 has been meaningful to Troy Terry, Real improvement and a clear path toward future contention should be a who grew up a fan of and says his current 61 is an upside- bare minimum. Whether it’s convenient or not that the contracts for both down version of it. Jamie Drysdale won’t get 4 but the 6 he’s worn for are up, I do think one reason Eakins was retained is Murray knows he’s Team Canada is available. I have a feeling he might keep 34, though. got to give him a better roster that will have a fighting chance against the Nothing behind that. Just a feeling. West’s best teams. Remember that division lineups will return to what was previous and so Colorado, Minnesota and St. Louis will move back Personally, I’ve always been a fan of 11. Four is also a favorite. Could out, Arizona is shifting to the Central with expansion Seattle coming in those numbers have some tie to my birth date? I can neither confirm nor and Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver will return. (These are all deny. assumed to happen.) I don’t know if a playoffs-or-bust scenario is at Hey Eric, any luck requesting an interview with the Samuelis? Would love work, but I have to believe the Samuelis don’t want an endless run of to hear from them! It’s a big offseason for this team moving forward just losing to set in. That would be a huge disservice to their loyal fans and anything or getting into their frame of mind would be nice. – Kev B. customers. It would be nice, wouldn’t it? Numerous requests have been made in I know (Adam) Henrique’s contract isn’t the prettiest on the team, but recent years so it’s not for a lack of trying or neglect of duty. Requests neither are most of our veteran’s contracts. I’m sure I’m in the minority will continue and hopefully they’ll see it is good to communicate to the fan but can you see the Ducks just embracing Henrique and possibly even base during the low times as well as when things are rolling. allow him to temporarily wear the “C” if Getzlaf retires and if Zegras isn’t ready to carry that pressure so early in his career. I believe Henrique has Two years in a row now I’ve been excited in September and certain that been treated like the red-headed stepchild in the team despite his efforts rock bottom had been last year. Will you stop me from doing it again this and offense production in a team that severely lacks any sort of offense. year? – Christoffer Z. Canada also rallied to win it all with him as captain in the IIHF. – Gil E. I know. I’m also the optimistic type but I’m also the realist in our The world championships couldn’t have gone any better for Henrique. household. There will be more pain ahead but also more reasons to have Despite a rough start, the 31-year-old centered a potent line with hope. Watching players like Zegras, Drysdale, Comtois and Terry should provide that. It’ll be good to play a regular schedule with 31 other teams. And there might be some benefit coming out of playing 24 games against Vegas, Colorado and Minnesota last season. Wins were rare, but they know what it takes to play against those teams and push to reach that level.

Do you anticipate full capacity at Honda Center next season? – Goodguyinsports

Is this where I insert the joke about the Ducks not having capacity crowds in any case? (Save the boos, I’ll do it myself.) I was at a recent game at Dodger Stadium after it was open to full capacity. Other than the little boy constantly kicking the seat behind me for the first few innings and the guy next to me tossing back a couple beers too many over the last couple, it was a wonderful experience to see a packed house. Things are continuing to head in a positive direction and thanks to everyone who followed the guidelines and helped drive down the infection numbers.

I truly believe Honda Center will be open to everyone. And it will be wonderful to see.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216205 Boston Bruins

Why Bruins shouldn't pursue an Ekman-Larsson trade this offseason

BY NICK GOSS

NHL trade rumors involving defenseman Oliver Ekman- Larsson are back, which isn't a huge surprise with the 2021 draft about a month away.

The rumor mill is heating up, with Buffalo Sabres superstar center Jack Eichel the most exciting player who could potentially be moved during the offseason.

The upcoming group of free agent defensemen is not amazing. Outside of Dougie Hamilton -- and to a lesser extent, -- there aren't any players contending teams should pursue for their top pairing.

So, if teams are looking for a top-four defenseman, Ekman-Larsson is an interesting player to consider pursuing via trade. But in the case of the Boston Bruins, it's not a fit.

Will Bruins run it back in 2021-22? Neely gives interesting take

First, here's the latest report on Ekman-Larsson, via Craig Morgan AZ Coyotes Insider. He writes that "the Coyotes intend to explore trade options for captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson again this summer, sources have confirmed. This time around, Ekman-Larsson appears to be more open to the possibility."

Bruins fans probably remember back in October when there were reports of Ekman-Larsson being willing to waive his no-movement clause only to join Boston or the . The Coyotes ultimately held on to their captain for the 2020-21 campaign, and a late-season collapse cost them a playoff spot.

Why should the Bruins pass on Ekman-Larsson?

The biggest reason is his contract. It has six years remaining with a $8.25 million salary cap hit. That would be the largest cap hit on the Bruins. It's also a lot of money for a 29-year-old player whose performance has already declined. As Morgan explained in-depth in his column, the Coyotes star did not play well this season.

Bergeron receives impressive honor in new NHLPA player poll

If the Bruins acquired all or most of Ekman-Larsson's cap hit, that would leave less money to re-sign two of the B's own free agents this summer -- Brandon Carlo (RFA) and Mike Reilly (UFA). The Bruins should only be paying $8 million or more per season for a defenseman if his name is Charlie McAvoy. He was one of the three-best defensemen in the league this season despite not being a Norris Trophy finalist, and his contract expires after next season. A large, long-term deal should go to McAvoy, not OEL. The 23-year-old McAvoy is much younger and much better.

The Bruins do need a left-sided defenseman for one of their top two pairings. So, on paper, Ekman-Larsson would seem like a fit. But the Coyotes captain's huge contract and disappointing performance this season are two of several reasons why the B's should stay clear of him this offseason.

The best trade target among defensemen for the Bruins to pursue is Nashville Predators star Mattias Ekholm, not Ekman-Larsson.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216206 Buffalo Sabres invaluable perspective when assessing a team mostly comprised of players who were brought to Buffalo by his predecessors.

When the Sabres were amid the miserable skid, Adams spoke to the Sabres GM Kevyn Adams applying lessons learned from difficult first team before practice March 5 in the New York Islanders’ Nassau year on the job Coliseum. He watched on-ice sessions with a notebook in hand, jotting down observations while attempting to diagnose how a roster that included an elite centerman like Eichel, a dynamic two-way forward in Lance Lysowski Jun 21, 2021 Sam Reinhart, former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall and veteran center Eric Staal could perform so poorly.

Conversations with the coaching staff, including Krueger, provided This is the second in a two-part series looking at the firings of Buffalo insight, but casual chats with players were also important. Sometimes he Sabres and 21 members of the hockey asked about a situation from the game the previous night. He operations department last June and Kevyn Adams' first year as the remembered what the player-manager dynamic was like during his 10- franchise's GM. year NHL career. Some general managers stayed in the executive suite. Kevyn Adams does not need to be reminded how the Sabres were once Adams, on the other hand, wanted his players to know that he cared to stitched into the fabric of Buffalo. As a child in Clarence, Adams sat in the know more. oranges at Memorial Auditorium with his father, Ken, and, as a teenager, “I feel like the players bring such an interesting perspective and they're he walked around the perimeter of the arena in search of someone very smart,” Adams said. “I think they like to be part of the daily selling tickets. conversations with coaches, management, whatever. The times have This is the first story in a two-part series looking at the firings of Sabres changed, in my opinion, or it certainly should change from where the GM GM Jason Botterill and 21 members of the hockey operations department sat up in the office and saw the team once in a while. That’s not my last June. style.”

Adams, 46, was an alternate captain for the eventual Stanley Cup The approach was developed through Adams’ various experiences since champion in 2006, when the roar of the sellout he played junior hockey for the Niagara Scenics. From 1992-96, Adams crowd inside the arena in Buffalo was so loud ahead of each Eastern was an excellent top-six forward for in Oxford, Ohio, Conference Final matchup between the teams that Sabres players could and his exceptional freshman season, including 17 goals, led him to be hear the chants from inside their dressing room. drafted in the first round, 25th overall, by the Boston Bruins.

The passion and heartbreak that consumes the city’s hockey fans have When Adams’ call to the NHL came, he needed to adapt his game to be been on Adams’ mind as he uses his role as the Sabres' general more of a checking-line player. Instead of centering the top power play manager to try to revive the downtrodden, proud franchise that tied the and first line, Adams killed penalties, blocked shots and created chaos record with a 10-year playoff drought and around the opponent's net. In his 10 seasons in the NHL, Adams totaled endured a last-place finish – its fourth in eight years – during his first 136 points in 540 games. He also appeared in 67 playoff games, helping season on the job. the Hurricanes capture the Stanley Cup in 2006.

The monumental task ahead is what fuels Adams during the early His roles after retirement provided valuable insight that he uses in his morning hours while he’s watching video of draft-eligible prospects or role as general manager: completing another item on his lengthy to-do list • 2009: Development coach and scout, 02K Management, an agency that “There absolutely has to be a connectivity in this community, in this town, represents NHL players and prospects. between what our team looks like and our fan base,” Adams told The • 2009-11: Development coach with Sabres. Buffalo News during a recent phone interview. “I know every community, every city in the NHL is different. I get all that, but that's needed in this • 2011-13: Assistant coach with Sabres. town. We have to get that identity back and it's been lost for quite a while. … I know how special it will be when we get this right.” • 2013-20: Various roles at LECOM Harborcenter, including director of the Academy of Hockey and general manager at the facility. The path to returning the Sabres to prominence has been filled with calamity and tumult during Adams’ first year on the job. Since taking over When the winless streak continued, Adams left the team to fly to Florida the franchise’s hockey operations department on June 16, 2020, Adams for a meeting with owners Terry and . The plan established has encountered a Covid-19 outbreak in the team’s dressing room that following the firings of 22 employees, including former General Manager halted its season for two weeks, a franchise-record 18-game winless Jason Botterill, wasn't working. streak that included the firing of coach Ralph Krueger, and team captain Adams collaborated with Krueger to build the roster, as the former Jack Eichel’s unwavering desire to undergo a neck surgery that team Switzerland National Team coach handpicked a few of the additions doctors won’t approve. during the 2020 offseason, including Hall, winger Tobias Rieder, center For someone who entered the job having no experience in a position Cody Eakin and defenseman Brandon Davidson, among others. such as this, Adams faced more crisis in Year 1 than some general Krueger’s system, which helped the Sabres come within .007 percentage managers do in a decade. Yet, he’s applying each lesson learned – points of qualifying for the NHL’s return-to-play bracket last summer, was including time spent with his counterpart at One Bills Drive, Brandon failing. He refused to make any changes. When a 12th consecutive loss Beane – with a goal to build the Sabres into a winner. occurred on March 16, Adams fired Krueger after he coached only 97 “There were so many different things that have happened over the last games for Buffalo and the organization pivoted. year in our organization in terms of the on-ice, off-ice, staffing, and you was installed as interim coach, and Adams began his learn from every single one of those,” Adams said. “I'd say that, for me, I search for help at the executive level, which led to the addition of think that I approach every conversation I'm in trying to learn and grow. I associate general manager Jason Karmanos, whose 21 years of also learned from the ups and downs, the emotion of the season and experience include three Stanley Cup victories between Carolina and how to balance the emotion of it all with the long term, what's best. Trying Pittsburgh. to balance all that and keep perspective, while you're learning at the same time." After building a roster that he thought had a chance at winning, Adams learned that the pieces didn’t quite fit. With Eichel done for the season Adams wasn’t sitting in a secluded boardroom while the Sabres’ season after only 21 games, Adams hit reset by trading Staal to Montreal and was unraveling in February and March. With scouting trips on hold amid Hall to Boston. the Covid-19 pandemic, and each NHL team in its own bubble for the 56- game 2020-21 season, Adams relocated his office to a small room in a “If it's not all in sync, and there isn't a clear identity and a clear hallway adjacent to the Sabres’ dressing room in KeyBank Center. understanding of what we're going to need to do every day to be the best, then it won't work,” said Adams. “We had a lot of good pieces in Adams joined the Sabres for each road trip, providing him with the place. And it didn't work. We had to pivot. We had to make changes.” opportunity to have an open-door policy with his players and an When Adams first took the job, he admitted to reporters that he had Amid the scouting meetings and coaching interviews, Adams has spent much to learn. He had been around the sport for most of his life but time evaluating how each team in the playoffs is built. This isn’t an running an NHL franchise includes several tasks he had never unusual task for NHL general managers. In many ways, this is a copycat performed, including negotiating contracts and executing trades. league, as teams on the outside try to better understand what they need to reach the summit. While the firings left Adams with only 15 employees in hockey operations, not including the NHL coaching staff, he leaned on each One of Adams’ priorities is to bring in people who want to be in Buffalo, person’s expertise to try to improve on the job. Mark Jakubowski, vice whether it’s on the ice or in the coaches’ room. But through all the chaos president of hockey administration, handled contract negotiations for his first year brought, Adams also achieved a clear understanding of Adams. what needs to be the Sabres’ identity.

Jeremiah Crowe and Jason Nightingale, who were named director of “Heart, compete, fast skill, but hard skill,” said Adams. “There’s a lot of scouting and assistant director of scouting, respectively, gathered player skilled players out there in the playoffs, but it's a hard skill and willingness evaluations and collaborated on building a list for the NHL draft. This to go to the hard areas, just that type of team identity. Also, an identity of freed up Adams to negotiate trades – most notably, the deal that brought team first, really believing in each other. Getting away from anyone in this his former teammate, Staal, to Buffalo – and add to the staff, including organization or on this team that's more concerned about themselves. director of player development and coach Seth Appert. "In professional sports, in my opinion, you have to show up every day and be focused on what you need to do to be better as an individual. But Since joining the Sabres in April, Karmanos has evaluated the staff’s ultimately, you're part of a team. And it's about wins and losses. And it's needs with an eye toward building more structure in the organization. about, 'Did I do something to help us win tonight?’ If you can create that, The team changed its scouting model with Crowe now running pro it's so special.” scouting and Jerry Forton heading the amateur scouting department. The staff under Adams now stands at 22 employees. Buffalo News LOADED: 06.22.2021

Adams is using other resources to develop himself professionally. He listens to podcasts and reads books on the topic of leadership. Adams also has another general manager to exchange ideas with and learn from, albeit one working in a different sport.

Beane, 44, has methodically built the Bills into a Super Bowl contender since arriving in May 2017. Less than eight months after hiring Beane, the Bills snapped a 17-year playoff drought, and they reached the AFC championship game last season.

Adams sat in a Bills predraft scouting meeting this spring, where he observed their staff’s collaborative process. He’s also asked Beane questions about the process of building a team, including the decision to draft quarterback Josh Allen in 2018.

“Brandon and I have a very good relationship,” said Adams. “We’ve spent time together, we've talked quite a bit. He's always been there whenever I've picked up the phone and called him and asked to pick his brain on something. You know, I think Brandon and I have a very similar way of looking to how to build a team and what it takes to have success. … Just a couple days ago, I was asking him, ‘How did you get to the spot where you were drafting Josh and, why were you comfortable?' It's trying to learn from every conversation. It’s great for me to have that relationship with someone doing the exact same job, just in a different sport.”

Those resources will be important for Adams as he navigates a pivotal offseason for the Sabres. Eichel, 24, is on the trade block with five years remaining on an $80 contract he signed in October 2017 after he told reporters in May that a “disconnect” developed between he and the team stemming from his preference to have surgery on the herniated disk in his neck. Eichel wants to have a surgery that's never been performed on an NHL player.

Reinhart and defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen might also be traded. Goalie Linus Ullmark and the Sabres’ top veteran defenseman, Jake McCabe, will become unrestricted free agents if not signed before July 28. Additionally, Adams owns the first overall pick in this draft, and he’s conducting a wide-ranging search for the next full-time coach. Granato led the Sabres to a 9-11-2 record after the winless streak ended March 31.

From the outside, the Sabres might appear to be a rudderless ship, but the final weeks of this calamitous season might have brought clarity. The young players on the roster shined under Granato’s coaching, particularly center Casey Mittelstadt and defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. It’s likely that the next core of this franchise will feature Mittelstadt, Dahlin, Dylan Cozens, Henri Jokiharju, Tage Thompson and Victor Olofsson.

“There was a maturity around them towards the end of the season and conversations and meetings that they weren't waiting around hoping someone else would do it,” said Adams. “They weren’t in the shadows of others. They were ready to just step up and go to work. And I found that inspiring and exciting, to be quite honest with you. And now it's supporting that group and building on that and then challenging them to continue to grow together and get better and there was a sense, especially from a younger core, of we know we need each other. You can't do this on your own. It's too hard. You need each other.” 1216207 and 2019-20). And as he’s aged and had injuries pile up, his skating speed and overall play-driving have diminished.

However, Tanev’s defensive contributions are so valuable that, when Flames’ bet on Chris Tanev paid off in Year 1. How did he exceed he’s on his game, it’s easy to overlook a lack of production. Besides, expectations and what does it mean going forward? racking up goals has never been his game.

Tanev’s high-end defensive skills — how he funnels players to the By Hailey Salvian and Dom Luszczyszyn Jun 21, 2021 outside, his defensive reads, excellent stickwork — have made him a go- to shutdown defender, and he put that on display this season.

For example, in back-to-back games against Toronto in March, Tanev When the Calgary Flames signed Chris Tanev to a four-year deal on Day held Auston Matthews, the 2020-21 Rocket Richard winner, to zero goals 1 of free agency last year, the immediate reviews were, well, not very and zero points. Look at his positioning and his stick work on Matthews kind. here, followed by a sprawling block against Mitch Marner after Noah Hanifin got beat at the top of the zone. Critics said he was injury-prone and passed his prime. Others wondered why GM would pay Tanev $4.5 million but wouldn’t re-sign There’s also a selflessness that is evident in Tanev’s game in the way he T.J. Brodie for the $5 million the former Flames defenceman received throws himself in front of the puck — he blocked 107 shots this season, from Toronto. which ranked second on the team and 11th leaguewide.

Nobody was harsher than our own Dom Luszczyszyn, who initially “It’s not just blocks,” former teammate David Rittich said this year. “How graded the Flames well for their signing of Jacob Markstrom that same confident he plays in the defensive zone and everything he can do, it’s day, but changed course when he saw the Tanev contract. huge for our team. He’s one of the best defensive playing guys I’ve ever seen. He’s unbelievable.” CAN CHANGE CGY TO A LOSER AFTER THAT TANEV DEAL. HUGE OVERPAY FOR A DEFENDER THAT'S LIKELY WASHED. “He plays such a fundamentally sound game and within the structure of HTTPS://T.CO/0GBE1Z828P what we’re trying to do, he’s comfortable playing against those top guys like that,” said coach Darryl Sutter. “Put it this way: With Chris, you can — #1 FAN (@DOMLUSZCZYSZYN) count on him all the time and it doesn’t matter what type of game it is, OCTOBER 10, 2020 you can count on him.” He wrote: “The biggest overpay of the day. Chris Tanev plays top-four Individually, Tanev put up career numbers in nearly all his defensive minutes, but he’s no longer capable of playing them well. Couple that underlying metrics and ranked at or near the top of the league in each with the fact he’s injury-prone and you get a deal that’s dead on arrival on category. day one.” As you can see, when Tanev was on the ice at five-on-five, the Flames To be fair to his critics, Tanev would turn 31 by the start of the season were only scored against 1.4 times per 60 minutes, which was the fourth- and was coming off another season in which he looked to be on the lowest rate leaguewide. Now, because goals against can be heavily decline. He was outchanced and outscored at five-on-five and for the influenced by good (or bad) goaltending, it’s not the best defensive metric second straight season had a negative impact on shot rates relative to to look at. his teammates. That was all while playing with super rookie Quinn Hughes, who many figured was carrying the pair. With Tanev’s career- Expected goals, however, measure the quality of a shot based on several high being 70 games played, it was fair to wonder how much value he variables — like the shot location, rebounds or distance from goal. A low could provide. expected goals against rate would indicate that the player gives up fewer legitimate quality scoring opportunities. The signs weren’t promising. Tanev’s best attribute throughout his career was his ability to suppress scoring chances. He may have been injury- Tanev had the single-lowest xGA per 60 in the league among prone, but he was still an analytics darling in his heyday. For nine straight defencemen who played at least 200 minutes, at 1.47. That is not at all seasons, opponents struggled to generate chances against Tanev insignificant when also considering that he managed that playing against relative to his teammates as he always provided a positive impact in that tough competition for most of the season. It’s a lot easier to defend when department. That was mostly in tough minutes, too. At his peak from a player is put up against bottom-six talent for the majority of his minutes, 2014 to 2017, he was suppressing nearly 0.4 expected goals against per but that wasn’t the case with Tanev. The earlier example with Matthews 60, a mark that ranked first in the league. He was an elite defensive is exactly why. defender. Relative to teammates, Tanev suppressed nearly half an expected goal The reason for skepticism surrounding his contract was that as his against per 60, the second-best number of his career behind only his reputation was catching up to his numbers, his numbers started slipping second season where he played only 25 games. His ability to suppress drastically. From the 2015-16 season onward, his ability to suppress actual goals was twice as good and the best mark of his career. chances relative to his teammates dropped in every season. In 2019-20, it was slightly below average for the first time in his career. That’s not Combine Tanev’s ability to suppress both expected and actual goals and great at his age, with his fragility and with his lack of offensive upside. he had by far the largest defensive impact of any player this season. In fact, it’s not just the largest from this season, it’s one of the largest of any But just because all signs point in one direction, doesn’t mean a player season, ranking 11th since 2007 among some illustrious peers. can’t change course. Against all odds, Tanev delivered even more than many could’ve realistically hoped for. He played the best hockey of his Not playing a full season helps as there would’ve been potential for career, which was greatly unexpected based on what we saw in the last regression down the stretch, but that Tanev managed these numbers three years. over such a long period is impressive regardless. It’s because of Tanev’s massive defensive impact that he was rated the 12th most valuable Based on GSVA, only three players exceeded expectations more than defenceman this year according to GSVA. Despite putting up only 12 Tanev in the 2021 season. points, Tanev was worth 1.8 wins this season — almost entirely from his defensive ability. That’s a 2.8-win pace, an elite number for a defender How good was Tanev this year? that’s well above his extremely modest preseason projection. Short answer: Tanev was the Flames’ best and most consistently reliable His resurgence could be credited to any number of things. It could have defenceman. been a boost due to a change of scenery from the team that signed him But to really understand how good he was, we need to look at his in 2010 out of college. Or maybe it’s that Tanev has been healthy for the individual play, the impact he had on his D partners and some longest period of time in his career. intangibles. Going back to 2013-14, his first season as a full-time NHLer, Tanev had Stylistically, Tanev is a defensive defenceman, who critics will say is six straight seasons that were interrupted by injury, and he’s never fairly “limited,” as he hasn’t really been a big offensive contributor played more than 70 games in a season. It was this reputation for throughout his career. In over a decade in the league, his career-high for missing time that contributed to some fan criticism when he was signed. goals is six (2013-14). His highest point total is a modest 20 (2014-15 However, Tanev’s 69 games in 2019-20 were as many as the Canucks no player on the Flames logged more even-strength minutes (880:39, or played. And this year, Tanev was one of only eight Flames players not to 18:44 per game) at the time he was shut down. miss a game. Not to mention, all of Hanifin’s defensive underlying numbers this season Playing (relatively) injury-free was likely a big piece of his success this are career-highs. On the Flames, only Tanev had been scored on less season. Similarly, the forced time off due to the pandemic was probably and allowed fewer chances against than Hanifin before his season massive in getting his body 100 percent ready for the season. ended.

REMEMBER THAT HIT ON CHRIS TANEV FROM PIERRE-LUC As a duo, Hanifin and Tanev were consistently the Flames’ best DUBOIS? defensive pairing and were dominant in all three zones. Impressively, it took until Game 9 for the pair to be scored on at five-on-five. At the time, WELL, TRELVING SAYS HE BROKE A FEW RIBS AND TORE A PEC Hanifin’s 136:22 time on ice without a goal against was the longest clean- MUSCLE ON THAT. AND HE ONLY MISSED 1 PRACTICE. sheet in the league.

“I DON’T KNOW IF I’VE SEEN A GUY PLAY THROUGH WHAT HE And, among defensive pairs that played a minimum of 200 minutes PLAYED THROUGH….THAT TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CHRIS together, Tanev and Hanifin had the sixth-best xG rate in the league TANEV” (59.27 percent).

— HAILEY SALVIAN (@HAILEY_SALVIAN) MAY 20, 2021 Hanifin made such strides with Tanev that he eventually got a major vote Outside of his individual play, there is also something to be said about of confidence from Sutter when he was paired with Rasmus Andersson: Tanev’s positive impact on his D partners. Or as some call it, “The Tanev “I think Noah was ready to handle his own pair,” Sutter said of the Effect.” change.

While many observers figured last season’s slight resurgence was a With Hanifin on his own, Tanev began playing with Mark Giordano, who byproduct of playing with the uber-skilled Hughes, each player’s play this was having a difficult season while paired with Andersson. Sutter season suggests the opposite. That gives credence to The Tanev Effect, suggested the captain was being held back by playing with a younger as he provides a calming presence on the blue line, a safety valve that player. And, unsurprisingly, Giordano looked a lot more like himself while allows his partners to be more effective at pushing play. paired with Tanev.

Hughes was a shell of himself in his second season. He may have put up With Giordano and Tanev on the ice (around 300 minutes at five-on-five), a lot of points, but those numbers were hollow given how much he gave the Flames had the edge in shot attempts, scoring chances, high danger back the other way. Call it a sophomore slump if you want, and that likely chances and expected goals. With their top pair, the Flames outscored has something to do with it, but it likely has more to do with not having opponents 13-4 and had a dominant 66.5 percent expected goals rate, Tanev next to him to bail him out defensively. Hughes’ defensive which was the highest xG percentage of all defensive pairings numbers ballooned this season as he went from allowing 2.48 expected leaguewide that played at least 200 minutes together. goals against per 60 to 2.77. His actual goals against went up by nearly That’s two of the Flames’ defensive pairings in the league’s top six in xG. the same amount and both numbers were near the bottom of the league. Both Giordano and Hanifin are excellent players in their own right but Spending more time in his own end also meant a dramatic decrease in make no mistake, Tanev is the common denominator. offence, which meant a massive drop in overall effectiveness. If Hughes isn’t having fun in the offensive zone, the other team will be having a lot And all of that ignores what many would consider Tanev’s most important of fun at his expense in the defensive zone. That Hughes’ numbers traits. dropped while Tanev’s rose is likely no coincidence. It’s likely why Hughes lobbied hard for a Tanev extension last offseason. Tanev is a trusted defensive player, yes. But he’s also a leader, both in how he plays and the way he prepares. He’s been called a “glue guy,” a “I don’t think you can put a price on it,” he said when asked about dad to younger players and according to Thomas Drance, a talented Tanev’s impact on his game. “He does a lot of things in the D-zone that home cook and “an all-around tremendous person and teammate.” I’m not capable of doing. … He’s been big for me on the ice and off the ice as well.” Can the Flames depend on this going forward?

That’s all furthered by the rise of Tanev’s new partner, Hanifin. The 2015 We all know by now that the Flames failed to make the playoffs and had fifth overall pick had previously struggled to establish himself as a bona a largely disappointing, and wildly inconsistent season. fide top-four defender, but in his first season next to Tanev he looked top- Tanev’s steady presence was certainly one of the few bright spots. But pairing calibre. frankly, what happened this year no longer matters. It’s over and it’s time In previous seasons, Hanifin showed that he had the tools to be an asset to look ahead. So, the question now is, what can we expect of Tanev offensively, but would often give a lot back the other way on defence. next year? This season with Tanev, Hanifin made great strides in his defensive Before the season began, Tanev was projected to be worth 0.1 wins by game while becoming less puck-focused. His awareness in the Flames’ Dom’s model, which is nearly a replacement level defenceman. But, as zone was better, as was his anticipation. mentioned earlier, he was actually worth 1.8 wins this season, which was That said, Tanev’s steady defensive presence also helped Hanifin feel a 2.8-win pace over an 82 game season. more confident in joining the offence and playing to the strengths that That massive discrepancy between his projected and actual value makes made him such an alluring prospect. it difficult to predict what he’ll be next season. Realistically, he could be For example, in this clip against the Senators, you can see Hanifin jump as good as he was last year, as bad as the year before or somewhere in into the zone, fake a shot and make a great pass to Andrew Mangiapane, the middle. As it stands now, Dom’s model currently projects Tanev to be highlighting his offensive instincts. worth 1.3 wins next season, which is somewhere between a dominant Tanev and one that’s just OK. Whereas here, you can see a good defensive play to break up a clear breakaway for William Nylander. A 1.3 game score value places him firmly as a top-pairing defender, a solid No. 2 rearguard. Considering Tanev is coming off such a great year, “I feel pretty confident right now, and I think Chris has been a huge part that may feel harsh — but it’s what’s safest considering his trajectory of that,” Hanifin said in February. “He’s been a great guy for me to play before this past season. There’s a large margin of error there of what with and I think he’s really allowed me to play my own game, which is Tanev can be, but considering how well he has fit in Calgary’s system it’s being aggressive offensively and jumping into the play. fair to be optimistic about 2021-22. Especially with a full training camp with the team and a more defensive-minded coach in Sutter at the helm “He’s just always in the right position so he makes my job a lot easier from Day 1. back there. So right now, I’m confident and I feel good about my game.” There will surely be sideways glances at Tanev’s contract as he Sound familiar? continues to age, and even more so if he misses significant time due to Before a shoulder injury ended his season in April, Hanifin became one injury. But Dom’s model projects Tanev to remain a top pair defenceman of the most relied-upon players on the team, especially at five-on-five, as until 2024, which is the final year of his contract. And that includes any age-related regression. Tanev showed this year that he can be a critical piece of the Flames’ blue line and a steady presence on a weak right side that’s depth includes Tanev, Andersson and Michael Stone. Given Giordano’s age and his potential exposure to the Seattle Kraken, Tanev should only become more important to the Flames in the coming seasons — both as a shutdown player and as a team leader.

And, after this season, there is reason to believe that Tanev will continue to rise to the occasion.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216208 Colorado Avalanche “I know they’re active because they’re targeting some of the same players we are,” the exec told OTR. “Billy Armstrong is in the process of really putting his stamp on the team. He’s going to name his first coach, OTR: Sticker Shock, GMs Gasp At Sabres’ Trade Ask For Eichel and he’s likely going to move his captain and name a new one. I’d keep an eye on the Coyotes, and the Blues may be doing something together since he worked there. The Blues want to mix it up too.”

By Jimmy Murphy 3. Don’t Expect A Hamilton-Bruins Reunion

In his end-of-the-season Zoom call with the media, Boston Bruins team President Cam Neely was asked about former Bruins defenseman The asking price on the NHL trade market for Buffalo Sabres captain Dougie Hamilton. A day earlier, news broke that the Carolina Hurricanes Jack Eichel has gotten to the point where rival NHL executives are had granted Hamilton permission to speak to other teams about a trade. questioning how Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is approaching the Eichel sweepstakes. “Well, we certainly liked his size, his skating, his offensive ability,” Neely said. “Especially on the offensive blue line. He’s matured into a better In this week’s ‘Off The Record,’ a rival NHL executive got specific and two-way player. It’s not just about the numbers, although he puts up vented about Buffalo’s Eichel trade ask. The source described it as ‘just really good numbers. You’re in this game for a long time, and you crazy!’ certainly like to believe players can learn and adapt a little bit more on Look for the Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues to mix it up on the NHL the defensive side of the puck. Which I think he has.” trade market. Arizona could do a lot more than deal captain Oliver When the Bruins traded Hamilton to the Calgary Flames for a first-round Ekman-Larsson. However, if they want Eichel too, they will need to pick and two second-rounders at the 2015 NHL Draft, there were plenty acquire a first-round pick, as they have none in next month’s NHL Entry of. …let’s just say not-so-pleasant stories that came out about Hamilton Draft. and his relationship with then Bruins head coach Claude Julien and his The dance has begun. teammates. The Bruins were also critical of Hamilton’s defensive play. So while Neely’s praise was surprising and notable, an NHL source told And, Boston Bruins President Cam Neely raised some eyebrows with his OTR this weekend not to read into it as a sign the Bruins want a reunion recent praise of former Boston Bruins and current Carolina Hurricanes with Hamilton. defenseman Dougie Hamilton. That has some wondering if the Bruins would enter the expanding NHL trade market for Hamilton, who can Off the record: become an unrestricted free agent on July 28. “From what I’m told, not going to happen,” the source said. “He doesn’t 1. Sabres Want 4-6 Components For Eichel want to come back, and the team doesn’t want him back. They need a physical minutes-eater left D in the top 4, and he just doesn’t fill the bill No one should be surprised that Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is there. I also think he wants to stay far away from the Boston media. You asking for a king’s ransom in the NHL trade sweepstakes for disgruntled know how that went.” Sabres captain Jack Eichel. New York Post puck scribe Larry Brooks recently reported that the Blackhawks had entered the fray and DON'T MISS What should Philipp Grubauer get on his next contract? that if they were going to acquire Eichel, their cost would be 20-year-old Colorado hockeynowLOADED: 06.22.2021 center Kirby Dach and the 11th overall pick at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, at least.

According to one NHL executive who spoke to ‘Off The Record’ this past weekend, the current ask doesn’t stop there. If an organization wants to snag Eichel, it will need to surrender two, three, or even four more components.

This monumental trade demand has other NHL execs wondering if Adams is misreading the market.

Off the record:

“They want six components for Eichel. …six!” the executive exclaimed. “I get that Kevyn is in a really tough spot and needs to make sure he can get as close to Jack’s worth as possible, but this is just crazy. We’re talking a top-six center 25 years or under, a top 4 defenseman 25 or under, a first-round pick, and an assortment of three prospects. In this market and with so many teams trying to build from within because of the cap, how is he going to get that? Then, you don’t even know how Jack’s back will hold up.”

I think we can scratch that team off the list.

Overtime Bonus!

2. Coyotes Howling In NHL Trade Market

They may not be getting much love from the NHL trade rumor circuit, but make no mistake, the Arizona Coyotes have been howling. It’s no secret that the Coyotes are still trying to move their captain and top defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Boston Bruins are back in the mix to acquire the 29-year-old, left-shot, puck-moving rearguard. However, the Coyotes also have prospects and young roster players to offer.

While OTR has confirmed that the Coyotes have definitely inquired with the Sabres on Eichel and kept tabs on that situation, they lack the 2021 NHL draft picks to pull off a trade for Eichel. Arizona lost their first-round pick for the NHL combine debacle and used their third-round pick to acquire Taylor Hall last season. Still, one NHL exec said they have been very active in trade chatter.

Off the record: 1216209 Colorado Avalanche

Dater’s Daily: Lehner fires back at critics, Eichel trade rumors persist

By Adrian Dater

Robin Lehner made his coach, Pete DeBoer, look good last night. Especially, to all the critics who ripped DeBoer for starting him. Lehner took many notes on the Twitter hate he received, and used it as motivation in the Golden Knights’ big victory in Game 4 against Montreal. He even used a little profanity in describing the critics (Vegas Hockey Now)

I think Vegas wins the series now. Montreal blew a third-period lead, then gave up a quick goal in overtime. Say, does that sound familiar?

My expert pick on tonight’s Game 5 between the Islanders and Tampa Bay (Bookies.com)

The Jack Eichel trade rumors aren’t going away. We’ll have more later on “Off the Record”, with a GM saying what the asking price for the Sabres forward is. Meantime, Larry Brooks thinks the could be a destination (NY Post)

Ottawa Sun: Mr. Bruce Garrioch dismissed talk that the Ottawa Senators could be in play for Eichel. Instead, Garrioch laid out the less expensive but very talented options available to the Senators on the NHL trade front.

The New York Islanders’ Matt Martin grew up across the river from Detroit, but he wasn’t a Wings fan. He was an Avs fan (Detroit Hockey Now)

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: If the Penguins are in the market for a physical defender, Buffalo’s Rasmus Ristolainen might be a good fit.

Philadelphia Hockey Now: The Flyers seem to be linked to every top defenseman on the market – Dougie Hamilton, Seth Jones and now there’s even speculation that Philly might again pursue Oliver Ekman- Larsson of the Arizona Coyotes.

Wait, Nicklas Lidstrom never won the Lady Byng?!

The Boston Bruins are also linked to a potential OEL deal (Boston Hockey Now)

Colorado hockeynowLOADED: 06.22.2021 1216210 Columbus Blue Jackets either Oliver Bjorkstrand or Cam Atkinson on the wings, but making that scenario happen will sting.

The cost Trading for Jack Eichel would include list of pluses, minuses for Blue Jackets Other than need at center ice, the Blue Jackets’ stockpile of desirable assets is a big reason some have connected them to possible deals for Disgruntled Sabres star dealing with herniated disc in his neck and wants Eichel. The Jackets are looking to trade one of their top two goaltenders, surgery to correct it. He'd look nice in a different shade of blue, but it Joonas Korpisalo or Elvis Merzlikins, and have three picks in the first would cost the Jackets a pretty penny. round of this year’s draft, including fifth overall.

Would the fifth overall pick, an additional first-round selection in the 20s Brian Hedger plus an NHL , which Buffalo needs, be enough to acquire Eichel?

It would be surprising to see the Blue Jackets part with their first-round Buffalo Sabres center Jack Eichel (9) suffered a neck injury March 7 that pick in either of the next two drafts, even for Eichel, and that might be caused him to miss the final 33 games of this season and threatens to true for other teams, as well. keep him out for the start of next season. The Jackets also have their own star who wants out in defenseman Seth The Blue Jackets have a glaring need for a No. 1 center, and Buffalo Jones, who also is likely to be traded. Jones has one year left on his Sabres star Jack Eichel wants a new NHL home. contract and probably wouldn’t discuss an extension with Buffalo, but he could become a trade chip for the Sabres to spin off elsewhere. Could it really be that easy? The haul of picks and prospects they could potentially land by trading The short answer is maybe. A more complicated answer involves Eichel and Jones could speed up the latest “rebuild” in Buffalo, and unknowns and variables that could kill any potential blockbuster deal. adding Eichel in Columbus could do the same for the Blue Jackets, Here is an overview of an Eichel-to-Columbus trade, from why Eichel assuming he will return to full health. wants out of Buffalo to pluses and minuses to what it might cost the Blue Jackets: Will it happen?

Why Eichel wants out That's still an unknown, but the foundation is there for another Blue Jackets blockbuster. It boils down to two main things. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 06.22.2021 The Sabres haven’t sniffed the playoffs since 2010-11, four years before drafting Eichel second overall in 2015, and the sides are now at odds about a herniated disk in the center's neck.

The injury, which occurred March 7, caused Eichel to miss the final 33 games of this season and threatens to keep him out for the start of next season. Eichel wants surgery to replace the disk with an artificial one, a procedure that has never been performed on an NHL player, while the Sabres prefer rest and rehab.

They suggested a 12-week window for that process, but that closed June 7, and Eichel still prefers the surgery. The Sabres remain opposed to surgery, and recent reports suggest a trade is getting closer to happening.

Could Eichel's new team be the Blue Jackets?

Pluses and minuses

Any neck injury is frightening. Adding a somewhat experimental surgery into the mix, which has been performed only on MMA fighters in the sports realm, takes it to another level. Eichel still has $50 million left on the eight-year, $80 million deal he signed Oct. 3, 2017, and that’s a huge number when juxtaposed against his injury.

That risk is the biggest drawback for any team kicking the tires on a trade pitch for Eichel, but especially the Blue Jackets, who were burned by Nathan Horton’s career-ending back injury in 2014, just 36 games into a seven-year contract. They can’t afford to take another hit like that one.

Completing a deal for Eichel also will have a high cost in return value sent to Buffalo, so taking a long look at the medical situation will be required for any interested teams.

The pluses of acquiring Eichel, assuming he returns to full health, might be worth it.

He is only 24, has elite skills as a No. 1 center and he has five years of cost certainty attached to his contract. Eichel finished this season with two goals, 16 assists and 18 points in 21 games, a down year by his standards, but the Sabres haven’t surrounded him with a great team.

They have the lowest points percentage (.444) of any NHL team since drafting Eichel, and he has already played for four different head coaches and three GMs in his first six NHL seasons. It’s easy to see why he might want a change of scenery.

Eichel has a career scoring line of 139-216—355 in 375 games, had 82 and 78 points in two seasons prior to this one and his face-off numbers have improved as he has aged. It’s not difficult imagining Eichel’s production rebounding while centering a first line with Patrik Laine and 1216211 Dallas Stars

Dallas Stars announce signing of Blake Comeau to one-year, $1 million deal

The veteran is signed to play a 16th season in the NHL, which will be his fourth with Dallas.

By SportsDay Staff

The Dallas Stars on Monday morning announced the signing of forward Blake Comeau to a one-year, $1 million deal.

The deal means Comeau will enter his fourth season with Dallas — and 16th overall — at 35 years old. Comeau has appeared in 183 games with Dallas since signing with the team from Colorado before the start of the 2018 season. In that span, he’s tallied 48 points (19 goals, 29 assists) and 421 hits, to go along with 115 penalty minutes.

His played in 51 games notching 14 points and 106 hits in his most recent campaign with Dallas. As The Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks denotes below, the signing fulfills Dallas’ expansion draft exposure requirements. The expansion draft will be held on July 21.

“We’re excited to be able to bring Blake back for another season,” Stars general manager said in a release. “Blake’s approach to the game, coupled with his determination and physical presence on the ice, has been a tremendous asset for us over the past three seasons. His vast experience has allowed him to become a strong leader in the dressing room and we’re thrilled he’ll be returning next season.”

The signing of Comeau marks off one of many free agent decisions Dallas has to make this offseason. Remaining free agents include Miro Heiskanan and Jason Dickinson (restricted), plus Andrew Cogliano and Jamie Oleksiak (unrestricted). You can see a full list of free agents here.

As a 35+ player on a one-year contract, Blake Comeau was eligible for performance bonuses attached to his contract, but there are no bonuses on his deal with the Stars.

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) June 21, 2021

The options the Stars had to meet expansion requirements:

1. Expose Pavelski, Hintz, Faksa or Gurianov.

2. Re-sign Dickinson, Dowling, Cogliano or Comeau.

3. Trade for a forward that played enough games in the last two seasons.

With Comeau and Kero signed, requirements are met.

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) June 21, 2021

The value is great. That’s a veteran PKer on a contract a stone’s throw from an ELC.

It can be fantastic if the Stars can build three scoring lines and use Faksa and Comeau as the heartbeat of a checking fourth line instead of as a third line. https://t.co/LtQz4jO8ID

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) June 21, 2021

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216212 Detroit Red Wings “A loss is a loss this time of year. Whether it’s in double overtime or how it was tonight,” New York forward Kyle Palmieri said.

"We’re going to wake up down 3-2, heading home with our backs against Monday's NHL playoffs: Stamkos, Vasilevskiy pace Lightning's 8-0 rout the wall,” Palmieri added. “But we have a chance to win a game at home of Islanders and that’s all we’re focused on now.”

Detroit News LOADED: 06.22.2021 Associated Press

Tampa, Fla. — There was no panic in the Tampa Bay Lightning — just another determined performance against the New York Islanders.

Steven Stamkos had two goals and an assist and Andrei Vasilevskiy notched his fourth career playoff shutout, helping the defending Stanley Cup champions rout the Islanders 8-0 in Game 5 of their semifinal playoff series on Monday night.

“I like to think we play determined all the time, not just tonight,” coach Jon Cooper said after his team moved within one victory of a return to the Stanley Cup Final.

“It’s certainly a response and a mindset and it starts with our goalie,” Stamkos said.

“Vasy just has an amazing ability to bounce back whether he plays great or he doesn’t play great. But when we lose, he takes that personally,” the Lightning captain added. “He was outstanding, made some big saves early, settles us down, we get some goals and get some confidence.”

The Lightning improved to 13-0 in games following a postseason loss since launching their 2020 title run and will take a 3-2 series lead over the Islanders into Game 6 of their best-of-seven matchup Wednesday night in Uniondale, New York.

Game 7, if necessary, would be back in Florida on Friday.

“We’re going to have to have our best game, the best effort from every player on our team. And if we do that, we’ll be back here for Game 7,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said.

“This result, how we played, if that doesn’t motivate us then I’m not too sure what will," Trotz added. "We put ourselves in a tough bind.”

Stamkos ignited a three-goal opening period — the first against the Islanders all season — by scoring just 45 seconds into the game. His power-play goal at 5:42 of the second began another three-goal period that made it 6-0.

Alex Killorn finished with two goals, Brayden Point delivered his 13th of the playoffs, and postseason scoring leader Nikita Kucherov extended his career-best playoff points streak to eight games with three assists for Tampa Bay, which hasn’t lost consecutive playoff games since being swept by Columbus in the first round in 2019.

Point has scored a goal in eight straight games, the second-longest stretch within a single postseason in NHL history.

“It's playoff time. It's not about personal stats. Wins are what matter,” said Point, whose power-play goal made it 7-0.

Vasilevskiy, meanwhile, stopped all 21 shots he faced for his third playoff shutout this year. The Vezina Trophy finalist also blanked Florida and Carolina in series-clinchers in the first two rounds.

Essentially taking up where the Lightning left off in a furious third-period rally that just fell short in a 3-2 loss in Game 4, Stamkos, Yanni Gourde and Killorn scored in the first 15:27 to make quick work of Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who was replaced by Ilya Sorokin after yielding three goals on just 16 shots.

“This group has a lot of pride. ... I thought our response (in third period Saturday) carried over to tonight,” Cooper said. "I loved the effort. But in the end, it's one win. It's a clean slate in two nights."

The Islanders held on to win Game 4, evening the series at two games apiece, when defenseman Ryan Pulock’s diving stop in the closing seconds prevented the Lightning from forcing overtime. But since using a three-goal period of its own to take command Saturday night, New York has been outscored 10-0 over the last four periods of the series.

For subscribers:Ted Kulfan's 2021 NHL mock draft 1.0: Will Wings mine Sweden or Ann Arbor for future star? 1216213 • While Nugent-Hopkins was drafted No. 1 overall in 2011 as a centre, they perceive him as a top six left-winger with McDavid or Draisaitl. And wingers make less than centres, unless they are a one-shot scorer like OILERS NOTES: The long dance with Nugent-Hopkins and Ken Holland David Pastrnak, which Nugent-Hopkins isn’t. He is a strong two-way continues player who fits seamlessly on the NHL’s No. 1 power play with McDavid and Draisaitl, but he’s hurting at even-strength. When playing centre he The Oilers are very weak on the left side with Nugent-Hopkins and a lot didn’t drive his own line, albeit playing with Kailer Yamamoto, still of prayers behind him learning to be a NHL regular, and a host of left-wingers.

If Nugent-Hopkins, part of the Oilers leadership group, is not signed by June 17, then Seattle has 48 hours to exclusively try to sign him. If they Jim Matheson Edmonton Journal Publishing date:Jun 21, 2021 do, he would be the player taken off Edmonton’s available list. Nugent- Hopkins has made $44.3 million and money shouldn’t be the over-riding factor, but it always is. He gets to play with the world’s best player and Edmonton Oilers centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins beats Draisaitl, who has a league scoring title and a Hart trophy on his resume. goaltender Connor Hellebuyck during Game 4 of a Stanley Cup playoff series in Winnipeg on Mon., May 24, 2021. Maybe he can get term and dollars somewhere else as a free-agent, but as someone in NHL management said; “Yes he could, but that would be So who has the upper hand in this negotiation dance between the a team with cap room and not as good as the Oilers. Does he want to Edmonton Oilers and their longest-serving player Ryan Nugent-Hopkins; play on a bad team?” less than a month from the team having to hand over their Seattle expansion protected list July 17? KURVERS PASSING LEAVES A HUGE HOLE

It is a true two-step between the sides. Former NHL defenceman and Minnesota’s assistant GM Tom Kurvers, who died at 58 of lung cancer (a non-smoker, fit as a fiddle when he got The Oilers are very weak on the left side with Nugent-Hopkins and a lot the diagnosis in 2019), has left a huge hole in the hockey community. of prayers behind him. If they let Nugent-Hopkins (478 points in 656 games), go to market, then they lose him for nothing and have to find a “Extremely sad news. Tom was an incredible person, another great guy replacement in the $5-million to $6-million range to take his spot and gone too soon,” said local product Randy Bucyk, who played with another player. Kurvers in 1986 in Montreal when the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup.

Toronto’s Zach Hyman is good enough to play with Auston Matthews, but “We started at rookie camp together. He was kind, in every sense of the plays an aggressive game like Brendan Gallagher, which is hard on the word. I was a walk-on with Montreal that first camp and when he heard body and he’s 29. Montreal wanted to sign me, he asked if I had an agent … Tom arranged to meet his agent Norm Caplan and I ended up hiring him to do my first Colorado’s Brandon Saad is bigger and faster than Hyman and 28 like contract. Shortly after Norm completed the contract, he went to Paris for Nugent-Hopkins but has fewer five-on-five points in the past three years. a vacation and died there of a massive heart attack,” said Bucyk. Saad is also from Pittsburgh and Canadian teams usually have to overpay to get a US-born player to sign as a free-agent. This ‘n that: Former Oiler interim head man Todd Nelson has had two interviews in Arizona for their vacant head coaching job with Rick If they can’t sign either of those guys or Nugent-Hopkins, then where do Tocchet the leading candidate for the Seattle Kraken post. Nelson was in they go? the running for the Coyotes’ job when Tocchet got it in 2017.

They would have to sign two lesser, cheaper left-wingers (Thomas Tatar, Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 06.22.2021 the league’s best five-on-five points producers since 2018, but a healthy scratch in Montreal now). The Oilers love what Nugent-Hopkins brings to the power play and the penalty-kill, also his defensive awareness, but his five-on-five numbers are clearly worrisome (14 points). And he’s not a strong face-off man, a career 44.5 per cent on 8,045 draws.

If the work-horse Nugent-Hopkins, who has played over 4,000 minutes the past three Oilers seasons, just outside the top 12 for NHL forwards, wants to stay an Oiler, it’s up to him.

The dance is term vs dollars, as always. He is probably looking at Gallagher’s six years at $6.5 million, signed before a flat-cap. The Oilers are not.

Nugent-Hopkins has invested 10 years of his life as an Oiler, and gets to play with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

From Oiler GM Ken Holland’s standpoint he has a player who wants to be in Edmonton, and many NHLers don’t for various reasons. So there’s give and take here.

In the end, Holland may have to give him more term than he wants to, always tricky because Nugent-Hopkins is 28 and four years into, say, a six-year deal his play could easily drop. But, he’s a known commodity, their own guy, rather than going to free-agency and having to do a ton of homework on Hyman or Saad or somebody else.

Here’s where it might stand:

• The Oilers may feel Nugent-Hopkins is a $5.5-million player in today’s flat-cap world, also they may see him more as a winger than a centre. Whatever, they’re not getting him to take that salary for five years — likely the term target for a lot of teams in these fiscal times. If he’s taking a healthy pay cut from his current $6 million, he’ll want term. But, if the player wants six years and, at least what he’s making now that is a big gulp for Holland.

How about this? Six years at $5.6 million a season, which is $33.6 million. Five years at $6.4 million, which is $32 million. 1216214 Edmonton Oilers Old school

In one way, Holland is the worst possible manager for the organization, because fans are beyond impatient after watching the team spend well Lowetide: The 7 Oilers roster spots GM Ken Holland must improve this over a decade struggling to make the playoffs, and now to win a playoff offseason game.

In another way, as it pertains to building a team that can be competitive By Allan Mitchell Jun 21, 2021 every year and doesn’t get blindsided by a cap hell summer every July, Holland’s methodical demeanour is a good fit for the task ahead.

During his prolonged end of season media avail, Holland gave media and Edmonton Oilers general manager Ken Holland is a careful, risk-averse fans some insight into his thinking about the Oilers and building to a team builder. Stanley Cup and announced the team’s progress indicated he was on the right path: “We’ve gone 28th overall, we’ve been 12th overall and last Every offseason, he establishes the roster issues, identifies the options year we were 11th overall. You have to get into the top-10 overall over 82 available that would solve them, pulls up his sleeves and gets to work on games. We’re going to stick with it.” making things happen. Start as you mean to go Unlike NHL teams with established analytics departments and a small army drilling down on issues using reams of data and identifying Holland’s view of the roster is that he is building a club that will contend solutions, Holland goes old school, gut feel on big roster decisions. for many years, complete with a healthy group of youngsters pushing up from the minors each season. The Oilers general manager believes in It served him well for over a decade in Detroit, Holland’s team winning the draft and development model, meaning some or all of the entry deal the Stanley Cup in 1998, 2002 and 2008 while he was general manager. being spent outside the NHL. As the heart of the Red Wings lineup aged, and with the advent of analytics and the targeted procurement that grew out of it, Holland’s Put another way: Unlike the fan base, the Oilers are going to proceed moves and the team were less successful. with team goals in mind only, with none of the urgency fans saw in the summer of 2015 when previous management traded away what surely In Edmonton, he was handcuffed somewhat by having very little wiggle would have been a historic draft after the selection of McDavid. room each offseason (2019 and 2020). Internal answers This summer, with some walking around money and the room to wheel in free agency, we’ll see if his sixth sense when spending big coin travelled Let’s start with the signed players on the roster, via CapFriendly: with him to Edmonton. This includes Klefbom on LTIR and no buyouts, giving Edmonton 18 Holland has seven areas he must address this summer, each of them an players while spending $55 million, plus overages and bonuses. Holland important element in building a contender. Those priorities are: has a little over $26 million in cap room.

A No. 1 left winger for the Connor McDavid line Holland mentioned a possible buyout, logic dictates it’s James Neal (although Mikko Koskinen and Turris are candidates). Neal had some A No. 2 left winger for the Leon Draisaitl line health issues during the season, and that could impact things, so LTIR is A No. 3 centre who can outscore opponents five-on-five, mentor young an option for Neal. Turris likely heads for Bakersfield and Koskinen players and penalty kill remains for the final year of his contract.

A No. 3 right winger for the remade third line The Oilers will sign several of its RFAs, I have Kailer Yamamoto being added for two years at $2 million AAV and Tyler Benson for two years at A starting goaltender $925,000 per season. Benson will be in competition with Dylan Holloway for a spot on the roster. A right-handed defenceman for the first or second pair I also have Edmonton losing RFA Dominik Kahun to the Seattle Kraken. A left-handed defenceman if Oscar Klefbom doesn’t return Here’s the roster with Neal and Klefbom on LTIR, which makes for Some of the answers will come internally, either via signing impending interesting possibilities. free agents or elevating minor leaguers. The jobs that can’t be filled by In this scenario, Edmonton has 18 roster players (five openings), while elevating players under control will force trades or signing free agents spending $52 million, and with everything included the cap space is now from other teams. Holland traditionally prefers free-agent additions. $29 million and change. It sounds like a long list, but Edmonton added nine names last year, six Let’s go back to the original needs list for this season: of them in the first two days of free agency. A No. 1 left winger for the Connor McDavid line (Blake Coleman is 2020 offseason skilled, affordable and versatile) Last season, Holland’s priorities were a No. 3 centre, a goaltender, a A No. 2 left winger for the Leon Draisaitl line (Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is two-way winger, a puck-moving defenceman to fill in for Klefbom’s injury the favourite, but is he the one?) and improved depth. He addressed all of the issues in free agency and was focused on centre and goal: A No. 3 centre who can outscore opponents five-on-five, mentor young players and penalty kill (Barclay Goodrow is gaining momentum among Oct. 9: Signed centre Kyle Turris, goalie Anton Forsberg, centre Alan fans) Quine, winger Seth Griffith A No. 3 right winger for the remade third line (a trade for a speedster is in Oct. 10: Signed defenceman Tyson Barrie, goaltender Mike Smith order) Nov. 1: Signed winger Dominik Kahun A starting goaltender (Holland has suggested Mike Smith is the target) Dec. 26: Signed defenceman Slater Koekkoek A right-handed defenceman for the first or second pair (Oilers are in Jan. 13: Signed centre/winger Devin Shore negotiations with Adam Larsson based on reports)

The season come and gone obscures Holland’s emphasis on the centre A left-handed defenceman if Oscar Klefbom doesn’t return (Alex job occupied by Turris opening night, but that was a key acquisition, a Goligoski is a candidate who never gets mentioned) gut-feel move that might have been derailed by an analytics department. A trade with the New York Rangers sends away a solid future from an Instead, Turris’ time in the middle with Edmonton was short-lived and area of depth to improve the third-line right wing. I have Zack Kassian brought out some difficult questions about player and process in and Dmitri Samorukov headed to Manhattan for young centre/winger Filip Edmonton. Chytil and a draft pick. He’s a solid talent who can play middle or wing and perhaps put pressure on the other youngsters ahead of him on the depth chart.

Projected roster with all changes

This roster has Klefbom on LTIR, a little over $1 million left on the cap, and has borrowed from the prospect pool to improve the top-nine forwards. The top three left wingers could slide up and down on any of the top three lines, a Hall-Chytil-Puljujarvi line is intriguing. There are lots of options and plenty of speed.

I think this team would be formidable, although goaltending may be an issue at the deadline. Holland can look for the modern Dwayne Roloson as the team rolls toward spring.

If Tippett plays Shore too much, Holland will have to trade him.

I mentioned earlier that Holland is a gut feel manager, but in constructing this roster I didn’t use any advanced statistics beyond a good long look at Chytil’s steadily improving results.

A major step forward is out there for Holland and the Oilers. I wrote recently about his aggressiveness in free agency and his history of signing major talents like Luc Robitaille, , Marian Hossa and Brian Rafalski.

Holland has the money, he has a story any good motivator would love to sell (playing with McDavid and Draisaitl) and possibly Taylor Hall available in free agency. If Boston blinks, Holland must seize the day.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216215 Florida Panthers really putting his stamp on the team. He’s going to name his first coach, and he’s likely going to move his captain and name a new one. I’d keep an eye on the Coyotes, and the Blues may be doing something together OTR: Sticker Shock, GMs Gasp At Sabres’ Trade Ask For Eichel since he worked there. The Blues want to mix it up too.”

3. Don’t Expect A Hamilton-Bruins Reunion

By Jimmy Murphy In his end-of-the-season Zoom call with the media, Boston Bruins team President Cam Neely was asked about former Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton. A day earlier, news broke that the Carolina Hurricanes had granted Hamilton permission to speak to other teams about a trade. The asking price on the NHL trade market for Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel has gotten to the point where rival NHL executives are “Well, we certainly liked his size, his skating, his offensive ability,” Neely questioning how Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is approaching the Eichel said. “Especially on the offensive blue line. He’s matured into a better sweepstakes. two-way player. It’s not just about the numbers, although he puts up really good numbers. You’re in this game for a long time, and you In this week’s ‘Off The Record,’ a rival NHL executive got specific and certainly like to believe players can learn and adapt a little bit more on vented about Buffalo’s Eichel trade ask. The source described it as ‘just the defensive side of the puck. Which I think he has.” crazy!’ When the Bruins traded Hamilton to the Calgary Flames for a first-round Look for the Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues to mix it up on the NHL pick and two second-rounders at the 2015 NHL Draft, there were plenty trade market. Arizona could do a lot more than deal captain Oliver of. …let’s just say not-so-pleasant stories that came out about Hamilton Ekman-Larsson. However, if they want Eichel too, they will need to and his relationship with then Bruins head coach Claude Julien and his acquire a first-round pick, as they have none in next month’s NHL Entry teammates. The Bruins were also critical of Hamilton’s defensive play. Draft. So while Neely’s praise was surprising and notable, an NHL source told The dance has begun. OTR this weekend not to read into it as a sign the Bruins want a reunion with Hamilton. And, Boston Bruins President Cam Neely raised some eyebrows with his recent praise of former Boston Bruins and current Carolina Hurricanes Off the record: defenseman Dougie Hamilton. That has some wondering if the Bruins “From what I’m told, not going to happen,” the source said. “He doesn’t would enter the expanding NHL trade market for Hamilton, who can want to come back, and the team doesn’t want him back. They need a become an unrestricted free agent on July 28. physical minutes-eater left D in the top 4, and he just doesn’t fill the bill 1. Sabres Want 4-6 Components For Eichel there. I also think he wants to stay far away from the Boston media. You know how that went.” No one should be surprised that Buffalo Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is asking for a king’s ransom in the NHL trade sweepstakes for disgruntled Florida Hockey NowLOADED: 06.22.2021 Sabres captain Jack Eichel. New York Post puck scribe Larry Brooks recently reported that the Chicago Blackhawks had entered the fray and that if they were going to acquire Eichel, their cost would be 20-year-old center Kirby Dach and the 11th overall pick at the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, at least.

According to one NHL executive who spoke to ‘Off The Record’ this past weekend, the current ask doesn’t stop there. If an organization wants to snag Eichel, it will need to surrender two, three, or even four more components.

This monumental trade demand has other NHL execs wondering if Adams is misreading the market.

Off the record:

“They want six components for Eichel. …six!” the executive exclaimed. “I get that Kevyn is in a really tough spot and needs to make sure he can get as close to Jack’s worth as possible, but this is just crazy. We’re talking a top-six center 25 years or under, a top 4 defenseman 25 or under, a first-round pick, and an assortment of three prospects. In this market and with so many teams trying to build from within because of the cap, how is he going to get that? Then, you don’t even know how Jack’s back will hold up.”

I think we can scratch that team off the list.

2. Coyotes Howling In NHL Trade Market

They may not be getting much love from the NHL trade rumor circuit, but make no mistake, the Arizona Coyotes have been howling. It’s no secret that the Coyotes are still trying to move their captain and top defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson. The Boston Bruins are back in the mix to acquire the 29-year-old, left-shot, puck-moving rearguard. However, the Coyotes also have prospects and young roster players to offer.

While OTR has confirmed that the Coyotes have definitely inquired with the Sabres on Eichel and kept tabs on that situation, they lack the 2021 NHL draft picks to pull off a trade for Eichel. Arizona lost their first-round pick for the NHL combine debacle and used their third-round pick to acquire Taylor Hall last season. Still, one NHL exec said they have been very active in trade chatter.

Off the record:

“I know they’re active because they’re targeting some of the same players we are,” the exec told OTR. “Billy Armstrong is in the process of 1216216 Los Angeles Kings The logical response is some sort of middle ground, because it’s just not the right time to push all of their chips in. What the Kings need to do is steer things in the right upward direction.

Sam Reinhart to the Kings? Alex Turcotte regret? Possible return of Alec The presence of Seattle has created opportunities that won’t be there in Martinez?: Mailbag 12 months. Teams are trying to figure out their protected lists and are trying to dump expensive contracts. There will be players available who can help your team. If Kings management got pressure from ownership, By Lisa Dillman Jun 21, 2021 maybe they would have to take a bolder stance.

So, I think you’ll see one significant move and a couple of other lesser tweaks. They can patch the defense but the primary concern should be Sunday marked the official start of summer but it feels like we got there trying to improve the forward group and getting someone to complement long ago in the hockey world. Kopitar. It will be the Most Important Summer (Until the Summer of 2022) for Hi Lisa, it seemed like the Kings hired five people (literally) to replace Jeff Kings management, specifically general manager . The rebuild Solomon. Would you agree with that take? Reminds me of when is entering a new phase and the tricky part is predicting how long it will Fleetwood Mac tried to replace Lindsey Buckingham the first time. — last and if there will be a step or two backward before things move Matt B. forward. Flattering to Jeff Solomon, isn’t it? So, let’s get to your questions about the draft, free agency, the expansion draft and everything else. Plus, there was one question with a reference I have to admit this question not only made me chuckle but had me to Fleetwood Mac, which forced me to go down the “Rumours” rabbit thinking about the time I saw Fleetwood Mac and the greatness of that hole. particular show. We had floor seats at Calgary’s Scotiabank Saddledome on Nov. 12, 2019. It was the last live music show I’ve attended, in fact, You can go your own way primarily because of the pandemic. Go your own way Crowded House frontman Neil Finn essentially took Buckingham’s role You can call it and was superb. So if the four people hired to replace Solomon perform as well as Finn and guitarist Mike Campbell of the Heartbreakers did that Another lonely day on that tour, well, the Kings will be in fine shape.

You can go your own way Armchair GMs have gone crazy online, dreaming up scenarios in which we trade bunches of our prospects for veterans. Does the organization Go your own way even have a solid grasp at this point of where these kids are at to really I think that should be the NHL free agency anthem. gauge their value for such trades, especially considering how wonky last year was in terms of normal development? — Christiaan V. (Note: Questions have been edited for clarity and style.) This past season was so far from the norm that I think it’s close to I’d love to see the Kings pull the trigger on Sam Reinhart. I think he’s a impossible to get a true read on the value of the prospects. Would they good fit: Age, contract, etc. What do you think? Would it cost much more have liked to have seen greater progress from Gabriel Vilardi in the than the No. 8 pick? (Arthur) Kaliyev might need another year, so this NHL? could be a good pickup. – Scott V Where’s the truth serum? It is refreshing to start a mailbag with a question about a player from the Buffalo Sabres not named Jack Eichel. Nothing against Eichel but there While some of the prospects had decent years – Byfield improved and isn’t a lot to add that hasn’t already been said. adjusted in the AHL as the season went along and Kaliyev averaged 0.78 points per game with the Ontario Reign – you didn’t see a lot of breakout Acquiring Reinhart would cost more than the Kings’ No. 8 draft pick in performances. Plus, there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of a 2021. Reinhart was 11th in goal-scoring in the NHL this season, tied with two-way play – the Reign gave up 149 goals in 40 games, most in their Joe Pavelski with 25 goals. He proved he could play center after Eichel division. got hurt and he had an effective run in April with 15 points (10 goals, five assists) in 16 games. Generally, at a certain point, a player transitions from a prospect to a trustworthy NHL player. Sometimes, it happens in a flash. Montreal’s All you need to do is look at recent history, and the example of Sam Cole Caufield has played 10 regular-season NHL games, and 13 more in Bennett – who was drafted No. 4 by Calgary in 2014, two spots after the playoffs, and already looks like an NHL player, whereas others Reinhart – to see how careers can benefit from a change in scenery. The around the league are in their third season and incapable of heavy lifting, Kings would likely need to give up the first-round pick in July and never mind being elevated to a difference-maker. someone else from the prospect pool to get the conversation started. I hate to sound pessimistic but this rebuild is not going well at all in my Just as long as the prospect isn’t Quinton Byfield… humble opinion. Other than (Cal) Petersen they do not have any first-, second-, third- or fourth-year players who look like difference-makers. No Do you think Blake wanting two top-six forwards is a smokescreen since All-Stars. No team leaders. No 30-goal scorers or playmaking centers or most experts agree that Kings have a greater need at defense? With the dynamic first-pair D. Don’t get me wrong. I will gladly accept eight to 10 Kings seemingly involved in every trade rumor at this point, do you think years of last-place finishes in exchange for their historic three-year run. I it’s possible Kings make multiple blockbuster moves and just go for it, like just don’t see why everyone is so optimistic with their rebuild. Show me signing Dougie Hamilton and trading for Eichel/Reinhart, and accelerate the results and improvement. I don’t see it. — Lewis D. their timeline completely or stay patient? Kings do have the cap space especially after next year with (Ilya) Kovalchuk recapture gone and It’s hard to argue with your logic. (Dustin) Brown money gone to make a run while (Anze) Kopitar and (Drew) Doughty are still valuable contributors. — Chris T. Some of the points I would make here were in my previous answer to Christiaan. I’d like to see a little more tempered optimism. But it could be Past behavior is a good sign of what could happen in the future. Blake an entirely different conversation in 12 months if someone from that has been particularly careful and cautious in his tenure. The idea of the group – Rasmus Kupari, Turcotte, Kaliyev or Byfield — is making a Kings suddenly making a series of bold strokes feels completely out of meaningful contribution at the NHL level. character and it appears unlikely there will be a quantum leap forward. Specifically, it is way too early to rush to judgment on Byfield. He won’t That said, the front-office group led by Blake knows it cannot come back turn 19 until Aug. 19. All along, the Kings anticipated it could end up next season with a couple of minor tweaks to the same core group and taking time with his development. satisfy season-ticket holders and the larger fan base. While this summer might be the most important one for Kings’ management, it will be a key season for the highly-rated prospect pool. And, yes, that is an understatement. There’s little doubt that the return of the shot-blocking maestro would be a popular move. But, the Kings’ front-office group doesn’t strike me as a I’m not as interested in free-agent moves or trades this year as I am in sentimental lot. There is an infatuation with shiny new things in L.A., and these things happening next summer and possibly the summer after. The elsewhere. But if even they were inclined to try for a reunion, Martinez is fact is that if we want to build a perennial competitive winner, we do need poised for a big free-agent payday, which doesn’t seem to fit the Kings’ to develop our own talent as much as possible and not trade the future. current blueprint. So assuming it’s going to take a year or two for a few younger players to make an impact, who do you see the team targeting via trade or free I checked in with the twins over at Evolving Wild on a projection for agency next summer? Major prognosticating here. P.S., every time I Martinez and his contract. Evolving Wild noted the wide spread of pass by the now-closed Que Pasta, I think of you. — Ted L possibilities for him but said they had his two most likely contracts as four years with $5.84 million AAV (a 24 percent chance) and two years with Que Pasta, which was in Huntington Beach, was one of the first Italian $4.9 million AAV (an 18 percent chance). restaurants I frequented after moving to Orange County. Our household remains in mourning over its closure. Alec Martinez. (John Locher / USA Today)

Anyhow, enough about food. We all know that the Kings have stockpiled a plentiful and robust talent pool. There is going to be a large group of players trying to make the It’s hard to anticipate what the NHL landscape is going to look like in the team out of camp next season. All eyes are glazed on the big names of summer of 2022. First, teams that underachieved this past season are Byfield, Kaliyev, and Turcotte. Who is your sleeper player to make the still trying to evaluate their core and supplementary pieces. I believe that Kings’ roster out of camp next season? I didn’t mention Akil Thomas, the weirdness and unpredictability will buy some players more time. But if because he mentioned in a podcast that he is having dual shoulder they have another subpar showing, it will put them squarely on the hot surgery this summer. How does that impact the young man’s career seat by this time next year. moving forward/decrease overall value? Thanks for all you do Lisa! — With the combination of free agency and players who are out of runway Connor and need a fresh start, if you preserve your salary-cap space, then you I’m glad you brought up Akil Thomas for a couple of reasons. With all the will be in an attractive position to bid for those players. That is the one hype around the first-round picks, he doesn’t get nearly as much key card the Kings can play this summer, next summer and maybe even attention as warranted. His versatility, in my mind, gives him an edge the summer after that. over more one-dimensional players.

It will be something they can weaponize because it is clear the cap is Thomas had had one of the surgeries completed, according to Kings going to continue to stay flat. hockey ops. It was suggested to me last week that they weren’t sure Have you heard anything more about a potential rookie tournament like about the other side yet and it may not be done this summer. If they end they had in 2019 in Irvine? Enjoyed our chat at that tourney! Thanks for up holding off on the second surgery, then, yes, he likely would be ready all your coverage this year. – Bobby P. for training camp in September.

Lisa, do you have a sense of which side the Kings see Kaliyev playing Do you think some in the Kings’ front office regret drafting Turcotte over when he eventually joins the big club? Although he’s a left shot, I believe Trevor Zegras, and Byfield over Tim Stützle? — JasonD. he played RW a lot in junior. I can’t recall how they used him in Ontario Just where did we put that truth serum? last season. — Bobby P. It is still way too early to make any definitive pronouncements. Except on I usually put questions together thematically. But loyal subscriber Bobby Twitter. gets his section today. My hunch: the answer is “no” to the latter. Again, the Kings always knew First, the rookie tournament is scheduled to be held in Arizona, where it it would take longer for Byfield to develop. Conventional wisdom heading had been set to land in 2020. There haven’t been specific dates into the draft was that Stützle was more NHL-ready. released. Irvine did a terrific job in 2019, as did Summerlin, Nev., in 2018. They prefer to move the event around, which makes me think that El There is more information to consider regarding the Turcotte vs. Zegras Segundo/Staples Center would make a ton of sense in 2022. debate. In September, we (Scott Wheeler of The Athletic and myself) redrafted, looking at what a perfect draft would mean for the Kings. As for Kaliyev, he was a fixture on the right side with the Reign this past Instead of selecting Turcotte, Scott took Dylan Cozens of the Buffalo season. Team USA also used him in that spot in the World Junior Sabres and I picked Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks. Championship in Edmonton. If we conducted the same project today, I’d probably take Caufield. Any chance Blake moves up in the draft to select (Owen) Power? — Regular readers might remember that I was a big backer of Caufield Brian S. before the 2019 draft.

That would certainly add a much-needed dose of drama on the (virtual) Who do you think could be likely targets in free agency? You’re allowed draft floor. Unfortunately, as much as I’d enjoy covering such a big move, to name names as I don’t think tampering applies to you. – Michael J. I can’t see that happening. In different ways, Buffalo and Seattle are selling the future and Power would be a big piece of the pitch. What I You are going to find a handful of older, expensive guys who won’t fit would like to see is the Kings using their pick (No. 8) in a package to get with what the Kings are trying to do. But there are some names further more immediate help. down the list possibly worth considering:

Can you please tell Blake to go back to our old draft strategy: draft all the • LW Jaden Schwartz, 29 (St. Louis Blues): Yes, injuries limited him to 40 defensemen. — Keoni M. games this past season but you might recall that I’ve mentioned him previously as someone who might make sense for the Kings. The 2008 NHL Draft says hello. In September, it would have been in a salary-dump trade. Now it is a (The first three Kings picks that year were defensemen.) different scenario. Nine months ago, I wrote: Schwartz has had his share Hello Lisa: Can’t ever say it enough, but thanks for the coverage. Jazz of injury issues, but he was a pivotal figure in last year’s playoffs, scoring Hands (Alec Martinez) will be a UFA after the playoffs. Is there a chance 20 points in 26 games. He’s a genuine top-six forward who would be the the Kings would consider bringing him back to add experience and some perfect complementary piece on the Kings’ top line, alongside Anze offensive upside to a very young D (sans Doughty)? If this happens, Kopitar. players like Sean Walker or maybe Toby Bjornfot could be expendable • LW Mikael Granlund, 29 (Nashville Predators): A good versatile and available to bolster the top two/three lines. — TonyK professional who can score at the NHL level. He can easily help fill in one The affection/respect remains high for Martinez in L.A. All you need to do of the gaps in L.A.’s top six. is look at social media feeds during the Vegas-Montreal series and • RW Joel Armia, 28 (Montreal Canadiens): Armia has been excellent for witness the real-time inner struggle waging among longtime Kings fans. the Canadiens in their postseason run. A right-shot who can play both They love Martinez and loathe the Golden Knights. wings but has issues staying healthy. I’ll take more of an in-depth look at the market as we get closer to free agency and will try to answer the burning questions of the day.

• Do you want to overpay for Zach Hyman?

• Is it possible to spirit the captain (Gabriel Landeskog) out of Colorado?

• How about an Alec Martinez-type defenseman … or how about Martinez?

The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216217 Los Angeles Kings Anderson’s willingness to talk in the room, at a young age, during his own season-ending interview.

“One thing with Mikey is that this guy’s like already talking in our dressing Kings Seasons In Review – Mikey Anderson room at intermission,” Doughty said. “He’s already one of the more vocal, probably one of the top three vocal guys on our team already, and to say that about a young guy like that, that’s basically unheard of. Mikey’s a By Zach Dooley great pro already, I mean many years above what his age actually is.”

Trending Down – It’s nice when a player does your job for you. In his end-of-season interview, Anderson highlighted two key areas in which With the right side done last week, we now shift across the ice to the left he’d most like to improve over the summer – strength and offense. side of the Kings blueline this week, with the four players who logged regular minutes this season. “I’m still a young guy and I need to continue to develop physically, put on some more muscle, have a good summer in the weight room,” he said. This morning, we begin with rookie defenseman Mikey Anderson, who “Coming back, I’d like to stick with the defending I had all year, but as performed as pretty much anything but a rookie this season. Anderson time goes on, I’d like to contribute more offensively, be able to make a had just 6 NHL games to his name entering training camp, but found couple of more plays, try to pitch in a little bit more on that front. I still himself slotted on the top pairing, alongside Drew Doughty, by the fourth think the big one is continue to develop and get a good summer in the game of the season, the tenth of his career with the Kings. Outside of a weight room.” couple of games missed due to injury, Anderson spent nearly the entire season spent in that role, earning plenty of admirers, including Doughty, There were times throughout the season where Anderson was in the process. outmuscled by larger forwards. Anderson has an excellent defensive stick and top-level hockey sense, which makes him an effective “We decided as a staff that Mikey was a good fit for Drew by the way he defender, but strength is strength and a big summer in the weight room, played,” Assistant Coach Trent Yawney said. “Drew likes to have the as noted, will help develop the defensive side of his game even more. puck. With defensive pairs, some guys work, and some guys don’t. With Mikey, his defending was his strong suit and that matched well with In terms of offensive play, Anderson wasn’t necessarily counted on to Drew…Drew plays the game against the top players on every team and produce offensively this season, but certain plays, certain traits lead you we felt that Mikey could handle it. We wanted to see, but in order to see it to believe there might be more to come in that category. Among regular we had to give him that responsibility and he’s grabbed it and ran with it. defensemen, Anderson was ahead of just Olli Maatta in terms of As the games have gone on here, you can just tell that it’s a good fit for attempts for and scoring-chances for per 60 minutes. An area of both.” emphasis this offseason, also as noted.

Mikey Anderson 2021-22 Status – Anderson has one season remaining on his three-year, entry-level contract. The progress he’s made across the first two seasons NHL Statline – 54 games played, 1 goal, 10 assists, even rating, 30 puts him in a great place to continue his upward trajectory during what penalty minutes will be his second full season at the NHL level. Possession Metrics (Relative To Without) – CF% – 48.9% (+1.7%), SCF While lineup positions are generally useless to predict in June, Anderson – 44.9% (-0.3%), HDCF – 48.8% (+4.9%) has certainly put in an impressive resume to retain his spot on the top Anderson will never be a player who is defined by raw statistics. He isn’t pairing in the fall. If Doughty has anything to say about it, that’s exactly known for his offensive game, but he does a heck of a lot of things well, where he would line up. things that help a team win hockey games. That’s how Anderson “I don’t want someone, I like playing with Mikey Anderson,” Doughty said projects, even as his offensive game continues to evolve. As an in his exit interview. “I love playing with Mikey Anderson. We’ve inexperienced player entering the season, Anderson hardly feels as such developed quite the partnership. I mean, I don’t think we need to bring exiting it, having played a substantial role on the backend during his anyone in to play with me.” rookie campaign. Time will tell exactly where Anderson’s position in the lineup will be, but a Trending Up – Starting with the basics, Anderson played A LOT this pretty great endorsement to have heading into the summer. season. The Minnesota native led all first-year defensemen in total time on ice, including at even strength and while shorthanded. Anderson’s LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 06.22.2021 19:05 even strength TOI per game was fifth most amongst rookie defensemen over the last ten years, with his total TOI ranking inside the Top 15. An impressive feat.

Anderson also did a great job of taking care of his own end this season. Among Kings defensemen, just Doughty had a lower rate of shot attempts and high-danger chances against than Anderson did. On a per- 60 minute basis, the Kings allowed nearly seven fewer attempts with Anderson on the ice than off it. On an observational note, Anderson’s ability to break up plays with his stick defensively was excellent, felt like every other game he denied an odd-man rush with a crafty play. All impressive, considering we’re talking about a 21-year-old defenseman, playing against the division’s top players on a nightly basis.

While he is unlikely to receive serious buzz around the Calder Trophy this season, Anderson was frequently featured on NHL.com’s Trophy Tracker, as one of a handful of rookies in the Pacific Division meriting conversation around the league’s top rookie. Looking at this season’s crop of first-year defensemen, it wouldn’t be a surprise though to see Anderson be considered for the league’s All-Rookie Team. Anderson was recognized locally, voted as the Kings “Best Newcomer” by local media.

Lastly, Anderson excelled as a communicator this season, both on and off the ice. Since you can’t measure that by any statistic, we’ll have to take Doughty’s word for it. The veteran praised Anderson’s on-ice communication skills, with both players calling communication one of the pairing’s strengths this season. Doughty said that not only does Anderson talk and ask for feedback, but he’s also not afraid to give it, something Doughty respected. In the locker room, Doughty brought up 1216218 Minnesota Wild

J.T. Brown retires from hockey to be Seattle Kraken TV analyst

By Chris Miller Star Tribune JUNE 21, 2021 — 1:07PM

Former Wild winger J.T. Brown retired from hockey Monday to become the first television analyst for the expansion Seattle Kraken.

Brown, 30, was the most outstanding player of the 2011 NCAA Frozen Four when he led Minnesota Duluth to its first championship. One of the NHL's most active leaders in awareness of social justice issues, he played parts of six seasons for Tampa Bay, was briefly in Anaheim, then was with the Wild organization from 2018-20.

"My dream was always to make it to the NHL, and once I got there, I knew I wanted to make it easier for kids like me," Brown wrote on Twitter. "I'm excited … to continue to do the work that needs to be done to make hockey more inclusive."

Brown had 23 goals in 365 NHL games, 56 of which came for the Wild in 2018-19. The son of former Vikings running back Ted Brown, he played for Bjorkloven, in Sweden, last season.

"It was a really big decision to hang up the skates and retire from the only thing I've known for about the last 25 years," Brown said in a Twitter video. "I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of, and I'm excited for this next chapter. I have new goals and a lot more memories to make."

A high school standout at Rosemount, Brown was undrafted and played two seasons in the USHL before heading for UMD. After two seasons there, he was signed as a free agent by the Lightning.

Brown will join and TV play-by-play announcer John Forslund when the Kraken begins play in September. The Kraken's Everett Fitzhugh will be the first fulltime Black play-by-play radio announcer next season.

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216219 Minnesota Wild

Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers dies at age 58

By Jana Hollingsworth and Chris Miller, JUNE 21, 2021 — 2:38PM

Tom Kurvers, a Wild assistant general manager who won the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's top player in 1984 for Minnesota Duluth, passed away Monday because of cancer. He was 58.

Kurvers, a nonsmoker, was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer, early in 2019. The cancer spread and he was away from the Wild for most of last season.

Born in , Kurvers spent 11 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL before starting a front office career.

After skating for Bloomington Jefferson's first high school hockey state tournament team in 1980, Kurvers played at UMD as the program rose to prominence in the early under coach . Kurvers won the Hobey Baker in 1984 after leading the Bulldogs to the national title game — where they were beaten by Bowling Green in four overtimes — with 18 goals, 58 assists and 76 points in 43 games. Also the WCHA player of the year and an All-America that season, he finished his college career with 192 points in 124 games.

"He was certainly gifted, but everybody knew about his work ethic, his ability to reach outside himself to help younger players and lead the older players," Sertich said. "He had total respect in the room, from players to coaches to support staff.

"He led by example and had great values, and he lived those on and off the ice."

Sertich, 74, last spoke with Kurvers two weeks ago. The level of hockey Kurvers played during his time at UMD helped "put us on the national map," Sertich said.

Bill Watson, himself a Hobey Baker Award winner, played two seasons at UMD with Kurvers, and they remained lifelong friends. Kurvers was a "driving force" of the team's success, Watson said.

Despite its strong run in the 1980s, UMD would not win its first national championship until 2011. Watson was an assistant coach for that team, which won the title in overtime by beating Michigan at Xcel Energy Center, and he remembers then-captain Mike Montgomery handing the trophy to Kurvers after the game.

"It was so cool to see [Kurvers] bury the hatchet from 1984; to see how much it meant to him," Watson said. "He was always a Bulldog."

Kurvers played for Montreal, Buffalo, New Jersey, Toronto, Vancouver, Anaheim and the New York Islanders during his NHL career, winning a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1986. Noted as a power-play specialist, he had 93 goals and 328 assists in 659 NHL games.

He played a final season in Japan before working for the Coyotes, first as an assistant coach, then eventually becoming Arizona's director of player personnel. He was interim general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, and stayed with the Lightning as a senior adviser until 2018 when he was hired as Wild assistant GM by Paul Fenton.

"There are a lot of terrific people in the hockey world, but Tom stood out as the nicest, kindest and most humble," Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois told the Associated Press. "He was grateful for all the good that happened in his life and was eager to give back. He was very generous with his advice and very insightful."

Kurvers was interim GM for a two months after Fenton was fired in June, 2019, until was hired.

"Tom's passion for and success in hockey could only be surpassed by the love and optimism he shared with his family and friends each and every day," the Wild said in a statement. "We join the State of Hockey in mourning the loss of a great hockey player and an even better person."

Kurvers is survived by his wife, Heather, and four children.

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216220 Minnesota Wild

Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers dies at age 58

By Jana Hollingsworth and Chris Miller JUNE 21, 2021 — 2:38PM

Tom Kurvers, a Wild assistant general manager who won the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's top player in 1984 for Minnesota Duluth, passed away Monday because of cancer. He was 58.

Kurvers, a nonsmoker, was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma, a type of lung cancer, early in 2019. The cancer spread and he was away from the Wild for most of last season.

Born in Minneapolis, Kurvers spent 11 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL before starting a front office career.

After skating for Bloomington Jefferson's first high school hockey state tournament team in 1980, Kurvers played at UMD as the program rose to prominence in the early 1980s under coach Mike Sertich. Kurvers won the Hobey Baker in 1984 after leading the Bulldogs to the national title game — where they were beaten by Bowling Green in four overtimes — with 18 goals, 58 assists and 76 points in 43 games. Also the WCHA player of the year and an All-America that season, he finished his college career with 192 points in 124 games.

"He was certainly gifted, but everybody knew about his work ethic, his ability to reach outside himself to help younger players and lead the older players," Sertich said. "He had total respect in the room, from players to coaches to support staff.

"He led by example and had great values, and he lived those on and off the ice."

Sertich, 74, last spoke with Kurvers two weeks ago. The level of hockey Kurvers played during his time at UMD helped "put us on the national map," Sertich said.

Bill Watson, himself a Hobey Baker Award winner, played two seasons at UMD with Kurvers, and they remained lifelong friends. Kurvers was a "driving force" of the team's success, Watson said.

Despite its strong run in the 1980s, UMD would not win its first national championship until 2011. Watson was an assistant coach for that team, which won the title in overtime by beating Michigan at Xcel Energy Center, and he remembers then-captain Mike Montgomery handing the trophy to Kurvers after the game.

"It was so cool to see [Kurvers] bury the hatchet from 1984; to see how much it meant to him," Watson said. "He was always a Bulldog."

Kurvers played for Montreal, Buffalo, New Jersey, Toronto, Vancouver, Anaheim and the New York Islanders during his NHL career, winning a Stanley Cup with the Canadiens in 1986. Noted as a power-play specialist, he had 93 goals and 328 assists in 659 NHL games.

He played a final season in Japan before working for the Coyotes, first as an assistant coach, then eventually becoming Arizona's director of player personnel. He was interim general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, and stayed with the Lightning as a senior adviser until 2018 when he was hired as Wild assistant GM by Paul Fenton.

"There are a lot of terrific people in the hockey world, but Tom stood out as the nicest, kindest and most humble," Tampa Bay GM Julien BriseBois told the Associated Press. "He was grateful for all the good that happened in his life and was eager to give back. He was very generous with his advice and very insightful."

Kurvers was interim GM for a two months after Fenton was fired in June, 2019, until Bill Guerin was hired.

"Tom's passion for and success in hockey could only be surpassed by the love and optimism he shared with his family and friends each and every day," the Wild said in a statement. "We join the State of Hockey in mourning the loss of a great hockey player and an even better person."

Kurvers is survived by his wife, Heather, and four children.

Star Tribune LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216221 Minnesota Wild “For me, the home I grew up in was a huge factor for any athletic success I had,” Kurvers said in 2019.

Winning the Hobey Baker Award during the 1984 Frozen Four in Lake Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers, a Stanley Cup champion from Placid, N.Y., was an emotional roller coaster for Kurvers. Sertich initially Bloomington, dies of lung cancer at 58 informed the team of Kurvers’ honor in the locker room following a 2-1 overtime win over North Dakota that sent UMD to the national More championship game.

Tom Kurvers, Minnesota Wild assistant general manager, photographed “After we won the semifinal game against North Dakota, he came in and in December 2019. (Scott Takushi / Pioneer Press) let everyone know. I was surprised,” Kurvers said. “We were already in a real good state of mind after an overtime win. It was pretty cool, but you By MATT WELLENS / FORUM NEWS SERVICE | were already feeling as good as you can feel. It wasn’t like I all of a PUBLISHED: June 21, 2021 at 2:29 p.m. | UPDATED: June 21, 2021 at sudden felt better. I was feeling really happy and really excited about 4:01 p.m. what we had just accomplished.”

Tom Kurvers, a Stanley Cup champion with the Montreal Canadiens and The next morning while the rest of the team was practicing for the NCAA the first of six Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners at the University of title game, Kurvers and Sertich went to the official announcement of the Minnesota Duluth, has died at the age of 58. 1984 Hobey winner. Kurvers said as flattering as it was to win the award, he didn’t like the feeling of being pulled away from his teammates the day Kurvers, an assistant general manager with the Wild, was diagnosed in before the eventual four-overtime loss to Bowling Green State in the January 2019 with adenocarcinoma — a small-cell lung cancer that had NCAA championship. spread into his lymph nodes and sternum. “I remember I was uncomfortable with that,” Kurvers said, recalling the Kurvers came to UMD in 1980 as a 17-year-old out of Bloomington experience. “I used to talk about it — I haven’t said this in 10 years — I Jefferson High School. He won the Hobey Baker Award as a senior at used to think, ‘You got to find a better time to do it. Do it after the game, UMD in 1983-84 after putting up 76 points on 18 goals and 58 assists. do it Sunday night, do it a different time. Don’t lay that honor on a player He was also named WCHA Player of the Year and an All-American while who has to play another game.’ It’s heavy. It’s humbling, it’s great, but captaining the Bulldogs to the 1984 NCAA championship game and the you didn’t get there by playing an individual sport. You got there by being program’s first WCHA regular-season and postseason titles. part of a good team in almost every single case for the lifetime of that award. Quite a few players have been chosen and then played the He was inducted into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991 and to this championship game the next day. I found it to be rather heavy. One, day still holds school records for career goals (43) and points (192) by a missing practice on Friday, and two, it interrupted the preparation for the defenseman. biggest game of your life.” Former Bulldogs coach Mike Sertich said what really put Kurvers over Leave it to Kurvers’ co-captain and longtime roommate at UMD, Bill the top in 1983-84 to make him the fourth recipient ever of the Hobey Grillo, to make his teammate feel better about the award the next Baker Memorial Award was his character. morning. While the team was having breakfast, Grillo got up and “I always thought if my sons grew up to be like Tom Kurvers, I would be a presented Kurvers with a fake newspaper he somehow procured in Lake successful dad. He meant that much to me as a player on our team,” Placid with a headline that read, “Kurvers tied Grillo for Hobey.” Sertich said in 2019. Kurvers kept that newspaper. He said it was the memory from winning “I think (the Hobey Baker committee) realized his leadership ability. He the award that always stuck with him. was an outstanding student. He was very good in the community. This Pioneer Press LOADED: 06.22.2021 kid is pretty special.”

Kurvers played for seven different teams over 11 seasons in the NHL, starting with the Canadiens, who he won the Stanley Cup with in 1985- 86. He was traded three times — from Montreal to the Buffalo Sabres in 1986-87, from Buffalo to the before the 1987-88 season and again at the start of the 1989-90 campaign to the for .

He played one season with the Vancouver Canucks in 1990-91, three with the New York Islanders from 1991-94 and finally a single season with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in 1994-95.

After playing in the NHL, he spent the past 20-plus years as a scout and executive in the league. His first 11 were with the Arizona Coyotes as a radio analyst, professional scout and then director of player personnel. The next 10 were with the Tampa Bay Lightning as assistant general manager and then senior advisor to the general manager. In June 2018 he returned home to Minnesota to serve as the assistant general manager of the Wild and general manager of the the franchises’ top minor league affiliate, the of the .

Kurvers credited his father, Jim, and mother, Julie, for the success he had in hockey.

Jim was a multi-sport athlete in high school at Hopkins. In addition to being an all-state football player and four-year letterwinner in baseball, he was a member of powerhouse Hopkins basketball teams that won state titles in 1952 and 1953.

Tom Kurvers said his dad knew how to be a good sports parent because he was an athlete himself. Jim Kurvers was supportive, but also knew when to be quiet. He was demanding of his children’s effort and commitment to the game, but didn’t toss in any “extra junk.”

Meanwhile, Julie Kurvers, who passed away from her own battle with cancer in January 2018, instilled grit and defiance into Tom and his four siblings. 1216222 Minnesota Wild within months of retiring. Now, Olczyk and Sharp are two of the most prominent analysts in the sport, while Fox is one of the most tenured.

“I think there are a lot of things I have done throughout my career – JT Brown’s path to becoming the Seattle Kraken’s TV color analyst Twitch included – that will help me in this role and career path,” Brown explained. “It is going to be a learning curve for myself and having someone like John teach and help me through the process is going to make it easier. Multitasking while talking to fans while playing games is By Ryan S. Clark Jun 21, 2021 another way of putting yourself out there and putting yourself in those situations. … It helps that the hockey side, I have that down pretty good! It is the other side that will take time to learn and a lot of the work I will It was hinted at for several months that the Seattle Kraken wanted to have to put in before the season, during the season and that is on the make a bold hire when finding a color analyst to pair with play-by-play other side. I talk about John being one of the best at what he does. To broadcaster John Forslund. And now that plan has been made public. have him as a mentor in this stage, it helps.” The Kraken announced Monday that J.T. Brown, the veteran NHL winger, will be the first television color analyst in franchise history. The Kraken got an idea of what a Brown-Forslund partnership would look like when they did a screen-test together. Brown said it was done through Brown, who turns 31 on July 2, also confirmed to The Athletic that he has Zoom and the experience itself was unlike anything he had ever done. officially retired from playing professional hockey. What helped is Brown knew the score of the game along with some of the details as he and Forslund were doing their mock broadcast. Brown “I think every athlete in this situation has to think they are not going to said playing hockey the last 20 years meant he has never had a “job play forever,” Brown said. “We want to play until the wheels fall off and interview” and that the screen-test came with its own pressure. you have to look at your next move and the next chapter you are going to write. This opportunity was brought to me and I am big at looking at Now he wants to wait until the Stanley Cup playoffs are done so he can things. You look at the pros and cons, and going through the checklist of re-connect with Forslund, who is NBC’s lead play-by-play voice for those playing or making the decision to retire. I thought this was a good nationally televised games. In the meantime, Brown is watching games opportunity to make the transition from playing hockey and into a new with a different perspective. As a player, he looked at what went right or area and one that I can excel in and then to go to the Kraken, and talking went wrong with a particular play. He is now viewing games in a more to them, and everything the organization is about and stands for is pretty nuanced and technical manner when it comes to when is the right time easy. for a color analyst to speak during the broadcast. Or trying to figure out a perfect length for analysis so it is not too little nor is it too much to where “For it being a hard and difficult decision (to retire), there were a lot of it takes away from Forslund. reasons that made sense for me and my family.” While broadcasting is going to be new to Brown, working with a partner After going undrafted, Brown quickly made his presence known during who is learning the craft on the job is familiar for Forslund. The his two seasons at Minnesota-Duluth where he won a national title. He Hurricanes hired Tripp Tracy with no experience and the partnership then parlayed his college success into a seven-year career in the NHL made them one of the best broadcasting duos in the entire sport. with the Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning. Brown spent the 2020-21 campaign in Europe playing for IF Björklöven in Adding Brown to the Kraken’s telecast also comes at a time when the the Swedish second division, the Allsvenskan. landscape within hockey broadcasting is changing. The game is gradually witnessing more people of color and women gaining a stronger Conversations around Brown’s future started months ago, with the team foothold in broadcasts. Sportsnet’s Harnarayan Singh went from “Hockey reaching out to Brown’s agent, Eustace King, who then spoke with his Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition” to one of the rising stars in the industry. client about the possibility of taking the next step of his hockey career. returned to Canada to become one of the faces of “Hockey Hiring Brown is the latest piece in the Kraken’s broadcasting team. Night in Canada” and his connection with former NHL forward Anthony Earlier this year, the club hired Forslund, while agreeing to a Stewart has made them more visible this postseason. “Hockey Night in broadcasting rights deal with Bellevue-based ROOT Sports. Then, the Canada: Punjabi Edition” has also become a home for talents such as club reached an agreement with KJR-AM 950 to be the flagship radio Amrit Gill and Randip Janda. station, which allowed the Kraken to remove the “team broadcaster” title Former NHL goaltender became the first Black analyst in from Everett Fitzhugh and publicly declare him as the team’s radio play- league history. He has since been joined by Anson Carter, Jean-Luc by-play announcer. Grand-Pierre, Jamal Mayers, Bryce Salvador and Stewart. More women The Brown-Forslund pairing was enticing to the Kraken because of the are also being featured in studio roles such as Christine Simpson and promise of what the partnership could provide. In Forslund, the former Kathryn Tappen. They’ve been joined by analysts such as Jennifer voice of the Carolina Hurricanes, the Kraken have a broadcaster with Botterill, -Pascall, A.J. Mleczko Griswold and Kendall local and national experience who can make both the uninitiated fan and Coyne Schofield. Furthermore, the NHL has seen an increase in more the die-hard fan come away satisfied. With Brown, it’s the chance to tap people of color and women serve as either in-game reporters and/or into the knowledge of someone who recently played the game to offer studio hosts in recent years. something beyond what is often heard by color analysts. The Kraken hired Fitzhugh to be the first Black team broadcaster in NHL Brown has always been regarded by media members for his history. Having both Brown and Fitzhugh has already made the Kraken approachable nature. Although, an argument could be made that what the most diverse broadcasting roster in the NHL. But there is the makes Brown’s venture into the analyst’s chair a bit more unique than possibility the team could make even more history. If Forslund is not most is the work he has done to reach this point. Brown is also known for available for a game because he will be doing national telecasts, it is his heavy involvement in gaming, which led to him streaming on Twitch, plausible Brown and Fitzhugh could be paired together and create – even a live streaming platform for gamers. if for a single game – what would be the first all-Black television broadcasting duo in NHL history. Brown initially posted shorter video clips to Twitch, which evolved into longer sessions sometimes lasting beyond four hours. During those “I think it is huge for growing the game as well,” Brown said. “I think a big streams, Brown, while in the midst of playing a game such as Call of part of that is seeing someone who looks like you. Representation Duty: Black Ops Cold War, offered analysis into items such as what an matters. I hope I can use this platform to continue what I have been opposing team’s strategy is and why it could prove to be problematic or doing and growing the game and being able to see a broadcaster successful. working for a team that will inspire another generation of people of color. It might not be the players, but a person someone who loves hockey and Dabbling in Twitch offered some insight into how Brown could fare as a they want to be in broadcasting and see someone who looks like them broadcaster. But the expectation is concerns will be raised about Brown’s doing it for a team. It was not something you set out to be, but it will lack of experience. Brown would not be the first analyst to not have definitely help in growing the game.” previous experience. The venerable Jim Fox did not have any experience before he became the Los Angeles Kings’ color analyst, a position he Brown’s career can be measured either through what he achieved within has held around 30 years. Eddie Olczyk immediately joined the the confines of the game and/or away from hockey. His time with the Pittsburgh Penguins broadcast team after his career ended. Meanwhile, Ducks, Lightning and Wild led to him scoring 23 goals and 72 points in Patrick Sharp became a studio analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks 365 games. Brown admitted that his lone regret was not winning a Stanley Cup, with his closest encounter coming during the 2014-15 season when the Lightning lost in the final in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks. Yet his most notable contribution came in 2017 when he became the first NHL player to protest during The Star-Spangled Banner. In both a preseason game and a regular-season game, he raised his fist to draw awareness to police brutality and the challenges often faced by people of color.

“I got to play in the NHL and play the game that I love for a living and I would say it was a success,” Brown said. “I played a long time in the NHL and it was probably over the average of what most players receive. I look at my career as a success. It was not all about scoring the goals but making it to the highest level and making an impact on and off the ice with the places I have played.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216223 Minnesota Wild “Tom was one of the best friends I’ve ever had,” longtime Arizona Coyotes broadcaster Todd Walsh said Monday morning. “He was pure Minnesota and that was the best part. He brought me into the game and the family of hockey. I never wanted to let him down because he never Wild assistant GM and Minnesota hockey legend Tom Kurvers dies after let me down or anyone else in his orbit.” battle with cancer Kurvers was an outstanding athlete growing up in Bloomington. He used to always say that he got the sports gene from his dad, Jim.

By Michael Russo Jun 21, 2021 Jim Kurvers, an avid golfer who lives in suburban Phoenix, played football at North Dakota State and was on one of Minnesota’s great high

school basketball teams of all-time, winning state championships at Tom Kurvers, the Wild’s assistant general manager and a legend in Hopkins in 1952 and 1953. Jim was also a four-year letter winner in Minnesota hockey circles, died Monday morning after a 2 1/2-year battle baseball. with lung cancer. One of Tom’s favorite stories was how he was “somewhat of a Fetisov- He was 58. Niedermayer sandwich.”

Kurvers, a three-sport athlete in high school, was part of the first On Oct. 16, 1989 — his mother’s birthday — after his best year in the Bloomington-Jefferson High School hockey team that advanced to the NHL statistically, Kurvers would end up traded to the Maple Leafs for a state tournament in 1980 and is a member of the school’s Athletic Hall of 1991 first-round pick because Devils GM was able to get Fame. Slava Fetisov out of the Soviet Union.

A Gophers fanatic growing up, Kurvers used to always joke about how he “Left-shot power-play D, so who you gonna pick?” Kurvers said, laughing. was never recruited by the University of Minnesota. Instead, he played The Maple Leafs were decent in Kurvers’ first year in Toronto, but they four years at the University of Minnesota-Duluth from 1980-84, setting “faceplanted” the next year. That gave New Jersey the third overall pick. program records for most career goals (43) and points (192) by a The Devils would take future Hall of Famer Scott Niedermayer, and defenseman. As team captain during his senior year in 1984, the Kurvers forever in Toronto became known as the guy the Leafs lost out Bulldogs lost in the national championship game in four overtimes to on Scott Niedermayer for. Bowling Green. But Kurvers would become the first Bulldog to win the Hobey Baker Award and is a member of the Bulldogs’ Hall of Fame. “It’s kinda funny,” he said. “I didn’t do anything to deserve some of this, but I am mentioned in the same breath as a couple big-time players, so Kurvers played 659 NHL games from 1984-95 for the Montreal it’s not all bad either.” Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders and Anaheim Ducks. He The backlash used to bother Kurvers, but he later learned to laugh about scored 93 goals and 421 points in those 11 seasons and won a Stanley it. Cup with the Habs in 1986, although he was hurt during the playoffs. Kurvers was part of a large, close-knit fraternity amongst NHL scouts. In Kurvers, after a year playing in Japan and then getting his graduate fact, for the past five or six years, Kurvers used to host Caribou degree at the University of St. Thomas, got his first job in the NHL from Tuesdays in Glen Lake, Minn., where hockey people throughout the Twin former Canadiens teammate and then-Coyotes general manager Bobby Cities would show up just for conversation about life and hockey. The Smith. He worked for the Phoenix Coyotes from 1997-08 in myriad roles, staples were people like Wild scout Brian Hunter, Tampa Bay Lightning starting as the radio color analyst, then getting into pro scouting and scout John Rosso, now-Seattle Kraken director of player personnel Norm becoming their director of player personnel. He’d go on to work for the Maciver, who was Kurvers’ college roommate, and New Jersey Devils Tampa Bay Lightning from 2008-18 as assistant GM, interim GM and director of pro scouting Jim Mill. senior advisor. “We share time, and we don’t get drunk,” Kurvers said on the The “There are lots of terrific people in the hockey world, but Tom stood out Athletic’s Straight from the Source podcast in Dec. 2019. “That’s as the nicest, kindest and most humble,” said Lightning general manager probably the best part of it. We all go home jazzed up on caffeine. … It’s Julien BriseBois. “He was grateful for all the good that happened in his like any other coffee club. We probably tell the same stories every time life and was eager to give back. He was very generous with his advice we get together.” and very insightful. I know Tom mentored many people throughout hockey, and I was privileged to be one of them.” Mill will miss those get-togethers.

During his time scouting for the Coyotes and Lightning, Kurvers was a “Tommy was a special person,” Mill said. “He was such an inclusive, fixture in Xcel Energy Center’s press box on scout’s row. But he could wonderful person. He was so well-respected in the hockey world, but not have been more elated to join his home state’s NHL team’s staff as more importantly just as a person. He’s going to be terribly missed.” Paul Fenton’s right-hand man following the 2018 draft. He became the Kurvers is survived by his father, Jim; wife, Heather; children Madison, Wild’s acting GM in July 2019 and returned to his role as assistant GM Rose, Weston and Roman; and siblings Greg, Kathy, Kerry and Mike. when Bill Guerin was hired as GM three weeks later. The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 Sadly, seven months after joining the Wild and despite keeping himself in exceptional shape and having never smoked, Kurvers was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He was approved for a targeted oral chemotherapy program and showed several positive signs until about a year ago. Kurvers had taken a step back from his day-to-day duties with the Wild in the past year.

Despite receiving such traumatic news a year after his mom, Julie, died following a long battle with cancer, Kurvers fought courageously, gained strength from his family and scores of friends in the hockey world and, as he often said, his love of music.

“I was chosen for the fight,” Kurvers told The Athletic days after receiving his Jan. 2019 diagnosis. “So, I’m going to fight. I’m living with cancer now.”

He often talked about how grateful he was for the outpouring of support he received from the hockey community.

“This hockey community is a source of strength almost daily,” Kurvers said. 1216224 Montreal Canadiens stick from the Golden Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault in the Game 3 overtime – a high stick that was somehow missed by the referee standing close enough to be splashed with red.

The Canadiens’ playoff run has the makings of movie magic What good story doesn’t have some controversy? The league officiating has rarely been under such scrutiny. It is perfectly legal, it now appears, to launch lacrosse-style cross checks into the spine of opposing players, but heaven forbid your stick graze the gloves of an opponent. Roy MacGregor As Ken Campbell, a long-time hockey writer most recently of the The 6/22/2021 Hockey News, tweeted, “You know the officiating is particularly godawful when the folks are raking them through the coals.” Hollywood has never shown much interest in hockey. Campbell was right. “What’s the standard?” HNIC panelist Kevin Bieksa There’s Idol of the Crowds, starring John Wayne, back in 1937, Slap asked. “I have no idea.” Shot, starring Paul Newman, from 1977, The Mighty Ducks (1992), Miracle (2004) and precious few others. “Inconsistent,” Cassie Campbell-Pascall added.

Still, you can’t help but wonder what MGM or Universal Studios would Entirely consistent, Montreal fans would argue. The Golden Knights can think if someone pitched them on a film feature about the 2021 Montreal do no wrong; the Montreal Canadiens can do no right. “Fans always Canadiens. bitch,” long-time Montreal Gazette columnist Jack Todd tweeted. “But this feels deliberate, nasty and personal and it’s an ugly thing to watch.” Later A team that begins the Stanley Cup playoffs with no fans at all in the he added, “This is a flying finger of fate flipped at the Canadiens and their stands and no hope among the experts who cover them and the “hockey entire fan base.” insiders” who know all that is possible to know about the game. At Monday’s press availability, neither coach nor players seemed open to A team that ended its regular season with key players injured – captain discussing the dreadful officiating. Petry avoided the question. Shea Weber with an undisclosed “upper body” injury, irritant Brendan Richardson avoid the topic. Gallagher steered clear but then offered: Gallagher with a broken thumb – with more key players (Jeff Petry, “Everybody’s been watching. I don’t think I need to comment too much.” dislocated fingers) to be injured once the playoffs began. And then he smirked – a moment with which film could do so much. A team that opened the playoffs with its fan base calling for the head of general manager , only to see him named a finalist for the Globe And Mail LOADED: 06.22.2021 Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award in late June.

A team down three games to one against the popular pick of the experts, the powerful Toronto Maple Leafs, and launches an unbelievable comeback to take the opening series in seven games.

Listen up, Hollywood – this has Frank Merriwell written all over it, Frank being the fictional character of about 300 dime novels, comic books and films a century ago. Strong, athletic, humble and determined, Frank was all about last-minute heroics and the snatching of victory from the certain jaws of defeat.

There is shock and emotion to be found at every turn, interim head coach Dominique Ducharme suddenly felled by a positive test for COVID-19 and assistant coach Luke Richardson forced to take over in Game 3 of Montreal’s semi-final series against the much-lauded Vegas Golden Knights.

Richardson gets his first-ever win as a head coach when his team scores a dramatic overtime goal for a 3-2 victory, and he celebrates not by fist- pumping or backslapping, but by looking heavenward and touching the “Do It For Daron” lapel pin he wears over his heart in tribute to the daughter who took her own life 10 years ago. The DIFD charity raises awareness about youth mental health.

The interim head coach failed, unfortunately, to get his second win when the Golden Knights were able to force overtime with a late goal on Sunday, before pulling off a 2-1 victory when Nicolas Roy scored at the 1:18 mark of the first overtime.

Unfortunately, the saying is not “What happens in Montreal stays in Montreal,” as the two teams will play Game 5 Tuesday back in Vegas, the series now tied at two games apiece.

Still, no matter the outcome Tuesday, there’s much to work with here for an imaginative scriptwriter.

There’s comedy in this story – the late Game 3 gaffe by Golden Knights goaltender Marc-André Fleury that allowed for overtime and the dramatic Montreal comeback. Sadly, one of hockey’s nicest persons may be less remembered for his Stanley Cups and certain selection to the than for this highlight-reel misplay.

There’s cross-generational appeal, the Canadiens led by a couple of kids on the top line, 21-year-old Nick Suzuki and 20-year-old Cole Caufield, and two greybeards on the fourth line, 35-year-old Corey Perry and 36- year-old Eric Staal.

The colour red is a theme in this story; red for general manager Bergevin’s lucky suit, red for Montreal defenceman Petry’s weirdly bloodshot eyes, red for that liquid falling down Perry’s nose from a high 1216225 Montreal Canadiens “Certainly we get more and more comfortable in these situations and we’re looking forward to it,” Gallagher added. “We shortened it to a best- of-three. We’ve gone into Vegas now, we know what it’s going to be like. An electric atmosphere, for sure. They definitely feed off their fans. But Canadiens Notebook: Busy travel schedule ahead for Habs and Golden now that we’ve experienced it I think we’re going to be more and more Knights comfortable. Obviously, this Game 5 is as important as a game gets. But you just try and come with the same mentality that we’ve had.”

Road warriors Stu Cowan • Publishing date:Jun 21, 2021 • 9 hours ago The Canadiens have a 6-2 record on the road in the playoffs, including a

3-2 win over the Golden Knights in Game 2 in Las Vegas in front of more The Canadiens boarded a plane Monday afternoon for what is more than than 17,000 fans at T-Mobile Arena. a five-hour flight to Las Vegas that also involves a three-hour time “We’ve been the lower seed so we’ve started every series on the road change once they landed there. and had to put an emphasis on especially the games early on in the On Tuesday, the Canadiens will play Game 5 of their best-of-seven series,” Gallagher said. “I’ve always been told since you were a young Stanley Cup semifinal series against the Golden Knights at T-Mobile kid good teams win at home, great teams find a way to win on the road in Arena (9 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). The series is tough environments. It’s not always easy, but that’s where the character tied 2-2 after Vegas won Game 4 by a 2-1 score in overtime Sunday of a team is able to show and for us we just kind of enjoy the challenge. night at the . “We’re able to kind of settle into our game, we seem to understand the On Wednesday, the Canadiens will fly back to Montreal ahead of Game style of hockey that you need to play,” Gallagher added. “There’s going 6 at the Bell Centre on Thursday night. If the series goes to a Game 7, to be ebbs and flows, the other team’s going to create some momentum the Canadiens will be back on a plane Friday for Las Vegas for the final and have some shifts. You manage that … we have a group, a pretty game Saturday night. experienced veteran group and our young guys are our key players for us. So we just handle the situations well and enjoy the opportunity to go “It’s definitely a factor with the long travel days,” Canadiens defenceman into road rinks and play in front of a crowd like Vegas.” Jeff Petry said Monday morning before the Canadiens headed to the airport. “But, at the end of the day, both teams are doing it. We just have Missing offence to do what we need to do to prepare, to get rest, to recover and make The Canadiens’ line of Phillip Danault between Artturi Lehkonen and sure that when the games start we’re sharp. I think we have to take Gallagher has been doing a good job defensively, but they didn’t register advantage of our speed and use that to our advantage and make sure a point during the first four games against Vegas. that we’re playing a fast game. I think that’s something that we do well and can give teams fits.” Danault has yet to score a goal in 15 playoffs games, Lehkonen has two goals in 10 games and Gallagher has two goals in 15 games. Gallagher The Canadiens got off to a fast start in Game 4 Sunday night, has gone seven games without a goal. outshooting the Golden Knights 11-4 but they were unable to beat goalie Robin Lehner. Paul Byron put the Canadiens on the board at 18:55 of the “I think the expectations are how they’re playing right now,” Richardson second period when he beat Lehner on a breakaway and then Brayden said when asked about the line’s performance. “They’re really doing a McNabb scored at 10:37 of the third period. Nicolas Roy got the winner great job defensively. We really count on them in that department. only 1:18 into overtime. They’re really doing a great job as you can see with the scores of every game and the scoring chances. They’re doing a great job there and “We had some chances to make it 2-0 (including a third-period they’re creating. Gally I think had his better game of the series there last breakaway by Cole Caufield) and unfortunately we didn’t capitalize on night. He had some good chances, almost broke free a couple of times those,” Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson said Monday. “They and some shots on the net and you know he’s always going to be around got one that just squeaked in. I don’t think Carey (Price) saw it and it just that crease. They had a couple of good scoring chances off the rush … I got in the back door. know one in the second period where Lehkonen made a great play “It’s always a challenge to keep those emotions and your energy going in through the neutral zone and we got pucks to the net again and that line the upward level,” Richardson added. “I thought we had a great game goes to the net hard and stops at the crease hopefully looking for from start to finish. There’s probably times where we carried the play a lot rebounds. I think the expectations for any line, but especially them, is you more in the first half of the game than the second half of the game. But, don’t get scored against, you don’t give up scoring chances and when overall, I think there was about 10 scoring chances for each team and I you have a chance to create we’re going to try and put those home. think we probably had the better of them and we’re happy with our play. “Brendan had one of his best games yet,” Richardson added. “He had We’re really confident with our play and we’re just confident moving some good chances. You know he’s always going to be around that forward. So I don’t think us being ahead or behind is going to matter crease so it’s a matter of time where a puck and a rebound’s loose there much. We’re into this series … we’ve jumped right into this series. We’re because you know he’s whacking that home.” right in right now, ready to go. So I think what we’re looking for is the same type of start and kind of keep that consistency all the way through Managing minutes to the end.” The Canadiens have been relying heavily on their top four defencemen The underdog role during the playoffs.

The Canadiens were big underdogs coming into this series, which has Ben Chiarot is averaging a team-high 25:46 of ice time per game, now become a best-of-three. followed by Shea Weber with 25:40, Jeff Petry with 24:11 and with 22:52. “You come into this series and, obviously, there’s a certain rhetoric about how this series is supposed to go,” the Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher John Merrill had 13:27 of ice time in Game 4 and is averaging 13:52 in said. “I’m not saying they bought into it or believed it. We definitely didn’t. the playoffs. Erik Gustafsson only played 7:29 in Game 4 and is But I think there’s certain expectations on their side. The longer this averaging a team-low 10:04 in the playoffs. series goes the more the pressure just falls to them.” “As you can see, we rotate guys around so they don’t play together a lot,” The Canadiens weren’t expected to get this far after falling behind 3-1 to Richardson said about his bottom two defencemen. “It’s just we have our the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first-round series before winning Games top four going quite a bit, but as third-pairing guys they’ve really added to 5 and 6 in overtime and then clinching the series with a Game 7 victory. our depth on defence. Jon Merrill is a scrappy guy, real smart little plays and physical out there. So he’s really good in D-zone faceoffs and Gus “Since that Game 5 against Toronto we’ve just kind of been playing the has been really good. Very confident, moves the puck well, good addition same way,” Gallagher said. “Nothing to lose, leave it all on the line, and to the power play. Very poised there.” game after game come with the same effort and energy. Hopefully you put some doubt in the opponents’ mind. See how they handle it … see Despite his limited ice time, Gustafsson has 1-2-3 totals in 11 playoff how they handle those types of things. As the series goes on that’s when games and is plus-4. it gets fun. The pressure times. “As you see he’s got some points on the board, which helps from the back end in the playoffs,” Richardson said. “So we’re really happy with how they’re playing. Some nights we’d like to get them more ice time, but in the tight games and the other teams kind of roll their top two lines we like to have our big guys out there and it kind of cuts into their time. But overall they’ve been great.”

Gustafsson is considered a power-play specialist, but there haven’t been a lot of power-play opportunities in the playoffs.

“I think earlier in the playoffs that aspect with him helping on the power play helped him get into the lineup,” Richardson said. “But the way he’s played has kept him in the lineup. He’s definitely very good positionally, good stick up on puck. He never seems to be in too much trouble or any trouble at all. So when you have a guy that really doesn’t give up anything defensively and can add on the offence, to the O-zone faceoff or the power play, that’s just going to be a plus-plus for him and us. So really no doubts in our mind of him really staying in there or not. He’s part of the six right now.”

The schedule

Here’s the rest of the schedule for this series:

Game 5: Tuesday, June 22, at Las Vegas, 9 p.m.

Game 6: Thursday, June 24, at Montreal, 8 p.m. x-Game 7: Saturday, June 26, at Las Vegas, 8 p.m. x-if necessary

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216226 Montreal Canadiens Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.22.2021

Luke Richardson brings plenty of experience behind Canadiens' bench

Stu Cowan • Publishing date:Jun 21, 2021 • 9 hours ago

Canadiens assistant coach Luke Richardson has been part of pro hockey since he was 18 years old.

Richardson made the jump from the junior Peterborough Petes directly to the NHL as a defenceman with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who selected him in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1987 NHL Draft.

Richardson played 21 seasons in the NHL with the Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, , Columbus Blue Jackets, Tampa Bay Lightning and Ottawa Senators, posting 35-166-201 totals in 1,417 regular-season games, along with 2,055 penalty minutes. He retired as a player after the 2008-09 season with Ottawa and moved directly into coaching the next season as an assistant with the Senators.

After spending three seasons in that position, Richardson became head coach of the AHL’s Binghamton Senators for four seasons. He then returned to the NHL as an assistant coach for one season with the New York Islanders before joining the Canadiens as an assistant before the start of the 2018-19 season.

Now Richardson has been filling in as head coach of the Canadiens since Dominique Ducharme tested positive for COVID-19 last Friday. Richardson has a 1-1 record in his first two games as head coach and the Canadiens are tied 2-2 with the Golden Knights in their best-of-seven Stanley Cup semifinal series heading into Game 5 Tuesday in Las Vegas (9 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

“I think experience always helps,” Richardson said Monday. “That’s why you really count on those experienced players like Carey Price to backstop us. (Shea) Weber and Corey Perry and (Eric) Staal up front … all the older guys that have been around.

“Myself, I’ve been through pretty much every scenario other than probably getting to the finals in the Stanley Cup in this league,” the 52- year-old Richardson added. “I think coaching in the minors helps. I had four years there of running a bench and I think that for me has really given me a lot of help. And then Sean Burke having me over for the Spengler Cup as the head coach as well.”

Burke was general manager of Team Canada for the 2016 Spengler Cup and named Richardson head coach. Team Canada won the tournament and now Richardson and Burke are back together behind the Canadiens’ bench. Burke, the team’s director of goaltending, has been in charge of the defencemen since Ducharme tested positive for COVID-19, filling Richardson’s old role.

“All those experiences, you boil them together and it gives you insight on different parts of the game, preparation for the game,” Richardson said. “After a game like last night (a 2-1 overtime loss to the Golden Knights) how to feel and how to react and talk to the players. So I’m very fortunate that I had a long career playing and very fortunate to get into coaching right away and have lots of great mentors along the way that were helpful for me to grow as a coach and learn so I’d be ready for this experience.”

Richardson’s experience has also helped him deal with some very inconsistent officiating during the last two games of this series against the Golden Knights while remaining calm and trying to keep his players the same way.

“I think as the playoffs have gone along it’s high intense and emotions are high,” he said. “It’s natural for human beings — both us and maybe the officials — the pressure builds out there and there’s emotions. I think we’ve done a good job of addressing with our players and our players reacting the right way. We have guys like Weby and our (assistant) captains, but especially Corey Perry with his communication with the referees at the right times and the right conversations has been great.

“Last night I think our bench was really cool,” Richardson added. “I didn’t see any eruptions or any reactions to anything other than what we can control and that’s our message to them and they’ve done a great job. We want them to put all their energy and effort into their play, not any other distractions that we can’t control.” 1216227 Montreal Canadiens “Going into the third period, what’s the standard?” Bieksa added about the referees. “I got no idea.”

It turned out that in the Lee-O’Rourke rule book they put their whistles Stu Cowan: NHL allowing 'prison rules' in Stanley Cup semifinals back in their pockets for the third period and overtime and didn’t call anything.

The Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher was asked Monday for his thoughts Stu Cowan • Publishing date:Jun 21, 2021 • 9 hours ago • on the officiating.

“You’re obviously asking that question for a reason,” he said. “I think everyone’s been watching the games. For us, we talk so much about just You’d like to think the officiating can’t get any worse than it was for controlling the controllables and for us all we can worry about is Games 3 and 4 of the Canadiens’ Stanley Cup semifinal series against ourselves. We’re going to have situations where things don’t go our way the Vegas Golden Knights. and as athletes you just have to have the mentality that: OK, keep Unfortunately, it probably won’t get much better, either. working, you’ll get the next one, you’ll get the next call. You keep pushing, you’ll get the next call and that’s where our mindset is. Hopefully the NHL took note of how bad referees Chris Lee and Dan O’Rourke performed during the last two games and we won’t see them “We can’t control what their thought process or decision-making is,” on the ice again during the rest of the playoffs. If they do return, then I Gallagher added. “I mean everyone’s been watching. I don’t think I really guess the NHL is OK with the referees stealing the spotlight from the need to comment too much on that side of it.” players on the ice. If NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was watching he should be ashamed The NHL obviously has one rule book for the regular season and another and embarrassed. one for the playoffs and it has been that way for a long time. But Lee and Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.22.2021 O’Rourke seem to have their own rule book and I don’t think anyone except them understands it.

After watching their performance the last two games do you have any idea what is or isn’t a penalty?

The Canadiens’ Corey Perry takes an obvious high stick to the face in overtime of Game 3 and gets up with blood all over his face and there’s no call. In Game 4, Nick Suzuki takes a punch right in the face from the Golden Knights’ Brayden McNabb with Lee standing two feet away and there’s no penalty.

There were no penalties called at all during the first 34 minutes of Game 4 before the Canadiens’ Shea Weber and the Golden Knights’ Tomas Nosek were both sent off for unsportsmanlike conduct. Those matching penalties came after Nosek hammered Weber from behind into the boards on what should have been an obvious boarding penalty. An angry Weber got up and punched Nosek in the back of the head and then cross-checked him hard to the ice. Nosek got up and slashed Weber in the back of the leg and then they started pushing and cross-checking each other before Lee finally blew his whistle and sent them to the box.

“If that’s your standard … I mean Chris Lee you (could) call four penalties there on both sides and now what do you come out of this?” Hockey Night in Canada analyst , who played 10 years in the NHL, said on the TV broadcast. “Lee stood and watched Nosek go after Weber, Weber go back at him. They both cross-checked each other. There’s the frustration you have of what the standard is of what you call and don’t call.”

Simpson added: “You wonder why the frustration bubbles with players of not knowing exactly what the calls are going to be, that’s a great example why.”

Another great example came less than two minutes after Weber and Nosek were sent to the box when Suzuki was called for a hooking penalty that might not have been called during a regular-season game and definitely wouldn’t have been called during the first 34 minutes of this game. With 22 seconds left in the second period came what looked like a “makeup call” when the Golden Knights’ Alec Martinez was sent off for interference.

That call brought back memories of the “makeup call” veteran referee Tim Peel made during a regular-season game this year between the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings when he got caught on a hot mic talking about it and was then relieved of his duties by the NHL.

During the second intermission on Hockey Night in Canada Sunday night, Kevin Bieksa was asked for his thoughts on the referees.

“What do I think about it? I think it’s like the Stelco men’s league right now that big Al Bieksa used to play in when I was a kid,” said Bieksa, who was a rugged defenceman for 13 years in the NHL. “It’s prison rules.”

Is that really what the NHL wants the Stanley Cup semifinals to be compared to? An old rough-and-tumble hockey league for steelworkers in Hamilton who couldn’t fulfil their dreams of making it to the NHL? 1216228 Montreal Canadiens

Former Canadiens defenceman Tom Kurvers dies from lung cancer at 58

Stu Cowan Publishing date:Jun 21, 2021 • 16 hours ago

Former Canadiens defenceman Tom Kurvers has died at age 58.

The University of Minnesota-Duluth announced the news on Monday. Kurvers was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2019.

The Minneapolis native played four seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and won the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in U.S college hockey after posting 18-58-76 totals in 43 games during the 1983-84 season. The next season he joined the Canadiens, who selected him in the seventh round (145th overall) of the 1981 NHL Draft.

Kurvers was part of the Canadiens team that won the Stanley Cup in 1986.

“My timing in hockey was great,” Kurvers told the late Ian MacDonald in a Montreal Gazette Where Are They Now feature in 2011. “I was fortunate enough to be drafted by Montreal and we won a championship.

“I can still look back at that time and see how when things are done right, you have a chance to win,” Kurvers added. “When they are not done right, you don’t have a chance to succeed in the NHL.”

Kurvers played 62 regular-season games with the Canadiens in 1985-86, posting 7-23-30 totals, but did not play in any playoff games. After playing only one game the next season, Kurvers refused to report to the Canadiens’ AHL farm team in Sherbrooke and on Nov. 18, 1986 he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a second-round draft pick that was used to select left-winger Martin St. Amour, who would only play one game in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators.

“There’s some disappointment, of course, because I’ve made so many friends here,” Kurvers said after the trade. “But I can’t leave with any bitterness . . . not the way I was treated by (general manager Serge Savard). He was fair with me from the time I joined the team, and nobody could have treated me more fairly than he did since this thing happened.”

Kurvers would end up playing 659 career regular-season games in the NHL with the Canadiens, Sabres, New Jersey Devils, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, New York Islanders and Anaheim Ducks.

After his playing career ended in 1995, Kurvers joined the Phoenix Coyotes as an assistant coach under former Canadiens teammate , who was GM of the team. After one season behind the bench, Kurvers moved into a scouting role and became the Coyotes’ director of player personnel in 2005. Kurvers then joined the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2008 as an assistant GM before moving to the Minnesota Wild in 2018. For the last three seasons, he was an assistant GM with the Wild.

“When you are a young player, you are not interacting with ownership and you are not interacting with the team president,” Kurvers told MacDonald in 2011. “But you are part of a team that becomes your new family and you are reacting and interacting with the coaching staff. That was all very high calibre with the Canadiens. (Bob) Gainey was the captain, and you can’t ask for more than that.

“I had a chance to play with Larry Robinson,” Kurvers added. “Those are people in the game that command respect and have earned that respect. If you don’t learn from playing with fellows like that, then you’re missing the boat. It was an incredible experience to be part of that team in that city. It’s like the . It’s like the Dallas Cowboys. It’s big time. It was then and it is today.”

Kurvers earned a bachelor of arts degree in communications from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and in 1991 began graduate studies during the off-season, eventually earning an MBA in sports management from the University of St. Thomas in 1997.

He is survived by his wife, Heather, and their four children: daughters Madison and Rose, and sons Weston and Roman.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216229 Montreal Canadiens defence. Max Pacioretty grabbed the puck, zipped around the net, turned and fired, resulting in a rebound that landed on Nicolas Roy’s stick. Roy stepped back with Price down and chipped the puck over the sprawled goalie to send the series back to Vegas all tied up. About Last Night: Robin and refs frustrate Habs in Game 4 loss The Golden Knights shook off their stunning Game 3 loss, and now the Canadiens will need to do the same after Game 4 before heading back to T-Mobile Arena for Game 5 on Tuesday. For Habs fans, the change in Erik Leijon • Publishing date:Jun 21, 2021 • 17 hours ago scenery will also mean different officials, which is great because you can only see Lee and O’Rourke so many times before you start believing all the conspiracy theories. The Liveblog commenters should be The Vegas Golden Knights evened their best-of-seven third-round series commended for keeping their cool all things considered. with the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 on Sunday night with a 2-1 overtime win. Swapping netminder Marc-André Fleury with Robin Lehner 3. “Does the NHL review referees calls? If so what happened after last paid dividends, as Lehner made 27 in the victory. games missed call on Perry? What’s going on?” -David Captain

There was some intrigue as to who would end up in goal for Vegas 2. “Well rough one to lose tonight but you could see it coming, the game before puck drop, although all signs (minus a mum coach Peter DeBoer) kind of switched to the knights side after the non call on Suzuki. Terrible pointed to Fleury getting the pull after his puck mishap allowed the referring by the way . Now let’s go back to Vegas and steel another game Canadiens to tie and eventually take Game 3 despite being outplayed. there and wrap things up back home.” -Joe Raposo The shoe was on the other foot in Game 4, as it was the Habs who 1. “Makes me almost wish for the likes of Koharski to come back. outshot and out-chanced Vegas but ended up taking the loss in extra Almost.” -Ken Stanley time. One thing both games had in common: maligned Game 3 tandem Chris Lee and Dan O’Rourke returned as referees. More on them in a Montreal Gazette LOADED: 06.22.2021 moment.

The game started with the Habs aggressively forechecking. After Lee and O’Rourke were criticized for missing a number of penalty calls on Friday, they missed a Joel Edmundson cross-check on William Carrier midway through period one in Game 4.

Lehner was tested early, especially by the Corey Perry-Eric Staal-Joel Armia line. Perry walked into the zone and as he fell, dished to Staal in front, but Lehner dove across to make the save. The officials went upstairs to see if Lehner’s glove had crossed the goal line, but the initial play stood.

The game was scoreless after the first period, with the Habs up 11-4 in shots. No penalties were called in the first 20 minutes.

In the second, both teams likely sensed the referees were tentative about calling infractions, and they took advantage. Anderson made one of 10 hits on the night, joining forces with Paul Byron to crunch Zach Whitecloud along the boards. In terms of potentially illegal maneuvers, there was this:

The shots were 13-7 Montreal midway through the contest, meaning neither team was giving many inches. The referees were finally forced to use their whistles when Tomas Nosek boarded Shea Weber from behind, causing the captain to retaliate with a pair of shots of his own. Unsportsmanlike minors were handed out to both.

With two seconds remaining in 4-on-4, Nick Suzuki went to the box for hooking on Alec Martinez. Vegas’ power play continued to fire blanks, even after DeBoer burned his team’s timeout halfway through the man- advantage to give his team extra direction. Only 11 seconds after Montreal killed the Suzuki penalty, the player emerged from the box and fed Byron on a breakaway. Byron waited for Lehner to drop before roofing it blocker side under the crossbar to give Montreal a 1-0 lead.

As the second drew to a close with the Canadiens on the power play, Suzuki and Brayden McNabb got into a skirmish in front of Lehner’s crease. In what certainly will go down as one of the more controversial non-calls of these playoffs, McNabb punched Suzuki in the face with referee Chris Lee watching it unfold. No penalty was called. The second period ended with the Canadiens up a goal.

Liveblog commenters and experts alike were confounded by yet another game of inconsistent officiating.

McNabb, already public enemy number one in the Bell Centre after his jab at Suzuki, tied the game with just under 10 minutes remaining in the third. William Karlsson had time and space down low, allowing McNabb to sneak from the point to Price’s short side. Karlsson passed him the puck, and although McNabb didn’t have much room to shoot, he just managed to squeak it under Price’s arm. The game was tied 1-1.

THE KNIGHTS ARE ON THE BOARD!

Price and Lehner made stops in the final minutes to push both teams into overtime. Joel Edmundson also made two key pokechecks to prevent chances. But it didn’t take long for Vegas to strike in the extra frame. At 1:18, the Golden Knights took advantage of a long shift for the Habs 1216230 Montreal Canadiens “We’ve shortened it to a best of three,” Gallagher said. “We’ve gone into Vegas now, we know what it’s going to be like, an electric atmosphere for sure — they definitely feed off their fans — but now that we’ve experienced it, I think we’re going to be more and more comfortable. And Canadiens playoff notebook: Creating doubt in Vegas, Danault line obviously, this Game 5 is as important as a game gets. waiting to bust out, Gustafsson more than a PP weapon “But you just try and come with the same mentality that we’ve had and hopefully, that kind of creeps in there.”

By Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin Jun 22, 2021 (Eric Bolte / USA Today)

The expectations of the Danault line and how Lehkonen serves as a quiet facilitator The Vegas Golden Knights’ win in Game 4 allowed them to become the current favourite to win the Stanley Cup according to Las Vegas We have seen this movie before, but with the extended playoff run the bookmakers, ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning (prior to Monday’s Canadiens are on this year, it has only been further confirmed that the night’s game). role Phillip Danault’s line plays changes when the postseason hits.

There’s not a lot of love for the Canadiens, who are 10/1 underdogs, per Danault, Gallagher and Tomas Tatar have been the offensive engine of BetMGM.com. the Canadiens for three years, a run that will surely come to an end this year with the impending free agency of both Tatar and Danault. But while It’s nothing new for the Canadiens who, for a third series in a row, find Tatar has been unable to maintain a spot in the lineup, Danault’s themselves in the underdog role they seem all too happy to fill. importance remains paramount as he has continued to face the opposing In the first round, facing a 3-1 deficit against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team’s top line in every series and has done a great job of it, as we Canadiens’ survival hinged in a way on their ability to create doubt in the pointed out in our last notebook. minds of their opponent. You could argue the Leafs were more But considering the ice time they get, the question remains of whether vulnerable to doubt than most teams because of their history of playoff the Canadiens should be able to count on the line currently comprised of failures, but the Canadiens still needed to find a way to put a dent in their Danault, Gallagher and Artturi Lehkonen for more offence than they’ve confidence. provided despite the difficult assignment they have of shutting down the They didn’t really need to do that against the Winnipeg Jets in the second Vegas Golden Knights’ top line. round because their house of cards fell rather easily. “I think the expectations are how they’re playing right now,” The question now is, despite the final result, if the way the Canadiens assistant/interim coach Luke Richardson said Monday. “They’re really largely dominated the Golden Knights through 60 minutes of Game 4 doing a great job defensively, we really count on them in that department. might have contributed to that doubt creeping into that Vegas dressing They’re really doing a great job. As you can see with the scores of every room. game and the scoring chances, they’re doing a great job there. And they’re creating.” They’re not supposed to lose to the Canadiens, remember? Just look at the odds. Richardson particularly liked Gallagher’s performance in Game 4 and said it’s only a matter of time before he puts one in. But Gallagher is “You come into this series, and obviously there’s a certain rhetoric about accustomed to scoring goals, not just creating chances, and he how this series is supposed to go, and I’m not saying they bought into it acknowledged he feels a certain responsibility to do that as the games or believed it. We definitely didn’t,” Brendan Gallagher admitted. “But I grow in importance. think there’s certain expectations on their side. The longer this series goes, the more the pressure just falls on them. “I’m OK with it,” he said prior to Game 4. “I’d tell you guys if I thought we were playing poorly. I think there’s some areas where we’ve had some “Since that Game 5 against Toronto, we’ve just come in and played the chances. It’s not going to be a ton of them, because you know you’re same way: nothing to lose, leave it all on the line and, game after game, playing against some pretty good players as well. You’ve got to make come with the same effort and energy. Hopefully, you put some doubt in sure you take advantage of those and put them in, and timely goals, find the opponent’s mind, see how they handle it, see how they handle those a way to step up at the right time.” types of things. As the series goes on, that’s when it gets fun in the pressure time.” Gallagher very nearly did just that late in regulation of Game 4 with the score tied 1-1. The Golden Knights don’t really need to feel threatened right now, let’s be clear. They played an excellent Game 3 and lost before the opposite The source of that chance was a puck retrieval by Lehkonen, who once happened in Game 4. The Canadiens were better than them, but Vegas again has shown an ability to raise his game in the postseason. And that found a way to win. wasn’t the first time he created a good chance for Gallagher in Game 4.

What is bothering them a bit — and where the Canadiens can make an Gallagher, one of Lehkonen’s best friends on the team, is able to investment to create that doubt — is the Vegas forwards have only recognize how Lehkonen can serve as a facilitator when he’s playing like scored three goals in the series and they’ve all been scored by role this. The two examples above were a bit more obvious, but most of the players (Nicolas Roy has two, Mattias Janmark the other). work he does is more subtle, like this play where Lehkonen bails out Shea Weber after a bad breakout pass by physically overpowering Alex “It’s great that we tied the series yesterday, but at some point the big Tuch to make sure the puck safely leaves the zone and makes the guys are going to kind of have to come out and step up here, including turnover inconsequential. myself,” Jonathan Marchessault said Monday. “I think it’s not good enough for the forward group that we have only three goals in four Same here on the penalty kill where Lehkonen wins a puck battle with games. Obviously, we’re facing an unbelievable goalie, but that’s no Max Pacioretty, gets hauled down and still manages to clear the puck. excuse. It’s the same thing last year against Vancouver, Dallas. It’s the “You really have to pay attention to him playing the game to understand same thing, we’ve got to find a way and we don’t have any excuses, we just how effective he is,” Gallagher said. “He does so many of the little, need a solution ASAP, and we need to help our team wins some games finer details that we always talk about making the difference between here.” winning and losing. He obviously had some pretty good coaches; I think Marchessault has some bad memories of last year’s playoffs, limited to his dad was a big part of that growing up. Everything he does, being on two points in seven games against the Vancouver Canucks and one the right side of the puck, having a good stick at all times, never really point in six games against the Dallas Stars. The possibility certainly getting caught in a bad position … he just makes your life so much exists that the Canadiens recreate that same scenario. easier. He creates so many turnovers, he’s always in the right spot, you don’t have to really worry about getting caught defensively. So when Marchessault talks about needing to find “a solution ASAP” or when Reilly Smith talks about an ineffective power play “that’s costing us “He’s a player coaches really love to have on the ice, you really don’t the series right now,” the Canadiens must see some doubt-creating have to question anything or worry about anything when he’s out there. material to work with. He’s a very responsible player.” Lehkonen probably won’t get much of the credit if Richardson’s prediction But there is no salary cap in the playoffs, and therefore it behooves us to that Gallagher’s offence is about to break through turns out to be true. recognize the persistence of a player who, despite those regular season But chances are, at some point in that play, Lehkonen will have done irritants, never doubted himself and kept pushing. In the playoffs, that something that allowed it to happen without anyone necessarily noticing. drive has made Byron an important player for the Canadiens.

Anyone but his teammates, that is. Byron has been by far his line’s most consistent player. He might not have the physical brawn of his linemate Josh Anderson on the forecheck, The importance of every power play when you don’t get many but he is just as involved in that aspect of the game. And what really The discourse around the officiating is something we are not willing to jumped out Sunday night is the extent to which the back pressure Byron delve into any further. It is what it is, and that is how the players on both applies can disrupt what the Golden Knights are trying to do. teams have approached the question. You can’t expect to get calls this “He was great from start to finish,” Anderson said after Game 4. “You can time of year, so it’s best not to let it distract you from the ultimate goal. notice his speed, his physicality. He put in a real full effort. We need that But the reality of that situation is that you won’t get many opportunities on from everybody. I thought everyone bought in tonight and played really the power play, so when you get one — and considering how low scoring well, but Paul has been stepping up his game in this series for sure.” the games tend to be — they take on a heightened importance. At the His speed has helped him defensively, but we feel like we are seeing a same time, because of the lack of reps, it’s difficult for a power play to vintage Byron with the number of breakaways he’s had in the playoffs. stay sharp. The goal he scored against Robin Lehner to open the scoring in Game 4 The Golden Knights have had 11 power-play opportunities in the series was the third he’s scored in the playoffs on a breakaway. so far compared to six for the Canadiens. But it is the Canadiens that The other element of his offensive game that jumps out is the opportune have the only power-play goal so far. moments where he has hit the scoresheet. Of the five goals he has In Game 4, with the score tied 1-1, the Canadiens had an opportunity to gotten a point on, four of them were game-winners. It started with a start the third period on the power play and did nothing with it. They shorthanded goal in Game 1 against the Maple Leafs when he scored looked disjointed, and maybe it’s not all that surprising since it was their while falling down on a breakaway. Then in overtime of Game 6, it was first opportunity of the game and it came nearly 40 minutes in. his forecheck on Travis Dermott that created the turnover that led to Byron setting up Jesperi Kotkaniemi for the winning goal. But Jeff Petry is not buying that argument. In the second game against Vegas, Byron scored the Canadiens’ third “It’s on us,” he said. “You’re not getting very many looks in a game, goal — which turned out to be the winner — by beating Marc-André where in the regular season you’re getting maybe four or five. So that Fleury with a top shelf backhand on a breakaway. In the next game, he first one, that’s a little sloppy. You know what to work on, but you know went in alone with Anderson and set him up for the overtime winner. it’s on us to make sure that first one is sharp.” All of a sudden, no one is talking about his contract anymore. One player the lack of power-play opportunities impacts the most is Erik Gustafsson, seeing as the power play was the primary reason he was put A potential Game 5 adjustment in the lineup for Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs to begin with. There was one trend that continued emerging as Game 4 rolled along for Roughly 17 percent of Gustafsson’s ice time in the playoffs has been the Canadiens, and that was just how often Tyler Toffoli was dumping the spent on the power play, and he’s been on the ice for five of the seven puck into the Vegas zone. We saw it on the eye test, and it was power-play goals the Canadiens have scored. His power-play goal in confirmed through Mikael Nahabedian’s zone entry tracking of the game Game 4 against Winnipeg is the only goal scored by a Canadiens (@hunterofstats on Twitter, hit the follow button). defenceman so far. Per Nahabedian’s tracking, Toffoli dumped the puck in the offensive So Gustafsson’s presence is important, even if the Canadiens only get seven times out of 12 attempted entries. There is nothing necessarily one power play in a game, because that one power play can make the wrong with that, except there were countless times where those dump ins difference when so few goals are being scored. But since his primary role were rims around the boards, leaving Cole Caufield to go in after it on the is reserved for a situation that is becoming exceedingly rare, might it not opposite side. That line was most frequently opposing the Vegas defence be worth the Canadiens’ while to dress someone who could play more pairing of Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb, with the massive than the six minutes Gustafsson played at even strength in Game 4 McNabb being the one Caufield is battling to retrieve that puck on his against Vegas? side of the ice.

Richardson doesn’t think so, even if he acknowledges that might have Caufield has many strengths to his game, but this is not one of them. He been true before. might have a chance of getting to a puck before McNabb, but if a puck “I think earlier in the playoffs, that aspect of him helping on the power battle ensues, that’s a lost cause, and Caufield knows it. He rarely even play helped him get into the lineup, but the way he’s played has kept him attempted to engage in a battle once he saw he would lose the race, in the lineup,” Richardson said. “He’s definitely very good positionally, choosing instead to wait a bit and use a good stick to try to create a good stick on puck, he’s never seemed to be in too much trouble or any turnover once McNabb got to the puck, which is a good strategic trouble at all. decision.

“So when you have a guy that doesn’t really give up anything defensively Still, according to Nahabedian’s tracking, the line of Toffoli, Caufield and and can add on the offensive side in an O-zone faceoff or the power play, Suzuki dumped the puck in 14 times and retrieved only three of them. If that’s just going to be a plus-plus for him and us. So no doubts in our Toffoli or Suzuki are the ones doing the retrieving, that would be fine. But mind of him really staying in there or not. He’s part of the six right now.” when it is Toffoli executing half of those 14 dump ins, that puts the onus on Caufield to be the primary puck retriever. Marc Bergevin was heavily criticized for the cap and roster crunch Gustafsson’s acquisition at the trade deadline created for the Canadiens. The Canadiens obviously have to take what’s given to them, and the But Gustafsson is filling the role Bergevin envisioned for him all along. three other forward lines are all well equipped to play this type of dump and chase game. But in the specific case of Toffoli, maybe stopping in We are seeing Byron at his best the neutral zone and trying to hit one of Suzuki or Caufield with speed as they hit the opposing blue line would be a better strategy for getting into A player’s contract often taints his contribution to the team in the eyes of the offensive zone. many fans. Just talk to Carey Price and Shea Weber. The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 In a way, Paul Byron is also a victim of this phenomenon. Before the season even began, it was easy to see how Byron’s $3.4 million cap hit could be a problem for a team that was suddenly tight against the cap when his health and declining production didn’t necessarily justify him taking that much financial room.

That he found himself on waivers three times this season was a perfect illustration of how the dollars on his contract affected his status on the team. 1216231 Nashville Predators Multiple people connected to the project have described the mentality as “go big or go home.” But it’s also clear Monday’s meeting doesn’t take place without the presence and support of the Predators.

Inside Tennessee State University’s plans to become the first HBCU with The relationship between the institution and the NHL franchise is deep DI hockey teams and meaningful.

In the fall of 2019, Jamie Isabel, a local businessman and former Nashville city councilor who is now TSU’s associate vice president of By Scott Burnside Jun 21, 2021 institutional advancement, corporate relations and foundations, was summoned to president Glover’s office. The president told Isabel the

university needed to raise $1 million. TSU was losing hundreds of To understand the audacious plan by Tennessee State University to students every year because of shortfalls of anywhere between a few become the first historically Black college or university to ice Division I hundred to a few thousand dollars. Data showed those students, no men’s and women’s hockey teams, one must first consider legendary matter their intention, rarely came back, and Glover was determined to TSU track coach Ed Temple. staunch the brain drain by creating scholarship opportunities.

Temple didn’t just build a world-class women’s track team at TSU — the Isabel was nearly in tears during the conversation. He understood. He’d Tigerbelles won 34 national titles, and 40 athletes represented their once called home to Memphis for $750 to continue his post-secondary countries at the Olympics during Temple’s 44 years as the head of the education, and his great-aunt left it for him on a dining room table under program — but he literally built the track upon which they ran. By hand. a crochet table cover. It was a life-changing moment. There was little funding and/or support for the program, so he collected Isabel called his friend Sean Henry. Their kids attended the same school materials from neighbors in the Nashville area around the TSU campus. in Nashville, and Isabel was a councilor when the Predators were on the It’s hard to imagine echoes of that pioneering spirit won’t be evident verge of being sold and moved to Hamilton, Ont., and he had spoken when TSU officials and representatives from other stakeholders, vigorously in support of the team. Isabel told Henry he needed to raise $1 including the Nashville Predators, NHL and College Hockey Inc., gather million. in a boardroom on campus Monday to discuss a feasibility study that will The university’s plight hit home for Henry, too, having had a benefactor determine the next steps for what many believe would be a seminal step in when it looked like he would be unable to pursue his college moment in the evolution of hockey in North America. education. The team didn’t balk at agreeing to help. But Henry told Isabel “What we’re taking on is hard. And what we’re taking on is big. And what he wanted something from TSU in return. Henry wanted assistance in we’re taking on is what people would say is impossible,” Predators restructuring the team’s internship program to help make the Predators president Sean Henry said. “When we’re successful in pulling this off, it more accurately reflect the community they served. might turn out to be the most transformative step our game has taken in By the end of February 2020, the Predators had helped TSU raise $1.8 decades and decades and decades.” million and the Predators internship program — which seeds much of the The feasibility study will be discussed over a three-day period this week, team’s full-time hiring — had transformed to include more students and and the results of the study are expected sometime this fall. The study input from TSU. isn’t designed to say whether TSU can have a Division I hockey program. TSU president Glenda Glover and Predators president Sean Henry. Rather, the study will examine a wide range of factors and variables, from recruiting to equipment to where the teams will play, and put a price What TSU is proposing strikes at the very heart of opening doors and tag on what it will cost to travel that path. broadening inclusivity, and when College Hockey Inc. learned of the plan, “we had a big smile,” executive director Mike Snee said. After that, well, that’s when TSU and its many partners and interested parties will have to make the ultimate decision on whether to proceed. “There’s a lot of people out there that really want this to happen. I think there are people out there that have resources, and they want to hear In answering these questions, TSU will be no different than dozens of more, they want to be a part of it.” other institutions that have embarked on similar journeys as it relates to creating and supporting hockey programs across America. When we first began asking around about the TSU plan and its chances of success, several people identified one person as a key reason this But the reality is the stakes are much higher here. project was more than just a fanciful idea: Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole. To discuss whether there will be Division I hockey for men and women at Dr. Cole is the first female president of Spelman College, a prominent TSU is to explore the basic questions of who has access to the game of institution within the HBCU family. She was also the president of Bennett hockey and what the game of hockey looks like. Take it a step further College and is the national chair and seventh president of The National and the idea of introducing hockey to an HBCU speaks to broader issues Council of Negro Women. that have been bubbling across America, forcing an entire country to contemplate what it means to be included or excluded, beaten or not She is, to put it bluntly, a heavy hitter. beaten, jailed or not jailed because of what a person looks like. She’s also a hockey mom, which is in itself a powerful part of the “We’ve got to continue to change how easy it is for everyone to truly work equation. in the game and enjoy the game,” Henry said. Dr. Cole’s sons began playing football and hockey when the family What TSU is proposing also distills what many parts of the hockey world, moved from Washington state to Massachusetts in the early 1970s. starting with the NHL, have been discussing for a long time: how to move from simply mouthing phrases like “hockey is for everyone” to concrete “And so I decided that if I was going to have a real relationship with my action that proves it. sons, I had to learn the game,” Dr. Cole said. “So I started really not only watching but understanding hockey and understanding football.” “I think this can be a huge step,” said former NHLer Kevin Westgarth, the league’s vice president of hockey development and strategic Coming to the table in support of a project that strikes at the heart of collaboration. “Not only in delivering the access and the chance for a inclusivity and breaking down racial barriers has made this a no-brainer whole new team to play high-level hockey but for people of color who for Dr. Cole. could be able to go to a school like Tennessee State, a great public “I’m all-in for this movement, which is the term I’ve used on these calls, to HBCU, and then have that hockey experience at the same time is pretty bring hockey to the historically Black college and university family,” Dr. special.” Cole said. The notion of not just hockey at TSU but starting a hockey program from It comes down to one word for Dr. Cole. scratch at the Division I level comes straight from the top at TSU, from athletic director Dr. Mikki Allen, a hockey dad, and TSU president Glenda “The best word I can use is opportunity,” she said. “You should not be Glover. denied opportunities that predominantly White institutions have.”

“No. 2, in my view, hockey is as good as any other sport in training and encouraging leadership skills. I think hockey has a particular kind of way of teaching leadership, and that, to me, has to do first of all with what is The university isn’t planning to use it for hockey, but what if there was a required to get there. Some will challenge me on this, but I would argue similar facility on campus at TSU, Henry wondered aloud. there is no sport that requires the number of physical and mental abilities that hockey does.” “What other needs does TSU have?” Henry asked. For instance, is there a need for a new basketball facility or something else that could benefit Dr. Cole has presided over major fundraising projects in her years at the university along with having a place for the hockey teams to play in various institutions and understands that what is being discussed this front of fans on campus? week and beyond will create a guidebook for how a monumental task like this can be accomplished. There will be bumps in the road and there will Henry joked that he is responsible for introducing Dippin’ Dots to arena- be challenges, but those will be neither unexpected nor deterrents. goers and the all-inclusive clubs that are prevalent at most professional sports arenas. But, well, this endeavor is in a far different realm. “People are bananas over this,” Dr. Cole said. “I’m looking for some word that just says the enthusiasm that I sense. The times that I’m on these Someday, Henry predicted, people will look back at this endeavor and tell calls says to me this is going to happen. Now, the specificity of how it its story in the same way they tell the story of Ed Temple and his track happens — does it start with a club? Does it have enough chutzpah to go club. straight into a Division I? — I don’t know. But something is going to “It’s there in front of us to take,” Henry said. “It’s going to happen. TSU happen.” has a long history of doing things that no one thought possible.”

It is already happening. A few hours after the feasibility study was The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 announced, former Predators forward Joel Ward was on the phone, asking for details and indicating his interest in being involved. Isabel said throughout the Black community the response has been equal parts amazement and enthusiasm. Westgarth is getting similar responses from within the NHL and beyond.

There is no blueprint for the next steps beyond the feasibility study. Every school is unique. Every plan is unique.

Arizona State University played Division I hockey a year after deciding to make the move, but it was building on a successful club hockey program.

Long Island University announced plans to play a Division I schedule in April 2020 and was on the ice last fall.

Augustana University in South Dakota recently announced it was hoping to become the first South Dakota institution to ice a Division I hockey team and that, according to ESPN’s John Buccigross, who broke the story, plans include an on-campus arena. It is hoping to begin Division I play in the fall of 2023.

Changes to transfer portals for student-athletes make recruiting and assembling a team easier than in the past. So, in theory, one source familiar with the process said it’s possible TSU could ice a team as early as 2022-23.

There will be coaching staffs to hire and support staff for a men’s and women’s team. There will be recruitment budgets and budgets for travel and equipment. There will be training and medical costs.

The study will examine how scholarships would factor into the university’s bottom line — some schools, for instance, pay dollar for dollar for their scholarships, and others have those costs defrayed.

Would the influx of student-athletes alter the need for on-campus housing? Or academic staff?

Against which teams or in which conference could TSU play?

What would the opportunities to generate revenue from the teams via ticket sales and sponsorships be?

But the facilities are the key. Where will the TSU Tigers and Lady Tigers play hockey?

“That is absolutely the biggest thing,” Snee said. “Everything gets back to a cost. All of it can be done. But what is the cost?”

Sacred Heart University, for instance, is building a new arena for its Division I hockey programs in Fairfield, Conn., and the price tag for it is $70 million.

“Is TSU going to build that?” Snee asked.

Or if it can play games at Bridgestone Arena, home of the Predators, and maybe the rent is zero, well, that’s a different bottom line entirely.

The Predators are building a fourth rink complex with a fifth on the horizon in the Nashville area, so a place at which to practice and perhaps play some games at least in the short term would be possible with the Predators’ help.

“We’ll play almost any role needed to make this happen,” Henry said.

The Predators are also involved at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., helping build a 6,000-seat arena with a rink attached for the men’s and women’s basketball teams. It’s a $130 million project. 1216232 New York Islanders In this series, the Islanders dominated the puck and pace for the majority of both of their wins in Games 1 and 4. But on Monday, it was evident that if the Islanders don’t have the puck, they are not good enough to weather the storm and beat this highly-skilled Lightning team. Islanders on brink of elimination after Game 5 no-show with Mathew Barzal ejected in Tampa They handed Tampa the largest winning margin in the Lightning franchise’s entire postseason history. Now they’ll need a short memory and the Coliseum crowd behind them on Wednesday to even have a chance at staying alive and forcing a Game 7. By PAT LEONARD “That’s a tough one,” winger Josh Bailey said. “But I think Game 6 we’ll JUN 21, 2021 AT 11:25 PM make sure we’re ready to go.”

New York Daily News LOADED: 06.22.2021 The high of Ryan Pulock’s miracle Game 4 save didn’t last a single period for the Islanders.

Barry Trotz’s team was unrecognizably complacent from the opening faceoff of a brutal 8-0 Game 5 beating in Tampa on Monday night that pushed the Isles to the brink of elimination.

Trotz pulled goalie Semyon Varlamov 15 minutes and 27 seconds into Monday’s mess when the Lightning went up 3-0. And top center Mathew Barzal was ejected at the end of the second period for a cross check to the side of Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta’s helmet, reflecting the Isles’ frustration over their total no-show on the road.

The Islanders now trail this Stanley Cup semifinal series, 3-2, and will need a Game 6 win Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum to force a Game 7 Friday night back at the Lightning’s Amalie Arena.

“It was one of those nights where we couldn’t do anything right,” Trotz said. “We sort of dug our own grave in the first period. It was a tough one, but we’ll just have to park it. We have to go home and just focus on earning the right to keep playing. We can fix a lot of the things we put ourselves into today. We’re gonna have to have our best game.”

Barzal presumably could be fined for his cross check, with Rutta missing the rest of Monday’s match. Rutta appeared no worse for wear after jousting with Barzal, so it would be a stretch for the NHL’s department of player safety to suspend Barzal for Game 6.

Trotz said he hadn’t heard from the league on Barzal, either. But coach wasn’t pleased with his center’s lapse in judgement all the same.

“I am disappointed in his decision there,” Trotz said. “It wasn’t going well, and you just sort of dug it a little deeper for the guys.”

Varlamov’s first period benching had nothing to do with the goalie’s performance. There was simply no reason to subject him to the play of the skaters in front of him.

The Islanders looked asleep and on their heels in the first period, with barely any puck possession and several costly turnovers when they had it.

Steven Stamkos scored 45 seconds in on a fortunate bounce, with Kyle Palmieri following the puck and not the man. And the defending Cup champions were off and running, outshooting the Isles 19-5 and generating eight odd-man rushes in the first 20 minutes alone.

It took the Isles five minutes and 40 seconds to put their first shot on Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. Tampa’s Yanni Gourde (11:04) and Alex Killorn (15:27) scored off Islander turnovers by Leo Komarov and Pulock for the 3-0 lead.

And Trotz had seen enough. So he pulled Varlamov (13 saves on 16 shots) and rested him for Game 6 while backup Ilya Sorokin (19 saves on 24 shots) took one for the team and played the final 44 minutes and 33 seconds.

“We turned a lot of pucks over,” defenseman Andy Greene said. “They’re a great transition team. You start giving them chances like that, they’re gonna make you pay.”

Then the Islanders started committing penalties, and when the night was over, the Lightning had three power play goals. Stamkos and Killorn had two goals apiece. Nikita Kucherov had three assists. And top Tampa center Brayden Point extended his goal-scoring streak to an astounding eight consecutive games.

It is the second-longest NHL playoff goal-scoring streak of all-time, trailing only the Philadelphia Flyers’ Reggie Leach, who scored a goal in 10 straight playoff games in 1976. 1216233 New York Islanders

How Islanders’ watch party at Nassau Coliseum came together

By David LazarJune 22, 2021 | 1:35am | Updated

Though the Islanders played Game 5 of the NHL semifinals over 1,000 miles away in Tampa, Nassau Coliseum on Hempstead Turnpike was still rocking — at least until their team couldn’t stop the Lightning from scoring.

The Islanders held a viewing party for thousands of fans to come together and cheer on their favorite team before it lost 8-0 and put on the brink of elimination within one round of the . Nassau County Executive Laura Curran was a catalyst who helped put the event together.

“We got a formal letter from Isles nation asking for a watch party,” Curran told The Post Monday evening. “I thought, ‘What an amazing idea.’ This is a group of such loyal, passionate fans who, really, truly, with all their heart and souls, love this team.

“We wanted to think about how we could best get everyone together. With it being the final season in Uniondale, we chose the Nassau Coliseum. I got on the phone with Islanders ownership and they said they were working on it. I was very encouraged. I was getting the updates. And when the announcement dropped, we made sure everyone knew this was happening.”

With the help of Curran, Islanders co-owner played a big role in making sure the logistics were worked out.

“Ledecky is amazing,” Curran said. “He really is the best owner. He is accessible. He is with the fans. He is one of the people. He is really easy to talk to. He really gets us. He really gets the fan base. He is not an elitist. And I would say that about the whole organization. They are a pleasure to work with.”

As the Islanders embark on a Stanley Cup run, fans are savoring every last moment at the Old Barn, which Curran called “an iconic building with a visceral connection to .” Curran — an Islanders season- ticket holder with her husband John — attended the watch party with thousands of fellow fans.

“This is a little superstitious, but when there is a lot of positive energy going toward the team, they just play amazing,” Curran said. “We are the extra man on the ice. That energy gets them totally focused. We wanted to take the energy from the Coliseum and send it to Tampa Bay.”

Curran has been a huge proponent of the Islanders since taking office in 2018. The 53-year-old pressured Gov. Andrew Cuomo to raise capacity at home games during the COVID-19 pandemic, wrote a letter to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman asking 2019 playoff games to be played at Nassau Coliseum over and even placed a friendly wager on this series with Tampa mayor Jane Castor.

“There are so many difficult things we have to deal with, that I am happy to accentuate something positive,” Curran said. “The Islanders are great for Nassau County. They are good for our economic development, it is good for our sense of self-respect. It is good for our brand. They are called the Islanders because they belong on the Island.”

Islanders fans seen here during Game 3 of the semifinals against visiting Tampa Bay.

And this watch party was just the beginning. If the Islanders advance, Curran has big plans.

“I am very superstitious, so I don’t want to get ahead of myself. We have to win this series and then we have to win the Stanley Cup,” Curran said. “But, I think it is safe to say that if we go all the way, we are going to go big. We are going to go Islanders big.”

New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216234 New York Islanders

This wasn’t the first time Mat Barzal has lost his cool

By David LazarJune 22, 2021 | 1:30am | Updated

Mat Barzal was more than frustrated.

The Islanders‘ franchise center received a five-minute cross-checking major and a game misconduct as the second period concluded in Game 5 on Monday, the Islanders already trailing by six on the way to ab 8-0 thumping.

The loss pushed them to the brink in their best-of-seven Stanley Cup semifinals against the Lightning. Barzal went after Tampa Bay defenseman Jan Rutta, greeting him with two forceful blows. The second one caught Rutta up high in the face and he went down to the ice quickly.

Now, all focus shifts to the NHL’s Department of Player Safety, which will most likely review the play and could hand down supplemental discipline. The difference between a fine and a suspension could be the difference in this series.

Rutta did not return to the game.

This was a dark moment in Barzal’s career, but not unprecedented.

Barzal has taken some careless penalties in the past. The last time the 2018 Calder Trophy winner delivered a cross-check of this caliber, Islanders head coach Barry Trotz sent him a message.

Mat Barzal delivers a cross-check to Jan Rutta in Game 5.

ZUMAPRESS.com

Barzal cross-checked Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen on March 16, directly leading to an Alex Ovechkin goal. Trotz benched Barzal for the first 8:14 of the third period, showing how the bench boss felt about the first-line center losing his cool.

“Absolutely, it was a message,” Trotz said after benching Barzal then. “He has to fight through all of that stuff.”

Mat Barzal

This time, Trotz might not have a chance to send any message to Barzal — that decision is likely in the league’s hands now.

The 8-0 bludgeoning Monday night in Tampa was the worst loss in franchise history. But if the Islanders lose Barzal for Wednesday’s Game 6, that could be the bigger loss.

New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216235 New York Islanders

Tough break early was start of Islanders’ playoff disaster

By David LazarJune 22, 2021 | 1:18am | Updated

The Islanders were doomed from the start of Game 5, an 8-0 loss to the Lightning.

It started moments after puck drop. Adam Pelech frequently pinches — a staple of his notoriously aggressive game — but it cost him on his first shift. He threw the puck right to Anthony Cirelli, who directed a quick backhand pass to captain Steven Stamkos. The hockey gods chose to help him out, as Stamkos then corralled an Alex Killorn blocked shot and deposited the loose puck into an empty net.

Eleven minutes later, another bounce haunted the Islanders. Leo Komarov and Jean-Gabriel Pageau both had brain lapses, failing to clear the puck on multiple occasions. Pageau bounced the puck right off Blake Coleman’s skate, where it ricocheted to Yanni Gourde. He attempted a cross-crease pass, but the puck went right off a diving Andy Greene and into the net.

Third time’s the charm, right? Well, not for the Islanders. Following another turnover — this time by Ryan Pulock — the Lightning rushed forward once again. Semyon Varlamov fumbled the puck in his crease, leading to a high-danger chance for David Savard. It deflected in off Killorn and dug the Islanders into a hole they could not escape from.

At that point, the Islanders had allowed eight odd-man rushes. When the period concluded, they were outshot, 19-5. It was a cesspool. A bludgeoning. A massacre.

“I have no theories. I wish I did. If I did, I would use it,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said after the worst postseason loss in franchise history. “It is on our group. We have to come out. We knew that we would have to get through the first period in [Amalie Arena].

“To me, this is about each player looking inside and knowing they have to be ready. I think they were, but our decisions and our puck management bit us right, you know where. So, we will be better at that. We understand that part of the game usually. But tonight, for whatever reason, we didn’t.”

The Islanders announced that season tickets are sold out for their inaugural season at UBS Arena in 2021-22, with more than 12,000 season tickets were purchased amid the team’s run to the Stanley Cup semifinals.

“Selling out season tickets is a true testament to this loyal fan base,” said CEO of . “This arena will bring the very best in both hockey and entertainment to fans across the region and we’re excited to open up the doors to the public this fall.”

The announcement also mentioned that there are only six of the building’s 56 suites still available. In addition, there are less than 250 seats available in the building’s Dime Club — an 11,000 square-foot space with views of the ice from the bar.

The $1.1 billion multipurpose arena, which is adjacent to the Belmont Park racetrack, is still under construction but is expected to be ready for next season.

“That’s exciting, you know, this is something that we’ve been looking forward to for a few years now, so it’s definitely exciting,” Pelech said Monday morning. “But I don’t think anyone’s paying too much attention to that right now just based on where we are right now in the playoffs and we love playing at the Coli.”

New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216236 New York Islanders eight, seven, six and eight, respectively, in Games 1 through 4. It was 6-0 by the end of the second with Ilya Sorokin having relieved Semyon Varlamov after the starter allowed three goals on 16 shots in 15:27. Backtracking to the start of the third period of Game 4, Tampa Bay has Mat Barzal’s antics put unrecognizable Islanders in bad spot outscored the Islanders 10-0.

This was as bad as it gets. Except there is the chance, as irrational as it would be, that it could get worse. Trotz said he was unaware of any By Larry BrooksJune 22, 2021 | 12:45am | Updated communication between the league and the organization regarding supplemental discipline but that proves nothing.

The guys wearing white were unrecognizable. They were wearing the So now the Islanders wait on Parros as they prepare for the biggest Islanders logo on their chests, but come on, those uniforms must have game of their 2021 lives. been purchased at a costume store running a Buy One, Get 20 sale. It’s not what you want. For this Monday night in Tampa, the Islanders were imposters, unable to New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021 compete in any facet of the game, overrun in all three zones by the Lightning in an 8-0 Game 5 defeat that stands as the most lopsided in franchise playoff history and leaves the club on the brink of extinction going into Wednesday’s Game 6 at the Coliseum.

“It was one of those nights where we couldn’t do anything right,” head coach Barry Trotz said following the fiasco. “If this result doesn’t motivate us, then I’m not sure what will. We’ve just got to man up.”

But it may be even worse than that, difficult as that might be to process. Because though the effects of this drubbing would not necessarily carry over into Wednesday under ordinary circumstances, the Islanders are going to have to wait for a decision from the Department of Player Safety regarding the availability of Mat Barzal for the team’s first potential elimination game of 2021.

And there is not a soul in the world who would want to be at the mercy of the decision-making process of VP George Parros and his band of consultants under any circumstance, let alone while on the precipice of doom.

But that is where the Islanders stand. That is where Barzal brought his team by losing his cool at the second-period buzzer following a giveaway on the power play by getting a major penalty and game misconduct for cross-checking Jan Rutta to the ice with what appeared to be the side of the head after No. 13 first responded to their engagement with a cross- check to the defenseman’s left shoulder.

Barzal was furious and momentarily tried to wrestle his way out of the grasp of linesmen Kiel Murchison, who grabbed him immediately following the incident as players milled about. Rutta stayed down for some time, attended to by the Tampa Bay trainer, as the play was reviewed before standing as a major. The defenseman did not return to the match, but who would be surprised if that was a Jon Cooper ploy to influence the NHL?

Mat Barzal delivers a cross-check to Jan Rutta in Game 5.

ZUMAPRESS.com

The league’s discipline system is not only broken, but arbitrary. It would be a travesty if Barzal is suspended off this type of confrontational play that is commonplace and often draws nothing more than a minor, if not a double minor. Or sometimes even nothing, if you’ve seen what miscreants have gotten away with throughout the tournament. But there is just no way to know for sure.

And even if Barzal is not suspended, there is no defense for the Islanders’ most dynamic player putting himself and his team in such jeopardy by losing his composure as we all ponder the vagaries of the NHL’s justice system.

“I was disappointed because it wasn’t going well and he just sort of dug it a little deeper for the guys,” Trotz said. “The biggest concern you have as a coach when you do something like that is that guys have to block shots and you lose another guy because they are battling through it.

“So yeah, I am disappointed in his decision there.”

Barzal has as little defense for his actions as the Islanders had throughout this humiliation in which they never got in on the forecheck, were beaten on the few battles they were able to create, surrendered a wave of odd-man rushes, had issues on their own breakout and gave the Lightning four power plays in the second period after allowing one apiece in Games 3 and 4.

It was 1-0 after 45 seconds, 3-0 by the end of the first period in which the Islanders surrendered eight high-danger chances after having allowed 1216237 New York Islanders

Islanders on brink after ugly 8-0 loss to Lightning

By Mollie WalkerJune 21, 2021 | 10:57pm | Updated

TAMPA — The Islanders’ trip back to Florida for Game 5 was always going to be brief, but that didn’t mean they had to travel as lightly as they did.

It was clear from the moment the teams hit the ice Monday night at Amalie Arena, the Isles didn’t bring their usual aggressive play in the neutral zone, they forgot their defensive structure and must have accidentally left their energy back on Long Island.

So Tampa Bay handed the Islanders their largest margin of defeat in the franchise’s playoff history and their first shutout loss of the postseason with an 8-0 victory.

The Lightning, now leading the Stanley Cup semifinal series 3-2 after scoring 10 unanswered goals dating back to Game 4, have an opportunity to zap the Islanders out of the playoffs in Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum for potentially the last time Wednesday night.

“The game, this result, how we played, if this doesn’t motivate us, then I’m not too sure what will,” head coach Barry Trotz said. “There’s nothing I can say that will motivate us. We just have to man up.”

The Lightning defeated the Islanders in Game 5 Monday night.

There was no question it just wasn’t the Isles’ night. To further confirm it, the Islanders clanked two shots off the post and one off the side of the net in a single shift to start the second period after tripping over themselves and into a 3-0 hole through the opening 20 minutes.

That’s when the Islanders’ frustrations became too overwhelming to play through. After managing to stay out of the box in the first period, the Islanders racked up 13 penalty minutes during play in the middle frame.

The Lightning capitalized on two of their four power-play opportunities, which sandwiched an Ondrej Palat tip-in at 15:43 of the second to make it a 6-0 game heading into the third. But the Islanders had to take on the final frame without star center Mathew Barzal, who cross-checked Tampa Bay defenseman Jan Rutta in the head at the conclusion of the second and got tossed from the game — which could possibly result in a suspension for Game 6.

In response to Barzal’s cross-check, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper expressed his displeasure by deploying his top unit twice during the duration of the five-minute power play in the third despite the game already being out of hand.

So Brayden Point extended his scoring streak to eight games on that man-advantage opportunity before Luke Schenn flung a long shot from the top of the zone that ricocheted in off Ryan Pulock’s skate later in the third period. It was just that kind of night.

But the Islanders have been a team that can “park” these kinds of devastating losses all postseason long. They put the 5-4 loss to the Penguins in Game 3 of the first round behind them and went on to win three straight. It happened again after their heart-breaking overtime loss to the Bruins in Game 3 of the second round.

A loss is a loss, Kyle Palmieri pointed out, no matter how it plays out. But like they’ve done after each defeat this postseason, the Islanders immediately set their sights on what they can do better in the next contest.

Just about anything would be better than this one.

“This wasn’t our best game and we’re going to need our best game and we’re going to have to earn our right to keep playing,” Trotz said. “I’ve been with this group for a long time. I know the character of this group, and we’ll be ready.”

New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216238 New York Islanders Cal Clutterbuck checks Bryden Point. “That’s sort of their DNA.”

Martin and Clutterbuck hit for a reason. With a purpose. They do not hit Trading for Cal Clutterbuck helped build Islanders’ identity to injure. But they intend for every blow to make an impression. Incredibly, legal checks thrown by the two wingers concussed three defensemen — Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren and Brandon Carlo — By Larry BrooksJune 21, 2021 | 8:19pm | Updated within six weeks.

The plays ended each defenseman’s season. For Cizikas, Martin and Clutterbuck (who has matched his season goal total with four in the The trade not only was made for the wrong reason, it was a deal that playoffs), their season was just getting started. pretty much no other executive in the NHL would have made at the time. “Come playoff time, that fits in their wheelhouse,” said Trotz, who is But Garth Snow, then the Islanders general manager, did it sending 20- comfortable sending that unit on for any matchup. “That’s why they year-old Nino Niederrieter to Minnesota less than three years after his always have a real good playoffs for us.” fifth-overall selection in the entry draft in exchange for a third-round selection and bottom-six forward Cal Clutterbuck. So, Niederreiter for Clutterbuck. Are you making that trade now? If so, at least you would be doing it for the right reason. The deal followed at least a year of bickering between the Islanders and Niederreiter’s camp that led to the winger’s agent requesting a trade after New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021 his 2011-12 rookie season in which he was kept on the roster so the team could meet the cap floor and then was not invited to the ensuing training camp.

Niederreiter was used sparingly in 55 games, scoring one goal, while scratched repeatedly. Then, while the NHL was enduring Owners’ Lockout III in 2012-13, the Swiss recorded 36 points (17-19) in 39 AHL games. His reward was to not receive a training camp invite after the lockout ended in mid-January.

When a trade request became public, Snow apparently did not seek a reconciliation. Instead, he moved the talented Niederreiter to the Wild for a 25-year-old forward who had scored a career total of 62 goals in five seasons.

Eight years later, that forward is the third longest-tenured player on the Islanders. Eight years later, Clutterbuck has emerged as one of the team’s integral pieces in the playoffs that continued on Monday night in Tampa with Game 5 of the Cup semifinals.

Cal Clutterbuck

Josh Bailey is the senior Islander, and in fact the senior New York pro athlete, here since 2008-09. Then comes Casey Cizikas, who joined the club in 2012-13. Then Clutterbuck. And though Matt Martin’s tenure was interrupted with his two seasons in Toronto in 2016-17 and 2017-18, he first joined the Islanders for 2010-11.

So three of the four Islanders with the most seniority (let’s not be technical or picky) are the three guys who are at the core of their identity. You might even want to call the trio, “The Identity Line.” Oops, someone already did.

Cizikas, Martin and Clutterbuck are at the core of the team identity and have been at the core of the team’s success throughout the tournament. Cizikas, of course, scored the breakaway overtime goal to beat the Bruins in Game 2 of the second round.

And Martin and Clutterbuck not only have continued to pound away and take pieces of flesh from the Lightning, they both contributed offensively in Saturday night’s Pulockian victory in Game 4 at the Coliseum.

It was Clutterbuck who wristed one from the right point that created the rebound off of which Mathew Barzal scored to give his team a 2-0 lead. And then it was Martin who escaped Brayden Point to put home a neat backhander off an Adam Pelech rebound to elevate the lead to 3-0 late in the second period and stand as the winner.

It appears as if Clutterbuck and Martin have elevated their games throughout the playoffs but that might not be true. It might just be that there is more focus on them during the postseason, when everything is magnified. It might just be that the playoffs represent their — and Cizikas’ — time.

It’s not that they have to get ready for the playoffs but rather that the playoffs get ready for them.

“The funny thing is that they really play playoff hockey all year and I don’t know if they know how to play any other way,” head coach Barry Trotz said when asked specifically about Martin and Clutterbuck. “I say that with a lot of respect because that’s a style of play where they’re bumping and grinding, they’re good defensively, they get a forecheck, they’re hard on their opponents and they wear people out. 1216239 New York Islanders

The best Islanders-Lightning betting angles

By Andy MacNeil, VSiNJune 21, 2021 | 11:00am | Updated

Want even more betting news? Sign up for VSiN’s free daily newsletter. Listen Live to VSiN’s sports betting shows.

After the New York Islanders held on for a dramatic, series-tying win in Game 4, their semifinals series against the Tampa Bay Lightning is now a best-of-three. The Islanders have already won one game in Tampa, and they’ll have to win at least one more on the road if they want to find themselves in the Stanley Cup finals.

The Lightning will be the favorite in all three games, just as they were in the first four games, and their odds of winning the series sit at -190 at DraftKings Sportsbook in New Jersey. That’s a good price relative to what other shops are offering. The Lightning are listed as -225 series favorites at BetMGM and they’re carrying a -230 price tag at William Hill.

By my estimation, the series price should imply that the Lightning have about a 67 percent chance of winning the series, which equates to odds of -200. As a result, I believe there’s a little bit of value in betting the Lightning to win two out of the next three games at -190. However, there are better bets to make.

At William Hill in New Jersey, a bettor can wager on the Lighting to win the first period at -160, which should be priced closer to -180. DraftKings lists the Lightning as a -180 moneyline favorite in the first period and BetMGM is offering -175 on the same bet. This is the power of price shopping. Bettors don’t necessarily need a computer model to identify good bets. Simply looking for shops that are offering competitive odds is a pretty good strategy.

The Lightning are a team that typically responds well after a loss or a poor performance and that should be evident early in Monday’s Game 5. They started strong on Saturday but could not solve Semyon Varlamov, but on his home ice. We can expect them to draw more penalties when they dictate play. In the first two games, the two teams combined to take 24 minor penalties but have combined for only eight in the two games since.

Steven Stamkos

Additionally, the pace of play has been much higher when the Lightning have been the home team and that means this game should trend toward going over the total of 5. However, instead of laying Over 5 at -136, I would look to bet the alternate total, over 5.5 goals at +128, and there’s at least one anytime goal-scorer prop that’s worth considering.

The obvious choices would be Brayden Point and Mathew Barzal, who were the favorites to lead the series in scoring and have proven why. Point has scored four goals, Barzal three. No other player has scored more than once in the series, and many players have yet to score at all, including Lightning sniper Steven Stamkos. The forward has been held to just two shots, and three shot attempts, over the last two games.

Once again, though, home ice should open things up quite a bit for the Lightning, and that includes their captain. Stamkos has averaged almost five shot attempts per game on home ice throughout the playoffs compared to just 3.5 attempts per game on the road. DraftKings lists Stamkos at +190 to score a goal in Game 5, which implies that he’s about a 34 percent chance of doing so. But when I price this prop I land on +165, which suggests that he will score about 38 percent of the time. Bet on Stamkos to score a goal for the first time in the semifinals.

New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216240 New York Islanders New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021

Matt Lauer has been cheering on the NY Islanders at games

By Ian MohrJune 21, 2021 | 7:44am

Disgraced “Today” host Matt Lauer — who has kept a low profile since being fired from the show in 2017 — has seemingly become a fan favorite before Islanders playoff games.

Lauer was at the Islanders game on Thursday, sources said, and was spotted beforehand with a group dining at Borrelli’s Restaurant, a favorite among fans before and after Nassau Coliseum home games.

A source told Page Six that Lauer was at a table with pals including his girlfriend Shamin Abas, and that “people were excited to see him.”

The source said Lauer was overheard chatting with a waitress about his kids, and that one patron approached the ex-anchor to tell him, “Matt, my wife misses you” on TV.

The guy then went to call his wife and tell her about the Lauer sighting.

Matt Lauer, seen here in 2016, has been getting a warm welcome from fans as he roots for the Islanders.

Our source further related of Lauer, “He was welcomed with open arms” by fans. “He looked good — he seemed in good shape and in good spirits.”

Lauer and his group were wearing Islanders gear.

Lauer was reportedly at the same eatery last month with Islanders co- owner Jon Ledecky, when Ledecky spontaneously gifted some fellow diners playoff tickets.

Newsday reported that a man and his three sons — who did not have tickets to an Islanders playoff game — went to Borrelli’s in team gear to order a pizza and soak up some of the playoff spirit.

When Ledecky was leaving the restaurant for the game, and suggested that the family should be headed there as well, they explained they didn’t have tickets. Ledecky surprised them by arranging for seats, and the family reportedly posed for a group shot with Ledecky that was snapped by Lauer, according to Newsday.

The New York Islanders play the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup semifinals on June 19.

The family also told the story of the tickets on WFAN.

Page Six has previously reported that Lauer has been dating marketing exec Abas since 2019. The accused anchor also finalized his divorce from ex-wife Annette Roque the same year, two years after they’d split.

While staying out of the spotlight, the Hamptons fixture was also seen at a private Jon Bon Jovi performance for charity in the ritzy area last month.

Lauer, 63, was infamously axed from “Today” in 2017 after an initially anonymous NBC staffer accused him of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with her, which began while they were covering the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The woman later identified herself and claimed that Lauer had raped her.

Lauer is seen with his then-“Today” colleagues Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Carson Daly in 2017.

He later admitted having a relationship, but claimed it was entirely consensual.

A rep for Lauer did not immediately get back to us.

The Islanders are playing the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL conference finals.

Also at the big game Thursday night were “The Bachelor” stars Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell in the front row, as well as Jimmy Fallon, Blackstone honcho Steve Schwarzman, “Karate Kid” star Ralph Macchio, and a number of Giants and Jets players. 1216241 New York Islanders attempted cross-ice feed deflected in off diving defenseman Andy Greene to give the Lightning a 2-0 lead at 11:04 and Killorn made it 3-0 at 15:27, ending Varlamov’s outing after 15 shots.

Islanders on brink of elimination after embarrassing 8-0 loss in Game 5 There were some signs of life to start the second period as Nick Leddy hit the post from the left point just over a minute in and Josh Bailey followed by hitting the post from in tight. Brock Nelson also hit the side of the net. By Andrew Gross But Stamkos extended the lead to 4-0 with a power-play one-timer from Updated June 22, 2021 12:50 AM the left circle at 5:42 of the period. Ondrej Palat tipped David Savard’s shot past Sorokin to make it 5-0 at 15:43. Killorn tipped Victor Hedman’s shot from the point on the power play for his second goal and a 6-0 lead TAMPA, Fla. — "Man up." at 17:53.

In short, that’s coach Barry Trotz’s message with the Islanders’ season Luke Schenn’s goal, which made it 8-0, was a perfect coda to the on the brink. Islanders’ night, as his seemingly harmless shot from the right point deflected in off Ryan Pulock. They suffered an embarrassing total team breakdown Monday night — a parade of errors in every facet of the game, including potential NHL Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.22.2021 supplemental discipline for an undisciplined Mathew Barzal — as the Lightning earned an 8-0 victory at Amalie Arena to take a 3-2 lead in the NHL semifinal series.

It was the largest margin of defeat in club playoff history and the first time the Islanders have been shut out this postseason.

Island Ice Ep. 102: Isles vs. Lightning Game 5 analysis

Andrew Gross is joined by Neil Best and Colin Stephenson to discuss the Isles' 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinals and then look ahead to Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday.

Game 6, now a must-win for the Isles, will be played Wednesday night at Nassau Coliseum.

"The game, this result, how we played, if that doesn’t motivate us, then I’m not too sure what will," Trotz said. "There’s nothing I can say that will motivate them. We’ve just got to man up, understand all the things we need to do. And this group does."

Nothing went right as the Islanders’ defensive structure collapsed immediately. Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn each scored two goals for the Lightning and Andrei Vasilevskiy was rarely challenged in making 20 saves. The Islanders’ Semyon Varlamov was pulled for Ilya Sorokin in the first period as the Lightning finished with 40 shots.

The Islanders were either fumbling the puck in their own end, failing to get the puck deep into the Lightning zone and establishing any physical presence, or allowing the Lightning to transition into odd-man rushes by putting up no neutral-zone roadblocks.

"A loss is a loss at this time of the year," said Kyle Palmieri, who started on Barzal’s left wing instead of Leo Komarov after being alternated there in the Islanders’ 3-2 win in Game 4 on Saturday at the Coliseum.

"Whether it was in double overtime or the way it went tonight, we’ll wake up tomorrow down 3-2, headed home and our backs against the wall," Palmieri added. "We have a chance to win a game at home. That’s all we’re focused on now."

The Lightning, who have scored 10 unanswered goals in the series, went 3-for-6 on the power play as the frustrated Islanders totaled 30 of their 57 penalty minutes in the second period. That included a five-minute cross- check and game misconduct on Barzal for his hit on defenseman Jan Rutta at the buzzer.

Rutta did not play in the third period and Lightning coach Jon Cooper did not have an immediate update on his condition.

Trotz said he had not heard about the NHL contacting the Islanders about possible supplemental discipline, but he was disappointed in Barzal’s action.

"Disappointed because it wasn’t going well and he just dug it a little deeper for the guys," Trotz said. "I am disappointed in his decision."

It led to Brayden Point’s power-play goal, which made it 7-0 at 1:59 of the third period. He became the second player in NHL history with a playoff goal streak of at least eight games.

The first period was as lopsided as possible, with the Lightning outshooting the Islanders 19-5 and taking a 3-0 lead. They took four shots in the opening 45 seconds and Stamkos made it 1-0 off the left post after defenseman Adam Pelech’s turnover. Yanni Gourde’s 1216242 New York Islanders Trotz and his players repeatedly have spoken about the importance of avoiding taking penalties because of the dangerous Tampa Bay power play.

Who were those guys? Certainly not the Islanders "Obviously, against a team like this, you want to stay out of the box as much as you can," Josh Bailey said. Apparently, it was not obvious enough.

Updated June 22, 2021 12:55 AM "It was one of those nights where we couldn’t do anything right," Trotz said. "It didn’t go our way, and it was a tough one. We’ll just have to park By Neil Best it."

Not that Trotz wants his players to forget what Monday felt like. "I just Barry Trotz should have left Semyon Varlamov in the game and pulled think the game, this result, how we played, if that doesn’t motivate us, everyone else. then I’m not too sure what will," he said.

The NHL might have frowned upon such an arrangement, but really, how He added, "I’ve been with this group a long time, and I know the much worse could it have been? The Islanders’ skaters were ghosts on character of this group, and we’ll be ready." Monday night — technically present but largely invisible. There is one thing Trotz can count on in Game 6: The Islanders cannot The Lightning’s 8-0 victory in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinal was be any worse than they were in Game 5. more than thorough. It was thoroughly embarrassing for the visiting team, Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.22.2021 the most lopsided playoff loss in the Islanders’ nearly half-century history.

It looked as if they had been abducted en route to Amalie Arena in Tampa by impostors who stole their white sweaters and did a poor imitation of what usually is a sound, smart team.

Andrew Gross is joined by Neil Best and Colin Stephenson to discuss the Isles' 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinals and then look ahead to Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday.

Losing on the road to an excellent Lightning team was no surprise, but the particulars were a shock. Whatever could go wrong did — repeatedly.

When it was over, Trotz and the four veteran players who spoke to reporters did their best to walk the fine line between acknowledging how bad it was and noting that it still counts for only one defeat.

"A loss is a loss this time of year, whether it was in double overtime or the way it went tonight," Kyle Palmieri said. "We’ll wake up tomorrow down 3-2 headed home with our backs against the wall."

To reach their first Stanley Cup Final since 1984, the Islanders must win two in a row against the defending Stanley Cup champions, who have not lost two consecutive playoff games since they began their 2020 Cup run.

One question for Game 6 will be whom Trotz starts in goal, but it says here he should go back to Varlamov, who was lifted when the Lightning took a 3-0 lead in the first period.

Varlamov had gotten little to no help from his teammates, a point driven home when backup Ilya Sorokin fared no better in his place.

It somehow got even worse as the second period ended when Mathew Barzal was handed a five-minute major and game misconduct for cross- checking Jan Rutta in the face. Rutta collapsed to the ice face-first and did not play in the third period.

Will Barzal merely be fined or will he be suspended? Losing him would be a blow. "I am disappointed in his decision there," Trotz said.

The outcome effectively was decided in an awful first period during which the Islanders were outshot 19-5. It was a blur of odd-man rushes, turnovers and sloppy defense.

The Islanders seemed to be operating at half speed compared to Tampa Bay, which looked like the team that put a third-period scare into the Islanders in Game 4. The Lightning have scored 10 consecutive goals over two games.

When the Lightning made it 3-0 at 15:27, Trotz pulled Varlamov in favor of Sorokin.

The Islanders awoke early in the second and put some pressure on Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy, but the good feelings did not last long. With Brock Nelson off for hooking, Steven Stamkos scored his second goal of the night at 5:42.

It was the first of four power plays for the Lightning in the second period, two of which resulted in goals. They added another power-play goal early in the third with Barzal off for a five-minute major. 1216243 New York Islanders

Like Islanders fans, Denis Potvin couldn't resist watch party at Nassau Coliseum

By Colin Stephenson

Updated June 22, 2021 2:19 AM

Denis Potvin was in town anyway, the plan having been for him to attend Games 3, 4 and 6 of the NHL semifinal series between the Islanders and Tampa Bay Lightning at Nassau Coliseum. So when the Islanders called and told him they’d be hosting a watch party for Game 5 at the Old Barn on Monday night, of course he showed up.

Potvin’s old teammate, , also came, and so did 7,200 fans who paid $10 to watch the game on the center ice video board.

"The building means so much,’’ Potvin said of the Coliseum, which is hosting its final playoff run before the Islanders move into UBS Arena next season. "Yeah, there’s so many changes, but I did a walk-through . . . and the things that were coming out of my mind — I was standing right here when John Ziegler handed me the [Stanley] Cup, and Bobby Nystrom was in the corner, and JT [Tonelli] was all over the place.’’

Things didn’t turn out well for Potvin and the fans, though. The Lightning were party poopers, scoring three goals in each of the first two periods in their 8-0 victory. When it got to be 5-0, many folks had had enough and got up and left.

Andrew Gross is joined by Neil Best and Colin Stephenson to discuss the Isles' 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinals and then look ahead to Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday.

Game 6 is at the Coliseum on Wednesday.

The mood had been so festive beforehand.

Fans tailgated in the parking lots before the doors opened at 7 p.m. Devin Robinson, owner/operator of Yes Men Outfitters, an Oyster Bay- based clothing line devoted to the Islanders and Long Island hockey, was doing good business selling T-shirts that had the name "Long Island Saints," a reference to Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy calling the Isles the New York Saints.

"Fans kind of ran towards that nickname,’’ he said. "And we just kind of ran with it and we’re having a lot of fun.’’

Peter Sekesan, 36, of Merrick said he chose to attend the party as opposed to watching the game at home because "it’s being in the atmosphere with the rest of the fans, experience it all together and then just trying to soak in the Old Barn one last time, really. We were here for Game 4 the other night — I still haven’t recovered my voice — and I just figured . . . it was 10 bucks to get in, it went to a charity for a good cause, so now I can go in and really enjoy the Coliseum one more time. Unless we’re here for the final.’’

Money raised by ticket sales went to the Islanders Children’s Foundation, which, according to the team website, "is dedicated to supporting the youth of the local community by providing opportunities to children.’’

Sekesan’s buddy, Brad Yeager, 35, of Riverhead, said he hoped by attending "to catch some more magic here in this old building.’’

"They call it the Barn, but it’s our Barn,’’ Yeager said. "It’s like, it could be a mess, but it’s your mess. You pack the best fans in hockey into it, it becomes a special, magical place for all Islander fans. It’s our home.’’

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216244 New York Islanders makes us successful. It’s great to be opportunistic, but we need to definitely focus on playing our game."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.22.2021 The Islanders aren't the only team that plays solid defense

By Andrew Gross

Updated June 21, 2021 8:28 PM

TAMPA, Fla. — Barry Trotz chats, from time to time, with Hall of Famer Jacques Lemaire, now a special assignment coach for the Islanders who lives in the Tampa region.

Lemaire was a potent playmaking center who averaged nearly a point per game for the dynastic Canadiens from 1967-79 and later coached the stingy Devils to their first Stanley Cup in 1995. And when Lemaire recounts his playing days with fellow Hall of Fame scorers such as Guy Lafleur, Steve Shutt, Jean Beliveau and Yvan Cournoyer, he never fails to tell Trotz how good the Canadiens were defensively as well.

"As much as you want to talk about all the talent and all the great offensive players, Jacques will tell you the hidden secret was they were really strong defensively," the Islanders’ coach said.

Fast-forward to the 2021 playoffs and nothing has changed. Each of the four teams remaining in the NHL semifinals can point to its strong defensive structure as a key component in its success.

The Islanders and Lightning totaled 17 goals in their first four games after the Islanders won Game 4, 3-2, on Saturday night at the Coliseum. The Canadiens and Golden Knights totaled 18 goals in the other series, which included two overtime games.

Both series were tied at 2-2 entering Monday. The Islanders faced the Lightning in Game 5 on Monday night at Amalie Arena. Game 6 will be at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday night.

Vegas rallied to even the other series at 2-2 with a 2-1 overtime win in Sunday night’s Game 4 in Montreal.

The Islanders are bidding to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1984. They followed the Canadiens’ four straight Cups from 1976-79 with four of their own from 1980-83. Those Islanders teams were blessed with gifted offensive players such as Hall of Famers , and Denis Potvin, among others. But Hall of Fame coach , like Trotz today, emphasized defense first.

"The four years the Islanders had their dynasty, you talk to all the alumni and, yeah, they had some scorers in Bossy, but everything was around being able to outplay your opponent and make it really hard for them to take advantage of you," Trotz said. "And that’s good team defense by five-man units and you need the odd save here and there. That hasn’t changed forever.

Andrew Gross is joined by Neil Best and Colin Stephenson to discuss the Isles' 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinals and then look ahead to Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday.

"You want to outplay teams. And if you outplay teams, you outscore teams."

Opposing coach Jon Cooper said that was the critical lesson the defending Stanley Cup champion Lightning, who have a well-deserved strong reputation for their offensive skill, had to absorb before they finally could win a title.

The Lightning shockingly were swept by the Blue Jackets in the first round in 2019 but since have won six straight playoff series, including ousting the Islanders in six games in last year’s Eastern Conference finals.

So with all teams relying on a sound defensive structure for playoff success, the question becomes what can the Islanders do better to elevate themselves?

"That hard-nosed defensive style is the way you need to play to have success in the playoffs, so I don’t think it’s any coincidence that all four teams are going to play that way," defenseman Adam Pelech said. "As far as differentiating ourselves, that’s not really something that we concern ourselves with. We’re just trying to play our game and do what 1216245 New York Islanders

UBS Arena sells out its Islanders general admission season tickets for inaugural season

By Andrew Gross

Updated June 21, 2021 4:59 PM

TAMPA, Fla. — The Islanders on Monday announced a sellout of the more than 12,000 general admission season tickets for the inaugural season at the $1.2 billion UBS Arena at Belmont Park, targeted to open in November with a hockey capacity of 17,113.

"This milestone marks exponential growth in our season-ticket base over the last number of years," said Mike Cosentino, the Islanders senior vice president of sales and ticketing.

The team also announced that 50 of the 56 suites have been sold and less than 250 tickets remained for the upscale Dime Club.

"This is an encouraging sign for the Islanders and Nassau’s recovery from the pandemic," Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said. "The future is bright."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216246 New York Islanders friends. Getting a chance to relive it again one more time is pretty special.

"Especially coming out of the pandemic where everybody’s been sort of Islanders take center stage in the New York sports landscape for this locked up, I think it’s really good medicine for this group, this region, the playoff run Island, the organization, everything."

Before Game 5, Trotz discussed how much fun he is having. "I'm probably a lot more relaxed during the playoffs than I am in the regular Updated June 21, 2021 5:42 PM season," he said, "which seems probably strange to people."

By Neil Best He said the trick is to enjoy it and embrace it. Islanders fans seem to be taking his advice. The rest of the local sports world has taken notice, too.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 06.22.2021 Let’s be honest, dear reader: There are more people on Long Island who care passionately about the Mets or Yankees than about the Islanders.

But this also is true: The Islanders have not been this well-positioned in nearly 40 years to capture the attention — and support — of New York- area sports fans who do not normally follow them, or hockey in general.

The Rent-a-Nets’ shocking second-round playoff ouster by the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night left only three local teams from the NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL still in season, and only one of them is in the thick of a playoff run.

The Islanders did get within two victories of a Stanley Cup Final last year, which is where they find themselves on Monday night entering Game 5 of a Cup semifinal against the Lightning in Tampa.

But this time is different. In 2020, the Lightning were up 3-1 after four games before the Islanders won Game 5, then fell in Game 6. Now they are tied 2-2 going into Game 5.

The biggest difference is the fact both teams are playing in mostly full home arenas. Last time, they met before no fans in Edmonton – a 38- hour drive from Nassau Coliseum and 41 from Amalie Arena.

Add to that the ongoing story of the Islanders’ final season at the Coliseum, which gives international media a narrative hook, and it is all the better.

The Islanders even are getting support from elsewhere on the local hockey scene. No, not from Rangers fans! But most Devils fans are rooting for the Lou Lamoriello/Travis Zajac/Kyle Palmieri/Andy Greene Islanders.

The timing has been spectacular for the Islanders’ business operation, given that they have been busy selling tickets to UBS Arena, and got the best possible promotional vehicle: winning.

Andrew Gross is joined by Neil Best and Colin Stephenson to discuss the Isles' 8-0 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup semifinals and then look ahead to Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum on Wednesday.

The team announced on Monday that it had sold out general admission season tickets for 2021-22.

For a franchise that forever struggles to be noticed outside its hard-core base, it does not get better than this.

"Each team, I think, in this area has a very tight-knit fan base," Scott Mayfield said on Sunday when asked about the Islanders being the last playoff team standing.

"You look our group that we have of our fans, they’ve gone through a lot, and I think they’re always out there supporting us whether we have a down year or whether we’re in the semifinals, like this year.

"So I don’t give too much thought to it, but yeah, it’s nice to play deep into the postseason. That’s why we play. I think we’re all enjoying it, and I think the fans are enjoying it."

Coach Barry Trotz on Sunday recalled how during the bubble playoffs there was talk of how much fun it would be to mount one last run at the Coliseum itself.

"We’ve gotten that opportunity to do that, and it’s everything that we thought it would be," he said.

Trotz said he feels it and hears it when he runs errands, whether stopping for coffee or filling up his gas tank.

"People are coming over and talking about wishing us good luck," he said, "but what they start talking about is their experience growing up in the Coliseum, going to games with their parents, grandparents or their 1216247 New York Islanders It could be a $5,000 fine and time served — meaning the ejection was enough punishment. You must also wonder if Barzal plays whether a Lightning player will demand retribution in the form of a fight; taking Barzal off for five minutes in a huge Game 6 would count as a win no How do Islanders get past blowout loss? Faith, hope, love and ‘Ted matter who does it, since it ain’t going to be Brayden Point or Nikita Lasso’ Kucherov.

Love (showered down from the Isles faithful)

By Arthur Staple Jun 22, 2021 If there were ever a game that needed the fans to be relentlessly loud and intense, it’s Wednesday. The Islanders closed out the Penguins and

Bruins with strong Game 6 performances at the Coliseum. Now, they’ll The last time the Islanders had to sit on an awful playoff result was need a huge game just to keep the series going for one more in Tampa. against this very same team in the very same round of the playoffs just There’s no doubt the Isles fans will bring the noise Wednesday. nine months ago. The circumstances were very different — the Islanders, Whether it affects the Lightning may not matter. As long as the Islanders having closed out the Flyers in seven games in Toronto to reach the take strength from being at home and hearing those lovable fanatics conference finals, flew all day to the Edmonton bubble and hit the ice the scream themselves hoarse, then it will be a real game, not what we all next night for Game 1 — but the outcome was basically the same. watched Monday. That 8-2 loss under what coach Barry Trotz called “unfair” circumstances Lasso put the Islanders on their heels and, though they played the rest of the series close, they never really recovered. Trotz is a fan of “parking” bad games. It’s unlikely he’ll make any reference at all to Game 5 since his team long ago became aware of how The Isles better recover quickly from Monday’s 8-0 hammering by the it needs to play. Lightning in Game 5 of this year’s semifinals. Game 6, possibly the last game of this season and the last game ever at Nassau Coliseum, comes Trotz is also a fan of “Ted Lasso,” the Apple TV+ series about an Wednesday. If the Islanders aren’t ready to blow the roof off the joint, this American football coach hired to run an English football club. So maybe will be a disappointing end to another thrilling season. Trotz will only show one clip to his team before Game 6, one that will let his players know what to do with the memories of Game 5. Some thoughts on how to put this ugly one behind them and focus on the first win-or-go-home game of this postseason: The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 Faith (in their system)

There was so little “Islander hockey” in Game 5 that even the Lightning could have been lulled into a state of satisfaction. How else do you explain eight odd-man rushes and nine scoring chances off the rush in the first period alone? Tampa Bay got zero rush chances in Game 1 as well as zero odd-man rushes.

The Islanders have been a resilient bunch under Trotz and will be sorely tested Wednesday. His players can believe that an 8-0 loss is the same as a 2-1 triple-overtime crusher, but Tampa Bay’s second line got going Monday and if the Lightning continues to create that much havoc with each of their two best lines, the Islanders will have problems, even ones not of their own making like they had in Game 5.

“I know our group,” Trotz said. “We’ll be ready.”

Perhaps when no one acquits himself well in such a big game, it is easier to move beyond it. But the Islanders have to hold serve at home and then try to win Game 7 on the road against a team that hasn’t lost consecutive playoff games in two years.

Hope (that Mathew Barzal doesn’t get suspended)

Whatever you may think of playoff officiating in the NHL this year, there was no doubt that Barzal earned his major and game misconduct for cross-checking Jan Rutta at the end of a second period in which the Isles’ frustration boiled over nearly all the way through. It was completely out of character for Barzal and for his team, which had already taken three minors, two clearly because of how the game was going (Cal Clutterbuck’s too-hard shove in the back on Ondrej Palat and Kyle Palmieri’s obvious trip on Blake Coleman).

Barzal had a couple of words with Rutta as the second neared conclusion, gave Rutta a cross-check and then a second one as Rutta put his stick up to defend himself. The second one connected with Rutta’s jaw, sending him to the ice; he didn’t return for the third and neither did Barzal, whose major was upheld on review.

Trotz said he was disappointed. “It just sort of dug it a little deeper for the guys,” Trotz said. “You have to block shots, you’re down a guy. I was disappointed in (Barzal’s) decision there.”

The bigger decision awaits. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety has a pretty clear standard on such plays. If the ejection is justified (which it was upon review) and the player in question is injured (Rutta missed the third), then there’s basis for a suspension. Barzal has a clean disciplinary record, so that will help. To think that the Isles’ most important offensive player might miss the biggest game of the season for a suspension is mind-boggling, but it’s on the table. 1216248 New York Islanders

Barry Trotz ‘Disappointed’ by Undisciplined Mathew Barzal Penalty

Published 5 hours ago on June 22, 2021By Christian Arnold

It was a penalty that the New York Islanders didn’t need to take and took their best offensive weapon, Mathew Barzal, out of the game in the midst of a blowout loss.

Barzal’s ill-timed crosscheck to the face of Jan Rutta sent the Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman to the ice in pain at the end of the second period in what would be an 8-0 loss in Game 5. Barzal has assessed a five- minute major and game misconduct for the play and had his night end early for the infraction.

Even worse, Mathew Barzal put himself in a position for the league to potentially hand down supplementary discipline for the reckless crosscheck.

“Just disappointed because it wasn’t going well and he just sort of dug it a little deeper for the guys,” Islanders head coach Barry Trotz said. “Usually what happens, the biggest concern you have as a coach when they do something like that is guys have to block shots and you lose another guy because they’re battling through it. I am disappointed in his decision there.”

The penalty opened up Mathew Barzal for at least a fine and at most a possible suspension if the league feels the play was heinous enough to warrant it. Rutta had to be looked at by a Tampa Bay trainer and did not return to the game after he took Barzal’s stick to the face.

It caused a scrum to break out on the ice as the two teams had been preparing to head back into the dressing rooms for the intermission.

When Trotz addressed the media after the ugly loss, he said the league had not contacted the organization about any supplementary discipline for Barzal’s actions.

Monday had been the Islanders’ worst performance of the playoffs and they found themselves with an uncharacteristically high 57 minutes worth of penalties when the final buzzer had sounded. The Islanders now trail the best-of-seven series 3-2 heading back to Long Island.

“It was one of those nights where you look at the things you don’t want to do,” Trotz said. “You obviously want to get off to a good start. You want to manage the puck. We didn’t manage the puck and they turned it into some transition. … The other thing you can’t do is take penalties and we those two things, in particular, you can’t do against this team.”

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216249 New York Islanders

Rapid Reaction: Islanders Self-Destruct in Game 5 Loss

Published 6 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Christian Arnold

The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the New York Islanders 8-0 in Game 5 at Amalie Arena. Tampa Bay Leads the best-of-seven series 3-2.

How it Happened: Tampa Bay scored less than a minute into the game to put the Islanders back on their heels. Steven Stamkos scored his first of the series when banged home a loose puck at the side of the net at the 45-second mark of the first period. Tampa Bay continued their assault and found the back of the net again at 11:04 of the first as Yanni Gourde scored a fluky goal in front of Semyon Varlamov’s net. After the Islanders failed to clear the puck, Gourde went to go for a pass across the crease when it hit off Islanders defenseman Andy Greene and got by Varlamov. Tampa scored its third goal of the game after a shot from outside hit off Alex Killorn and dropped into the net.

The backbreaking goal forced the New York Islanders to change goaltenders, with Ilya Sorokin coming in to replace Varlamov for the rest of the game. Varlamov made 13 saves in 15:27 of work.

Steven Stamkos scored his second of the game on the power play at 5:42 of the second period to put Tampa Bay up 4-0. It marked the second multi-goal game of the playoffs for Stamkos. The onslaught continued Ondrej Palat made it 5-0 at 15:43 and Alex Killorn made it 6-0 at the 17:53 mark.

Brayden Point made it 7-0 at 1:59 of the third period and Luke Schenn added their eighth goal at 12:05.

Sorokin made 19 stops in the loss. Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped all 21 of the Islanders’ shots on Monday.

Ugly First Period: The first goal has often dictated the winner in each game of this series so far. That didn’t change on Monday as the New York Islanders played their worst period of hockey in the playoffs and allowed Tampa Bay to score three straight unanswered goals in the opening 20 minutes. Even worse was how sloppily the Islanders play in the period, which saw them allow eight odd-man rushes in the first 15 minutes of the game alone and effectively hung Semyon Varlamov out to dry before he was mercifully pulled by head coach Barry Trotz.

By the end of the first, they were out-attempted 24-13, out-chanced 19-7 and Tampa Bay had eight high danger chances compared to the Islanders three, according to Natural Stat Trick. When it came to shots on goal Tampa Bay had 19, while the Islanders registered just five.

Undisciplined play: It was the most uncharacteristic game the Islanders have had all playoffs. New York took 57 minutes of penalty time in the Game 5 loss and got reacting to the deficit they faced rather than digging down and working their way back in the game. The most egregious penalty the Islanders took occurred at the end of the second period when Mathew Barzal crosschecked Jan Rutta in the face. Rutta was down on the ice for several minutes and Barzal earned himself a five-minute major and a game misconduct for the undisciplined play that could end up in front of the department of player safety.

Rutta didn’t return for the third period.

Up Next: Game 6 between New York and Tampa Bay is on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the Nassau Coliseum.

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Islanders Fans, Alumni get Extra Chance to Take in Nassau Coliseum at Viewing Party

Published 7 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Christian Arnold

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The New York Islanders may have been hundreds of miles away for Game 5, but there was still plenty of excitement at the Nassau Coliseum, well that was until the game actually started.

The Nassau Coliseum hosted roughly 7,200 fans on Monday night for a Game 5 watching party organized by the Islanders and Nassau County. It was the first team-sanctioned event of its kind during the Islanders’ now two runs to the Stanley Cup Semifinals and came after calls from both county executive Laura Curran and the Nassau County Legislature to host one with COVID-19 restrictions lifted in New York State.

“It’s good for our economic development,” Curran said during an interview with WRHU. “We have the UBS Arena coming, jobs, new train station coming. Real economic investment in our county. That’s good for our brand as a county. It’s good for the economy, it’s good for the spirit and it’s also good for our self-respect. It makes us feel good about being Long Islanders.”

The event drew more than just New York Islanders fans, team alumni were in attendance including Denis Potvin and John Tonelli. The latter has been at several of the Islanders’ home games during their playoff run this year along with alumni from across the team’s history.

Potvin and Tonelli were both drawn to Monday’s event to soak up as much of the Coliseum while they still can.

“Had I had to make a presentation on the ice, I would have kissed the ice,” Potvin said. “That’s how important this building has been to me. I first walked in here as a 19-year-old. Most of my teammates the same thing, we just grew up here. It’s a bittersweet situation to see it go away. It’s not going to be torn down, that’s good. The hockey part, the barn, Fort Neverlose will move and hopefully reestablished at UBS (Arena).”

Potvin added: “I would have not have missed this. Once the Bruins series was in the hands of the Islanders I had my plane ticket in hand ready to come down.”

The New York Islanders will play at least one more game at the Nassau Coliseum. They currently trail the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 in the best-of- seven Stanley Cup Semifinals series after dropping Game 5 in ugly 8-0 fashion on Monday. The Islanders need to win on Wednesday at home in order to keep hope alive for another two games at the Coliseum.

The Islanders will move to UBS Arena next season and earlier on Monday announced they had sold out of season tickets for the inaugural year at their new home.

Still, Monday’s viewing party was a stark difference from what Islanders fan and author of the book “Images of America: Nassau Veteran Memorial Coliseum” Nick Hirshon would have expected to see in the 90s.

“As long as we can keep this energy going, any event here is awesome,” Hirshon said. “I feel like we’re clinging on to every last ounce of energy we can get out of this building. Obviously, it’s so electric during the playoffs, but it really says a lot about the Islanders fan base that they can come together in such large numbers just for a watch party.

“And that it’s actually profitable for the county because the Islanders are doing so well, which growing up as a fan in the late 90s I never thought I’d see a day where they would have a watch party with this many people.”

Game 6 is on Wednesday at 8 p.m.

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Anders Lee Remains a Strong Presence Around Islanders During Playoff Run

Published 15 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Christian Arnold

New York Islanders captain Anders Lee was back out on the ice after the team wrapped up their morning skate on Monday ahead of Game 5 in Tampa Bay. While his presence on the ice was another welcomed sight for the Islanders, it was his appearance in the team dressing room prior to Game 4 that really caught everyone’s eye.

A fired-up Lee was seen on a team-produced video reading the lineup card before the Islanders 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Lee reads out the starters’ names before the video cuts to the Islanders injured captain slamming his hand against the door to fire up his teammates as he walked out of the room.

It had been a rare peek at Lee’s interaction with the team since his injury in March forced him to miss the rest of the year, including the Islanders’ second consecutive trip back to the Stanley Cup Semifinals. For head coach Barry Trotz, Lee’s presence around the team benefits everyone.

First off, it gives Lee something to keep his head straight. “I think it’s good therapy for him and good motivation for him,” Trotz said ahead of Game 5

The second advantage is the leadership that Anders Lee still brings to the dressing room. Trotz believed that he can give the players on the ice another shoulder to lean on for advice.

“With the relationship he has with that whole group, I thought it was really important for him to do the lineup calls just so you know he’s around,” Trotz said. “He gets it. He gets the part about how important it is to be someone to lean on, even if he’s not in the lineup right now. He’s enjoying it as much as they are.”

The Islanders captain is later seen in the video after the Islanders won all smiles as he congratulated Josh Bailey on his goal and watched as Ryan Pulock presented Matt Martin with the Islanders bomber jacket for his game-winning goal.

Lee has been sidelined since he got tangled up with New Jersey’s Pavel Zacha in front of the net on March 11 and his right leg hit the ice awkwardly as the two fell. Lee underwent successful surgery to repair the injury.

The Islanders have insisted that Lee will not play at all this season, but he has been spotted skating on several occasions now during the postseason. Anders Lee was first spotted working on the ice ahead of Game 5 during the Islanders series with the Boston Bruins.

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New York Islanders Sell Out Season Tickets for Inaugural Season at UBS Arena

Published 16 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Christian Arnold

A run to the Stanley Cup Semifinals in back-to-back years surely helped the New York Islanders sell season tickets to their new arena at Belmont Park. So much so that the team announced on Monday that they had sold out of season tickets for their inaugural year at UBS Arena.

Over 12,000 New York Islanders fans have purchased season subscriptions, according to a press release. Only six of the new arena’s 56 suits are still available and 250 seats are left in UBS Arena’s Dime Club, the release stated.

“Selling out season tickets is a true testament to this loyal fanbase,” Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke said in a statement. “This arena will bring the very best in both hockey and entertainment to fans across the region and we’re excited to open up the doors to the public this fall.”

Information on individual ticket sales and a season ticket waiting list will be announced at a later date.

The New York Islanders are moving into UBS Arena in the fall upon its completion. It’s expected to be done in time for the 2021-22 NHL season, although there is no firm date set for when the new building will open.

“We are so proud to have the support of these Islanders fans. They’ve responded in such overwhelming fashion,” New York Islanders Senior Vice President Sales, Service and Business Intelligence Mike Cosentino said. “This milestone marks exponential growth in our season ticket base over the last number of years. We’re looking forward to welcoming the Islanders faithful to their new home at UBS Arena in the fall.”

The $1.1 billion UBS Arena is part of a larger redevelopment project at Belmont Park. It will also include a shopping and entertainment district, hotel and community space as part of the full development of the aging state land.

The Islanders broke ground on UBS Arena in the fall of 2018.

New York is currently in the middle of a Stanley Cup Semifinals battle with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The series is even at 2-2.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216253 New York Islanders night at the Bell Centre. Fleury is perennially a fan favorite, wherever he plays. Lehner is an intense person, to the point of surly in a hockey sweater. Lehner took special motivation from the Twitter firestorm on Sunday afternoon as media and his home fans put down the decision NYHN Daily: Viewing Party at Nassau Coliseum for Game 5, Ryan and Lehner, too. (Vegas Hockey Now) Pulock Save & More Nicolas Roy scored 1:18 into overtime, and the Vegas Golden Knights evened the Stanley Cup Semifinals with a 2-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 at Bell Centre on Sunday. Roy got his own Published 20 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Stefen Rosner rebound and flipped the puck over Carey Price after Max Pacioretty skated out from behind the net and took a shot from a sharp angle.” That’s unbelievable,” said Roy, a native of Amos, Quebec, whose family The New York Islanders look to take a pivotal 3-2 series lead as they was among the crowd of 3,500. “I always dreamed about scoring at the face the Lightning in Tampa Bay. Ryan Pulock’s game-saving save on Bell Centre. Doing it in overtime in the series, the semifinals, it’s even Saturday has made it’s way into the history books as one of the best better.” (NHL) plays in New York sports history. Nassau Coliseum will host a Game 5 viewing party tonight. These stories and more in today’s daily links! Robin Lehner replaced Marc-Andre Fleury as the starting goalie and helped the Vegas Golden Knights even the Stanley Cup Semifinals with Derek Jeter’s flip in the ALDS, David Tyree’s catch in Super Bowl XLII a 2-1 overtime victory against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 at Bell and the save by Ryan Pulock in the final seconds of Game 4? A day after Centre in Montreal on Sunday. Lehner made 27 saves, one on a Pulock’s highlight-reel save on Ryan McDonagh to prevent the tying goal breakaway by Cole Caufield in the third period. (NHL) to force overtime and give the Islanders a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning, “The Save” was still the talk of Long Island. Naturally, that has NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 06.22.2021 led to discussions of where on the mantle of New York sports’ greatest moments does “The Save” belong? (NYI Hockey Now)

The New York Islanders may not return to play at the Nassau Coliseum until Wednesday, but fans will be back inside the building on Monday for a Game 5 viewing party. The Islanders announced that they would be hosting the viewing party on Sunday afternoon days after Nassau County Executive wrote an open letter to Islanders fans that one was in the works. The county legislature had also been pushing for a viewing party now that COVID-19 restrictions had been lifted across New York State. (NYI Hockey Now)

New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz has had a knack of knowing when to use a timeout during the playoffs to calm his team down. He did it against Boston when they were surging and cut a 5-2 Islander lead to a 5-4 lead in Game 5 last round and on Saturday his timeout after Tampa Bay’s second goal helped the Isles regain their form in their 3-2 Game 4 win. (NYI Hockey Now)

After Ryan Pulock’s incredible play, Arthur Staple shares an article from 2019 about how he and his family used hockey as away to battle through the tragic loss of his brother. (The Athletic)

The Islanders are just one of four teams in NHL history to face a 2-1 series deficit in at least three rounds of one playoff run. They have a chance to become the first NHL team to overcome that disadvantage to win three series if they can again rally against the Lightning in the NHL semifinals. Of course, that’s not the Islanders’ focus heading into Monday night’s pivotal Game 5 at Amalie Arena. (Newsday)

Let’s just say that Ryan Pulock’s game-saving play as the clock expired in the Islanders’ 3-2 victory over the Lightning in Game 4 on Saturday night was incredibly on-brand for the team. Because in a pivotal, must- win contest to even the Stanley Cup semifinal series before heading back to Tampa, the Islanders were able to pull out a win behind a disciplined play that took immense focus and sheer willpower. (NY Post)

In the offensive and defensive crease, the New York Islanders won more battles in their opening-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. If there was a second reason the Penguins lost in Round One to New York, the net-front battles are firmly ensconced as it. So, how will the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hextall fix the issue on the blue line? The answer currently resides in Buffalo. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

New York Islanders forward Matt Martin, one of their Game 4 heroes as they pulled even with the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning in their NHL playoffs semifinal, grew up in the 1990s in the backyard of the Detroit Red Wings in Windsor, Ontario. But much to the chagrin of his family, Martin gravitated to the Colorado Avalanche. “Joe Sakic was my favorite player and Patrick Roy was my favorite goalie,” Martin explained. “When Colorado came into the league and they went to the same team, it was a no-brainer for me. (Detroit Hockey Now)

Robin Lehner has been through enough in his career that little irritations are inconsequential. Injuries and a concussion this season predominantly handed the net to Marc-Andre Fleury by default and the Vegas flower bloomed. But after a Game 3 gaffe, head coach Pete DeBoer turned to Lehner, his other No. 1 goalie who was brilliant in the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 OT win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 on Sunday 1216254 New York Rangers The Rangers haven’t had a captain since Ryan McDonagh in 2018 and have few veterans in the lineup. Since a change in culture is what the front office is striving for, what can Gallant do to change it?

Burning Rangers questions for Chris Drury and Gerard Gallant New York Post LOADED: 06.22.2021

By Mollie WalkerJune 21, 2021 | 9:16pm | Updated

The Rangers will officially introduce new head coach Gerard Gallant Tuesday at 10 a.m., and general manager Chris Drury will address the media for the first time since he fired former bench boss David Quinn.

The press conference will not be available to stream, but highlights will be broadcasted on MSG afterward.

It’s been over a month since Drury dismissed Quinn after the first-time NHL head coach missed the playoffs for the third consecutive season. But after former president John Davidson and former general manager Jeff Gorton were let go by CEO Jim Dolan just before the conclusion of the regular season, it wasn’t a surprise Drury opted to fully clean house. Dolan made it clear he wanted a culture change within the organization, and that’s what Drury and now Gallant have been tasked with.

Here are some questions for Drury and Gallant heading into the introductory press conference:

For Drury:

Why was David Quinn not the right coach moving forward?

Quinn was brought in to oversee the development of a young Rangers squad. The former Boston University coach was rather successful in doing that, helping players like Pavel Buchnevich and Adam Fox blossom into top competitors. Why was Quinn not allowed to continue his work?

Chris Drury will be making his first comments to the media since firing David Quinn.

What made Gallant the best fit for the job?

The Rangers will be the fourth NHL team Gallant takes over, after the 57- year-old had stints with the Blue Jackets, Panthers and Golden Knights. Why was it important to get a coach with NHL coaching experience?

How has filling other positions within the organization been going?

Drury has made changes in several different departments within the Blueshirts organization, including public relations and advisory roles. What sort of qualities was Drury looking for when filling each role?

What is the next step for the organization? How does Drury plan to wrap up the rebuild?

There was seemingly a disconnect between Dolan and the former managerial tandem on what was best for the team going forward, which resulted in the Davidson-Gorton dismissals. Does the team expect to be a playoff contender next season?

For Gallant:

Why the Rangers?

As an NHL coach, Gallant has made it to the Stanley Cup Final once, with Vegas during its inaugural season in 2017-18. Does Gallant believe the Rangers are ready to be Cup contenders?

What is his approach to leading such a young team?

Quinn had the development touch and understanding of how to communicate with young talent after doing so for years at the collegiate level. How does Gallant plan to connect with the team’s youth, as well as the handful of veterans on the roster?

Gerard Gallant will be tasked with turning the Rangers into more than a promising team.

What are the Rangers missing in their game?

Much has been made of the Blueshirts lacking in leadership, physicality and grit, while having an abundance of upper-echelon talent. Does Gallant think additions need to be made in order to balance the lineup?

How does Gallant plan to change the culture? 1216255 Ottawa Senators

NIGHTMARE COMING TO AN END? Sens plan for 'full building' in October

Blair Crawford

Publishing date: Jun 21, 2021 • 13 hours ago

The Ottawa Senators are confident they’ll be playing before full crowds at the Canadian Tire Centre when the NHL season opens in October, but say they’re hoping for some assurance from the Ontario government to convince nervous fans.

“While I’m optimistic that come October we’ll have a full building, it would be helpful if we were to get a little bit more guidance from, in particular, the province,” Anthony LeBlanc, the Senators president of business operations, said Monday.

“Indicators like once we hit Phase 3 — which it looks like we’ll do this summer — that we are going to be back. That’s what we’re seeing in other jurisdictions. has already announced that they’re going to fully reopen. I think Saskatchewan announced that today. We just need to see we’re going to have the same thing,” he said.

“There is no question there are some people who are still sitting on the sidelines waiting for a little more certainty that we will have fans in the building.”

In fact, the Senators did fill the building on Monday. The Canadian Tire Centre is one of five temporary vaccination clinics now open in the city by Ottawa Public Health and LeBlanc said it has the capacity to vaccinate up to 2,000 people a day.

“If you look at a run of a week, where you have 10,000 people who are either getting their first or second dose, it’s going to help,” he said. “We’re proud to be a part of this process … We’re focusing on, ‘What will it take to bring us back to normalcy?’ And it’s mass vaccinations.”

The team is planning to re-open its offices in July and bring back some of its sales staff. Early fan interest has been encouraging, he said.

It’s been more than a year since the Senators last played before a crowd. The NHL cancelled the end of the 2019-20 season and played a shortened 2020-21 regular season in empty buildings.

That pandemic has cost NHL owners like the Senators’ dearly, he said.

“Any club, any business that’s in the business of having people in a building in large numbers, it’s been devastating. Mr. Melnyk and all the other owners in the NHL have had to subsidize some substantial losses. But that’s the nature of the business, unfortunately. Nobody planned for this to happen.”

And while Canadian teams have played a few of this year’s playoff games before limited crowds of a couple of thousand, loosened COVID- 19 restrictions in the U.S. have meant American playoff teams have been playing to sellouts.

LeBlanc said he expects Canadians fans will be able to cheer in person soon, too.

“We’re trending toward full vaccination by the end of the summer and our opinion and our planning is, that means we’re back to normal. We feel that come October, when we open the season, we should be playing in front of full buildings just like we’re seeing down in Las Vegas, in New York and Tampa … Our view is, ‘This nightmare finally appears to be coming to an end.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216256 Pittsburgh Penguins But, after being acquired near the end of the 1971-72 season, Shack had 14 points in 13 games and helped the Penguins sneak into the playoffs on the season’s last day.

Mark Madden: Beware of goaltenders handling pucks The Penguins got swept by Chicago in the first round. But back then, the revenue from those two home playoff games meant financial survival, or close to it.

MARK MADDEN | Monday, June 21, 2021 10:00 a.m. The Penguins didn’t have Gilbert Perreault or Richard Martin. Robert might not have prospered as well in Pittsburgh.

Anyway, lighten up. Buffalo has been in the NHL since 1970 and never The value of a goaltender’s puckhandling seems overrated in the NHL, has won the Cup. You got five. Quit complaining. and horribly so. It provides value but gets goalies in a lot of jams. Tribune Review LOADED: 06.22.2021 Tristan Jarry’s puckhandling was supposed be a strength. But we all remember how Game 5 against the New York Islanders turned out.

Tom Barrasso’s puckhandling saved Penguins defensemen plenty of steps from 1988-2000. But he got the team in trouble a lot, too. (That was a different time and an explosive team. If Barrasso screwed up, the Penguins just scored more. He had 31 assists for Pittsburgh.)

Puckhandling gaffes have produced two huge moments in Marc-Andre Fleury’s career.

One cost Canada the World Junior Championship in 2004. The other gifted Montreal’s Josh Anderson a tying goal at 18 minutes, 5 seconds of the third period in Game 3 between Vegas and the Canadiens on Friday night. Montreal won 3-2 in overtime.

Fleury was benched in favor of Robin Lehner for Sunday’s Game 4. Vegas won 2-1 in overtime. The series is tied at two games apiece.

Sadly, Fleury’s mistakes will help define his career, just like his save on Nicklas Lidstrom that ended Game 7 and won the Stanley Cup at Detroit in 2009.

If you look at goaltenders’ puckhandling in the long term, risk may not equal reward.

The best puckhandling goalie of all-time was New Jersey Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur.

But Brodeur was the best shot-stopper, too. That job comes first.

Between Brodeur’s stick skills, his save-making and New Jersey’s overwhelming defensive nous during Brodeur’s tenure, it’s easy to forget how boring the Devils were. That’s because it’s easy to forget everything about those Devils, their three Stanley Cups duly noted.

It was a classic case of efficiency over entertainment. But a team that has its victory parades in a parking lot has little to risk in that regard. As Gertrude Stein might say, there is no there there.

Fleury’s latest mistake has inflamed debate over his time in Pittsburgh yet again.

Fleury has polarized the Penguins’ fan base like no other player. Each faction lurks until he plays poorly or well, then jumps out of the shadows to call him a “choke artist” or proclaim that then-GM Jim Rutherford should have kept him instead of Matt Murray in 2017.

Fleury is doubtless prone to the occasional mind-numbing error. His stop against Lidstrom in 2009 is a microcosm of his career: A wondrous stop preceded by spilling a juicy rebound.

But Fleury is a Hall of Famer. If Vegas wins the series with Montreal, it’s like Friday night’s error never happened. (Unless Fleury doesn’t play again in these playoffs.)

For a fan base that’s enjoyed five Stanley Cups, Penguins supporters too often look back in anger.

Rene Robert was a member of Buffalo’s famed “French Connection” line in the ’70s. When Robert suffered a heart attack last week, a few Penguins fans on Twitter pointed out Robert’s brief tenure in Pittsburgh (49 games) and ranted that the March 4, 1972, trade that sent Robert to Buffalo for winger Eddie Shack was “one of the worst trades in NHL history.”

Imagine hyperventilating over a trade made almost 50 years ago. Then- GM Jack Riley — a great man — passed away in 2016. Too bad he is not still alive to berate.

Robert racked up 552 points in 524 games with Buffalo. Shack had 59 points in 87 games with the Penguins. 1216257 Pittsburgh Penguins Given how much wear and tear he has seen in his role as well as the fact that he’ll turn 30 on Sept. 6, it’s fair to wonder what Dumoulin might still have left to contribute at this level, especially considering he has missed 56 of a possible 125 games over the past two regular seasons. Penguins A to Z: When healthy, Brian Dumoulin remains as reliable as ever But when he’s healthy, Dumoulin remains as reliable as ever.

Tribune Review LOADED: 06.22.2021

SETH RORABAUGH | Monday, June 21, 2021 9:07 a.m.

With the Penguins in the midst of their offseason, the Tribune-Review is looking at all 49 players currently under NHL contracts to the organization in alphabetical order, from mid-level prospect Niclas Almari to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

Brian Dumoulin

Position: Defenseman

Shoots: Left

Age: 29

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 207 pounds

2020-21 NHL statistics: 41 games, 14 points (four goals, 10 assists)

Contract: Fourth year of a six-year contract with a salary cap hit of $4.1 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in 2023.

(Note: Dumoulin’s contract contains a modified no-trade clause that allows him to submit a 10-team no-trade list.)

Acquired: Trade, June 22, 2012

2020-21 season: There is a before and after to Brian Dumoulin’s season.

As in before he was injured and after he was injured.

From the season opener on Jan. 13 to the moment he was injured on Jan. 26, Dumoulin looked much like the same player who labored through the late stages of the 2019-20 campaign after he suffered a serious left ankle injury in November of 2019.

Dumoulin’s suspected knee injury suffered this past January sidelined him for 15 games. By the time he returned, he appeared to be a much different entity on the ice.

Back in the lineup by March 6, Dumoulin was reunited with his regular partner, Kris Letang, and routinely drew assignments against the opposition’s top lines. Not coincidentally, the Penguins enjoyed a season-best six-game winning streak upon Dumoulin’s return.

Overall, Dumoulin was second on the team with an average of 22:21 of ice time per game. Additionally, he was the team’s top penalty killer as he led the Penguins with 2:45 of short-handed ice time.

And while no one will ever confuse him with Larry Murphy, Dumoulin’s offensive production enjoyed a bit of a boost as he averaged a career- best 0.34 points per game. He even managed to break into the Penguins’ top 100 career scorers after eight seasons with the franchise.

In the postseason, Dumoulin appeared in six games and recorded two assists while absorbing plenty of abuse from the New York Islanders.

The future: After a third consecutive quick exit from the playoffs, there has been a fair amount of speculation over which players the Penguins may part ways with in the name of breaking through their futility.

Dumoulin appears to be nothing close to a consideration for being jettisoned anytime soon.

When healthy, he’s one of the top defensive defensemen in the NHL and serves as a perfect counterbalance to Letang’s dynamic but risky approach. And from an intangible sense, he has elevated himself into being arguably the loudest voice in the team’s room, particularly after the relatively recent departures of team leaders such as Chris Kunitz and Patric Hornqvist.

As far as next month’s expansion draft is concerned, Dumoulin should be a lock for the list of protected players the Penguins will submit. 1216258 Pittsburgh Penguins Do you realize Philadelphia has celebrated just three championships in the past 40 years? The Eagles won in 2017, the Phillies in 2008 and the 76ers in 1983. That’s it. The Flyers haven’t won the Cup since 1975. Their championship drought is even longer than the Pirates, hard as that Ron Cook: Don't let recent Pittsburgh history fool you — it's hard to win a is to believe. championship I know your heart is breaking at the thought.

We’ve had seven parades in the past 40 years, 13 if you go back 50 RON COOK years.

JUN 22, 2021 5:35 AM We can be mad all we want. We can feel cheated if we must. But DeBoer is right. It’s brutally hard to win a championship in any sport.

We really have been spoiled. We are mad because the Penguins have been bounced from the Stanley Cup playoffs in the first round in each of the past three seasons. We can’t Post Gazette LOADED: 06.22.2021 believe they have lost 13 of their past 16 postseason games.

We feel cheated that the Steelers haven’t been to a Super Bowl since the 2010 season and haven’t won one since 2008. We hate that they won just three playoff games in the past 10 seasons.

We are so spoiled.

That realization hit me again Sunday night when the Philadelphia 76ers lost Game 7 at home to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the NBA playoffs. The 76ers were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. This was supposed to be the year they won their first championship since 1983.

I had the same takeaway after the Colorado Avalanche were eliminated by the Vegas Golden Knights in six games of their second-round NHL playoff series. Colorado won the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s best team during the regular season. This is the eighth consecutive year that the Presidents’ Trophy-winning team failed to win the Cup.

I found myself agreeing with every word that Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said after his team won the final four games to close out that Colorado series:

“It’s so hard to get to this point. Everybody talks about winning the Stanley Cup. … It’s hard to make the playoffs in this league. It’s hard to win a series.”

Don’t the three finalists for this season’s Hart Trophy as NHL MVP know it?

Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers were swept in the first round by the Winnipeg Jets. McDavid had 105 points during the regular season — 21 more than the next-highest points scorer, teammate Leon Draisaitl — but had only one goal against the Jets. The Oilers have made the playoffs just three times in McDavid’s six seasons and haven’t won the Cup since 1990.

Auston Matthews’ Toronto Maple Leafs lost in seven games in the first round to the Montreal Canadiens. Matthews had 41 goals during the regular season — eight more than the next-highest goal scorer, McDavid — but had only one goal against the Canadiens. The Maple Leafs haven’t won a postseason series since 2004 and haven’t won the Cup since 1967.

You know what happened to Nathan MacKinnon’s Avalanche. They haven’t won more than one postseason series since MacKinnon joined the team in 2013-14. He had no goals in the final five games against the Golden Knights.

Do you think McDavid, Matthews and MacKinnon are jealous of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who have won three Cups and played in a fourth Cup final? It has to be difficult for MacKinnon to train in the offseason with his close friend, Crosby. They are both from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia.

“I’m going into my ninth year next year, and I haven’t won [bleep],” MacKinnon said after the series loss to Vegas. “It just sucks.”

The 76ers can relate. They lost three home games against the Hawks, three of the final four games overall. All-Star guard Ben Simmons, who has a $177 million contract, made just 15 of his 45 free throws in the series and, by his admission, “wasn’t there offensively.” He is being vilified in Philadelphia more than Tristan Jarry was here after his playoff meltdown against the New York Islanders this spring, more than Ben Roethlisberger was after his four-interception game in the playoff loss to the Cleveland Browns in January. 1216259 Pittsburgh Penguins If Gudas is worth $2.5 million, then Ceci can set the floor there and work his way up. In 2019, Ben Chiarot signed for $3.5 million with the Montreal Canadiens, and problematic Colorado Avalanche d-man Patrick Nemeth got $2.5 million. Penguins Free Agency: What is Cody Ceci Worth? If sides compromise, the Chiarot deal is probably where Ceci lands. Ceci is solidly worth $3.5 million for a few years. Defensemen can get big contracts at 30-years-old, so a three-year deal sets Ceci up for another Published 16 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Dan Kingerski big payday and perhaps gets him past the flat salary cap, which figures to last for a few more seasons.

It was like found money—ground score. The Pittsburgh Penguins hoped Though, if someone will cough up $3.5 million, then someone will be defenseman Mike Matheson could reverse his career course. And they asked to pony up $4 million, and that team just might. signed bargain-basement free agent Cody Ceci to eat some minutes and Seattle will play a role for many teams; Seattle will take players, which provide depth. will create needs for some teams, and Seattle will take players with Injuries and merit paired Ceci and Matheson together in February. Both salary from other teams, which creates cap space for those potential were Twitter pariahs prior to their Penguins tenure. There was no buyers. shortage of complaints about Ceci’s signing after the Toronto Maple The free-agent landscape is still unknown, but we do know the UFA class Leafs fandom got done with him, and plenty of criticism of the Penguins is not exactly a bumper crop. Alec Martinez headlines the class, followed trade that brought Matheson to Pittsburgh for the very popular Patric by David Savard (30-years-old), Alex Edler (35), Jamie Oleksiak (28), Hornqvist. and Ian Cole (32). And then things clicked. Dougie Hamilton is currently involved in a sign-and-trade potential Matheson and Ceci didn’t put up career totals in the shortened 56-game scenario, but he’s a big-ticket item that won’t affect the rank-and-file season, but they did create their share of offensive pressure. In the membership. regular season, they had 55% of the high-danger scoring chances and So, what’s Ceci worth? Much of that depends on how the Pittsburgh 62% of the goals. In the playoffs, they continued their pressure with 60% Penguins play the situation, and what others thought of his rebound of the scoring chances against the New York Islanders. season. In the regular season, the Penguins were the second-highest scoring We’re projecting a three-year, $3.75 million AAV. team in the league and had a top-five goal differential. Pittsburgh Hockey NowLOADED: 06.22.2021 After an eight-year career of mostly red numbers in the plus/minus category, Ceci did set a career-best +18 and tied a career-low with only 15 giveaways in 53 games.

It wasn’t Ceci. Or Matheson. But Ceci and Matheson.

Matheson is signed for five more seasons at $4.8 million. The eight-year contract was signed as his standout rookie year.

But after a couple of down years and a few heavily criticized years in the Twitterverse, Ceci was well above board. The RHD had a career resurgence and more good press since his early days as a first-round pick and the counterbalance to Erik Karlsson in Ottawa.

Of course, if the Penguins let Ceci walk, that would open a RHD spot to add physicality.

How to Get Physicality on Penguins Blue Line: Rasmus Ristolainen

So what is Cody Ceci worth as a free agent?

The Pittsburgh Penguins have every reason to wait to sign Ceci, at least until after the July 21 Seattle Kraken expansion draft.

If the Penguins wait until after the draft, they get to protect Matheson without losing him or Ceci–because both couldn’t be protected.

Ceci scored 17 points (4-13-17) in 53 games with his big plus/minus score. In a singular season, he would command somewhere in the $4.5 million range.

However, the 27-year-old d-man has had good and bad and stretches.

“I think I’m a two-way defenseman. Kind of got away from that a little bit for (2019-20), so just looking to add that offensive side back a little more,” said Ceci said when he signed in October. “Always been pretty steady defensively and play hard, so that’ll be there.”

By the looks of the 2020 NHL free-agent market, Ceci could get P-A-I-D.

On the high end, T.J. Brodie signed a four-year deal for $20 million ($5 million AAV). Chris Tanev got a four-year deal worth $4.5 million.

On the low end of comparable defensemen, Justin Schultz earned a two- year deal worth $8 million ($4 million AAV), Radko Gudas inked for $2.5 million per season for three years, and Kevin Shattenkirk got $3.9 million per year for three years.

Ceci obviously ranked behind those players in 2020 as he got only $1.25 million from the Penguins.

After this season, the “show-me” deal Ceci signed becomes a benefit. 1216260 San Jose Sharks

Sharks re-sign Matt Nieto, get closer to satisfying expansion draft requirement

By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: June 21, 2021 at 2:28 p.m. | UPDATED: June 21, 2021 at 2:34 p.m.

SAN JOSE — The Sharks have re-signed forward Matt Nieto to a two- year contract, the team announced Monday. The deal, according to a source, carries an average annual value of $850,000.

Nieto, 28, had two goals and five assists in 28 games for the Sharks this season before he came down with a hip flexor issue, which would prematurely end his season. Nieto averaged 14:00 of ice time per game, as he was used mainly in a bottom-six forward role and as one of Sharks’ top penalty-killers.

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

By signing Nieto, the Sharks get closer to meeting their exposure requirement for next month’s expansion draft for the Seattle Kraken.

If the Sharks elect to protect seven forwards, which is likely, they’ll need to expose at least two more forwards who are signed through next season and played either 40 games this past year or 70 or more games the last two years.

The Sharks will still need to sign another forward who meets that criteria to satisfy the expansion draft requirements. Candidates include Dylan Gambrell or Ryan Donato, who are both restricted free agents.

For the July 21 expansion draft, NHL teams can protect either seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie, or eight skaters — regardless of position — and one goalie.

If the Sharks do not make any personnel changes before the expansion draft, they figure to protect Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, Kevin Labanc, Rudolfs Balcers, and newly signed Jonathan Dahlén. Balcers is a restricted free agent.

Nieto, a Long Beach native who was drafted by the Sharks in the second round in 2011, played in his 500th career NHL game on March 19. He was just the third California-born player to reach the milestone at the time, and trails only Brooks Orpik (1,053), Jason Zucker (509) and Lee Norwood (503) in games played among California natives.

BARRACUDA DEALS: The Barracuda announced one-year AHL deals for forwards Joe Garreffa, Krystof Hrabik, and Kyle Topping and defensemen Montana Onyebuchi and Nick Cicek.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216261 San Jose Sharks As for the Kraken, it’s hard to say if the extra year for Nieto is a benefit or a deterrence. It depends on how much they like him.

But it certainly could the former: Nieto’s trade value, a la Barclay Making Sense of Nieto Re-Signing Goodrow, could be higher at the Trade Deadline because of his greater cost certainty. The cap-strapped Tampa Bay Lightning wouldn’t have given San Jose a first-round pick for Goodrow if he hadn’t been locked down to a multi-year team-friendly contract, $925K each in 2019-20 and Published 9 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Sheng Peng 2020-21. This certainly helped with Tampa Bay’s team construction over the last two years.

The San Jose Sharks have re-signed Matt Nieto for two years and Now Nieto isn’t Goodrow — he’s not going to command a first-round pick $850,000 per season. — but a franchise planning for more than this season could look favorably on an established NHL winger in his prime making a little more It’s a deal that makes sense on many fronts. than the veteran’s minimum for two campaigns.

The 28-year-old winger proved to be a reliable bottom-six option last So two years should be a win-win for Nieto, San Jose, and/or Seattle. season, even playing credible top-six minutes at times. Even if Nieto’s play declines precipitously, his contract is small enough to be completely buried in the minors. And if he’s as good as expected, Winning Play: What’s Matt Nieto’s Trade Value? | SJHN+ $850K is a song for a player of his quality. At a shade over the $750K veteran’s minimum, Nieto is a good deal, and San Jose Hockey NowLOADED: 06.22.2021 at his age, there’s every reason to believe that’ll he continue his solid play.

That will be a boon for the San Jose Sharks, who didn’t boast a lot of truly dependable bottom-six forwards last year. Nieto is regarded around the league — and last year was no different — as a a playoff-caliber fourth-liner.

“On a good team, he’s a solid fourth-line player,” an NHL scout told San Jose Hockey Now in January.

That may sound like faint praise, but consider all the bottom-six forwards that the San Jose Sharks ran through last year: Rudolfs Balcers, Lean Bergmann, Joachim Blichfeld, Ivan Chekhovich, Sasha Chmelevski, Ryan Donato, Kurtis Gabriel, Dylan Gambrell, Noah Gregor, Fredrik Handemark, Joel Kellman, John Leonard, Patrick Marleau, Nieto, Stefan Noesen, Marcus Sorensen, Antti Suomela, Alexander True, and Jeffrey Viel.

I’ve named 19 forwards, and there are just two — Nieto and Balcers — that I think would be regulars on a playoff team right now. Gambrell is close, but there are also better fourth-line center options than him out there.

Beyond Nieto’s quality as a player, he also helps the San Jose Sharks fulfill expansion draft requirements. The Sharks need to expose two forwards who meet these demands:

Under contract for 2021-22

Played in 27 or more NHL games in 2020-21 or in 54 or more NHL games in 2019-20 and 2020-21 combined

At the moment, San Jose has just six forwards who pass these bars — Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Timo Meier, Tomas Hertl, Kevin Labanc, and Nieto — but I’d expect unsigned RFAs Balcers and Gambrell to join this group shortly.

If the Sharks protect seven forwards, as expected — Couture, Kane, Meier, Hertl, Labanc, Balcers, and Jonathan Dahlen is our best guess right now — Nieto and Gambrell will meet exposure demands up front.

Of course, it seems counterintuitive: If Nieto is so good, why would Doug Wilson expose him? But Nieto isn’t better than Couture, Kane, Meier, Hertl, Labanc, or Balcers, and Swedish import Dahlen has more upside.

So between Nieto and Gambrell — safely assuming the Seattle Kraken pass on other likely-exposed Sharks Radim Simek and Martin Jones — the winger Nieto is probably the more reliable player, but the centerman Gambrell is younger and plays a more valuable position. I think San Jose would be happy to keep either.

On the other hand, the San Jose Sharks have three other free agent forwards who meet exposure requirements — Sorensen, Marleau, and Donato — and I’d guess San Jose doesn’t want to end up with any of them next year.

Finally, why two years for Nieto?

It’s a plus for Nieto — the UFA gets another guaranteed year that he might not get on the open market — but at a minimal risk for the San Jose Sharks. Once again, the winger is just 28 and a proven NHL forward, and an extra year probably keeps him from testing the market. 1216262 San Jose Sharks

OTR: Sticker Shock, GMs Gasp At Sabres’ Trade Ask For Eichel

Published 9 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Jimmy Murphy

The asking price on the NHL trade market for Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel has gotten to the point where rival NHL executives are questioning how Sabres GM Kevyn Adams is approaching the Eichel sweepstakes.

In this week’s ‘Off The Record,’ a rival NHL executive got specific and vented about Buffalo’s Eichel trade ask. The source described it as ‘just crazy!’

Look for the Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues to mix it up on the NHL trade market. Arizona could do a lot more than deal captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson. However, if they want Eichel too, they will need to acquire a first-round pick, as they have none in next month’s NHL Entry Draft.

The dance has begun.

And, Boston Bruins President Cam Neely raised some eyebrows with his recent praise of former Boston Bruins and current Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton. That has some wondering if the Bruins would enter the expanding NHL trade market for Hamilton, who can become an unrestricted free agent on July 28.

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216263 San Jose Sharks

ony Ferrari on Why Wallstedt Can Be Game Changer for Sharks

Published 17 hours ago on June 21, 2021By JD Young

Kyle and JD have on Tony Ferrari of Dobber Prospects to look at perhaps the best prospect in the entire draft, goalie Jesper Wallstedt. We discuss his stats, then get into what makes Wallstedt so special, what his timeline to the NHL is (9:30), and why he could solve the San Jose Sharks’ goaltending problems for the next 15 years (13:00). We end the show by looking at all of the potential landing spots for Wallstedt and some other draft rumors (21:00).

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216264 Seattle Kraken

JT Brown retires from NHL, joins Seattle Kraken broadcast

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

JUNE 22, 2021 12:09 AM

The Seattle Kraken have hired former NHL forward JT Brown as the television analyst for their inaugural season, the team announced Monday.

Brown has not played in the NHL since the 2018-19 season with Minnesota. He spent the past year playing with Bjorkloven in Sweden. His announcement that he is joining the broadcast team in Seattle was made simultaneously with his announcement that he's retiring from playing.

Brown will be paired with veteran television announcer John Forslund on Kraken broadcasts.

“It was a big decision to hang up my skates, but one that was made easier by the opportunity to work alongside John Forslund for the Seattle Kraken,” Brown said. “I am excited for the opportunity to continue my career within the hockey world and to join an organization that is dedicated to making forward progress within the sport, and I look forward to the ability to make a lasting impact on the game I’ve loved for over 25 years.”

Brown spent parts of seven seasons in the NHL with Tampa Bay, Anaheim and Minnesota. His best season came in 2015-16 when he had career highs in points, games and ice time with the Lightning.

Off the ice, Brown has been a major supporter of increasing diversity and inclusion in hockey. Brown has supported the “Black Girl Hockey Club” that works to make hockey more inclusive for Black women and girls, and has used his presence as a Twitch streamer to raise funds for the NHL’s “Hockey is for Everyone” campaign.

Brown was named to the NHL’s “Fan Inclusion Committee” in 2020.

Brown made headlines in 2017 when he raised his fist during the national anthem during Tampa Bay’s first road game in an effort to highlight racial inequality. It was believed to be the first known demonstration of any kind during the anthem in an NHL regular-season game. Brown later said he received death threats after the demonstration.

“Off the ice, JT’s values and dedication to the community reflect our own and we know he will be a great addition,” Kraken CEO Tod Leiweke said.

News Tribune LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216265 Seattle Kraken within months of retiring. Now, Olczyk and Sharp are two of the most prominent analysts in the sport, while Fox is one of the most tenured.

“I think there are a lot of things I have done throughout my career – JT Brown’s path to becoming the Seattle Kraken’s TV color analyst Twitch included – that will help me in this role and career path,” Brown explained. “It is going to be a learning curve for myself and having someone like John teach and help me through the process is going to make it easier. Multitasking while talking to fans while playing games is By Ryan S. Clark Jun 21, 2021 another way of putting yourself out there and putting yourself in those situations. … It helps that the hockey side, I have that down pretty good! It is the other side that will take time to learn and a lot of the work I will It was hinted at for several months that the Seattle Kraken wanted to have to put in before the season, during the season and that is on the make a bold hire when finding a color analyst to pair with play-by-play other side. I talk about John being one of the best at what he does. To broadcaster John Forslund. And now that plan has been made public. have him as a mentor in this stage, it helps.” The Kraken announced Monday that J.T. Brown, the veteran NHL winger, will be the first television color analyst in franchise history. The Kraken got an idea of what a Brown-Forslund partnership would look like when they did a screen-test together. Brown said it was done through Brown, who turns 31 on July 2, also confirmed to The Athletic that he has Zoom and the experience itself was unlike anything he had ever done. officially retired from playing professional hockey. What helped is Brown knew the score of the game along with some of the details as he and Forslund were doing their mock broadcast. Brown “I think every athlete in this situation has to think they are not going to said playing hockey the last 20 years meant he has never had a “job play forever,” Brown said. “We want to play until the wheels fall off and interview” and that the screen-test came with its own pressure. you have to look at your next move and the next chapter you are going to write. This opportunity was brought to me and I am big at looking at Now he wants to wait until the Stanley Cup playoffs are done so he can things. You look at the pros and cons, and going through the checklist of re-connect with Forslund, who is NBC’s lead play-by-play voice for those playing or making the decision to retire. I thought this was a good nationally televised games. In the meantime, Brown is watching games opportunity to make the transition from playing hockey and into a new with a different perspective. As a player, he looked at what went right or area and one that I can excel in and then to go to the Kraken, and talking went wrong with a particular play. He is now viewing games in a more to them, and everything the organization is about and stands for is pretty nuanced and technical manner when it comes to when is the right time easy. for a color analyst to speak during the broadcast. Or trying to figure out a perfect length for analysis so it is not too little nor is it too much to where “For it being a hard and difficult decision (to retire), there were a lot of it takes away from Forslund. reasons that made sense for me and my family.” While broadcasting is going to be new to Brown, working with a partner After going undrafted, Brown quickly made his presence known during who is learning the craft on the job is familiar for Forslund. The his two seasons at Minnesota-Duluth where he won a national title. He Hurricanes hired Tripp Tracy with no experience and the partnership then parlayed his college success into a seven-year career in the NHL made them one of the best broadcasting duos in the entire sport. with the Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning. Brown spent the 2020-21 campaign in Europe playing for IF Björklöven in Adding Brown to the Kraken’s telecast also comes at a time when the the Swedish second division, the Allsvenskan. landscape within hockey broadcasting is changing. The game is gradually witnessing more people of color and women gaining a stronger Conversations around Brown’s future started months ago, with the team foothold in broadcasts. Sportsnet’s Harnarayan Singh went from “Hockey reaching out to Brown’s agent, Eustace King, who then spoke with his Night in Canada: Punjabi Edition” to one of the rising stars in the industry. client about the possibility of taking the next step of his hockey career. David Amber returned to Canada to become one of the faces of “Hockey Hiring Brown is the latest piece in the Kraken’s broadcasting team. Night in Canada” and his connection with former NHL forward Anthony Earlier this year, the club hired Forslund, while agreeing to a Stewart has made them more visible this postseason. “Hockey Night in broadcasting rights deal with Bellevue-based ROOT Sports. Then, the Canada: Punjabi Edition” has also become a home for talents such as club reached an agreement with KJR-AM 950 to be the flagship radio Amrit Gill and Randip Janda. station, which allowed the Kraken to remove the “team broadcaster” title Former NHL goaltender Kevin Weekes became the first Black analyst in from Everett Fitzhugh and publicly declare him as the team’s radio play- league history. He has since been joined by Anson Carter, Jean-Luc by-play announcer. Grand-Pierre, Jamal Mayers, Bryce Salvador and Stewart. More women The Brown-Forslund pairing was enticing to the Kraken because of the are also being featured in studio roles such as Christine Simpson and promise of what the partnership could provide. In Forslund, the former Kathryn Tappen. They’ve been joined by analysts such as Jennifer voice of the Carolina Hurricanes, the Kraken have a broadcaster with Botterill, Cassie Campbell-Pascall, A.J. Mleczko Griswold and Kendall local and national experience who can make both the uninitiated fan and Coyne Schofield. Furthermore, the NHL has seen an increase in more the die-hard fan come away satisfied. With Brown, it’s the chance to tap people of color and women serve as either in-game reporters and/or into the knowledge of someone who recently played the game to offer studio hosts in recent years. something beyond what is often heard by color analysts. The Kraken hired Fitzhugh to be the first Black team broadcaster in NHL Brown has always been regarded by media members for his history. Having both Brown and Fitzhugh has already made the Kraken approachable nature. Although, an argument could be made that what the most diverse broadcasting roster in the NHL. But there is the makes Brown’s venture into the analyst’s chair a bit more unique than possibility the team could make even more history. If Forslund is not most is the work he has done to reach this point. Brown is also known for available for a game because he will be doing national telecasts, it is his heavy involvement in gaming, which led to him streaming on Twitch, plausible Brown and Fitzhugh could be paired together and create – even a live streaming platform for gamers. if for a single game – what would be the first all-Black television broadcasting duo in NHL history. Brown initially posted shorter video clips to Twitch, which evolved into longer sessions sometimes lasting beyond four hours. During those “I think it is huge for growing the game as well,” Brown said. “I think a big streams, Brown, while in the midst of playing a game such as Call of part of that is seeing someone who looks like you. Representation Duty: Black Ops Cold War, offered analysis into items such as what an matters. I hope I can use this platform to continue what I have been opposing team’s strategy is and why it could prove to be problematic or doing and growing the game and being able to see a broadcaster successful. working for a team that will inspire another generation of people of color. It might not be the players, but a person someone who loves hockey and Dabbling in Twitch offered some insight into how Brown could fare as a they want to be in broadcasting and see someone who looks like them broadcaster. But the expectation is concerns will be raised about Brown’s doing it for a team. It was not something you set out to be, but it will lack of experience. Brown would not be the first analyst to not have definitely help in growing the game.” previous experience. The venerable Jim Fox did not have any experience before he became the Los Angeles Kings’ color analyst, a position he Brown’s career can be measured either through what he achieved within has held around 30 years. Eddie Olczyk immediately joined the the confines of the game and/or away from hockey. His time with the Pittsburgh Penguins broadcast team after his career ended. Meanwhile, Ducks, Lightning and Wild led to him scoring 23 goals and 72 points in Patrick Sharp became a studio analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks 365 games. Brown admitted that his lone regret was not winning a Stanley Cup, with his closest encounter coming during the 2014-15 season when the Lightning lost in the final in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks. Yet his most notable contribution came in 2017 when he became the first NHL player to protest during The Star-Spangled Banner. In both a preseason game and a regular-season game, he raised his fist to draw awareness to police brutality and the challenges often faced by people of color.

“I got to play in the NHL and play the game that I love for a living and I would say it was a success,” Brown said. “I played a long time in the NHL and it was probably over the average of what most players receive. I look at my career as a success. It was not all about scoring the goals but making it to the highest level and making an impact on and off the ice with the places I have played.”

The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216266 St Louis Blues But coach Red Berenson didn’t use Pettersson in any of the team’s first three games, which was a little awkward because the Gothenburg paper had a sent a reporter over to follow Pettersson around and chronicle his start in the NHL. Where are they now: Blues' Pettersson had 'best time of my life in St. Louis' The Blues got off to a 1-1-1 start, and Berenson put Pettersson in the lineup for a game with the New York Rangers in Madison Square Garden. At 10:06 of the first period, Pettersson scored on his first NHL shot on goal, in what ended as a 2-1 win for the Blues. He kept going Tom Timmermann 6 hrs ago from there. He had 37 goals and 36 assists, and he did it in 62 games and finished sixth in voting for the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year. (Peter Stastny won.) Players from Sweden have become routine in the NHL, and especially in St. Louis. When the Blues won the Stanley Cup, in 2019, they had three His points per game percentage of 0.60 is fifth-best in NHL history Swedes in the lineup for Game 7 against Boston. among rookies to appear in 20 or more games, behind Teemu Selanne, Eric Lindros, Joe Nieuwendyk and Alex Ovechkin. Pettersson had an But it wasn’t always that way. When Jörgen Pettersson came to the advantage in that he was 24 at the time and already had played six Blues in 1980, it was a big step — for him and the team. seasons for Frolunda in the top division of Swedish hockey.

“Back then, there were only 20 Swedish players in the National Hockey “Nowadays, that would be $5 million a year,” he said. League (this year there were 98),” Pettersson recently recalled from his home in Molndal, a suburb of Gothenburg in the southern part of His first Blues contract paid him $75,000 a year, with a $25,000 signing Sweden. “I never thought about coming over (to North America). It wasn’t bonus. That was a step up from his pay in Sweden, where he got $1,000 on the map. I hadn’t seen an NHL game before coming over. With my a month. type of playing hockey, nobody in Sweden thought I would have any “That was great money for me back then,” he said. success at all. I didn’t fight, I didn’t hit. There was so much fighting in the NHL back then, everyone thought I’d be home after a couple of months.” On the move

Instead, Pettersson became a star forward in St. Louis, setting a After his fifth NHL season, Pettersson was the player to be named in a franchise record for goals by a rookie, with 37. It was the first of three trade that had sent to Hartford for fellow goaltender straight 30-goal seasons he had for the Blues. and center Mark Johnson.

He averaged more than 32 goals in his five seasons in St. Louis before But Pettersson was hurt in his time in Hartford, scoring just five goals in he was traded to Hartford and then to Washington to close his NHL 23 games, and was traded in December to Washington for center Doug career before retuning to Sweden. Jarvis.

“I had the best time of my life in St. Louis,” he said. That didn’t go much better, with eight goals in 47 games. After that season, he returned to Sweden to play for Frolunda, his hometown club, Life after hockey and got a standing ovation from the fans in Gothenburg. It took him Pettersson, who turns 65 next month, is retired. awhile to recover his old form, but in his third season he had 23 goals and 30 assists to win the league points title. Post-hockey, he worked for 15 years for Callaway Golf, for the first 10 years doing custom club fittings in Sweden, Denmark and Iceland and “That was back to where I knew I could play,” he said. “It was a lot of then for the final five having a studio in Gothenburg. Golfers came to him. fun.”

That career also kept him well supplied in golf clubs, and as of late last After playing five seasons for Frolunda, he took two seasons off, and week he had played 48 rounds since April 9. His handicap is at 7.8, but returned to play two seasons in the third division before finally retiring at it’s higher than usual because he has had three surgeries over the past 38 in 1995. For three seasons, he did in-arena analysis on the three years for Viking disease. It more formally is known as Dupuytren’s scoreboard for Frolunda games. disease, an affliction in which people can’t bend their fingers. It’s not Though Pettersson has spent almost all of his life in Gothenburg, his time hockey related, and it’s seen most often in Nordic countries, hence its in St. Louis was special to him. name. “I had a great time,” he said. “I really liked St. Louis because for me, It was hockey that got Pettersson into golf. that’s America. New York and Los Angeles are different things. In St. “The top golfers from 25, 30 years ago always had a hockey game during Louis, they are Americans. ... It’s my second town.” Christmastime, and I went up for five or seven years,” Pettersson said. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 06.22.2021 “The sales manager for Callaway was a goalie there, and we became friends and he helped me. By then, I wasn’t doing anything. I had 15 great years with Callaway.”

Good days in St. Louis

Pettersson had five great seasons with the Blues, excelling on a line with Bernie Federko and Brian Sutter. Pettersson got his start on a line with Wayne Babych and Blake Dunlop, where he proved he could play in the NHL. Pettersson credits Dunlop with being a key to his transition to America.

“He really took care of me when I got over there,” Pettersson said.

Pettersson came to America because the hockey writer at the afternoon paper in Gothenburg knew Blues general manager Emile Francis and recommended Pettersson to him.

“They came over and watched me, and one day I got a call asking me if I wanted to have breakfast,” Pettersson said. “They asked if I was interested in coming over to play for the Blues. Of course. They took really good care of me. They took over me and my girlfriend to come see St. Louis in the summer.”

Training camp, in Port Huron, Mich., went well, with Pettersson the top scorer — “I thought this wasn’t that tough,” he said. 1216267 Tampa Bay Lightning said. “We’ll just have to park it. We’ve just got to focus on earning the right to keep playing.”

The Lightning were 3-for-6 on the power play after scoring just two man- Statement game: Lightning rout Islanders 8-0 in Game 5 advantage goals in the first four games of the series.

Brayden Point scored Tampa Bay’s final power-play goal 1:59 into the third after Islanders forward Mathew Barzal was given a five-minute By Eduardo A. Encina cross-checking major and game misconduct at the end of the second for his hit on Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta. Published Yesterday Point’s score, his league-leading 13th of the postseason, gave him goals Updated 4 hours ago in eight straight playoff games, which is the second-longest streak in NHL history. Philadelphia’s Reggie Leach scored in 10 straight in 1976.

TAMPA — The Lightning are a proud group. When they don’t play well, Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy had 21 saves for his fourth they get a little angry. And that’s what seemed to happen following an career postseason shutout, and third of these playoffs. ugly second period of their Game 4 loss two nights ago on Long Island. Sign up for Lightning Strikes, a weekly newsletter from Bolts beat writer Tampa Bay nearly came back in the third period of that game, coming Eduardo A. Encina that brings you closer to the ice. one remarkable diving save away from sending it to overtime. And that Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida momentum — and determination — carried into Monday’s Game 5 on college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on home ice. Twitter and Facebook. The Lightning’s most tightly contested series of the past two postseasons Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 turned lopsided — at least for one night — as the Lightning not only beat the Islanders, they dismantled them in an 8-0 rout before 14,791 at Amalie Arena.

“We’re a proud group, and it wasn’t in our DNA for that to happen,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said about the second period of the team’s 3-2 loss in Game 4. “I think our response in Game (4), although we fell short, I thought it carried over to tonight. And the boys built off the momentum.

“We didn’t want to sit here (in this situation), just because we were really disappointed in the loss the other night. We wanted to be able to come home and end the series tonight and not have to keep building. Love the effort, but in the end it’s one win. And regardless what you win by, it’s the win that matters, not the how much.”

The Lightning’s final tally was their most goals in 27 postseason games — since an 8-2 Game 1 win over the Islanders in last year’s Eastern Conference final. And now the Lightning are one win from their second straight Stanley Cup final. They can close out the Islanders and end their run at Nassau Coliseum Wednesday night.

Over the past four periods, they’ve outscored the Islanders 10-0.

The Lightning continued their remarkable streak of rebounding after a loss, improving to 12-0 when coming off a defeat over the past two postseasons.

“That second period (of Game 4) was probably one of the worst we’ve had,” said forward Yanni Gourde, who scored one of the Lightning’s three first-period goals. “We wanted to make sure that it doesn’t happen again, that it doesn’t repeat itself. I think this is the way our group is built. We have a lot of maturity, a lot of leadership in this group. And when things like that happen, I think we take a lot of pride in having a bounce-back.”

The Lightning’s second forward line, which hadn’t scored a goal this series entering the night, scored on their first shift of the game 45 seconds in as Steven Stamkos put in a rebound of Alex Killorn’s shot from the slot. Stamkos and Killorn scored two goals apiece on the night.

“We played really well in all the zones. I really liked the way we broke the puck out,” Killorn said. “Guys were skating, we were winning battles to pucks on the forecheck. The first one, kind of a fortunate bounce for us, but I think when you work hard and you do the right things, those bounces kind of come your way.”

The Lightning created several turnovers in their three-goal first period, leading to eight odd-man rushes in the period. Gourde scored Tampa Bay’s second goal after Blake Coleman took the puck away from Leo Komarov near the New York blue line, creating a two-on-one breakaway. Gourde’s shot went off Islanders defender Andy Greene and past goaltender Semyon Varlamov.

Killorn’s first goal with 4:33 left in the first sent Varlamov to the bench for a goaltender change. Varlamov, who allowed two goals per game in the series entering the night, allowed three goals in the first 15:27 of Game 5.

“It was one of those nights where we couldn’t do anything right, it didn’t go our way and it just was a tough one,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz 1216268 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Jan Rutta shaken up after cross-check to head

By Mari Faiello

Published Earlier today

Updated 5 hours ago

TAMPA — Everything went the Lightning’s way through the first two periods of Game 5 Monday night. Until the last few seconds before the final intermission, that is.

Tampa Bay led the Islanders 6-0 through 40 minutes, but already down defenseman Erik Cernak — missing from the lineup with an upper-body injury — the team ended up losing Jan Rutta, as well.

At the end of the second period, Rutta was skating in front of the team benches, jawing with Islanders forward Mathew Barzal.

Barzal made the first cross-check before Rutta reciprocated. Then Rutta took the hit to the head.

Scrums ensued on both sides as Lightning players stuck up for their teammate. Rutta immediately was tended to by head athletic trainer Tom Mulligan.

Upon review, officials assessed Barzal a five-minute major penalty for cross-checking and a 10-minute game misconduct for the play. Like Rutta, he was done for the game.

“I’m disappointed in his decision,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said of Barzal. “It wasn’t going well, and it just sort of dug it a little deeper for the guys.”

Cooper did not have an update on Rutta after the game.

“We don’t know yet,” Cooper said. “We’ll have to wait and see.”

Contact Mari Faiello at [email protected]. Follow @faiello_mari.

Sign up for Lightning Strikes, a weekly newsletter from Bolts beat writer Eduardo A. Encina that brings you closer to the ice.

Never miss out on the latest with the Bucs, Rays, Lightning, Florida college sports and more. Follow our Tampa Bay Times sports team on Twitter and Facebook.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216269 Tampa Bay Lightning

‘Just one more win’: Twitter reacts to Lightning’s Game 5 win over Islanders

By Mari Faiello

Published 5 hours ago

Updated 5 hours ago

If you could put an exclamation point on a boxscore, Game 5 was certainly worthy.

The Lightning cruised to an 8-0 win over the Islanders on Monday night and moved one win closer to a repeat appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.

It’s the first time in 27 postseason games that the Lightning have scored eight goals. The last time? Also against the Islanders in this round, and 8-2 Game 1 win on Sept. 7.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216270 Tampa Bay Lightning

Stanley Cup semifinal: Lightning-Islanders Game 5 live updates

By Frank Pastor

Published Yesterday

Updated 4 hours ago

Steven Stamkos and Alex Killorn scored two goals apiece as the Lightning crushed the Islanders 8-0 in Game 5 of their Stanley Cup semifinal series Monday at Amalie Arena.

Brayden Point scored for the eighth consecutive game, and Yanni Gourde, Ondrej Palat and Luke Schenn also scored for Tampa Bay, which took a 3-2 series lead and moved to within one win of returning to the Cup final.

Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy made 21 saves to pick up his fourth career playoff shutout and improve to 12-0 in games following losses since the start of the 2020 postseason.

We can only wonder what might have happened had Ryan Pulock not dove in front of an empty net to stop Ryan McDonagh’s backhand shot in the closing seconds of Game 4 Saturday in New York.

The Lightning had all of the momentum at that point in the game, and a last-second goal would have been demoralizing for the Islanders. So it’s not unreasonable to think the Bolts might have gone on to win in overtime.

But Pulock did make the save, and Tampa Bay and New York are tied at 2 entering Game 5 tonight at Amalie Arena, their Stanley Cup semifinal series now down to a best-of-three.

Despite the loss, there’s a lot the Lightning can take out of the third period of Saturday’s game, when they rallied from a three-goal deficit to nearly tie the score in the final seconds, and carry into tonight.

They upped their compete level to match the Islanders’ desperation, got more pucks behind New York’s defensemen, took better care of the puck, won more one-on-one battles and improved their overall execution.

Do those things from the start tonight, and they’ll grab a 3-2 lead in the series. Teams that win Game 5 after a best-of-seven semifinal series is tied at 2 go on to win the series more than 75 percent of the time.

The Lightning have won 11 consecutive games following a playoff loss, including Game 2 against the Islanders in Tampa. Conversely, New York won Game 5s on the road in each of the first two rounds of the playoffs, at Pittsburgh and Boston.

So, something’s got to give. But what?

Follow our live coverage, starting at 8 p.m., as the Lightning aim to regain the series lead and move to within one win of returning to the Stanley Cup final.

There is one change to the Lightning lineup. Defenseman Erik Cernak, who left late in Game 4 after being hit hard into the end boards by Matt Martin, is out. Luke Schenn is in.

Setting the scene

No Erik Cernak tonight. Luke Schenn replacing him.

Same #TBLightning lineup in Game 5

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216271 Tampa Bay Lightning Pressed about it a few minutes later, the Lightning captain again demurred.

“I’m not going to get into that sort of stuff,” Stamkos said. “I’m out there Vintage Steven Stamkos is the best kind of Stamkos in the playoffs just like everyone else trying our hardest to win every night. At this time of the year you can go through so many different things that guys are battling through. That’s why it’s the toughest trophy in sports to win. If the guys are on the ice, that means they’re good enough to go out there and By John Romano help our team win.” Published 1 minute ago For all his success as a goal scorer in the regular season, Stamkos has never had a monster postseason. When the Lightning reached the Stanley Cup final in 2015, he was fifth on the team with seven goals in TAMPA — Time has changed the man. It has dinged his body and dulled the playoffs. And then he missed nearly the entire postseason in 2020. his stats. It has reduced his role and reshaped his game. With his two goals and assist in Game 5 on Monday, Stamkos has tied Yet through all the changes, all the rehabs, all the minor indignities that his postseason high with seven goals and is averaging a point per game are part of a superstar inevitably growing older, there are some things for the first time during an extended playoff run. that never seem to fluctuate. “Tonight, he started shooting the puck. He wanted it,” Cooper said. “He For instance, the pride and drive of Steven Stamkos? was determined tonight, and good for him.”

Oh, yeah, they’re still intact. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 If you ever had any doubts about that, the opening minutes of Tampa Bay’s 8-0 victory in Game 5 on Monday night should have convinced you otherwise. Less than 48 hours after sitting out much of the third period in the Game 4 loss to the Islanders in New York, Stamkos was flying around the Amalie Arena ice as if he were the teenager you recall from so many years ago.

He scored a goal 45 seconds into the game, set up Tampa Bay’s third goal with a takeaway in the neutral zone, scored a power-play goal in the second period and added an assist in the third.

“Stammer has played well. People just get this blanket, ‘Hey, if Stamkos isn’t scoring, he’s not contributing.’ It’s just not the case,” said coach Jon Cooper. “It’s hard to score in this league and he’s done it better than almost anybody in his generation. So I don’t think he should be fully judged on, ‘Oh, if he doesn’t score he’s not playing well.’ He’s contributing.”

Earlier in the day, Cooper had said Stamkos always delivers when the Lightning need him and that was true Monday night.

It’s odd considering they won the Stanley Cup a year ago, but this might have been the most crucial game the Lightning have played in the last two postseasons. It was the first time Tampa Bay was in danger of falling behind going into a Game 6, and so the quick lead was critical.

“It was just a matter of time,” Cooper said. “You’re not going to hold those guys down forever. For them to score on the first shift and just build off that, we knew it was coming. It was great to see, and they were pretty fired up.”

This was Stamkos playing whatever role was required of him in Game 5. After Jan Rutta quickly gained control of an Islander chip-in during the game’s first minute, he pushed the puck to Alex Killorn, who passed to Anthony Cirelli, who moved it to Stamkos.

Stamkos had room on the left side of the ice for a shot, but instead passed back to Killorn and began skating toward the net. Killorn’s shot was blocked by Adam Pelech, and the puck bounced right in front of Stamkos.

“He was feeling it,” said Brayden Point, who became only the second player in NHL history to score in eight consecutive playoff games with a third-period goal. “And when he’s feeling it, good things happen.”

Stamkos, 31, had barely been visible through the first four games of the New York series. He had a total of five shots on goal, and was 13th on the team in average ice time. Five minutes into the third period of Game 4, Stamkos was spending extra time on the bench while Yanni Gourde was skating extra shifts with Killorn and Cirelli.

Having missed most of the 2020 playoffs with a core injury, and having sat out the final month of the 2021 regular season with a lower body injury, it seemed at least reasonable to wonder if Stamkos wasn’t hurting again.

If so, the Lightning captain wasn’t offering any details.

“Good enough to play,” Stamkos grinned when asked how he was feeling Monday morning. 1216273 Tampa Bay Lightning

Jill Biden to attend Lightning vaccination event

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — First lady Jill Biden will attend a Lightning vaccination event Thursday night at Amalie Arena.

Florida residents are invited to get vaccinated at the event, as well as take shots on net from the ice, get photos taken with Lightning mascot ThunderBug and the Zamboni, and receive Lightning giveaways.

Fans can register to be vaccinated at the event here. Both the Pfizer two- dose and Johnson & Johnson one-dose vaccinations will be available at no cost through AdventHealth.

Vaccinations will be available from 4:30-6:30. Masks will be required. Biden is expected to arrive at Amalie Arena at 5 p.m.

Biden is stopping by various vaccination sites on Thursday as part of the Biden administration’s efforts to encourage everyone to get vaccinated. She will be visiting a drive-through vaccination site in Kissimmee earlier in the day.

Earlier in the postseason, the Lightning offered ticketed fans the opportunity to get vaccinated before home playoff games at Amalie Arena through their Together Tampa Bay program.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216274 Tampa Bay Lightning

Former Lightning assistant GM Tom Kurvers dies from lung cancer

By Associated Press

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild and former Lightning assistant general manager Tom Kurvers died Monday after a battle with lung cancer, the Wild and University of Minnesota-Duluth said. He was 58.

Following his playing career, Kurvers began as a Coyotes scout, then joined the Lightning and helped build a Stanley Cup-winning team before moving on to the Wild. He was diagnosed in January 2019 with adenocarcinoma, a small cell lung cancer that was deemed inoperable.

“There are a lot of terrific people in the hockey world, but Tom stood out as the nicest, kindest and most humble,” Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois said. “He was grateful for all the good that happened in his life and was eager to give back. He was very generous with his advice and very insightful. I know Tom mentored many people throughout hockey, and I was privileged to be one of them.”

Kurvers had served as Minnesota’s assistant general manager since 2018. Minnesota-Duluth athletics spokesman Brian Nystrom said the hockey program there was informed of Kurvers’ death by Kurvers’ family. The Wild said Kurvers died at his home Monday morning.

Kurvers won the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player at Minnesota Duluth in 1984. He played 11 NHL seasons from 1984-1995 with the Canadiens, Sabres, Devils, Maple Leafs, Canucks, Islanders and Mighty Ducks before going into management.

Kurvers was a seventh-round pick of Montreal in 1981 after his freshman season and had 76 points in leading Minnesota-Duluth to the national title during his final year there in 1984.

He was traded seven times as a player, two shy of the record. He was ahead of his time as an offensive defenseman, putting up 421 points in 659 regular-season NHL games.

In front offices, Kurvers became a mentor to other executives.

“Tom’s passion for and success in hockey could only be surpassed by the love and optimism he shared with his family and friends each and every day,” the Wild said in a statement. “Tom’s kindness and enthusiasm will be greatly missed by the countless number of people on whom he had a positive influence throughout his life.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216276 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Steven Stamkos on his health: I’m ‘good enough to play’

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — At this point of the postseason, no player feels 100 percent, health-wise. And as much as has been made of Nikita Kucherov’s return from hip surgery that sidelined him for the entire regular season, captain Steven Stamkos’ health as he’s returned from a lower body injury that forced him to miss the final month of the regular season has mostly gone unnoted.

Asked before Monday night’s Game 5 against the Islanders how he has been feeling physically, Stamkos said he’s “good enough to play,” which is not exactly a ringing endorsement that he’s playing pain free.

“I’m not gonna get into that sort of stuff,” Stamkos said when asked whether he’s been limited. “I’m out there, just like everyone else, trying our hardest to win every night. So at this time of the year, you could go through so many different things that guys are battling through. That’s why it’s the toughest trophy in sports to win. So if the guys are on the ice, it means that they’re good enough to go out there and help our team win and that’s our goal.”

Stamkos has five goals and nine assists in 14 postseason games, but nine of his 14 playoff points have come on the power play. And he has no goals and just one assist in the first four games of the semifinals, in part because the Lightning power play hasn’t been on the ice nearly as much against the Islanders as it was in the previous two series.

“I think we saw that for sure in the first series, the power play was zipping around it and carried through into the second series,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said of Stamkos’ early playoff production. “We’ve been getting contributions from everybody. And that’s how you get to where we are now and Stammer’s no different. When we needed him, he’s delivered for us.”

While the play of the Lightning’s second line of Alex Killorn, Anthony Cirelli and Stamkos has been pivotal this season, they have no points this series in 5-on-5 play. Goals have been at a premium throughout the semifinals, with just 17 scored in four games.

“Everyone wants to go out there and produce at this time of the year and each round it gets tougher and tougher, and the checking becomes tighter as you get closer to the final,” Stamkos said. “Of course you want to go out there and produce and help your team win so that that doesn’t change whether it’s Game 1 of the season or it’s going to be Game 5 of the semifinals right now. It is tough out there but we’re not sitting here saying that it’s too tough.”

As for Stamkos, his ice time has decreased. Over the past six games dating to a two-goal, one-assist performance in Game 4 against Carolina, he’s averaging 13:56 of ice time, compared to 17:12 over his first nine postseason games. Stamkos played 12:05 in Saturday night’s Game 4, his lowest ice time of the playoffs.

Last postseason, Stamkos missed all but 2:47 of the Lightning’s Stanley Cup run — though he scored one of the biggest goals of the playoffs in Game 3 of the finals against Dallas — and needed surgery in the offseason to correct a nagging core muscle injury.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216277 Tampa Bay Lightning Scoring first gives a team confidence, allows it to play its game rather than having to chase the score and helps to silence crowds on the road.

Scoring First in Lightning-Islanders Series 5 things Lightning need to do to pull out Islanders series Game # Player Who Scored First Result

Game 1 on June 13 Mathew Barzal 2-1, Islanders By Mari Faiello Game 2 on June 15 Brayden Point 4-2, Lightning Published Yesterday Game 3 on June 17 Yanni Gourde 2-1, Lightning Updated Yesterday Game 4 on June 19 Josh Bailey 3-2, Islanders

Stay heavy on the forecheck It’s been awhile since the Lightning found themselves in this situation. The Lightning knew entering the series the Islanders would be physical. More than two years, to be precise. Four games in, they’re finding out just how important being strong on the Following Saturday night’s 3-2 loss in New York, their Stanley Cup forecheck is for both teams. semifinal series against the Islanders is tied at 2 heading to Game 5 A heavy forecheck wears down a defense and allows a team to gain Monday at Amalie Arena. It’s the first time Tampa Bay is 2-2 after four possession of the puck and extend its time in the offensive zone. games of a postseason series since the 2018 Eastern Conference final against the Capitals. “I think we’ve been doing a good job,” Lightning forward Pat Maroon said. “There’s been times where we’ve sustained a really good forecheck, and After being swept by the Blue Jackets in the opening round in 2019, they there’s been times where the Islanders have sustained a really good jumped out to a 3-1 lead in six consecutive series over the past two forecheck. So it’s two really good forechecking teams going at it head-to- postseasons. head.” As Lightning forward Tyler Johnson said after Game 4, it’s a best-of-three Defense scoring series now. When the Lightning needed their defensemen to step it up on the Here are five things the Lightning need to do to pull out the series and scoresheet, Jan Rutta and Victor Hedman answered the call with goals in advance to the Stanley Cup final for a second straight season. Game 2. Score at even strength But since then, the blueliners have gone quiet again. The Lightning’s power play has been one of the league’s best this Last postseason, Lightning defensemen combined for 10 goals (seven postseason, but man-advantage opportunities have been infrequent from Hedman) and 29 assists through the first 15 games. While they against a disciplined Islanders team that knows how to stay out of the again have 29 assists this postseason, they’ve accounted for just two penalty box. goals. It’s why even-strength scoring is more important now than ever. By contrast, Islanders defensemen have contributed six of their team’s The Islanders have scored 41 goals at even strength this postseason, 51 goals (12 percent) to go with 22 assists. compared to 29 for the Lightning, while playing one more game (16 to “Sometimes it’s just a matter of luck,” Rutta said. “I mean, (Ryan 15). The teams are tied 7-7 at even strength in their semifinal series. McDonagh) had a sick play at the end (of Game 4), so I think the Game 4 marked the first time since June 5 (Game 4 against Carolina) production (can) be better. We can still take more shots instead of that Tampa Bay allowed three or more goals in a game. making that extra pass, but I think the D as a group, we’re helping the forwards create some offense.” “Both teams can play (defense), so goal-scoring’s at a premium,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “If you (give up) two or less, you have Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 a good chance to win the game. When you give up three, you’re tempting fate.”

The teams were nearly even in high-danger scoring chances at full strength on Saturday, with the Lightning edging the Islanders 8-7.

Fewer giveaways

Turnovers continue to be a sore spot for the Lightning in this series.

Tampa Bay has 45 giveaways to New York’s 38. The Lightning’s 20 in Game 4 were three more than the Islanders.

The giveaways have been costly. Steven Stamkos’ ill-advised cross-ice pass at the offensive blue line led to a Mathew Barzal goal in New York’s 2-1 win in Game 1.

In Game 4, Ross Colton couldn’t control a pass from defenseman Erik Cernak in the neutral zone, feeding the Islanders’ transition and setting the stage for Josh Bailey’s opening goal.

The Lightning know they can’t continue to give the Islanders these kinds of chances, so puck management will be a key as the series progresses.

“We just turned it over way too many times,” Cooper said. “You just realize how precious every period is and every shift is, and it’s one of those, if you do bend you can’t break, and in that second period we broke and it was a little self-inflicted.”

Score first

If this series has shown anything, it’s the importance of getting on the scoreboard first. In all four games, the team that opened the scoring won. 1216278 Tampa Bay Lightning

How video review failed the Lightning in Game 4

By Eduardo A. Encina

Published Yesterday

Updated Yesterday

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — When Lightning coach Jon Cooper has challenged a call this season, he’s usually been proven right.

But when the Tampa Bay bench thought Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was offside before a late second-period goal that gave the Islanders a 3-0 lead, coaches didn’t have the usual resources at their disposal.

After Islanders forward Matt Martin scored with 2:03 left in the second period, Cooper discovered quickly that the Hawk-Eye video system that provides coaches with replays of various angles on the bench was out. The Lightning had to rely solely on the TV feeds, and from the replays USA Network initially provided it looked as though Josh Bailey hadn’t taken the puck across the blue line before Pageau entered the offensive zone.

It was only after the Lightning had made the challenge that an angle from the opposite side of the ice showed Bailey push the puck over the blue line and then back after Pageau crossed the line.

“They’re in the entertainment business, they’re not showing all the angles that need to be shown,” Cooper said. “And so we’re now relying on limited intel, and if you really look at the play your gut and everything is telling you it’s offside.

“And then once the challenge is made, like way after the fact, we get into the room and then they finally showed an angle at the end which took them forever to show. We saw that Bailey pulled in on just like a fraction of an inch and then had it off, so you know, from our vantage point, even on the angles we had on the bench, everything was offside.

“And so that’s the unfortunate part,” Cooper continued. “We didn’t get all the angles, and that can be a little bit frustrating because we had to go a little bit on gut on what shouldn’t ever have to be a gut call. It’s a black- and-white call.”

USA Network on-ice analyst Brian Boucher insisted after watching the first few replays that Pageau was offside. But then an angle from the opposite-side camera showed that Bailey brought the puck over the blue line first. Because the Lightning lost the challenge, they were penalized for delay of game, and Tyler Johnson served the two-minute penalty.

Cooper said his team killing off that penalty gave it something to build on going into the third period, when it scored two goals and had the game on Ryan McDonagh’s stick before his shot was blocked by defenseman Ryan Pulock in front of an empty net.

Cooper was 3-1 on challenges during the regular season and won all three offside challenges he made.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216279 Tampa Bay Lightning The game was still within striking distance early in the third — at 3-0 — when Stamkos essentially sealed it with a power-play goal, a classic one- timer from the left circle. As Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis tweeted afterward, he got a lot of assists in his career because of Stamkos’ ‘It was a matter of time’: Lightning captain Steven Stamkos sparks 8-0 scoring ability from there. rout in Game 5 The power play has been a major part of the Lightning’s success in the playoffs, and they now have 20 goals in 16 games (a 39 percent success clip). And it’s not that dynamic without Stamkos’ presence and By Joe Smith Jun 22, 2021 playmaking ability in the left circle. “He had the (one goal) early, and he was feeling it,” Point said. “And when he’s feeling it, good things happen.”

Brayden Point is doing things we haven’t seen since “Super Mario” and Stamkos is no longer the team’s No. 1 center, having been moved to “The Great One.” wing a few years ago. Point and Kucherov are the bigger stars and play- drivers for this team, and he’s OK with that. Stamkos still is the face of Nikita Kucherov missing the entire regular season and then leading the the franchise, the team’s vocal leader, their conscience. And after all that NHL in playoff scoring? That might be a first — for any sport. Stamkos has been through in his career, his teammates are excited to see him being able to play more than the iconic 2:47 he did in last year’s The two Lightning superstars have made it easy for their captain, Steven Cup run. Stamkos, to fly under the radar, which is pretty hard to do considering he’s one of the best goal scorers of his generation. Cooper said it’s unfair to determine Stamkos isn’t playing well because he’s not contributing offensively, that he does so many other things, from “You never know when it’s going to be your night,” he said. faceoffs to leading. “It’s hard to score in this league, and he’s done it On Monday, it was Stamkos’ night. better than almost anyone in this generation,” Cooper said. “I don’t think he should be fully judged if he doesn’t score. The day started with Stamkos taking questions on his health and his line’s lack of production, and it ended with the 31-year-old forward taking “He was determined (Monday). Good for him. He’s a hell of a player in a triumphant twirl at Amalie Arena after being named the game’s No. 1 this league, and we needed him in moments like this and he delivered.” star. Stamkos, who scored his first two goals of the semifinals series, The ‘bounce back’ sparked an 8-0 rout over the Islanders that put the Cup champs within one more win of reaching the Stanley Cup Final. The Lightning have a remarkable record after losses over the past two seasons (12-0). “It was a matter of time,” coach Jon Cooper said. “(Monday) was time.” But Tampa Bay looked like a ticked-off team Monday, and it was. And it It couldn’t have come at a better time for Stamkos, who needed this as all started after the second period of Saturday’s Game 4 loss, when the much as any player on the Lightning. Stamkos entered Monday with just Cup champs gave up three goals and looked completely out of it. five shots on goal in the first four games, including playing just 12 minutes, 5 seconds in Game 4, his lowest of the postseason. His line, “One of the worst periods we’ve had in the playoffs,” Yanni Gourde said. along with Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli, had zero even-strength “We wanted to make sure it didn’t happen again.” points. “You’re not going to hold those guys down forever,” Cooper said. The Lightning did so by getting back to their recipe, relentlessly It took just 45 seconds for Stamkos and his line to come through forechecking and using all four lines. They were winning races; they were Monday. It was their first shift, and after an Islanders turnover, Cirelli winning puck battles; they were cleanly breaking the puck out of their carried the puck in on a rush. Stamkos took a pass on the left side and zone. They said they built off a strong third period in Saturday’s loss. fed it back to the middle for Killorn, whose shot took a fortuitous bounce off Adam Pelech and right to Stamkos. “We earned everything because we played the right way,” Stamkos said. “The whole group, when we don’t play our game, we have the ability to Stamkos, with 439 career goals, doesn’t often miss a wide-open net from break down the tape, recognize what we did wrong and make the the left circle, his “office.” You could tell by Stamkos’ emphatic fist-bump corrections. That just comes with experience, which we certainly have, how pumped he was. It was an important goal, as the team that scored and maturity as a group. When we don’t play our best, we’re going to first has won all five of the games in this series. bring it the next night. It’s what we expect from (the Islanders). So we’ll have to be prepared.” “It gives you some confidence for the rest of the night,” Stamkos said. “We talked about it, our line internally; we wanted to be better, and we Don’t forget Vasilevskiy certainly were. It was great to see. Anytime something that good happens early in a game, it’s always great for a player. But, more The main reason for the Lightning’s resilience after losses is goalie importantly, it was a spark and a big jump for our team.” Andrei Vasilevskiy, who sets the tone.

Stamkos missed the final month of the regular season with a lower-body Vasilevskiy entered Monday 11-0 with a 1.49 goals-against average, a injury, returning for Game 1 of the first round, just like Kucherov. While .942 save percentage and two shutouts in starts after losses over the Stamkos has been a point-per-game player in the playoffs, with 17 in 16 past two seasons. He added another shutout Monday with 21 saves. games (seven goals), a good portion of them (11 points) have come on “It starts with our goalie,” Stamkos said. “He has this amazing ability to the power play. His minutes started to drop in this series, including bounce back, whether he plays a great game or doesn’t play great. If you logging 2:44 at even strength in the third period of a Game 4 loss. He lose, he takes that personally. He was making some big saves early, had amassed just 11 shot attempts through four games. settling us in.” It was natural to ask how Stamkos felt physically. Before this game got out of hand, Vasilevskiy came through with some “Good enough to play,” he said. key stops early in the second period on a flurry by the Islanders, getting some help from the post. Are you limited at all by an injury? Vasilevskiy has shutouts in three consecutive series-clinching games, so “I’m not going to get into that now,” he said. that’s something to watch for in Wednesday’s Game 6.

Stamkos let his play do the talking Monday, and it certainly didn’t look On Point like he was being held back. He had five shots on goal and four hits, winning 7-of-11 faceoffs. “Sometimes you have to simplify your game a Point extended his goal streak to eight straight games, putting him two off little bit, and that was the case with ‘Stammer,'” Cooper said. “(Monday), the NHL playoff record. he was shooting the puck and he wanted it. He was determined tonight, He’s in rare air, in a lot of ways. and good for him.” Only eight players have more goals in their first 60 playoff games than (via Natural Stat Trick) Point (35). Seven are Hall of Famers. You might have heard of them: Mario Lemieux (52), (46), Brett Hull (45), Maurice Richard (45), Mike Bossy (41), (40), Joe Sakic (37). This impresses Point about as much as the Zamboni taking a twirl on the ice. He’s just that humble.

“I’m not thinking about it,” Point said of his goal streak. “It’s playoff time, and personal stats don’t mean anything. It’s about wins. Our group played solid tonight and got a big win. It doesn’t happen without teammates.”

The Lightning don’t get this far without Point, who has as many goals in this year’s playoffs (13) as he did in last year’s Cup run, despite playing in four fewer games. Point is certainly putting himself in Conn Smythe consideration, and colleague Shayna Goldman and I collaborated on a video breakdown of his dynamic game, with insight from former and current NHLers.

You might not be surprised, but Point has been scoring big goals since bantam.

Banged-up blue line

The Lightning entered Monday without top right-shot defenseman Erik Cernak, who was a late scratch because of an upper-body injury suffered on a hit by Matt Martin late in Game 4. (Cernak tried to go in warmups but was replaced by Luke Schenn).

And then Jan Rutta left the game at the end of the second period after taking a nasty cross-check by Mathew Barzal, who got a five-minute major and a game misconduct (maybe potential discipline by the NHL Department of Player Safety?). Cooper didn’t have an update on Cernak or Rutta, saying he’ll have to “wait and see.”

But it opened up an opportunity for Schenn, who played a heck of a game in his first appearance since the Carolina series. Schenn logged 15:36 of ice time, four hits and two shots, coming an assist away from a Gordie Howe hat trick (goal, assist, fight). He fought Martin and got rewarded for his overall play with a goal in the third.

“Schenner played unbelievable,” Stamkos said. “He didn’t know whether he’d be in or out in warmups, and that’s kind of the hockey gods, they reward you.”

Cooper said it takes special players to sit and accept their roles, then play well when called upon. He said they expected Schenn to play at some point in this series — the veteran played a role in last year’s series win over the Islanders — and Monday was the night. “He did a hell of a job,” Cooper said.

Best line

It didn’t come from a player or coach. It came from the Amalie Arena rafters.

“You got Tampa!” Lightning fans yelled in the third period.

It was a play off Islanders fans chanting, “We want Tampa!” at the end of the previous round against the Bruins.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216280 Tampa Bay Lightning (Via HockeyViz) It is interesting to look at Stamkos’ five-on-five numbers and activity since

this postseason, including the amount of shots and where they came Is Lightning’s Steven Stamkos hurt? He says he’s ‘good enough to play’ from. (Via Natural Stat Trick)

“You saw it in the Florida series, the power play was zipping it around and even through the second series,” coach Jon Cooper said. “He’s been By Joe Smith Jun 21, 2021 a point-per-game player in the playoffs. We’re getting contributions from everyone, that’s how you get to where we are, and ‘Stammer’ has been

no different. When we need him, he’s been there for us.” The Lightning were desperately trying to claw back from a three-goal, Is Stamkos hurt? How much? We likely won’t know that until after the third-period deficit Saturday night and it was surprising to some to see season, and he’s not the only one playing through injuries (defenseman one of their biggest stars spending so much time on the bench. Victor Hedman reportedly may need surgery in the offseason). But the Captain Steven Stamkos logged 2:44 even-strength ice time in the third Lightning are in their toughest test yet with the Islanders and will likely of a 3-2 Game 4 loss at Nassau Coliseum, playing one more shift than need Stamkos to come through and be effective for them. rookie Ross Colton. Stamkos’ 14:11 average ice time ranks ninth among It’ll be interesting to see where Stamkos plays, and how much, tonight in Tampa Bay forwards, with the veteran racking up just one assist and five Game 5. shots in this semifinal series against the Islanders. “Everyone wants to go out there and produce at this time of the year and Considering Stamkos missed the final month of the regular season due each round it gets tougher and tougher, and the checking becomes to a lower-body injury — returning for Game 1 of the playoffs — it’s fair to tighter as you get closer to the final,” Stamkos said. “Of course you want wonder if he’s hurt. So I asked Stamkos Monday ahead of Game 5, how to go out there and produce and help your team win so that that doesn’t is he feeling physically. change whether it’s Game 1 of the season or it’s going to be Game 5 of “Um, good enough to play,” Stamkos said with a chuckle. “It’s the most the semifinals right now. It is tough out there but we’re not sitting here fun part of the year. It’s just great to be back with these guys during this saying that it’s too tough.” run. Big game tonight, so looking for a response.” Other Lightning notes: Stamkos played just 2:47 during last year’s Cup run, delivering one of the • Brayden Point has been terrific for the Lightning in these playoffs, more iconic goals in recent playoff history in Game 3 of the Cup Final scoring 12 goals (including one in seven straight games). But Game 4 against Dallas. So to be part of these playoffs has been huge for was one of his worst playoff games in recent memory, including his Stamkos, the face of the franchise who has been through so much in his defensive miscue in losing Mathew Barzal on the Islanders star’s goal. A career. couple other Point turnovers eventually led to either a goal or a scoring Stamkos is still a point-per-game player in the postseason, with 14 in 15 chance. games (nine have come on the power play). He hasn’t been able to What we know about Point, and Kucherov, is how extremely competitive produce as much in five-on-five situations, with his ice time dropping to they are, so it would not surprise me to see both stars deliver a great just over 12 minutes in Game 4. Is Stamkos limited by an injury? performance in tonight’s game. “I’m not going to get into that sort of stuff,” Stamkos said. “I’m out there “With ‘Kuch’ and ‘Pointer,’ they’re pretty proud players, as they all are,” like everyone else, trying our hardest to win every single night. At this Cooper said. “You’re used to seeing them on the highlights and when time of year, you can go through many different (things) guys are battling they’re not happy with their game, you kind of like that. Not in a sense through, that’s why it’s the toughest trophy in sports to win. If the guys that they played poorly, but they’re driven to be the best. Guys take those are on the ice, it means they’re good enough to go out there and help the losses hard. We know what’s at stake — we’ve come pretty darn far — team win, and that’s our goal.” and for those guys to elevate their games and be aggravated when they Stamkos’ line with Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli struggled in Game 4 to don’t feel like they did enough for our team to win, it’s what you want in a 37.50 Corsi For percentage, but Cooper then started to double shift your players, it’s why they’re elite players.” Yanni Gourde with Killorn and Cirelli and that parentage jumped to 83.3 • The Lightning did not practice Sunday and held an optional skate on (outshooting the Islanders 5-1 while on the ice). Killorn (5:25) and Cirelli Monday morning, with several regulars sitting out. Cooper said everyone (4:46) ended up playing more than two minutes of even-strength ice time is available for tonight’s game, “as of now.” We won’t know the lineup in the third as Stamkos. until warmups likely. It’s hard to know what’s been bothering Stamkos, who said in May he’d • Much has been made of the Lightning’s performance five-on-five in this offer more details on his injury after the season. The team confirmed series, which is important considering they haven’t been getting as many during his rehab from a non-contact injury that it wasn’t related the two power plays against the Islanders. But both teams are pretty equal at core surgeries Stamkos had in the past year. But when asked about his even strength (eight goals apiece), and Tampa Bay’s five-on-five injury upon returning to practice May 8, Stamkos indicated it was numbers have gotten better as the playoffs have gotten deeper. complicated due to his history. Here’s a breakdown in a chart, courtesy of our Shayna Goldman. “There’s no one that wants to be out there more than myself,” Stamkos said. “When you’ve had the surgeries that I’ve had in the past on the leg, (CF% = Corsi For Percentage, xGF% = expected goals percentage, the knee, now the core, it’s all connected. It’s frustrating. You’re never GF% = goals for percentage, SCF% = scoring chances for percentage, going to feel the same way you did before all that stuff. HDCF%= high danger chances for percentage, HDSV% = high danger save percentage) “Unfortunately, no matter how much hard work or rehab you put in or pre- hab you put in, things just happen when you’ve had those significant The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 injuries. I do see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. I’ve been working extremely hard. I’m feeling a lot better than I was a couple weeks ago — in a much better place mentally, as well.”

I don’t think Stamkos gets enough credit for how he’s been able to physically and mentally recover from so many significant injuries in his career, from the broken leg to torn meniscus, blood clot and core surgeries — yet still play at an elite level. Stamkos scored 45 goals two years ago, had 29 in 57 games last year and was on a great pace this year with 17 (34 points) in 38 games until. he got hurt April 8. Ten of those goals were on the power play, but you can’t forget how much of an impact Stamkos had while Nikita Kucherov missed the entire regular season following hip surgery. 1216281 Toronto Maple Leafs Kuznetsov ($7.8) 3

Hedman ($7.8) Is it time for the Maple Leafs to re-examine the Core-4 experiment? Pietrangelo ($6.5)

Backstrom ($6.7) By Jonas Siegel Jun 21, 2021 4

McDonagh ($6.8) At the bitter end of the 2020-21 season, Brendan Shanahan said the Maple Leafs would spend the ensuing weeks determining the path Steen ($5.8) forward. Holtby ($6.1) What the Leafs front office would not do, however, was contemplate breaking up the Core Four of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Total Tavares and William Nylander. $32.6

“We want to keep them here,” the Leafs president said. $27.3

Full disclosure: I’ve long advocated for the Leafs’ star-driven approach. $30.1 But after another postseason loss, even I find myself starting to wonder whether it can actually work — whether it’s possible for a team to pay CH% four players half the salary cap and win a Stanley Cup. 40% My growing uncertainty stems not only from the Leafs’ failure in the playoffs but, maybe just as crucially, a flat-cap environment that didn’t 34% exist when Tavares, Nylander, Matthews and Marner signed their current 40% deals. $ = M In light of how the pandemic has fundamentally changed NHL economics, it’s striking the Leafs won’t even consider a change in Those champions all had more dollars to address the talent surrounding course. their top players. And helpful contributions from young players.

It’s a decision that merits scrutiny. And a deeper look at the challenges At the Leafs’ season-ending media availability earlier this month, GM this path has and will continue to present. pointed to the Pittsburgh Penguins as a team that reached the top of the mountain constructed somewhat like the Leafs. The Core questions Penguins won back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017 with a lot The Leafs have had the same core in place for three of their five straight of payroll dedicated to four players. postseason defeats. Nylander, Matthews and Marner have been together Which raises a question: If they could do it, why can’t the Leafs? for all five, but Tavares joined for only the last three after signing a seven-year, $77 million deal in the summer of 2018. For one thing, Pittsburgh’s top four players weren’t eating quite as much of the cap. In the 2015-16 season, Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby, Kris The Leafs’ books have been structured like this — with four players Letang and Phil Kessel accounted for about 45 percent of the $71.4 eating about 50 percent of the salary cap — for only two playoffs. After million cap. all, it was only last season that Matthews and Marner’s weighty second contracts kicked in. A season later, it was 44 percent of the $73 million ceiling.

The experiment is technically still in an early stage — especially It was extreme allocation but less so than the Leafs. considering Tavares missed the majority of this year’s playoffs due to injury — even if it doesn’t necessarily feel that way. Speaking recently to The Athletic, Jim Rutherford said he never considered trading a highly paid core player to create space after he took What’s already glaring is how narrow the margins are for success when over as Penguins GM in 2014. four players consume so much of the available resources (roughly $40.5 million of the $81.5 million cap in each of the past two seasons). The main reason? That core — minus Kessel but including Marc-Andre Fleury — had won a title in the not-so-distant past (2009). A key injury or two — to Tavares and Jake Muzzin (in back-to-back playoffs) — along with little finish from the stars and the Leafs sunk both “I believed in the players,” Rutherford said. times to inferior opponents. He witnessed firsthand, in their habits and approach, how desperate It’s also fair to say the Leafs’ approach to the cap is extreme. No recent Malkin and Crosby were to win again. champion has been quite as aggressive when it came to paying its top The salary cap eventually did exact a penalty, too: The Penguins had to players. move on from Fleury for financial reasons after winning in 2017.

The Tampa Bay Lightning dedicated about 40 percent of last season’s Pittsburgh’s two-peat was also distinct from what the Leafs have built in cap to its top four of Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos (who played one that they received considerable contributions from youngsters making game), Victor Hedman and Ryan McDonagh. That number was about 34 almost nothing. percent for the St. Louis Blues in 2019 and 40 percent for the Washington Capitals in 2018. In 2017, for instance, Jake Guentzel (21 points), Brian Dumoulin (22 minutes per game) and Matt Murray (.937 save percentage) were all Recent SC champions' top-4 structure playing on cheap entry-level contracts.

1 In 2020 and 2021, the Leafs had no impactful young contributors like Kucherov ($9.5) that.

Tarasenko ($7.5) Rutherford explains that the real key to Pittsburgh’s success was the goaltending they received from Murray and Fleury. Ovechkin ($9.5) The Leafs, meanwhile, have been let down in net repeatedly and may 2 seek to strengthen that position this offseason.

Stamkos ($8.5) Rutherford, who resigned from the Penguins in January, politely declined to comment on the Leafs doubling down on their stars this offseason. O'Reilly ($7.5) “I don’t think that’s fair,” he said, before adding, “I have a lot of respect for Only perennial MVP candidates Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Patrick Kyle.” Kane, Artemi Panarin and Nathan MacKinnon have collected more even- strength points over the past three seasons. Rutherford does receive phone calls occasionally from his now former peers seeking wisdom on how to get over the hump. (He didn’t say if But it’s undeniable Marner has lacked his usual bounce the last two Dubas was among them.) postseasons. He has only three 5-on-5 assists in his last 19 playoff games — all during a shaky series against the Canadiens last month. His advice likely sounds a lot like this: “You can’t break a championship down to one or two things. Because when you go on a playoff run, Was his skittish play the result of pressure — of trying too hard to deliver regardless of how good you are, you have to get all the breaks and for his hometown or justify his controversial contract? Was he worn down things have to line up for you.” from playing the most minutes of any NHL forward during the regular season? Has he not adjusted to the tighter terrain of playoff hockey? Looking to the stars What sticks out looking back on some of Marner’s play during the 2018 One key to the Penguins’ back-to-back titles is obvious: Their stars were playoffs, when he greatly impressed against the Boston Bruins as a 20- fantastic. year-old, was how free he appeared and how simple he made the game.

Malkin and Crosby each had 46 points in 48 games over those two Marner’s most frequent linemates that spring were veterans Tomas playoffs to lead the entire NHL. Kessel posted 45 points in 49 games Plekanec and Patrick Marleau. Marner set up two Marleau goals in a himself, mostly from the third line. Game 3 win (see above) and ended up with nine points in seven games Letang played 29 minutes per game in 2016. Then the Penguins won while facing Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand a fair bit. without him, due to injury, in 2017. The Leafs are betting that player resurfaces in the playoffs.

The Leafs believe their stars will eventually deliver, too. And there’s As for Tavares: Where does the captain go from here? He’ll turn 31 in evidence their young players are continuing to evolve and improve. September.

Nylander just put together his most complete postseason in the NHL. Can the Leafs’ plan really work if Tavares is merely a very good — not Over the past two regular seasons, he’s amassed 48 goals — a top-20 great — player who has one of the largest cap hits ($11 million) in the mark leaguewide — and 101 points — a top-40 mark. league? If his production slips from the 31-goal, 76-point pace of the last More than the numbers, Nylander made strides in engagement and two seasons to 20 to 25 goals and 60 to 65 points next year, with less defensive intensity, particularly in the postseason. You could sense the impact in the playoffs? ownership he felt over the Leafs’ fate. What then?

The arrow (as our man Dom Luszczyszyn’s modelling above suggests) is And how much will Tavares’ decline matter if Matthews, Marner and pointing in a steady direction for Nylander, who turned 25 in May. Nylander deliver as expected? Even a lesser version of Tavares probably Matthews, meanwhile, is only 23 and has Crosby-like two-way play in his betters most second-line centres across the league but that price tag arsenal. A run of 50-goal seasons — and more Rocket Richard Trophies complicates things. — feels likelier than not. He likely has a Hart Trophy in his future after The solution likely lies in Tavares punishing teams who have no choice nabbing his first finalist nod earlier this month. but to divert secondary defensive resources his way — particularly in the We probably haven’t glimpsed his best just yet. playoffs.

Matthews’ playoff performance against Montreal lacked finish, with only So far in his Leafs career, Tavares has mustered only four goals and one goal scored. And his individual scoring chance and high-danger shot eight points in 13 — more like 12, given his early exit in Game 1 against attempt rates both dipped from the regular season, as the quality and the Habs — postseason games. quantity of prime looks at the net diminished. In his younger days with the Islanders, Tavares scored 11 goals and There’s another level he can still reach at playoff time — though he’s added 11 assists in 24 playoff games. Without many threats lower in the probably been a touch unlucky, too. lineup, the Leafs need something closer to that level of production in the playoffs. Matthews' yearly shooting percentage Maybe the Leafs should make supercharging Tavares a priority, with 2016-17 Marner rejoining his line next season? (That would have the side effect of easing Marner’s quality of competition.) 14.3 Maybe they should go even a step further and structure their lineup as 25.0 those Penguins did, with at least one star on three of their four lines? 2017-18 Perhaps Matthews should go solo, a la Crosby, Marner should hook back 18.2 up with Tavares, and Nylander, playing the Kessel role, should beat up on lesser competition from the third line — maybe even as a centre? 3.7 The Leafs had minimal threats from their third and fourth lines against 2018-19 Montreal or Columbus in the postseason. A multitiered star look might improve that dynamic. 14.7 But what the Leafs are really counting on here is their surplus of stars 15.6 can overwhelm foes when it matters. If Matthews is stymied, for example, 2019-20 Tavares will power them through, and vice versa.

16.2 It just hasn’t happened in the playoffs.

7.4 Their top-heavy approach comes with inherent vulnerability. If the stars go cold or if one gets hurt, the roster often lacks the talent to make up the 2020-21 difference.

18.5 Again: narrow margins.

2.9 Nailing (almost) everything else

As for Marner, he made an apparent leap alongside Matthews during the This is where my increasing level of concern lies. regular season, surging to fourth in the NHL scoring race. Not only has the NHL’s salary cap gone flat. Not only are the stars chewing up half of what’s available and getting about (or slightly more) than they’re worth. The Leafs could also be paying fair value next season (or even a little more) to Jake Muzzin, T.J. Brodie, Alex Kerfoot, Ilya $700,000 Mikheyev and Pierre Engvall. 54 It’s why, among other reasons, they may have to let Zach Hyman walk in free agency, rather than bring him back at market rate. How many 30 players in a cap system can earn precisely what they’re worth? 54%

The Leafs’ value contracts are few and far between at the moment: Jack 7 Campbell ($1.65 million), Justin Holl ($2 million), Morgan Rielly ($5 million), and the newly re-signed Jason Spezza ($750,000). Anyone Joe Thornton else? $700,000 Maybe Rasmus Sandin or Nick Robertson if either can make the leap 44 next season. 20 The Leafs were anticipating a rising cap — as much as 6 percent higher for the 2020-21 season (which would have pushed the Core Four’s hit 56% down to under 47 percent). That’s extra depth lost because of circumstances beyond the organization’s control. 8

And yet, that’s also reason to, at the very least, contemplate a change, Travis Boyd namely by thinking about trade possibilities. $700,000 Otherwise, the Leafs must masterfully scrounge for value in the free- 20 agent bargain bin, a difficult feat they haven’t been able to pull off with enough success in recent years. 8

Leafs' 2020 offseason value bets 50%

1 Only Spezza and Zach Bogosian were true bargain hits last offseason. (The midseason acquisition and rebuilding of Alex Galchenyuk was also Wayne Simmonds a win.) $1,500,000 That’s the reality of bargain-basement shopping, though. There aren’t a 38 lot of deals to be had. You get what you pay for, generally.

9 For this to work, the Leafs need to unearth more gems, such as Carter Verhaeghe, a 2013 third-round pick of the Leafs who delivered 18 goals 57% and 36 points in 43 games for Florida in the first season of a two-year contract with a $1 million cap hit. 2 Verhaeghe went unqualified by Tampa after the 2019-20 season. Zach Bogosian Anthony Duclair, who went unsigned until December, produced 32 points $1,000,000 in 43 games for Florida last season for roughly the same money ($1.7 45 million) as Wayne Simmonds, a player the Leafs rushed to sign in the opening hours of free agency. 4 He had only nine points in 38 games and just one in the playoffs. 57% Jason Spezza has been the Leafs’ most successful recent bargain buy. 3 (Eric Bolte / USA Today)

Alexander Barabanov The Leafs can’t afford to miss on the margins. Rolling the dice more on $925,000 youth with upside — unqualified players, for instance — as opposed to oldies like Simmonds and Joe Thornton feels like the right approach in 13 the future.

1 The Leafs simply need more pop from lower in the lineup in the playoffs.

50% Zapping Frederik Andersen’s $5 million cap hit from the books this summer creates some space to improve (some, or even all, of it on a 4 replacement in net), as does perhaps spreading around the money Mikko Lehtonen Hyman could get on his next deal (a roughly $5 million cap hit) on multiple forwards. $925,000 Will that be enough support for the stars? 9 You could argue that falling short at the draft during Shanahan’s term 3 (starting in 2014) has hurt the supporting cast as much as anything. The Leafs deserve credit for nailing top-10 picks like Matthews, Marner and 49% Nylander. 5 Losing first-round picks to land Muzzin, to trade Marleau and to acquire Jimmy Vesey Nick Foligno stings in light of the organization’s lack of success beyond the opening round. $900,000 In fact, since 2014, the Leafs have plucked only three current NHL 30 regulars from Rounds 2 through 7: Engvall (2014); Travis Dermott (2015); and Carl Grundstrom (2016). (Grundstrom was also used to 7 acquire Muzzin from the Kings.) 49% There’s no Brayden Point-like home run (a Tampa third-round pick in 6 2014) in that group either. And real help from the prospect base doesn’t appear imminent. Jason Spezza Adam Brooks, a fourth-rounder in 2016, has a chance to become a fourth Maybe the most interesting prospect for such a trade is Jack Eichel, the line regular next season. Robertson, a second-round pick in 2019, looks unhappy Sabres captain. like a future NHLer of some kind. Eichel has another five years remaining on his contract (one more than That’s not enough to thrive when middle-class types like Hyman, James Marner) with a $10 million cap hit. He wouldn’t solve the money problem van Riemsdyk and Tyler Bozak, among others, need to be replaced year — though an extra $900,000 isn’t nothing either. Eichel and Matthews after year. It necessitates a lot of discount buying in free agency — with would give the Leafs the best 1-2 punch down the middle this side of low odds of success. McDavid and Draisaitl. With Eichel, the Leafs could slide Tavares to the wing, a la Steven Stamkos in Tampa— a move that’s probably due at A late first-rounder in 2018, Sandin looks like he’ll play a significant role some point in the future. in the coming years, so that’s something, especially if Rielly (a free agent next summer) isn’t re-signed. And the Leafs have hit outside the draft And it’s hard to imagine Buffalo doing much better in any Eichel deal than with players like Holl, Mikheyev, Trevor Moore and . Marner.

That needs to continue. Would it work for the Leafs? Not necessarily. Eichel isn’t the same all- around player. And who knows how he would fit inside the dressing The Leafs have only three picks in the coming draft but selected 12 room. players in 2020 and nine two years earlier in Dubas’ first draft as GM. Will any be ready to impact the NHL squad before this experiment’s time Yet, it’s the kind of conversation the Leafs should be having. To forge runs out? ahead without considering alternatives feels stubborn and speaks to an unconditional backing of the Core Four. The Leafs also can’t afford to fall short at the trade deadline, as they did this past season in misfiring on Foligno and three basically unused depth That said, it may also prove right. pieces. Maybe all the Leafs’ playoff stumbles are the prelude of a championship On their Cup runs, the Penguins were helped by midseason additions story, as Shanahan and Dubas insist. Their vision for the roster may win like Ron Hainsey and Carl Hagelin. out. They might also argue that if just one of those overtimes against the Habs (in Games 5 or 6) goes the other way, none of these conversations Foligno was hurt when it mattered but that risk had to be baked into the are even happening. acquisition of a 33-year-old who was also in decline offensively. Maybe the kind of exploration we’re suggesting here leads nowhere — or Trades for Muzzin and Campbell were more astute examples of Dubas toward nothing that makes the team meaningfully better? Maybe Eichel trading. They were swings on undervalued players that filled a need. isn’t the answer and maybe none of those other young players are even Trading a star available?

The question the Leafs front office doesn’t appear inclined to ask is Maybe the tweak is letting players like Hyman and Andersen go? Maybe whether the team’s chances of winning are higher with the removal of there’s a big trade to be had that doesn’t involve the Core Four but an one Core Four piece. institutional part like Rielly?

Matthews is obviously off the table. Tavares holds a no-movement clause Maybe. But after such a tough end to their season, the Leafs should be on his pricey contract. exploring everything short of dealing Matthews.

If the Leafs ever considered it, a trade would have to come down to The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 Marner or Nylander.

Nylander may never have more value, coming off a solid playoff performance. And while he feels somewhat underrated across the league, there’s been interest in the past. Of the four big contracts, he might deliver the best bang for the buck, with a cap hit of $6.96 million for the next three seasons. It would be hard to do much better with those cap dollars.

Marner’s contract, however, accounts for almost $4 million dollars more on the cap at $10.9 million. He’s also among the top 30 players in the world.

Consider the possibility of moving Marner and the Leafs would have to ask themselves: How exactly are we getting better?

The answer, in theory, is by putting Marner’s cap dollars to work more effectively.

Could the Leafs trade Marner for a package centered around another gifted young forward who earns less and use the difference to boost their supporting cast?

How many players fit that bill? How many teams would be willing to take on Marner’s contract in a flat-cap environment?

Marner’s contract has another four seasons remaining, with a large chunk of the actual money paid already.

Matthew Tkachuk ($7 million cap hit) and Brock Boeser ($5.8 million) both have another year left on their contracts before another round of restricted free agency. Same with Pierre-Luc Dubois ($5 million), who had a rough go of it in Winnipeg after the trade from Columbus but is young and a centre.

Do any of the Carolina Hurricanes’ young stars meet the mark? Sebastian Aho is a star and has three years left on his contract at $8.4 million. Andrei Svechnikov is due his second NHL contract this summer.

There’s also Alex DeBrincat in Chicago, who has two years to go (at a $6.4 million cap hit) before his next deal. Same with Mathew Barzal ($7 million) on Long Island. 1216282 Vegas Golden Knights If a high stick by Marchessault makes Corey Perry’s face look like something out of “Saw IV,” call it.

Welcome to forever Graney: Officials take center stage for Golden Knights-Canadiens You can blame the NHL some for having officials Lee and Dan O’Rourke work Games 3 and 4. The league’s reasoning is travel restrictions because of COVID-19. Then get more bodies in your bubble. By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal It’s ridiculous that part of a crew so harshly criticized after one game June 21, 2021 - 5:18 PM works the next of the same series. Amateur hour.

Just leave it here: When a specific call determines whether one side wins or loses, then talk officiating. Stop us if you have heard this before: There is a playoff series being contested in professional sports where a vast majority of fans on one Until then, welcome to how things have been for, well, forever. side believe the officiating stinks. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.22.2021 Kevin Durant is also good at basketball.

If you are of the mind Canadians loathe a long winter, consider what they are saying about the Stanley Cup semifinal between the Golden Knights and Montreal.

The best-of-seven series is tied 2-2 with Game 5 on Tuesday night at T- Mobile Arena. To hear those from the land of maple syrup, Montreal is fortunate to have not yet been eliminated.

Reason: They are all sorts of bitter against those wearing whistles. Fighting mad to the point of drawing a penalty.

Which, of course, they don’t believe would ever be assessed against the Knights.

A deciding factor?

This is the how I evaluate officiating: Has it — one way or the other — directly influenced the outcome of a game? It hasn’t in this series. Take every missed or wrong call on both sides and things still would be tied at two games apiece.

It appears the Montreal faithful is most angered with official Chris Lee, a Canadian whom Habs fans believe moonlights as the guy dressed as a Golden Knight during pregame festivities at T-Mobile Arena.

Has the officiating tilted in favor of the Knights? Absolutely.

Montreal has been awarded six power plays in the four games.

The Knights have 11.

Now, given how woeful the Knights are with an advantage, the Canadiens should want to play the entire game a man down and just push for 60 minutes of short-handed opportunities. Might win in a rout.

Point is, there hasn’t been the type of double minor or major penalty that often determines which side skates off victorious. Cody Eakin plays elsewhere.

Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault was questioned Monday about the officiating, which is worth a laugh. Expecting him to take a stand one way or the other is comparable to asking who he prefers in net between Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner.

Or if center Chandler Stephenson is staring at the horizon off St. Lucia or Santorini.

“Obviously, both sides will be disappointed with some calls,” Marchessault said. “There is stuff they will let go and not let go. Good teams find a way to get through the adversity.”

I hope the person who first said fewer infractions should be called because it’s playoff hockey is the same who said officials should swallow their whistles in the last few minutes of an NBA game. I would hate to think there could be more than one person that dumb.

Do you know what happens when you start picking and choosing which penalties to call based on it being a postseason game? Chaos. Blatant inconsistency. Players having no clue about what they can and can’t do on the ice.

Just call what you see. If a player such as Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb punches Montreal forward Nick Suzuki in the face, call it. If a defenseman such as Joel Edmundson of the Canadiens cross-checks William Carrier into the boards, call it. 1216283 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights fans express displeasure with TV broadcasters

By Mark Anderson

June 21, 2021 - 3:28 PM

Vegas Golden Knights' Nicolas Roy celebrates his game-winning goal against the Montreal Canadie ...

All fan bases tend to think national TV announcers are biased against them, and Golden Knights supporters are not alone.

Some of them took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction with the NBC Sports Network broadcast crew during the Knights’ 2-1 overtime victory Sunday over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup semifinals.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216284 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.22.2021

Golden Knights on comeback wins in playoffs: ‘We don’t quit’

By Ben Gotz

June 21, 2021 - 1:32 PM

The Golden Knights are one step closer to the Stanley Cup than they got last season.

They got their second win in their NHL semifinal series against the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday after losing to the Dallas Stars in five games in the 2020 Western Conference Final.

The reason the Knights are one step further is their resiliency.

Sunday’s win marked the second time this postseason that they trailed entering the third period and won. They did that only twice in the playoffs in their first three seasons, not counting last year’s round-robin.

The Knights have also trailed in each of their first three series and tied them every time.

“We don’t quit,” left wing Jonathan Marchessault said. “We don’t necessarily accept defeat. We just keep going. We just keep battling. You never know what can happen in a playoff game, and you’ve got to give yourself a chance.”

The Knights have become a gnat their opponents can’t seem to swat away.

They were tied for the most wins in the NHL when trailing after two periods with six in the regular season. That’s despite being in that position only 16 times. Philadelphia, whom the Knights were tied with, trailed after two 26 times.

The Knights’ comeback wins against Colorado in Game 5 of the second round and against the Canadiens on Sunday also tie them for the most wins when behind at the second intermission.

The rest of the NHL went 83-489-49 in those spots in the regular season (.173 points percentage) and is 8-42 in the playoffs (0.16 winning percentage). The Knights are 6-9-1 (.406 points percentage) and 2-3 (.400 winning percentage).

Adding the fact that they’ve overcome 1-0, 2-0 and now 2-1 deficits in their series shows how much belief the team has in itself.

“We feel like as games go on, whether we’re up or down, we have a chance to win,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “I think the way we play gives us that opportunity. You always want to be up at the start of games. Certainly, that’s the way we always draw it up.”

D scoring

Brayden McNabb’s goal Sunday means every defenseman the Knights have used this postseason has scored.

The team has needed their contributions against Montreal. The Knights have seven goals from their blue line and just three from their forwards. The forwards who have scored are third-line center Nicolas Roy (twice) and third-line left wing Mattias Janmark.

Knights captain Mark Stone has no points, Marchessault has one assist, and right wing Reilly Smith and left wing Max Pacioretty each has two assists.

“Obviously it’s great that we tied the series yesterday, but at some point the big guys are going to kind of have to come out and step up here, including myself,” Marchessault said. “We need solutions ASAP, and we need to help our team win some games here.”

Stephenson update

Coach Pete DeBoer said Monday that first-line center Chandler Stephenson’s return was “on the horizon.”

Stephenson has missed three straight games and is considered day to day with an upper-body injury. The 27-year-old had 35 points in 51 games in the regular season and six assists in his first 14 playoff games. 1216285 Vegas Golden Knights Lehner was praised by teammates, notably Max Pacioretty, for his positive attitude throughout the playoffs despite not playing. Both times the Knights had a hat trick in the postseason, Lehner joyfully chucked his hat onto the ice to celebrate with the fans, and he’s been a behind-the- Marc-Andre Fleury or Robin Lehner as Game 5 goalie? Stay tuned scenes leader, according to DeBoer.

“He might have the toughest job in hockey playing behind a legend,” DeBoer said. “How he’s handled that I think has earned the respect of By David Schoen everybody in our dressing room.” June 21, 2021 - 12:58 PM Fleury, who was caught on video at the morning skate Sunday poking fun of himself for his Game 3 gaffe, helped Lehner prepare for his start during the prescout, and they continued to discuss plays during timeouts. The decision to start a fresh Robin Lehner over Marc-Andre Fleury in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup semifinals couldn’t have worked out better for “There’s obviously difficult decisions that are being made, but you see the Golden Knights. the camaraderie between these two guys,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “I think when you have two guys who have played as No. 1 guys, Fueled by the armchair goaltending critics on Twitter, Lehner carried his it’s certainly finding that balance, and they have. I think those are really teammates until they found a burst of energy midway through the third important things here, especially at this time of the year.” period Sunday. His effort helped the Knights avoid a 3-1 deficit against Montreal and put them back in the driver’s seat of the best-of-seven LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 06.22.2021 series.

Now coach Pete DeBoer has the difficult choice either to stick with Lehner after he turned around the Knights’ playoff fortunes or return to Fleury, the Vezina Trophy finalist who made mistakes leading to goals in three of his past five starts.

“I think you approach those situations like you do all situations with players. With as much honesty and integrity as you can,” DeBoer said. “I think the message to the room, and there can’t be any doubt in this, is the decisions we’re going to make are for one reason only, and that’s to give us the best chance to win the next game. There’s no other agenda.”

Lehner hadn’t appeared in the postseason since he allowed seven goals in a Game 1 loss to Colorado on May 30, and Sunday was his second start in 41 days dating to the regular season. He turned away 27 of 28 Canadiens shots in the 2-1 overtime victory and was especially sharp in the first period.

Fleury carried the Knights to four straight victories over the Avalanche in the West Division final, overcoming his miscue on Brandon Saad’s long shot in Game 5. But his poke-check attempt on Paul Byron’s breakaway backfired in Game 2 against the Canadiens and was followed by the turnover behind the net that led to the tying goal in the final two minutes of the third period in Game 3.

DeBoer cited Fleury’s fatigue rather than the miscue in Game 3 as the reason for the change in net Sunday. Before that, Fleury played eight straight games and started 15 games in 33 days during the postseason with a 1.97 goals-against average and .921 save percentage.

“(Fleury) has been absolutely outstanding. He’s the reason why we’re here, with a lot of the other guys,” Lehner said. “When you get a chance to come in and out, it’s great. You just do what you can for the team whatever position you’re in.”

If DeBoer doesn’t go back to a refreshed Fleury for Game 5 on Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena, he would be the latest coach to utilize two goalies during a Stanley Cup playoff run.

Washington’s Braden Holtby started on the bench in the 2018 playoffs before he led the Capitals past the Knights for their first Stanley Cup. Fleury split time with Matt Murray during Pittsburgh’s runs to titles in 2016 and 2017, and Chicago turned to Scott Darling before Corey Crawford found his form in 2015.

Montreal and Tampa Bay each has used one goaltender to reach the semifinals. The New York Islanders needed Semyon Varlamov (11 starts) and Ilya Sorokin (five starts) this postseason because of injury.

“It’s impossible not to wear the playoff trail from a fatigue point of view,” DeBoer said. “Our depth’s our greatest strength in this organization, and with this team, in my mind. … Different guys have come in and gotten the job done for us, and we’re not going to be afraid to do it in net.”

Whoever is in the crease for Game 5, it’s bound to create less controversy than last season when Fleury’s relegation to the backup role prompted his agent to tweet a picture of the goalie with a sword through his back and “DeBoer” written on the blade.

Fleury and Lehner developed a strong partnership this season en route to the Jennings Trophy. 1216286 Vegas Golden Knights Roy has two goals, which is good for a depth player but most of the rest of the forward group is not carrying their weight.

Mark Stone has no points. Marchessault has one. Max Pacioretty, Golden Knights still searching for offense heading into Game 5 against William Karlsson, Reilly Smith and Alex Tuch have all gone scoreless. Canadiens Vegas still has 10 goals in four games, a respectable enough number held afloat by the defense. McNabb became the seventh Vegas defenseman to score a goal this postseason, tying an NHL record in By Justin Emerson (contact) Game 4.

Tuesday, June 22, 2021 | 2 a.m. Pietrangelo has carried the load from the blue line, scoring three goals this series and upping his point total to 11 for the postseason, thrusting

himself into the Conn Smythe conversation should Vegas continue its The immediate takeaways from Game 4 were all positive for the Golden run. Knights. Robin Lehner was spectacular in a pinch-hit role with 27 saves, “Obviously there’s a lot of talk about the forwards not scoring but they’re while hometown kid Nicolas Roy scored the winner in overtime. Vegas creating opportunities, they’re creating those plays and allowing us to left Montreal with a split, setting up a three-game series for a trip to the score those goals,” Pietrangelo said. “Obviously we’ve got to continue to Stanley Cup Final with two games at home. find a way to create some more, but they’re playing tight defensively, the Lost in all the success was a continuation of a trend the Golden Knights goalie’s playing well, but as a group collectively I think offensively we’re would like to halt. Top forwards still aren’t scoring, and despite the win, proud of the way we’re able to contribute.” Game 4 could go down as one of the poorest offensive performances in It’s true that the top forwards managed some good things on Vegas’ team history. It’s something Vegas needs to turn around in Game 5 goals. Karlsson set up McNabb for the game-tying goal, and Pacioretty’s against the Canadiens at 6 p.m. tonight at T-Mobile Arena. shot put Roy in position to win. “Obviously it’s great that we tied the series (Sunday), but at some point And it’s also true the Golden Knights are still missing their top-line center, the big guys are going to kind of have to come out and step up here, which has had a trickle-down effect on the rest of the forwards this including myself,” forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “It’s not good season. Chandler Stephenson’s return is “on the horizon,” coach Pete enough for the forward group that we have to have only three goals in DeBoer said Monday, and getting him back will go a long way in four games.” stabilizing their top-six, particularly Stone and Pacioretty. The forward group averaged nearly three goals per game in the regular Until he returns, Vegas will need to find an answer. The Golden Knights season but has taken a big step back in the semifinal series. Roy has can’t rely on Lehner or Marc-Andre Fleury holding the Canadiens to one two, Mattias Janmark has one and that’s it for forwards scoring. goal, though they’ve done so in each of the team’s wins this series. It Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo has as many goals as the forwards hasn’t hurt the Golden Knights too badly yet, as it’s a credit to them that combined. they tied the series without goals from the players on the team they count on to score. Game 4, particularly through regulation, was the nadir of the Vegas offense this postseason. The Golden Knights had 18 shots on goal At some point, the best players are going to need step up like through 60 minutes, tying a franchise-low for regulation shots in a playoff Marchessault mentioned. Game 5 may need to be the time. game, matched only by Game 4 against the Wild earlier this year — a LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.22.2021 game Vegas won 4-0.

The Golden Knights had zero high-danger scoring chances through regulation, according to naturalstattrick.com, the first time in franchise history — regular season or playoffs — they failed to generate one. Vegas finished with two, both on the winning sequence by Roy in overtime. The last time a playoff team had fewer high-danger chances was in 2016, two seasons before the Golden Knights existed.

“Obviously we’re facing an unbelievable goalie, but that’s no excuse. It’s the same thing last year against Vancouver, Dallas, it’s the same thing,” Marchessault said. “We’ve got to find a way and we don’t have any excuses. We need solutions ASAP and we need to help our team win some games here.”

It’s fitting he mentioned Vancouver because Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko was tremendous and nearly stole the series virtually on his own. He played just three full games but made 91 saves on 92 shots in victories in Games 5 and 6 to bring the Canucks to a Game 7, where he made 34 saves and allowed one goal.

According to Evolving Hockey, Demko saved an eye-popping 10.32 goals more than expected based on the quality and quantity of Vegas chances that series. And while Carey Price has been good this series, he’s saved just 2.02 goals above expected since the Golden Knights tagged him for four goals in Game 1.

Demko played out of his mind to keep the Golden Knights’ chances out of the net last September. Against Montreal in Game 4, it wasn’t so much that Price was keeping the chances out as much as the chances were never there until Roy’s game-winning sequence.

“I know we wanted the win pretty bad there,” Roy said. “We battled back in the third and we were ready for overtime. It’s a nice feeling for sure.”

Roy has been a terrific story this series, scoring goals in both games back in his home province of Quebec. He put the Golden Knights on the board in Game 3 then sent them home in Game 4, marking the first time in six career playoff series he has a goal in back-to-back games. 1216287 Vegas Golden Knights He always dreamed of attending the Olympics and made it a reality in 2016 when he traveled to Rio de Janeiro and found work around the event. The 2016 Olympic Opening Ceremony still stands as his favorite sporting event he ever attended and inspired much of his career path Playoff philanthropist: Local has sent 26 kids and counting into Knights since, including 21 Is Golden. games “The NFTs hit me because I’ve been a collector my whole life,” Danzeisen said. “The tickets are what inspired me because I’ve collected every single one of all the events I’ve been to — Olympics, NBA Finals, By Case Keefer NBA All-Star. Collecting those tickets goes back to the story of that Tuesday, June 22, 2021 | 2 a.m. experience and being there. It’s a token, a reminder of being in that venue, that arena, so that’s how Collr started out.”

To ensure the children he’s getting in had something to remember it by, Drew Danzeisen roamed Toshiba Plaza outside of T-Mobile Arena in an Danzeisen purchased each of the first 21 kids authentic, gold jerseys to authentic Golden Knights jersey despite 115 degrees temperatures for wear into the game. Fifteen of them were linked to him through the Boys more than an hour before game time Wednesday. & Girls Club, with some coming from the same facility where Danzeisen spent time in his youth. The 27-year-old watched as the area filled in ahead of Game 2 of the Golden Knights’ playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, All the kids are special to Danzeisen, but he might be proudest of particularly surveying the crowd settling in front of the big screen. Right connecting with 16-year-old Brienna Love through the Nevada Donor before puck drop, he planned to surprise a child and his or her family Network. After receiving a heart transplant in 2016, Love has been a who came to watch the action outside and send them into the arena for public face for the organization and appeared in an ad with Golden free. Knights forward Alex Tuch.

“It’s the best part of this,” Danzeisen said. “I feel like Santa Claus in the Her parents also work in concessions at T-Mobile Arena, but Love had summer.” never attended a game before Danzeisen coordinated to get her into Game 1 against the Canadiens. Getting to hear stories like Love’s and That’s an accurate description of how Danzeisen has spent the last witnessing the joy on children’s faces has made the significant financial month as Vegas has advanced through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, albeit and time commitments Danzeisen has devoted toward 21 Is Golden with temporarily dyed gold, spiky hair instead of flowing white locks and worth it. an app with tickets in place of a sleigh with presents. A diehard Golden Knights fan who’s frequently inside the building, he decided to forego the “Some of them have come out of the arena crying,” Danzeisen said. experience for this year’s playoffs and instead sponsor children to attend “They have used the towels they gave them inside to wipe tears away for their first game. how much they enjoyed the moment and that’s just been so cool. I’ve watched every single game except one outside, so I can meet them The “21 Is Golden” campaign started as a way to promote his new before and after. They’re timid at first but usually come out all excited and business, Collr, which helps brands and athletes digitize into the online yelling, ‘Go Knights Go!’” NFT (non-fungible token) collection space. In partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Southern Nevada, Danzeisen plotted to send 21 kids and a LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 06.22.2021 guest into their first game throughout the playoffs by selling NFTs.

When sales started slow, Danzeisen self-funded the initiative and watched the project take off more than even he initially anticipated. Everyone from Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones to the Klean Kicks shoe store contributed and Danzeisen surpassed his goal of awarding 21 children tickets in Game 1 of the series against Montreal.

The count currently stands at 26 children sent in heading into tonight’s Game 5 against the Canadiens where Danzeisen will further pad the number.

“The goal now is just to send as many kids as we can into these games,” Danzeisen said. “2021 is our golden year to win it, and I just think it’s amazing to send kids in to witness history.”

For Game 2, Threads of eNVy, a Nevada-themed apparel line, partnered with Danzeisen for a ticket giveaway that included clothing from the company. The winner was 10-year-old Evyn Linan, who jumped up and down and slid on a knight helmet while Danzeisen transferred tickets to his mother.

“My favorite player is Fleury because he’s very good at goalie and I really like when they score because it makes me very happy,” Linan said.

Danzeisen gifted his final set of tickets Wednesday to a pair of sisters, Maria Sepulveda, 17, and Luciana Sepulveda, 12, Golden Knights’ fans from Mexico City, and adult family members who were planning to watch from Toshiba Plaza. Like most of the families whom Danzeisen approaches last minute outside the arena, they were in disbelief at their good fortune as they escaped the heat and went through the front doors of T-Mobile Arena.

“I’ve been around and worked in sports my whole life,” Danzeisen said. “I’ve been fortunate enough to go to some of the biggest events in sports and I know there are some kids out there who haven’t had the opportunity. So especially here in Vegas where the Knights are the biggest team and this is their biggest year, I just thought it was a perfect time for the campaign.”

Once a standout baseball player at Cimarron-Memorial High, Danzeisen went on to play in junior college at San Diego City College and Grossmont College. He later transferred to San Diego State University, majoring in international business with an eye on working in sports. 1216288 Vegas Golden Knights Early in the overtime period, Roy battled with Kotkaniemi for position in front of the Montreal crease. Pacioretty circled behind the goal with the puck, eventually spinning and firing the puck toward the net.

Golden Knights’ Nic Roy showed ‘unbelievable poise’ and scored a It deflected off Roy’s stick blade into Price. Roy jammed the second dream goal in Montreal in front of family opportunity into Price’s left leg pad before he took a deep breath and allowed himself to drift away from the net for a moment.

“I tried to shoot the first one and I saw him falling down so I just waited a By Jesse Granger Jun 21, 2021 second there, flipped it over, and it worked,” Roy said.

Prior to Roy’s goal, the Golden Knights hadn’t generated a single high- danger chance in the game, compared to 18 for the Canadiens. It was Golden Knights forward Nic Roy gathered his own rebound in the crease, the first time in franchise history Vegas went all of regulation without a with chaos all around him. single high-danger chance. He slowly drifted away from the net with the puck on his stick in overtime. “It was pretty crazy watching Nic have unbelievable poise with that puck Montreal netminder Carey Price was sprawled across the ice on his and just flipping it in,” said linemate Alex Tuch, who watched Roy’s goal stomach, stretching his glove toward Roy with his stick flipping into the from the opposite side of the crease. “I was just standing right there, and air. Jesperi Kotkaniemi desperately laid his body across the mouth of the it was like everything was happening in slow motion. And then there was net, but Roy took his time and casually flipped the puck over both players a huge reaction from our bench.” and into the yawning goal. Roy has played mostly a third-line role for the Golden Knights this Roy’s overtime winner Sunday night completed Vegas’ come-from- season. He chipped in six goals and nine assists in 44 games during the behind 2-1 win to even the Stanley Cup semifinal series 2-2, and regular season but has produced at a higher rate in the postseason. With silenced Bell Centre in Montreal. Sunday night’s game-winner, Roy has three goals and four assists in Well, almost silenced. these playoffs. He, Tuch and Mattias Janmark all have eight points on Vegas’ third line. Amid the thousands of red-clad Canadiens fans sitting in shock was a small group wearing Golden Knights jerseys with the number 10 stitched “Couldn’t write a better script than that for a guy like that,” Pacioretty said on the back. It was Roy’s parents, Nick and Lisa, his sister Mélina, and of Roy. “He’s a huge part of this team, whether he’s scoring big goals or his father-in-law, mother-in-law, and brother-in-law. playing really good defensive hockey. He’s a very important player for our team. He’s a Swiss Army knife and contributes in all areas of the rink. “That was unbelievable,” Roy said. “I have my family here, and I know I heard from a couple guys up top that his parents were pretty happy they were really happy. And I know we wanted the win pretty bad there, about that. That’s really cool to see because like I said he’s a guy who so we battled back in the third and were ready for overtime, so it’s a nice sometimes flies under the radar but does so much for our club. To do it in feeling for sure.” your home province is pretty special.”

Roy’s family cheered, hugged and high-fived as he was mobbed by Roy’s overtime goal wasn’t just sentimental, it was monumental in the teammates in celebration. The 23-year-old was born and raised in Amos, landscape of this series. It knotted the series 2-2 and reclaimed home-ice a French-speaking town of only 13,000 people located approximately 400 advantage for the Golden Knights as the series shifts back to Las Vegas miles northwest of Montreal. for Game 5 on Tuesday. And thanks to Roy and his linemates, the Golden Knights have done it without a single goal from a top-six forward “It’s a pretty small town, I guess,” Roy said. “Everybody knows pretty in the first four games. much everybody. I receive a lot of support, a lot of text messages. Coming from a nice town and a lot of great people, so it’s very nice to “You’re just so excited for him,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “You couldn’t have the support I got from them.” have a better ending, a better place, or a better guy for it to happen to. The town he comes from is a tiny little town way up in Northern Quebec. Roy’s family was fortunate to be in attendance Sunday night, to witness They have a lot of pride in him playing in the NHL. Then to come into him realizing a childhood dream. Montreal and score an overtime goal like that, in front of family, friends “I’ve always dreamed of scoring at the Bell Centre, and doing it in and everybody watching is a dream come true for a young guy. It gives overtime,” Roy said with a smile. “To do it in the semifinals is even better. you goosebumps.” It’s very nice to get the win for the boys. We battled back so that’s a big The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 win.”

Just playing in his home province, against the team he grew up cheering for, is special in its own right.

“French is my first language, so that’s what it’s like over there,” Roy said before the series began, commenting on something as insignificant as simply seeing street signs in French. “It’s exciting to go back to Montreal, and it’s going to be a fun time for sure.”

And despite serving a depth role, Roy was one of Vegas’ best players on the ice on Sunday night. He led all Golden Knights in Corsi percentage at 65.38. In other words, in Roy’s 14:37 of even-strength ice time, Vegas had 17 shot attempts to Montreal’s nine. That’s an impressive percentage, and it’s even better considering that the Canadiens outshot the Golden Knights 28-21 overall.

Roy led Vegas in nearly every on-ice analytic, according to Natural Stat Trick, from shot share (71.43 percent) to expected goal share (73.36 percent), where he was more than 10 percent better than any teammate.

And in overtime, he managed to do something that’s been incredibly difficult for the Golden Knights in this series – win position in front of Montreal’s net and jump on a rebound opportunity.

“It’s hard to get to the blue paint, but we have to do the best job we can to get there and have poise,” Vegas forward Max Pacioretty said. “An example of that is (Brayden) McNabb’s goal, and also the overtime goal where Roy stuck with it and battled it out there in the blue paint.” 1216289 Vegas Golden Knights you might have hours or even minutes to make up your mind, and it would be easy to panic and make a mistake. It might be tempting for a GM to just forget about even trying anything more complicated than moving up or down a few picks. Down Goes Brown: Three lessons to learn (and one to avoid) from each of the final four teams The Islanders didn’t see it that way in 2015, and their reward was the best player on a Cup contending team. If they win it all, there’s no excuse for NHL GMs not to work the phones with the clock ticking on the draft floor. By Sean McIndoe Jun 21, 2021 Fun lesson 3: It pays to be aggressive in who you hire.

This one’s a bit dicey since nobody likes to root for anyone to get fired. With the postseason winding down and most of the league on the But changes, both behind the bench and in the front office, are a part of sidelines watching the remaining teams, it’s the time of year when fans life that no NHL team can avoid. So when that moment comes, who do start to wonder what lessons we can learn from the final four contenders. you hire? After all, we’re always told that it’s a copycat league, and we know that You could go the safe route, promoting from within. You could find a GMs around the NHL love to pivot their game plan to whatever the candidate who isn’t well-known but deserves a shot. Often, those are the eventual champion just did. Once a team wins the Cup, everyone best options. But for pure entertainment value, there’s nothing quite like immediately starts picking them apart. Were they big? Small? Skilled or finding out that your team just hired a big name. And that’s what the fast or neither? Did they build through the draft? Did they fire their Islanders did in 2018, hiring Lamoriello as team president. Lamoriello coach? Did they play a certain style? Cool, a bunch of teams inevitably quickly fired Garth Snow and Doug Weight, named himself GM, and say, then we need to do that too, starting right now. hired Cup-winning coach Barry Trotz. Three years later, Trotz has a Jack This year, there seems to be a certain amount of dread among NHL fans Adams, Lamoriello was last season’s GM of the year, and the Islanders about how this is going to go. Two of the remaining four teams have have been contenders ever since they went big on hiring the best. been winning with a commitment to defense, or at least that’s been the And one lesson to avoid: Defense wins championships. narrative. What if one of them wins — or worse, they both meet in the final — and every other GM decides to double down on dull, defensive OK, let’s get this out of the way because it’s the big one when it comes to hockey? the Islanders. We’re all terrified that they’re going to win the Cup, followed by every GM trying to implement a boring, grind it out, put I’ve got some thoughts on that we’ll get to in a bit. But for now, let’s think everyone to sleep and win 2-1 type of style. Bring back the dead puck a little bigger. And for once, we’ll even look on the bright side. For each era, because it’s the 1995 Devils all over again. of the remaining teams, let’s focus on the lessons that other GMs could learn that would be, from a fan’s perspective, good news for the league. But while there’s some truth to that reputation — the Islanders really can The NHL is an entertainment product, after all, and there’s nothing wrong shut down just about anyone when they’re on their game — it’s gotten with hoping that any shifts in thinking point toward more fun, not less. out of hand. If you listened to some fans (and media), you’d think the And with this year’s final four, there are a few ways that could happen. Islanders are playing a passive trap and trying to clutch and grab their way to wins. That’s not what they do, as Justin Bourne broke down here. Let’s find a few of those, by picking three lessons we hope other teams take away from each of the final four, both in terms of how they play and So instead of beating the boring Islanders narrative even further into the also how they were built. And then, to keep it from getting too positive, ground, let’s twist it into a bonus lesson for NHL GMs: Defense doesn’t we’ll also pick one lesson per team that we really hope the GMs ignore. have to be dull. You can win 2-1 by forechecking relentlessly, playing a very physical style (but still staying out of penalty trouble), and having the New York Islanders threat of a deadly fast transition game looming over everything. You can Fun lesson 1: The trade deadline isn’t dead. also win 5-1 that way, which is the sort of game the Islanders have played a few times this postseason. We’ve been hearing it for years — maybe we need to rethink the deadline because only one team can win in any given season, and Is it still boring? Sometimes, sure, welcome to hockey in the modern era. surrendering prime assets for short-term rentals usually backfires. Then But the point is that “defense” doesn’t have to mean “slow, methodical, came teams like the 2018 Capitals and 2019 Blues that had relatively low-event slogs.” Don’t hire a coach who tells you that. But do hire Barry quiet deadlines and still won it all, and you started to wonder if teams Trotz if you get the chance. should just be sitting out the market altogether. Tampa Bay Lightning That was bad news for fans because deadline day is one of the highlights Fun lesson 1: The best way to win in this league is still to have better of our season. So it’s nice to see a team like the Islanders, with a crusty players than everyone else. old-school GM in Lou Lamoriello, find success with an old-school deadline. They gave up a first-round pick to get Kyle Palmieri and Travis I know, it sounds obvious. And it is. There’s no real insight here. But Zajac from New Jersey, and they’ve been rewarded with seven goals every year, right around this time, we all start twisting ourselves into from Palmieri, including an overtime winner. Mix in continued strong play knots to come up with explanations for why some teams win and others from Jean-Gabriel Pageau, a 2020 deadline pickup who also cost a first, don’t. They really came together as a group. They didn’t want it bad and the Islanders are showing that giving up high picks for playoff enough. They had to lose to learn how to win. Their compete level wasn’t reinforcements can pay off. If other GMs decide to play copycat, future gritty enough to pay the price with their hearts. Some fans love it, some deadlines could be a lot more fun. of us think it eventually starts to get ridiculous.

Fun lesson 2: Getting aggressive on the draft floor can pay off. Wouldn’t it be great if the Lightning won again, and the lesson NHL teams took away from it was “We should all go out there and get as Let’s stick with the trading theme. The Islanders’ win over Boston gave many great players as we can”? Then we could have a leaguewide us another chance to relitigate the Mathew Barzal draft, which saw the bidding war for Jack Eichel and Dougie Hamilton and Seth Jones and Bruins pass on Barzal with three straight picks before the Islanders took whoever else, instead of 25 teams immediately convincing themselves him. But while that’s an important part of the story, let’s not forget how that they should stay the course with what they have. the Islanders got that pick in the first place: By making a draft floor deal with the Oilers, sending Griffin Reinhart to Edmonton for that pick and You’re right, it would never work. Forget I mentioned it. another. The deal was officially done with the Oilers on the clock and just minutes to spare. It’s fair to say it worked out. Fun lesson 2: You have to draft and develop, but it’s not always about those top picks. Draft floor deals are great fun for fans, who love it when Gary Bettman shows up at the podium to tell us he has a trade to announce. But pulling The NHL is a draft and develop league. It’s what we’re always told, and them off is tricky, especially when they involve players and not just picks. it’s true, especially in the cap era. But a lot of the league’s elite players GMs love to tell us how much time they need to put even straightforward are picked near the very top of the draft, including the three finalists for deals together; how often do you hear that a team “just ran out of time” this year’s Hart (all No. 1 picks). That can be demoralizing for fans, who on a midseason trade that’s been rumored for months? On the draft floor, assume their team has to finish last or fluke out a lottery win to have a This is a bit of a weird one, but stay with me, because it’s for certain fans. shot at the elite talent you need to have a chance to win. For years, it’s been conventional wisdom in the NHL that you need that stud center to contend. Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar, The Lightning remind us that it doesn’t always have to work that way. that sort of guy. That’s great for the teams that have them, but what if Sure, they have Steven Stamkos (first in 2008) and Victor Hedman yours doesn’t? If you can’t win without a Hall of Fame candidate (second in 2009). But they also have Nikita Kucherov, who was a centering your top line, how do you get one? Those guys are almost second-round pick, and Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, both thirds. always top picks, they’re almost never traded, and they basically never Andrei Vasilevskiy was picked in the back half of the first. Yanni Gourde test free agency. Maybe you can luck into a Brayden Point or Patrice and Tyler Johnson weren’t drafted at all. Bergeron after the first round, but that’s rare. So if you root for one of the You can find talent anywhere. It’s not that we didn’t know that, but seeing many teams that doesn’t really have a guy like that on the roster or a star-studded team like the Lightning win back-to-back Cups while coming up through the system, are you just screwed? proving it might be a nice lift for fans of teams who aren’t already in Apparently not, as the Golden Knights are proving in a year where lottery land. Chandler Stephenson is probably their top guy. Depending on which Fun lesson 3: Deadline deals don’t have to be rentals. team you follow, that might be a real relief.

We covered the deadline already in the Islanders section, and this lesson (Just, uh, enjoy it now, before Vegas loses to Montreal and follows should have already been learned last year, so we’ll keep it brief. But the lesson 1 by going all-in on Jack Eichel this summer.) Lightning’s 2020 shopping spree that saw them land Barclay Goodrow Fun lesson 3: You don’t need a five-year plan. and Blake Coleman is still paying off, with both guys still under contract because they weren’t one-shot rentals. If you want to pump some new Another one for the fans. Look, sometimes teams need to hit reset and energy into the deadline, remind GMs that they’re allowed to trade for start over. We all get it. Rebuilds are part of sports. But they’re also kind guys who won’t be UFAs in a few weeks. of a downer for fans, especially when your GM starts talking about years and years of finishing last before you’re allowed to have any expectations (And once we’ve done that, maybe we can even get a few of these guys at all. It makes sense as a strategy, but is that really the only way to win? to make an actual hockey trade.) We just have to sit back and watch terrible hockey for five years and And one lesson to avoid: Use the LTIR to go over the cap. hope for the best on the other side?

Look, you were thinking it, so let’s talk about it. For a while in the NHL, it became accepted wisdom that this was the only way to go in a cap world. The Pittsburgh model, a wise man once called The Lightning playoff roster is making a bit of a mockery of the salary it. And sure, it worked for the Penguins, Blackhawks, Capitals cap, thanks to the return of Kucherov after a season spent on LTIR and (eventually) and a few others. But the Knights are a reminder that it’s not other shenanigans. We all know it. Their opponents know it. Their fans the only way. And that means that when your terrible team’s GM starts know it. mumbling about patience after yet another embarrassing season, you’re not necessarily obligated to play along. Should other teams learn from it? No, because there’s nothing new here. With Kucherov, the Lightning exploited the same loophole that the Hawks And one lesson to avoid: The Knights only won because the league used with Patrick Kane in 2015, by stashing a legitimately hurt star on rigged the expansion draft for them. LTIR until the playoffs started. Everyone complained about Kane back then, including NHL GMs. Six years and one newly negotiated CBA later, No. Stop it. We’re not doing this again. the loophole remains wide open. That means that the Lightning didn’t Was the 2017 expansion draft more charitable to the newcomers than break any rules. If you want to be mad, be mad at the league, not the previous versions a generation ago? Sure, $500 million will buy you that. team that just did what we all knew they were allowed to do. But it wasn’t rigged or unfair or even especially generous. The Knights All that said, it would be pretty funny if every second-rate GM in the were still picking each team’s 12th best guy (or worse, given all the league tried to copy the Lightning by putting their best forward on LTIR ineligibles). And when the draft was over, we all thought their roster for the entire season, then missed the playoffs by one point because of it. stunk. They were dead last in the league in preseason Cup odds. Actually, scrap all of that, this is definitely a lesson the copycat league Nobody expected them to be any good, and anyone who tells you needs to take to heart. differently is playing a revisionist history game.

Vegas Golden Knights How’d they buck those odds? We’re still not completely sure — seriously, look at the list of names they drafted and tell me who the superstars are Fun lesson 1: Contending team should always be in on the big names. — but it was mostly the old-fashioned way: By making smart trades, getting the most out of the talent they had, getting strong goaltending, After their miracle run to the final as a first-year expansion franchise in being smart about their cap space, and improving whenever the 2017-18, the Golden Knights could have absolutely rested on their opportunity presented itself. laurels, played it safe, and said “we like our group.” You know, the default setting for virtually every team in the league that has any success at all. If you’re still whining about the expansion draft and how it guaranteed the Golden Knights would be good, please stop it. It might make you feel They didn’t. When Max Pacioretty was the biggest name on the trade better about how quickly they passed your favorite team in the standings, market late in the 2018 offseason, the Knights swooped in and made the but it’s not reality. deal. When Mark Stone was the big prize at the 2019 deadline, the Golden Knights were there. When Alex Pietrangelo became the best Montreal Canadiens defenseman to hit the UFA market last year, Vegas didn’t let a little thing like “having absolutely no cap space” get in the way. Fun lesson 1: Goaltending wins championships, so go out and get some goaltending. Put simply, when big players are available, the Knights are in. They don’t always get them, but they’re always lurking, because their management If the Habs pull this off and go all the way, it’s going to be tempting to group seem to grasp the concept that the idea is to get better, and chalk it all up to Carey Price. Oh look, some of us will say, yet another sometimes that means taking risks. More than a few times this mediocre NHL team has their goalie got on a heater in the playoffs, and postseason, it’s paid off. suddenly they’re playing for the Cup. Just like always. Why even bother to build the rest of a team, when whoever gets hot at one position I’ve beaten the topic into the ground over the years, but most NHL GMs inevitably wins? are timid and risk-averse and prefer to talk themselves out of big moves before they even pick up a phone. If the Golden Knights win it all, that’s And … OK, there’s more than a little truth to that. But if the NHL is going going to be a really tough sell for those GMs, to fans, media and to be a league where goaltending decides who wins, wouldn’t you rather ownership. Every hockey fan has wondered what the NHL would be like see it happen to a team like Montreal that’s actually built around that if teams were as aggressive about big moves as their NBA counterparts possibility? This is a team that went and spent a top-five pick on a goalie, always seem to be. Man would it be fun to find out. slowly developed him into one of the league’s best, saw him win a Hart and a Vezina, and then gave him a massive contract to stick around. Fun lesson 2: You can win without a stud center. Then they went out and traded for one of the most expensive backups in the league. No team in the NHL is spending more on the cap hit of their The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 two goalies.

Compare that to what feels like the more common version of the story, where some no-name journeyman or C-grade prospect shows up out of nowhere, stands on his head for a few weeks, drags his team the final, then goes back to being ordinary for the rest of their (often short) career. If you win with a guy you didn’t even think was good enough to be your starter a few months ago, that feels like a fluke.

Montreal? They built this team around Price playing like the best goalie in the world. If they win with him doing exactly that, it’s not a fluke. It’s a plan paying off.

Fun lesson 2: Free agency isn’t dead.

Some people have argued that NHL GMs should just turn off their phone on the first day of free agency, stay away from all the inevitable mistakes that get made, and then grudgingly shop for bargains once the biggest names have been overpaid. OK, fine, those people are me. I’ve said that. And I’m usually right.

But nobody listens to me, and from a pure entertainment standpoint, that’s good. Free agency is fun. It’s one of the best parts of the offseason.

So wouldn’t it be nice to see a team win a Cup based largely on a big UFA signing? Tyler Toffoli has been a huge addition and has already delivered some key playoff production. Granted, last year was a weird market, and the Habs didn’t exactly pay through the nose to get him. But he signed for more total money than any other forward, and it’s more than paid off for the team that gave it to him. If you want to see the UFA market get a boost, that’s a good lesson to lean into.

Fun lesson 3: It’s OK to play the kids.

Give a typical NHL team a choice between playing an exciting but occasionally error-prone kid or a boring veteran, and they’ll almost always take the vet. It’s the modern hockey mindsight. Everyone has to stick to the game plan, and making a mistake — even in the service of trying something creative — is unacceptable. So too often, the kids sit and watch while the journeymen play it safe.

The Habs were no different early on, scratching Cole Caufield and Jesperi Kotkaniemi against the Leafs. But both guys are in the lineup now, and along with Nick Suzuki, they’re providing a lot of Montreal’s offense. And not just early; they’re coming through in key moments, including combining for six points on overtime winners.

Huh, you’re allowed to play the kids, and maybe even live with the occasional mistake or two along the way. What a concept.

And one lesson to avoid: Anyone can win and the regular season doesn’t matter.

We’ll end on a lesson that I really hope doesn’t catch on, because man, it’s a bummer.

As we all know by now, Montreal had the 18th best record in the regular season. They almost coughed up a playoff spot in what was widely considered the weakest of the four divisions. They lost eight more games than they won. And this all came one year after they finished just a few percentage points ahead of the freaking Sabres.

Are they bad? The numbers say they’re bad. This year’s playoffs say they’re not. Or maybe, this year’s playoffs say it doesn’t matter.

To some extent, that’s great. Upsets are fun. Underdogs are fun. We all have our own thoughts on how much uncertainty is the ideal amount, but the NHL sure seems to think the answer is “a whole lot.” Many of you agree, and that’s cool. A Canadiens win would certainly put an exclamation point on the “anything can happen in the modern NHL” mantra.

If so, let’s just hope that’s the lesson we take away — you’re never out of it, keep fighting hard, even if your team is underperforming there might still be a champion lurking right under the surface. That’s cool, but it’s not that far from a bleaker view — that the regular season is only there to tell us which 16 teams make the playoffs, and once they get there it’s just four rounds of flipping coins and none of the rest of it matters much.

Is that true? It might be, but it’s not fun to think about. So let’s not. Stick to the fun lessons, and whichever team wins, we can spin it into a positive. 1216290 Vegas Golden Knights “Obviously it’s great that we tied the series (in Game Four),” said Marchessault. “But at some point, the big guys have to come out and step up here including myself. It’s not good enough for the forward group that we have to have only three goals in four games. We’re facing an Lehner’s Motivation, Roy’s Winner Thrills Family, Stephenson’s Return? unbelievable goalie but that’s no excuse. We gotta find a way… we need (a) solution ASAP and help our team win some games here.”

What is truly remarkable is how the team has managed to keep on Published 9 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Tom Callahan winning games and advancing even without much production from its top point producer and goal scorer from the regular season in Mark Stone and Max Pacioretty. With the Vegas Golden Knights and Montreal Canadiens tied at 2-2 and heading back to T-Mobile Arena for Game Five Tuesday night, today was Missing Chandler Stephenson, But For How Much Longer? an off day for both teams. After a big overtime win in Game Four the It hasn’t been made easier by the fact that center Chandler Stephenson Golden Knights have regained home ice advantage in the series. Here’s has not played since Game One, out with an upper-body injury that has a look at a crazy last 36 hours in the series. only been described as day-to-day. Without the usual pivot in between Lehner Motivated by Media Shit-Talking Him Stone and Pacioretty, Golden Knights head coach Pete DeBoer has tried a handful of players in that spot including Keegan Kolesar, Alex Tuch and Before the Vegas Golden Knights won Game Four in overtime, the most Tomas Nosek. talked-about move of the series so far saw Robin Lehner tabbed as the starting goaltender over Marc-Andre Fleury. Lehner played extremely “We’ve played basically this series without our number one center so far,” well, making 27 saves for the win. Vegas won 2-1 and tied the series at said DeBoer. “I want to get him back in there and I think that’s on the two games apiece. horizon. I give credit to the guys who have been in there. It hasn’t maybe looked as pretty as everyone would like but we’ve found a way.” After the game, Lehner even created some buzz by calling out the media for “talking shit” about him on Twitter, and how it motivates him to play None of the players to audition for the role have clearly stuck out, better. although Nosek seems to have found some favor in that spot. Given DeBoer’s comments on getting Stephenson back into the lineup being “Not many people know that I come to the game four hours early. I get “on the horizon” I would not be surprised if he only misses one more my own bus to come four hours early,’ Lehner began. “I sat for two hours game or even returns on Tuesday night. Remember that when Pacioretty and watched you guys talk shit on Twitter about me, to get me was able to come back, that’s when DeBoer tipped his hand by even motivated.” mentioning Max skating on his own. He was back immediately after. Perhaps the same will occur with Stephenson. In fact, most of the post-game stories and questions were about Lehner’s performance and his subsequent comments. Make no mistake, Vegas Nicolas Roy Scores OT Winner In Front of Family won that game because of goaltending. It’s goaltending that has gotten them this far and will continue to do so as they scrape and gouge goals Hailing from a tiny little town on the Harricana River in Northwestern from nothingness. It’s been just enough to get them into a tied series on Quebec called Amos (population 12,823), Nicolas Roy is only the second the doorstep of the Stanley Cup Final. NHL player ever from there to play in the NHL. Sunday night, he scored the biggest goal of his career in front of his family who had made their Is This Vegas Golden Knights Team Special? way to the Bell Centre to watch the game. TV showed them celebrating the goal decked out in Vegas Golden Knights jerseys. I know you’re tired of hearing it. I’m tired of writing it. The players are tired of defending or admitting it. But it doesn’t change the fact that right “That was unbelievable,” Roy said after the game. “I’ve got my family now the biggest players on the Vegas Golden Knights are the biggest here and they were really happy.” question marks. Yet once again Vegas failed to get a goal from any of its top-six forwards, relying on the third line and defense for putting the puck Roy said that both of his parents, his sister, his mother and father-in-law in the net. and brother-in-law were in attedance.

How has Vegas survived this far into the playoffs with a malady that “You’re just so excited for him,” said DeBoer. “You couldn’t have a better would kill ordinary teams? Is it because there’s something special ending in a better place and a better guy for it to happen to. It’s a dream brewing? come true for a young guy. It gives you goose bumps.”

“I think we’re a resilient team,” said Jonathan Marchessault ahead of Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.22.2021 Tuesday’s Game Five in Vegas. “We don’t quit, we don’t… accept defeat. We just keep going. We just keep battling. We never know what can happen in a playoff game and you gotta give yourself a chance.”

The Montreal Canadiens could easily make the same argument, and perhaps more convincingly. They were about to tee it up, down 3-1 to the Toronto Maple Leafs when they suddenly caught fire. The Habs won the next three games to advance and then promptly swept the Winnipeg Jets after the Canadian media largely said they were cannon fodder. They’ve done it with stellar goaltending and balanced team scoring. Sound familiar?

Alex Pietrangelo has been a huge piece of the puzzle these playoffs for Vegas. He’s not only been great in his own end but seriously active up ice as well. His 11 points are second on the team in the post-season to William Karlsson, and Pietrangelo has three goals in the Montreal series. He’s taking a bigger-picture approach to offense for the Golden Knights and their ability to stick around and win some tough games.

“I think (battling back) gives you confidence in our game that whether we’re up or down we’ve got a chance to win,” said Pietrangelo. “I think the way we (the defense) activate is important. Some games, some series you’re going to score more than others. Right now as a group… we’re finding the back of the net and I think that’s important. There’s a lot of talk about the forwards… not scoring but they’re creating opportunities, creating those plays that are allowing us to score goals.”

Still, the big guns know they have to make a difference in this series. 1216291 Vegas Golden Knights

Lehner Motivated by Twitter Hate & Fans: ‘Watch You Guys Talk Shit’

Published 20 hours ago on June 21, 2021By Dan Kingerski

Robin Lehner has been through enough in his career that little irritations are inconsequential. Injuries and a concussion this season predominantly handed the net to Marc-Andre Fleury by default and the Vegas flower bloomed. But after a Game 3 gaffe, head coach Pete DeBoer turned to Lehner, his other No. 1 goalie who was brilliant in the Vegas Golden Knights 2-1 OT win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 4 on Sunday night at the Bell Centre.

Fleury is perennially a fan favorite, wherever he plays. Lehner is an intense person, to the point of surly in a hockey sweater.

Lehner took special motivation from the Twitter firestorm on Sunday afternoon as media and his home fans put down the decision and Lehner, too.

“Not many people know that I come to the game four hours early. I get my own bus to come four hours early,’ Lehner began. “I sat for two hours and watched you guys talk shit on Twitter about me, to get me motivated.”

Lehner had a simple message to conclude his media availability after a heart-stopping win which evened the NHL Semifinal series, 2-2.

His message was in line with the surly goaltender who is the yin to Fleury’s yang. While the pair support each other, and the team supports both, fans like to choose a side. And the other guys is terrible.

“(Twitter hate) was great, just to see all you guys had to say. And, you know, I don’t care what people think,” Lehner declared. “It has been a weird kind of a weird season with a concussion in my surgery and stuff like that…since I got out of rehab and even before that in Buffalo, I’ve been putting up some pretty good numbers. And people act like what they did. I’m not very good, especially in our hometown.”

Vegas Golden Knights fans, ouch. Lehner saw it.

“But, you know, I had the love from the team, my teammates and my coaches,” he said. “And me and Flower got to really close this year supporting each other. And we don’t care about the noise.”

Game set and match.

Lehner has posted pretty good numbers over the last few seasons, since the formerly heralded goalie turned his life around from the NHL substance abuse program. He’s made no secret of his battle with alcohol or depression.

And Sunday night, he reminded everyone that he is the other starting goalie on the Vegas Golden Knights roster.

“He was excellent. I knew he’d be good,” DeBoer said. “There were a lot of things that went into (the decision to start Lehner). It was our 17th game in 33 or 34 nights. We wouldn’t be here without Flower and how he’s played for us, but that’s a lot of hockey. Two emotional series that were both really hard-fought…”

The fresh Lehner was big, literally and figuratively on Sunday. He stopped a few Montreal breakaway chances, including rookie hotshot Cole Caufield. The Vegas goalie stopped 27 of 28 shots and held his team in the game until Quebec native Nicolas Roy scored the game- winner.

He also offered a mock thank you to journalists and fans. Apparently, if you’d like to help the Golden Knights for Game 5 on Tuesday, hammer away on Lehner.

“So it’s just great. Motivation for me was very enjoyable on Twitter today. And thank you guys very much for giving me that motivation,” he said.

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216292 Washington Capitals

When does the clock hit 00:00 on the Caps' championship window?

20H AGO

BY J.J. REGAN & ANDREW GILLIS

With a flat salary cap, some expiring contracts and the Seattle expansion draft, this is going to be a busy offseason for the Capitals. To get you ready, Capitals writers Andrew Gillis and JJ Regan are breaking down the biggest offseason questions with their thoughts.*

Today's question: When does the clock hit 00:00 on the championship window?

Andrew: There’s not a set date for when this happens, but it will happen the second Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and John Carlson begin to regress.

You can’t win a Stanley Cup in the NHL without your superstars playing like superstars, as the Capitals just saw against the Bruins. Heck, they didn’t get most of their top six to play at their level of play for the latter half of that series. And while they’ve still got a good roster, it is undeniably aging and there’s not a clear-cut next generation of players coming to take the place of Ovechkin and Backstrom.

Unless Ilya Samsonov turns into Andrei Vasilevskiy and carries the team to a Cup, you need top-end talent to advance in the playoffs. You can survive (as evidenced by these particular playoffs) without a top-flight player like Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews but you need to have top players that can contribute at a level on-par with your opponents.

If the Capitals don’t have their best (and most expensive) players playing like it, the run is likely over. As for when, that’s up to them.

JJ: This is the most important offseason question because the answer determines everything Brian MacLellan will do. What worries many Caps fans is the thought that the window may have already closed. What's clear, however, is that MacLellan does not believe that to be the case and he said as much after the season ended.

But they are living on borrowed time.

Andrew is right, when the stars begin to decline, it's over. Connor McMichael, Ilya Samsonov and Martin Fehervary are not enough to bridge the gap from this generation to the next without a major drop-off. The team's best players are all on the wrong side of 30 as Nicklas Backstrom is 33, John Carlson is 31, Lars Eller is 31, T.J. Oshie is 34 and Alex Ovechkin will turn 36 in September.

But, if you are MacLellan, you can't tear it down after a season in which Ovechkin scored 24 goals in 45 games, Backstrom scored 53 points, Oshie had 43 points and Carlson finished tied for fifth among all defensemen in points.

You can't start a rebuild in anticipation of your best players declining, but you also have to make a serious overhaul because the team has been ousted in the first round for three straight seasons. Making any major moves will be difficult considering how tight the Caps are against the cap, but that may be a blessing in disguise as it will not allow MacLellan to just make minor changes around the edges and otherwise keep the team much the same. Any major move the team makes is going to have to include shedding salary and thus shaking up the roster.

You have to give Peter Laviolette a (relatively) normal offseason with a full training camp and preseason to work with and you have to give your veteran leaders another year because they are still playing like top players. But if you are going to go for it, you also have to make significant changes as well. Otherwise, you are just delaying the inevitable with a roster that has shown it is not good enough to make a deep run as it is currently constructed.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216293 Vancouver Canucks “When I was younger, I wondered what it would take to stick,” Kurvers said after being acquired here from the Leafs. “But I never have had any doubts.”

Canucks: Former defenceman Tom Kurvers loses long battle with lung Kurvers also served as assistant general manager of the Minnesota Wild cancer and the Tampa Bay Lightning, and as the director of player personnel for the Phoenix Coyotes.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 06.22.2021 Ben Kuzma

Publishing date:Jun 21, 2021 • 6 hours ago

'Tom was really a gentleman. He would always stop to talk to people and he always remembered their names. Just very personable and a good honest guy.' — Cliff Ronning on the death of former Canucks teammate Tom Kurvers, here with the Montreal Canadiens.

Tom Kurvers had his moments.

The former Vancouver Canucks’ defenceman, who died Monday at age 58 after a 2-1/2 year battle with inoperable lung cancer, helped throw a scare into the vaunted Los Angeles Kings during a memorable 1991 first- round Stanley Cup playoff mismatch.

The Kings amassed 37 more regular-season points than the Canucks and were expected to make short work of their Smythe Division rivals.

However, Kurvers struck for his second series goal in Game 6 — a sizzling shot past the glove of — to draw the Canucks even at 1-1 before the high-octane Kings responded with a trio of third-period goals in a 4-1 triumph and a 4-2 series victory.

“I remember him as a highly skilled, puck moving defenceman that was extremely dangerous on the power play,” Hrudey recalled Monday of the well-travelled Minneapolis, Minn., native, who would play for seven NHL clubs and just one partial season for Vancouver.

The Canucks went 28-43-9 that season and also went through a significant roster remake during the crazy campaign, especially with their own version of March Madness.

Vancouver Canucks Tom Kurvers stick makes sure Ray Ferraro of the New York Islanders goes nowhere during a 4-4 tie on March 16, 1991.

After Kurvers arrived in a Jan. 13 swap with the Toronto Maple Leafs for forward Brian Bradley, the Canucks landed Cliff Ronning, Geoff Courtnall, Sergio Momesso, Robert Dirk and a fifth-round pick from the St. Louis Blues for Garth Butcher and Dan Quinn.

And while Ronning would play just 11 regular-season games with Kurvers, and six more in the post-season, his lasting memory is just as much about the man as the player.

“Tom was really a gentleman,” Ronning said Monday. “He would always stop to talk to people and he always remembered their names. Just very personable and a good honest guy. He was very businesslike in his approach to the game and he definitely took it seriously. That’s just the way he was and why he was successful.

“He had a great shot from the point and was just a very smart and heads- up, all around defenceman who lived a very clean life. He was a guy who would always hit the net, and with a lot of defencemen, that was 50-50. But for him it was always on the net and guys would go there because of that.

“It’s sad that he’s gone because he was young.”

Kurvers was very fit and didn’t smoke. He was in an oral chemotherapy treatment for his lung cancer that was showing signs of success until a year ago. He’s survived by his wife, Heather, and four children.

Kurvers had won acclaim for being a three-sport high school star in Minnesota and was awarded the 1984 Hobey Baker Award with the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs as the top NCAA Div. 1 player.

His 421 NHL points (93-328), including 27 points with the Canucks (4-23) in 32 games, were often overshadowed by his challenges to defend and he would play out his option with the Canucks. However, there was no doubting the ability of a 1981 seventh-round draft choice by Montreal, who put up 30 points (7-23) in 62 games as the Canadiens won the Cup in 1986, who would carve out a career on-and-off the ice. 1216294 Vancouver Canucks minutes that I tracked in addition to directly setting up just two rush chances for linemates. Through it all, he wasn’t involved in a single odd- man rush. It wasn’t just the chances either. Miller had nine controlled entries into the offensive zone per 60 minutes at centre in the games I Should the Canucks consider J.T. Miller as their next full-time, third-line tracked versus 14.9 controlled entries at wing in Sznajder’s 2019-20 centre? tracking sample.

Miller’s transition offence has simply evaporated since the shift to centre, at least in the pre-outbreak games I analyzed. By Harman Dayal Jun 21, 2021 I was curious about this topic so I dug deeper — how much of Miller’s

individual goal scoring typically relies on transition offence? The answer Should J.T. Miller play third-line centre or wing next season? is quite a bit: 10 of his 18 five-on-five goals in 2019-20 came within six seconds of a controlled entry. It’s a question that fundamentally shapes the Canucks’ offseason needs. If you’re going to pencil Miller in as a centre, you need to acquire middle- This largely explains why Miller scored only three five-on-five goals six wingers. But if you prefer him at wing, then you need to acquire a during his 30 games at centre, only one of the three off the rush. third-line centre. What the Canucks need to do is figure out the why behind the apparent Why even consider the shift in the first place? decline in his rush offence at centre. How much of it simply boils down to playing away from Pettersson? Is there something related to the Well, the Canucks are cognizant that it’s typically easier to acquire top- positional switch that’s causing this? Is there a bad-luck element involved nine wingers than centres. If they believe Miller — who enjoys playing that’s making the effect appear exaggerated? centre because of the extra engagement involved with the position — can excel at 3C, then it’d kill two birds with one stone. Not only would the Johnny Gaudreau and J.T. Miller (Bob Frid / USA Today) Canucks fill a hole that doesn’t have a simple external solution, but Can Miller handle the extra defensive responsibilities? deploying one of their top forwards on a separate line would help spread their talent out and let them build the kind of credible third scoring line In the defensive zone, the centre is essentially a third defenceman down they haven’t had in years. low. His responsibilities include defending the puck carrier below the hash marks, winning and supporting puck battles, boxing out in the front Bumping Miller down to the third line is not mutually exclusive with a of the net, cutting off passes to the slot, recovering rebounds and more. notable reduction in ice time, either. He’d presumably continue to get his reps on the first unit power-play and could easily double shift from time to With so many responsibilities, being the forward down low requires time in the top six to get his minutes up. intelligent reads to take away the most dangerous threat, an active stick and physical strength to maintain tight gaps and win battles and strong All of this sounds great in theory, but its success is contingent on whether positioning to maintain the team’s structural defensive integrity. he’s actually most effective at centre. Would the 3C version of Miller be watered down? In the shifts I watched, Miller generally fared well during in-zone defensive sequences defending the cycle. For starters, he’s very This is a question we can dive into ourselves given that he spent the last intelligent at anticipating how the cycle is going to develop. Here’s one 30 games of the season down the middle after a season-ending injury to example in which he anticipates the pass down low and jumps the lane to Elias Pettersson on March 2. A lot of that sample is muddied because he intercept the pass and start a breakout the other way. contracted COVID-19 (which is known to hinder performance even after recovery), the excruciatingly dense schedule the Canucks were forced to The next clip is just defensive art: Miller reads and intercepts the net-front play after the virus outbreak and the fact that a significant chunk of those pass attempt to Josh Anderson, he checks Jonathan Drouin’s stick to games at the end were meaningless with the team eliminated from cleanly win the puck battle and bumps a short pass to the middle for a playoff contention. clean exit.

To counteract those effects, I went back and watched every shift from This one, in which he closes the gap on 6-foot-5 Pierre Engvall before Miller’s last 10 games at centre before the club’s COVID-19 outbreak and rubbing him out along the boards to win the puck back, is also manually tracking microstats for nine of them. I did not look at any of his impressive. stats at centre until I was done watching all the tape to make sure my eye test was done without any bias. I finally combined those film sessions Miller is smart, strong and assertive as an in-zone defender when he with public stats and what I privately tracked. applies himself. He’s far from perfect, but he honestly adjusted better than I anticipated in the film I saw. Here’s what I found. Unfortunately for the Canucks, the rest of his defensive game at centre The mystery of Miller’s disappearing rush offence at centre appears to be a significant work in progress. Specifically, it’s his transition defence when opposing teams try breaking out and creating off Miller’s counting stats at centre look pretty solid at a first glance as he the rush. notched eight points in the 10 pre-outbreak games I analyzed. When teams attack with speed through the neutral zone, Miller struggles That number is deceiving, though. Only two of those eight points came at to keep his head on a swivel and doesn’t consistently move his feet. five-on-five, the rest were on the power play or other game situations like Combine those two issues and he’s prone to completely missing three-on-three overtime, where he’s not actually playing centre in the assignments. traditional sense. Here’s a compilation of rush chances that opposing teams had where Points can fluctuate with bounces in small samples, though and the video Miller was passive in identifying offensive threats and lackadaisical with clearly showed that he was snakebitten. To analyze offence, I was much his skating. more interested in looking at the number of shots and chances Miller was generating. This still revealed a decline in five-on-five offensive output There was another play against Winnipeg where he made a bad neutral from the microstats that Corey Sznajder and I collected. zone read and allowed an odd-man rush that led to a glorious chance.

145.9 minutes tracked from 2021 centre sample, 390.4 minutes from High-risk, high-reward breakouts 2019-20 winger sample One of Miller’s best strengths as a player is his ability to lead controlled Miller’s setup ability remained relatively constant when comparing breakouts. He’s exceptional at doing so along the walls, thanks to his primary shot assists (a primary shot assist is when a player makes a poise and puck protection. pass that directly leads to a shot), but his individual shot rate took a pretty notable dip compared with 2019-20 at wing. Here’s an example where he cleanly picks the puck off the wall, protects it terrifically, absorbs the check, kicks the puck back onto his stick and The tape showed that while Miller was still driving a lot of offence from makes a pass into space on the weak side. the forecheck and cycle, his chances off the rush completely dried up. He recorded just one individual rush scoring chance over the 145 five-on-five This is an awesome example as well. Shifting Miller to centre takes the boards, which he’s so good at using to his advantage on breakouts, away from him.

The zone exit results I found in the small-sample tracking were fascinating.

J.T. Miller's 5v5 Zone Exit Microstats

Miller at centre (2021)

145.9 mins

60.87%

11.5

26.1%

Miller at wing (2019-20)

390.4 mins

52.4%

8.3

17.5%

Miller’s involvement in breakouts has increased (he’s creating possession exits at a higher rate) and he’s exiting the zone with control at a sky-high rate. The problem is that his failed exit rate ballooned all the way to 26.1 percent — his puck management has been an issue. Wingers have a much greater margin for error with their puck management, but at centre you simply can’t afford to turn the puck over because it’s typically going to be in a vulnerable position.

Take a look at some of these dangerous giveaways.

Conclusion

While I focused a lot of this article on some of the deficiencies I saw, there were still a lot of positives in Miller’s game. His forechecking created a ton of problems for other teams, he was still creating offence off the cycle and while zone exits were dicey, he managed the puck very well in the neutral zone and on offensive entries.

All of this is to say that Miller can competently play centre and would perform well as the 3C if the Canucks needed to slot him there.

But if the question turns to where Miller is best, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s significantly better on the wing in Vancouver’s top six. As a centre, Miller doesn’t keep his head on a swivel, doesn’t consistently move his feet and gets burned too often for it in the F3 role in transition defence. Rush offence has disappeared since the positional switch and he’s much better on the breakout along the walls than in the middle of the ice where puck management becomes a concern.

The X-factor I can’t determine — and that would change the equation — is whether some of the highlighted issues are easy for the coaches to solve or not. It’s possible some of the concerns could be ironed out over a summer and full training camp.

Some of Miller’s best attributes along the walls and as an F1 puck retriever simply make him better suited as a winger.

Heading into next season, however, the Canucks may not have that luxury. While shifting Miller to third-line centre might not maximize his individual value compared with playing first-line wing, he’d still be a good 3C if they wind up with no other external options. In other words, they should push hard to find somebody else to fill the 3C role, but if they can’t do it without paying an arm and a leg, Miller would be a serviceable stopgap for next season.

The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 1216295 Websites you might have hours or even minutes to make up your mind, and it would be easy to panic and make a mistake. It might be tempting for a GM to just forget about even trying anything more complicated than moving up or down a few picks. The Athletic / Down Goes Brown: Three lessons to learn (and one to avoid) from each of the final four teams The Islanders didn’t see it that way in 2015, and their reward was the best player on a Cup contending team. If they win it all, there’s no excuse for NHL GMs not to work the phones with the clock ticking on the draft floor. By Sean McIndoe Jun 21, 2021 Fun lesson 3: It pays to be aggressive in who you hire.

This one’s a bit dicey since nobody likes to root for anyone to get fired. With the postseason winding down and most of the league on the But changes, both behind the bench and in the front office, are a part of sidelines watching the remaining teams, it’s the time of year when fans life that no NHL team can avoid. So when that moment comes, who do start to wonder what lessons we can learn from the final four contenders. you hire? After all, we’re always told that it’s a copycat league, and we know that You could go the safe route, promoting from within. You could find a GMs around the NHL love to pivot their game plan to whatever the candidate who isn’t well-known but deserves a shot. Often, those are the eventual champion just did. Once a team wins the Cup, everyone best options. But for pure entertainment value, there’s nothing quite like immediately starts picking them apart. Were they big? Small? Skilled or finding out that your team just hired a big name. And that’s what the fast or neither? Did they build through the draft? Did they fire their Islanders did in 2018, hiring Lamoriello as team president. Lamoriello coach? Did they play a certain style? Cool, a bunch of teams inevitably quickly fired Garth Snow and Doug Weight, named himself GM, and say, then we need to do that too, starting right now. hired Cup-winning coach Barry Trotz. Three years later, Trotz has a Jack This year, there seems to be a certain amount of dread among NHL fans Adams, Lamoriello was last season’s GM of the year, and the Islanders about how this is going to go. Two of the remaining four teams have have been contenders ever since they went big on hiring the best. been winning with a commitment to defense, or at least that’s been the And one lesson to avoid: Defense wins championships. narrative. What if one of them wins — or worse, they both meet in the final — and every other GM decides to double down on dull, defensive OK, let’s get this out of the way because it’s the big one when it comes to hockey? the Islanders. We’re all terrified that they’re going to win the Cup, followed by every GM trying to implement a boring, grind it out, put I’ve got some thoughts on that we’ll get to in a bit. But for now, let’s think everyone to sleep and win 2-1 type of style. Bring back the dead puck a little bigger. And for once, we’ll even look on the bright side. For each era, because it’s the 1995 Devils all over again. of the remaining teams, let’s focus on the lessons that other GMs could learn that would be, from a fan’s perspective, good news for the league. But while there’s some truth to that reputation — the Islanders really can The NHL is an entertainment product, after all, and there’s nothing wrong shut down just about anyone when they’re on their game — it’s gotten with hoping that any shifts in thinking point toward more fun, not less. out of hand. If you listened to some fans (and media), you’d think the And with this year’s final four, there are a few ways that could happen. Islanders are playing a passive trap and trying to clutch and grab their way to wins. That’s not what they do, as Justin Bourne broke down here. Let’s find a few of those, by picking three lessons we hope other teams take away from each of the final four, both in terms of how they play and So instead of beating the boring Islanders narrative even further into the also how they were built. And then, to keep it from getting too positive, ground, let’s twist it into a bonus lesson for NHL GMs: Defense doesn’t we’ll also pick one lesson per team that we really hope the GMs ignore. have to be dull. You can win 2-1 by forechecking relentlessly, playing a very physical style (but still staying out of penalty trouble), and having the New York Islanders threat of a deadly fast transition game looming over everything. You can Fun lesson 1: The trade deadline isn’t dead. also win 5-1 that way, which is the sort of game the Islanders have played a few times this postseason. We’ve been hearing it for years — maybe we need to rethink the deadline because only one team can win in any given season, and Is it still boring? Sometimes, sure, welcome to hockey in the modern era. surrendering prime assets for short-term rentals usually backfires. Then But the point is that “defense” doesn’t have to mean “slow, methodical, came teams like the 2018 Capitals and 2019 Blues that had relatively low-event slogs.” Don’t hire a coach who tells you that. But do hire Barry quiet deadlines and still won it all, and you started to wonder if teams Trotz if you get the chance. should just be sitting out the market altogether. Tampa Bay Lightning That was bad news for fans because deadline day is one of the highlights Fun lesson 1: The best way to win in this league is still to have better of our season. So it’s nice to see a team like the Islanders, with a crusty players than everyone else. old-school GM in Lou Lamoriello, find success with an old-school deadline. They gave up a first-round pick to get Kyle Palmieri and Travis I know, it sounds obvious. And it is. There’s no real insight here. But Zajac from New Jersey, and they’ve been rewarded with seven goals every year, right around this time, we all start twisting ourselves into from Palmieri, including an overtime winner. Mix in continued strong play knots to come up with explanations for why some teams win and others from Jean-Gabriel Pageau, a 2020 deadline pickup who also cost a first, don’t. They really came together as a group. They didn’t want it bad and the Islanders are showing that giving up high picks for playoff enough. They had to lose to learn how to win. Their compete level wasn’t reinforcements can pay off. If other GMs decide to play copycat, future gritty enough to pay the price with their hearts. Some fans love it, some deadlines could be a lot more fun. of us think it eventually starts to get ridiculous.

Fun lesson 2: Getting aggressive on the draft floor can pay off. Wouldn’t it be great if the Lightning won again, and the lesson NHL teams took away from it was “We should all go out there and get as Let’s stick with the trading theme. The Islanders’ win over Boston gave many great players as we can”? Then we could have a leaguewide us another chance to relitigate the Mathew Barzal draft, which saw the bidding war for Jack Eichel and Dougie Hamilton and Seth Jones and Bruins pass on Barzal with three straight picks before the Islanders took whoever else, instead of 25 teams immediately convincing themselves him. But while that’s an important part of the story, let’s not forget how that they should stay the course with what they have. the Islanders got that pick in the first place: By making a draft floor deal with the Oilers, sending Griffin Reinhart to Edmonton for that pick and You’re right, it would never work. Forget I mentioned it. another. The deal was officially done with the Oilers on the clock and just minutes to spare. It’s fair to say it worked out. Fun lesson 2: You have to draft and develop, but it’s not always about those top picks. Draft floor deals are great fun for fans, who love it when Gary Bettman shows up at the podium to tell us he has a trade to announce. But pulling The NHL is a draft and develop league. It’s what we’re always told, and them off is tricky, especially when they involve players and not just picks. it’s true, especially in the cap era. But a lot of the league’s elite players GMs love to tell us how much time they need to put even straightforward are picked near the very top of the draft, including the three finalists for deals together; how often do you hear that a team “just ran out of time” this year’s Hart (all No. 1 picks). That can be demoralizing for fans, who on a midseason trade that’s been rumored for months? On the draft floor, assume their team has to finish last or fluke out a lottery win to have a This is a bit of a weird one, but stay with me, because it’s for certain fans. shot at the elite talent you need to have a chance to win. For years, it’s been conventional wisdom in the NHL that you need that stud center to contend. Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar, The Lightning remind us that it doesn’t always have to work that way. that sort of guy. That’s great for the teams that have them, but what if Sure, they have Steven Stamkos (first in 2008) and Victor Hedman yours doesn’t? If you can’t win without a Hall of Fame candidate (second in 2009). But they also have Nikita Kucherov, who was a centering your top line, how do you get one? Those guys are almost second-round pick, and Brayden Point and Anthony Cirelli, both thirds. always top picks, they’re almost never traded, and they basically never Andrei Vasilevskiy was picked in the back half of the first. Yanni Gourde test free agency. Maybe you can luck into a Brayden Point or Patrice and Tyler Johnson weren’t drafted at all. Bergeron after the first round, but that’s rare. So if you root for one of the You can find talent anywhere. It’s not that we didn’t know that, but seeing many teams that doesn’t really have a guy like that on the roster or a star-studded team like the Lightning win back-to-back Cups while coming up through the system, are you just screwed? proving it might be a nice lift for fans of teams who aren’t already in Apparently not, as the Golden Knights are proving in a year where lottery land. Chandler Stephenson is probably their top guy. Depending on which Fun lesson 3: Deadline deals don’t have to be rentals. team you follow, that might be a real relief.

We covered the deadline already in the Islanders section, and this lesson (Just, uh, enjoy it now, before Vegas loses to Montreal and follows should have already been learned last year, so we’ll keep it brief. But the lesson 1 by going all-in on Jack Eichel this summer.) Lightning’s 2020 shopping spree that saw them land Barclay Goodrow Fun lesson 3: You don’t need a five-year plan. and Blake Coleman is still paying off, with both guys still under contract because they weren’t one-shot rentals. If you want to pump some new Another one for the fans. Look, sometimes teams need to hit reset and energy into the deadline, remind GMs that they’re allowed to trade for start over. We all get it. Rebuilds are part of sports. But they’re also kind guys who won’t be UFAs in a few weeks. of a downer for fans, especially when your GM starts talking about years and years of finishing last before you’re allowed to have any expectations (And once we’ve done that, maybe we can even get a few of these guys at all. It makes sense as a strategy, but is that really the only way to win? to make an actual hockey trade.) We just have to sit back and watch terrible hockey for five years and And one lesson to avoid: Use the LTIR to go over the cap. hope for the best on the other side?

Look, you were thinking it, so let’s talk about it. For a while in the NHL, it became accepted wisdom that this was the only way to go in a cap world. The Pittsburgh model, a wise man once called The Lightning playoff roster is making a bit of a mockery of the salary it. And sure, it worked for the Penguins, Blackhawks, Capitals cap, thanks to the return of Kucherov after a season spent on LTIR and (eventually) and a few others. But the Knights are a reminder that it’s not other shenanigans. We all know it. Their opponents know it. Their fans the only way. And that means that when your terrible team’s GM starts know it. mumbling about patience after yet another embarrassing season, you’re not necessarily obligated to play along. Should other teams learn from it? No, because there’s nothing new here. With Kucherov, the Lightning exploited the same loophole that the Hawks And one lesson to avoid: The Knights only won because the league used with Patrick Kane in 2015, by stashing a legitimately hurt star on rigged the expansion draft for them. LTIR until the playoffs started. Everyone complained about Kane back then, including NHL GMs. Six years and one newly negotiated CBA later, No. Stop it. We’re not doing this again. the loophole remains wide open. That means that the Lightning didn’t Was the 2017 expansion draft more charitable to the newcomers than break any rules. If you want to be mad, be mad at the league, not the previous versions a generation ago? Sure, $500 million will buy you that. team that just did what we all knew they were allowed to do. But it wasn’t rigged or unfair or even especially generous. The Knights All that said, it would be pretty funny if every second-rate GM in the were still picking each team’s 12th best guy (or worse, given all the league tried to copy the Lightning by putting their best forward on LTIR ineligibles). And when the draft was over, we all thought their roster for the entire season, then missed the playoffs by one point because of it. stunk. They were dead last in the league in preseason Cup odds. Actually, scrap all of that, this is definitely a lesson the copycat league Nobody expected them to be any good, and anyone who tells you needs to take to heart. differently is playing a revisionist history game.

Vegas Golden Knights How’d they buck those odds? We’re still not completely sure — seriously, look at the list of names they drafted and tell me who the superstars are Fun lesson 1: Contending team should always be in on the big names. — but it was mostly the old-fashioned way: By making smart trades, getting the most out of the talent they had, getting strong goaltending, After their miracle run to the final as a first-year expansion franchise in being smart about their cap space, and improving whenever the 2017-18, the Golden Knights could have absolutely rested on their opportunity presented itself. laurels, played it safe, and said “we like our group.” You know, the default setting for virtually every team in the league that has any success at all. If you’re still whining about the expansion draft and how it guaranteed the Golden Knights would be good, please stop it. It might make you feel They didn’t. When Max Pacioretty was the biggest name on the trade better about how quickly they passed your favorite team in the standings, market late in the 2018 offseason, the Knights swooped in and made the but it’s not reality. deal. When Mark Stone was the big prize at the 2019 deadline, the Golden Knights were there. When Alex Pietrangelo became the best Montreal Canadiens defenseman to hit the UFA market last year, Vegas didn’t let a little thing like “having absolutely no cap space” get in the way. Fun lesson 1: Goaltending wins championships, so go out and get some goaltending. Put simply, when big players are available, the Knights are in. They don’t always get them, but they’re always lurking, because their management If the Habs pull this off and go all the way, it’s going to be tempting to group seem to grasp the concept that the idea is to get better, and chalk it all up to Carey Price. Oh look, some of us will say, yet another sometimes that means taking risks. More than a few times this mediocre NHL team has their goalie got on a heater in the playoffs, and postseason, it’s paid off. suddenly they’re playing for the Cup. Just like always. Why even bother to build the rest of a team, when whoever gets hot at one position I’ve beaten the topic into the ground over the years, but most NHL GMs inevitably wins? are timid and risk-averse and prefer to talk themselves out of big moves before they even pick up a phone. If the Golden Knights win it all, that’s And … OK, there’s more than a little truth to that. But if the NHL is going going to be a really tough sell for those GMs, to fans, media and to be a league where goaltending decides who wins, wouldn’t you rather ownership. Every hockey fan has wondered what the NHL would be like see it happen to a team like Montreal that’s actually built around that if teams were as aggressive about big moves as their NBA counterparts possibility? This is a team that went and spent a top-five pick on a goalie, always seem to be. Man would it be fun to find out. slowly developed him into one of the league’s best, saw him win a Hart and a Vezina, and then gave him a massive contract to stick around. Fun lesson 2: You can win without a stud center. Then they went out and traded for one of the most expensive backups in the league. No team in the NHL is spending more on the cap hit of their The Athletic LOADED: 06.22.2021 two goalies.

Compare that to what feels like the more common version of the story, where some no-name journeyman or C-grade prospect shows up out of nowhere, stands on his head for a few weeks, drags his team the final, then goes back to being ordinary for the rest of their (often short) career. If you win with a guy you didn’t even think was good enough to be your starter a few months ago, that feels like a fluke.

Montreal? They built this team around Price playing like the best goalie in the world. If they win with him doing exactly that, it’s not a fluke. It’s a plan paying off.

Fun lesson 2: Free agency isn’t dead.

Some people have argued that NHL GMs should just turn off their phone on the first day of free agency, stay away from all the inevitable mistakes that get made, and then grudgingly shop for bargains once the biggest names have been overpaid. OK, fine, those people are me. I’ve said that. And I’m usually right.

But nobody listens to me, and from a pure entertainment standpoint, that’s good. Free agency is fun. It’s one of the best parts of the offseason.

So wouldn’t it be nice to see a team win a Cup based largely on a big UFA signing? Tyler Toffoli has been a huge addition and has already delivered some key playoff production. Granted, last year was a weird market, and the Habs didn’t exactly pay through the nose to get him. But he signed for more total money than any other forward, and it’s more than paid off for the team that gave it to him. If you want to see the UFA market get a boost, that’s a good lesson to lean into.

Fun lesson 3: It’s OK to play the kids.

Give a typical NHL team a choice between playing an exciting but occasionally error-prone kid or a boring veteran, and they’ll almost always take the vet. It’s the modern hockey mindsight. Everyone has to stick to the game plan, and making a mistake — even in the service of trying something creative — is unacceptable. So too often, the kids sit and watch while the journeymen play it safe.

The Habs were no different early on, scratching Cole Caufield and Jesperi Kotkaniemi against the Leafs. But both guys are in the lineup now, and along with Nick Suzuki, they’re providing a lot of Montreal’s offense. And not just early; they’re coming through in key moments, including combining for six points on overtime winners.

Huh, you’re allowed to play the kids, and maybe even live with the occasional mistake or two along the way. What a concept.

And one lesson to avoid: Anyone can win and the regular season doesn’t matter.

We’ll end on a lesson that I really hope doesn’t catch on, because man, it’s a bummer.

As we all know by now, Montreal had the 18th best record in the regular season. They almost coughed up a playoff spot in what was widely considered the weakest of the four divisions. They lost eight more games than they won. And this all came one year after they finished just a few percentage points ahead of the freaking Sabres.

Are they bad? The numbers say they’re bad. This year’s playoffs say they’re not. Or maybe, this year’s playoffs say it doesn’t matter.

To some extent, that’s great. Upsets are fun. Underdogs are fun. We all have our own thoughts on how much uncertainty is the ideal amount, but the NHL sure seems to think the answer is “a whole lot.” Many of you agree, and that’s cool. A Canadiens win would certainly put an exclamation point on the “anything can happen in the modern NHL” mantra.

If so, let’s just hope that’s the lesson we take away — you’re never out of it, keep fighting hard, even if your team is underperforming there might still be a champion lurking right under the surface. That’s cool, but it’s not that far from a bleaker view — that the regular season is only there to tell us which 16 teams make the playoffs, and once they get there it’s just four rounds of flipping coins and none of the rest of it matters much.

Is that true? It might be, but it’s not fun to think about. So let’s not. Stick to the fun lessons, and whichever team wins, we can spin it into a positive. 1216296 Websites where the Lightning poured everything they could toward the Islanders net and got some good breaks.

“We earned everything we got today because we played the right way,” Sportsnet.ca / Stamkos puts to rest questions about his play as Lightning said Stamkos. seize series lead They will need to do it again to book a second straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. There’s no way this proud Islanders team will go away quietly, not Wednesday at Nassau Coliseum and not if they manage to stretch Chris Johnston June 22, 2021, 1:56 AM this series to a Game 7.

But what Monday’s performance did for the Lightning was ensure a little more calm for the next 48 hours. Kucherov leads all playoff scorers with You can triangulate the exact moment a star player will begin getting 27 points, Point owns the second-longest goal streak in playoff history at asked about a production shortfall during the Stanley Cup Playoffs using eight games and Stamkos is clicking along at better than a point per a highly technical formula: It arrives when his personal multi-game game. drought overlaps with his team’s position getting less certain in a series and he’s made available to speak with reporters. “Stammer’s played well,” said Cooper. “There’s the blanket (thought) ‘Hey, if Stamkos is not scoring then he’s not contributing’ and it’s just not It matters not if he’s played well and hit six posts, or been completely the case. It’s a hard league to score in, especially against that team. … nullified by the opposing team’s checkers, or if he’s skating on one good leg. “It’s hard to score in this league and he’s done it better than almost anybody in his generation.” What the narrative demands under those circumstances is someone to embody the fickle nature of playoff existence, which explains in large part Questions asked and answered. why Steven Stamkos found himself getting asked about the zeroes being produced by his line with Alex Killorn and Anthony Cirelli on Monday It’s the Lightning Way. morning and how limited he might potentially be by a late-season injury. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.22.2021 “Ummm, (I’m) good enough to play, so …,” Stamkos responded.

It was his head coach, Jon Cooper, who sagely suggested that it would only be a matter of time before the points started to fall for his second line. This was roughly 10 hours before Stamkos converted a member’s bounce on his first shift as part of a three-point night during Tampa’s unexpected 8-0 win over the New York Islanders in Game 5 of their Stanley Cup semifinal series.

“Tonight was time. You’re not going to hold those guys down forever,” said Cooper. “For them to score in their first shift and just build off that, we knew it was coming. It was great to see and they were pretty fired up.”

Stamkos had been held without an even-strength point in the series through four games and hadn’t scored a goal in his last five. He was not the reason things were dead even with the Islanders entering a crucial night at Amalie Arena, and it would be foolish to confuse him with the guy who carried major offensive expectations for the Lightning for a decade.

That’s not a knock on Stamkos, who remains a serious one-time threat on a power play that’s mowing down opponents and has 17 points to show for his 16 games this post-season. It’s merely a recognition of how his role has evolved through time and injuries to the stage where Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point are now the primary offensive drivers on the team.

Father Time has not yet robbed the 31-year-old of his special game- breaking ability even if he’s limited by it. We saw that in the Edmonton bubble when Stamkos scored a goal in last year’s Stanley Cup Final against the Dallas Stars during one of the five shifts he was able to grit through because of an abdominal core muscle injury that later required surgery.

On Monday it appeared again — first with the converted bounce at 45 seconds and later with the vintage power-play blast from the left circle that made it 4-0 and basically erased any distant hope of an Islanders comeback.

“He puts pucks into mail slots sometimes,” said Point.

No wonder this Lightning team has made such a habit of delivering while winning their last six playoff series.

They’ve got almost an embarrassment of riches with arguably the best goaltender in the league (Andrei Vasilveskiy), arguably the best defenceman in the league (Victor Hedman) and an attack that includes Kucherov, Point, Stamkos, Killorn and Ondrej Palat.

They’ve now followed their last 11 playoff losses with a victory, which Stamkos chalked up to a mindset established primarily by Vasilevskiy in goal.

Backed into a corner you can always count on this group responding with urgency and purpose. Even though the flood of goals in Game 5 will almost certainly be an outlier, it was the product of a ferocious start 1216297 Websites on Brock Nelson that drew only a minor penalty, it seems unlikely that Barzal will be suspended for Game 6.

Still, he has put the NHL in a position where it could make a ruling Sportsnet.ca / Islanders unrecognizable as they beat themselves in against him and his team. biggest game of season “I’m just disappointed because, you know, it wasn’t going well and you just sort of dug it a little deeper for the guys,” Trotz said of Barzal lumbering Rutta as the middle period ended. “I am disappointed in his Iain MacIntyre June 22, 2021, 1:24 AM decision there.”

IS RUTTA REALLY HURT?

Their starting goalie was gone before the game was 16 minutes old, their With the score 6-0, and knowing that the Department of Player Safety penalty killing was as bad as their discipline, their best forward got uses injury among its suspension criteria, the Lightning kept Rutta out of himself thrown out for a cross-checking major and the team was shut out the third period. No one will know his status until Tampa names its lineup 8-0. for Wednesday, but it was pretty easy for coach Jon Cooper to keep his sixth defenceman in the dressing room for the third period of a blowout In more positive news for the New York Islanders, Mathew Barzal may win. Rutta’s absence – necessary or contrived – made Barzal’s cross- not be suspended for his cross-check to the jaw of Jan Rutta and check look worse. remains a possibility for Game 6 on Wednesday when his team tries to extend its National Hockey League season against the Stanley Cup LUCK SUCKS champion Tampa Bay Lightning. It’s not always true that teams make their own luck, but since New York’s The Islanders were utterly and fully putrid in the biggest game of their atrocious array of bounces in the game’s first 25 minutes were season, losing by eight goals Monday in Tampa, providing about as accompanied by some awful puck management, the Islanders could much resistance as the humidity in Florida. scarcely blame the hockey gods for what was an unsurvivable early deficit. The shortest night of the year was the longest night of the season for the Islanders. Steven Stamkos opened scoring just 45 seconds in when Alex Killorn’s shot bounced straight to him off Islanders defenceman Adam Pelech Their performance was so bad as to be unrecognizable for a group that after Palmieri turned over the puck up ice. rarely beats themselves, but blew up against a Lightning team with so much offensive dynamite it usually wins even when the opposition isn’t Yanni Gourde was trying to pass on a 2-on-1 when the puck caromed 90 smoking in the explosives room. degrees off defenceman Andy Greene and through Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov to make it 2-0 at 11:04. After Islander Jean-Gabriel Will Barzal face supplemental discipline for crosscheck on Rutta? Pageau tried to toe-drag the puck through traffic inside his blue line while With 47 playoff games in three seasons and in their second-straight teammate Scott Mayfield was changing. Stanley Cup semifinal against the Lightning, the Islanders have been at *I understand that I may withdraw my consent at any time. this stage before. But they never got there with a game like this. Killorn’s butt made it 3-0 at 15:27 – and chased Varlamov – when David “It was one of those nights where we couldn’t do anything right,” Savard’s shot drilled the Tampa forward’s backside and the puck Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. “It didn’t go our way, it was a tough ricocheted several times. After New York defenceman Ryan Pulock, the one. We’ll just have to park it. At the end of the day, we’re going back hero of Game 4 on Saturday, turned over the puck in the neutral zone, home, it’s 3-2, and we’ve just got to focus on earning the right to keep then blindy cleared it a few seconds later straight to Savard. playing. “We weren’t managing the puck very well,” Greene said. “Whether it was “We can fix a lot of the things that we put ourselves in today. We’re going our blue line or through the neutral zone or their blue line, we turned a lot to have to have our best game. We’re going to have to have our best pucks over and, obviously, they’re a great transition team and you start effort from every player on our team and if we do that, we’ll be back here giving them chances like that, they’re going to make you pay.” for Game 7.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.22.2021 The Islanders had allowed only nine goals in the series’ first four games, but trailed 3-0 Monday after 15½ minutes and 6-0 after two periods. The eight-goal loss was the largest in playoff history for an organization that won four straight Cups at the start of the 1980s.

“A loss is a loss this time of year,” winger Kyle Palmieri said. “Whether it was in double overtime or the way it went tonight, we’ll wake up tomorrow down 3-2, headed home. We have a chance to win a game at home. That’s all we’re focused on now.”

If the Islanders don’t win Wednesday, it will be their final game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, the franchise’s home on Long Island since it entered the NHL in 1972.

“I just think the game, this result, how we played, if that doesn’t motivate us, then I’m not too sure what will,” Trotz said. “There’s nothing I can say that will motivate them. We’ve just got to man up, understand all the things that we need to do — and this group does — and we have to leave our best game out there now. Obviously, tonight wasn’t our best game and we put ourselves in a real tough bind.

“I’ve been with this group a long time. And I know the character of this group, and we’ll be ready.”

MAT ATTACK

The loss could still get worse for the Islanders, who will await Tuesday a decision from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety about whether Barzal’s major penalty deserves more than five minutes and a game misconduct.

Given the NHL’s playoff culture and disciplinary history, as well as a dangerous cross-check Monday by Tampa defenceman Ryan McDonagh 1216298 Websites When the best referees in the league perform like they have this spring, there is a problem.

When Connor McDavid can play eight playoff games over two seasons, Sportsnet.ca / NHL officials losing the plot as missed penalties pile up yet not draw a single penalty — despite ranking sixth in the regular season over that span in penalties drawn — there is a problem.

When only three of the Top 25 salaried players in the league are still Mark Spector June 21, 2021, 2:28 PM playing in the semifinals — and two of those are goalies — we have a problem.

We asked players on Monday what they thought about the standard, and Referee Chris Lee is perfectly positioned, watching the play unfold as always, they didn’t want to say much. Some fear reprisal by the officials, Nick Suzuki rises from the ice next to the Vegas goal. Brayden McNabb some just don’t like the look of focusing on things that are out of their is standing there, waiting to mete out some punishment for no reason control. other than he feels free to do whatever he wants to the smaller Habs player. “It’s different from regular season to playoffs. The refs are letting a little bit more stuff go,” offered Vegas’ Jonathan Marchessault. “I thought that McNabb hits Suzuki with a half-hearted cross-check, as Lee circles into Will Carrier got crushed in the first period in the corner, and he’s not a the frame. The 20-year NHL ref is talking directly to the players, likely little guy.” informing that the puck is long gone. Reminding them not to escalate. But he quickly reverts to hockey’s clichés. The kind of “fight through it” Suzuki pushes back on the bigger Vegas defenceman, showing he’s not mindset that has taken the playoff game away from the most skilled afraid. It’s just a push — no penalty here. players, and handed to the six-foot-four defencemen who wield sticks like Lee is now five feet away, standing still with his gaze fixed. Nothing police batons at a riot. impedes his vision of the exchange. “It’s adversity that teams need to face in the playoffs. Good teams will Then, McNabb escalates. He punches Suzuki in the face with a gloved find a way to go through it,” Marchessault said of the officiating, when it hand. Lee has the perfect angle and 10 seconds of history on the play. goes bad. “Just have to battle through it. Find a way.”

Folks, this is a penalty for the entirety of my 30-plus years covering the Remaining Time -1:06 National Hockey League. Marchessault on officiating: 'Both sides will be disappointed with calls' Remaining Time -1:32 National Hockey League referees aren’t corrupt. They’re not biased No call after McNabb lands punch on Suzuki against your team.

We’re not talking about the missed high-stick on Corey Perry, an Are they having some awful moments this spring? Yes, they are, but we egregious missed call but one that happens in an instant. A play where would go much further than that. perhaps a referee had his vision impaired at the last second, or he What I can not square is how a play that has been a penalty for my 30- thought the puck did the damage. plus years covering this league is no longer a penalty. How we can figure This is a conscious decision on a play that unfolds as slowly as any out that it’s a batter game when slashes to the hands are called, but hits hockey play could possibly unfold. A scenario that is cemented in an from behind and punches to the head go from regular season illegal to official’s head: I’ve warned the players (we assume), they’ve traded legal playoff legal? shots, and one guy takes it too far. “What’s the standard? I’ve got no idea,” said Kevin Bieksa, on Sunday’s In a referee’s mind it is textbook: “I warned you not to escalate, you did it Sportsnet broadcast. anyhow, and you’ve left me no choice but to call a roughing minor.” On the other network, Pierre McGuire was saying ostensibly the exact Nobody in hockey blames a referee for making that call. We all blame same thing. McNabb for lacking discipline. I’ve covered the league since the mid-80s. But today, in the NHL’s semifinal series, Lee does not make that call. Don’t ask me what a penalty is anymore. Nor do he or fellow zebra Dan O’Rourke call a penalty on a Joel Like Chris Lee and Dan O’Rourke, I do not have a clue. Edmundson cross check that drives William Carrier’s face into the end boards in the first period. That borders on a major penalty all year long, Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 06.22.2021 but in the most important games of the year, either the referee OK’s the play, or he chokes on the call.

Then Tomas Nosek flagrantly hits Shea Weber from behind a period later. Two feet from the boards, a dangerous outcome, potentially injurious. Lee is perfectly positioned, standing right there, declaring it legal.

It is absolutely the definition of hitting from behind and has been since the play was deemed worthy of a major penalty back in 1991. Thirty years ago.

There isn’t a millimetre of wiggle room here, but because Lee freezes on the Nosek hit, he could not possibly call one of the vicious crosschecks Weber plants into Nosek’s back as they head up ice. Or the punch in the back of Nosek’s head.

Remaining Time -1:48

Weber & Nosek get rough with each other after hit against boards

In the end Lee calls coincidental minors. He has successfully called penalties without affecting the game in any way, perhaps his goal all along, though he has in no way maintained a standard or protected the next player from another hit from behind.

Folks, we have lost the plot on National Hockey League refereeing. 1216299 Websites excellent job shutting down Vegas' top line, including Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone.

The Knights have only gotten three goals from their forwards in the series TSN.CA / Habs ‘comfortable’ in long series; ‘pressure falls on’ Vegas (two from Nicolas Roy and one via Mattias Janmark) and none from the top-six group.

"It's great we tied the series yesterday, but at some point the big guys are By Mark Masters going to have to step up here, including myself," acknowledged Marchessault, who has just five shots in the series. "It's not good enough

with the forward group we have to have only three goals in four games. TSN Hockey Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Stanley Cup playoffs. Obviously, we're facing an unbelievable goalie, but that's no excuse ... The Canadiens and Golden Knights held media availabilities before flying We got to find a way. We don't have any excuses. We need a solution to Las Vegas on Monday for Game 5 of their semifinal series Tuesday ASAP." night. Chandler Stephenson has missed the last three games with an upper- When the Montreal Canadiens faced elimination for the first time this body injury, which has slowed the Knights attack and led to a revolving season, way back on May 27 against the Maple Leafs in Toronto, door down the middle of the ice. something clicked. "We've played, basically, this series without our No. 1 centre so far," said "Since that Game 5 against Toronto, we've just been kind of playing that coach Peter DeBoer. "Obviously, want to get him back in the lineup and I same way, nothing to lose, leave it all on the line," said winger Brendan think that's on the horizon ... You take somebody like that out of Gallagher, "and game after game come with the same effort and energy." anybody's lineup and it effects your team ... That changes the way your team plays. It changes the structure of your team and your depth and, to Just like the Maple Leafs were, the Golden Knights are favoured to beat our guys' credit, we've found a way. It hasn't maybe looked as pretty as the Habs. Vegas finished second overall in the league standings and just everyone would like it to look, but we found a way." knocked out the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche. The defence has certainly picked up the pace. Five Knights defencemen "There's certain expectations on their side and the longer this series have a goal in the series with Brayden McNabb joining the party with a goes, the more the pressure falls on them," Gallagher noted. "As the crucial tying tally on Sunday. series goes on, we get more and more comfortable in these situations and we're looking forward to it. We've shortened it to a best of three." "There's lots of talk about forwards not scoring, but they're creating opportunities, creating those plays and allowing us to score those goals," The Knights, though, have regained home-ice advantage with Game 5 said Alex Pietrangelo, who has three goals in the series. and Game 7, if necessary, set to take place inside a sold out T-Mobile Arena where Vegas has won five of the last six games. Habs/Knights Ice Chips: Snakebitten stars 'need a solution ASAP'

"We can't wait to see Tuesday at 'The Fortress' and how it's going to be With the series tied through four games, the biggest questions and feel the energy of the crowd and go from there," said Knights winger surrounding Vegas and Montreal is the lack of scoring from the star Jonathan Marchessault. forwards. Brendan Gallagher and Phillip Danault are still without a point in the series, while the Golden Knights' top two lines have yet to find the The Canadiens came out strong in Game 1, but then struggled to regain back of the net. Mark Masters has more. momentum after the Knights opened the scoring and fired up their 'Medieval Maniacs.' The strong relationship between Marc-Andre Fleury and Lehner made Sunday's goalie switch an easy transition for the Knights. "We know what it's going to be like," Gallagher said. "An electric atmosphere and they definitely feed off their fans, but we've experienced "There's difficult decisions being made, but to see the camaraderie it. We're going to be more and more comfortable and, obviously, this between these two guys, the way they help each other throughout Game 5 is as important as a game gets." games, in between games, it's pretty impressive," observed Pietrangelo. "When you have two guys who have played as No. 1 guys it's about Montreal is 6-2 on the road in the playoffs and stole Game 2 in Las finding that balance and they have. That relationship is just as good on Vegas. the ice as it is off the ice."

"I've always been told, since you're a young kid, good teams win at DeBoer made the switch, because he says he sensed the 36-year-old home, great teams find a way to win on the road in tough environments," Fleury was getting a bit fatigued. He stressed it's important to maximize Gallagher said. "It's not always easy, but that's where a character of a the team's depth. team is able to show and, for us, we just kind of enjoy the challenge. We're able to kind of settle into our game and we seem to understand the "It's been the story of our season and the story of our playoffs," DeBoer style of hockey you need to play." said. "If you look at the number of guys we've used both up front and on defence and now in net, and the number of contributions from those guys What change, if any, should the Habs make for Game 5? either on the scoresheet or in other ways, it's the reason we’re standing here. It's the reason we got through the deepest team in the league in The Canadiens were an overtime goal away from taking a 3-1 series lead Colorado. So, you know, that's what we're about." over the Golden Knights, but instead they head back to Vegas with things all tied up. What change, if any, should the Habs make for Game 5? Who Vegas' confidence growing following 'most important win' in Game 4 should Vegas start in goal? The TSN Hockey panel discusses this and more. After getting a split in Montreal, the Golden Knights feel that Game 4 was their most important victory of the playoffs so far, and have a growing Gallagher is still looking for his first point of the series, but he did fire five confidence in their ability to come back in games when down. shots on net on Sunday, which was his highest total in this year's playoffs. The Golden Knights have been on the power play 11 times in the series while the Canadiens have been on the man advantage just six times. "Brendan had one of his best games yet," said assistant coach Luke Gallagher was asked if he's confused by the standard of officiating in the Richardson, who is running Montreal's bench with interim head coach playoffs. Dominique Ducharme isolating following a positive COVID test. "He had some good chances. He's always going to be around that crease so a "You're asking that question for a reason," he said. "Everyone's been matter of time before a puck or a rebound is loose there. [That line] watching the games. We talk so much about controlling the controllables created some speed through neutral zone much better last game and and, for us, all we can worry about is ourselves." had some chances off the rush. Robin Lehner, give him credit, there "You can sit here and complain on one play or another, but if the wasn't a lot of rebounds, especially in the second half of the game, that standard is the same on both sides then it's fair for both teams and that's spit out there so that's what we got to create." the way it was last night," Pietrangelo said. "It was like that in previous Richardson is quick to point out that the Gallagher line, which also games so as long as they're calling it the same way for both teams I think features centre Phillip Danault and Artturi Lehkonen, is doing an we understand what the standard is throughout the game." Players on both sides agree that the referees are letting more go in the playoffs. There was only one power play per team on Sunday.

"Both sides will be disappointed with some calls," said Marchessault. "Will Carrier got crushed in the first period there in the corner and he's not a little guy. There's stuff they're going to let go ... It's adversity teams need to face in the playoffs and good teams will find a way to go through it. I look at two years ago, San Jose won Game 3 against St. Louis with a hand pass in overtime. I thought that was an awful situation, but St. Louis faced adversity there and came back and won three straight."

The lack of calls adds even more importance to every power-play opportunity you do get. So far the Canadiens have the only power-play goal in the series.

"In the regular season you're getting maybe four or five so that first one, if it's a little sloppy, you know what to work on," said defenceman Jeff Petry. "It's on us to make sure on that first one we're sharp and we know what they're going to do and we're prepared and moving the puck crisp, because in playoff hockey you're not getting those chances to learn on the fly and get things going on a second or third opportunity."

Canadiens not letting officiating get into their heads

With calls and non-calls being focused on during the playoffs, the Canadiens say that everyone saw the games, and that they won't comment on the issues. Montreal also believes in focusing their energy into things that are in their control, including how to respond to adversity.

The Knights are scheduled to skate at City National Arena on Tuesday morning in Las Vegas. The Canadiens will be on the ice at T-Mobile Arena.

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USA TODAY / New York Islanders star Mathew Barzal ejected for cross- check in blowout loss to Tampa Bay Lightning

Mike Brehm

The New York Islanders had plenty go wrong for them during Monday's 8-0 blowout loss in Game 5 at the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Now, they're facing the possibility of disciplinary action against star forward Mathew Barzal after he was ejected for cross-checking Lightning defenseman Jan Rutta.

The defending champion Lightning were up 6-0 in the closing seconds of the second period when Rutta and Barzal exchanged words on the way to the bench.

Barzal hit him in the chest with his stick and then in the face, causing the defenseman to fall to the ice. The trainer came out to check on him and Rutta eventually skated off on his own, but did not come out for the third period. Lightning coach Jon Cooper had no update after the game.

"I was a little disappointed because it wasn’t going well and he dug it a little deeper for the guys," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said of Barzal's infraction.

On-ice officials called a major penalty and an ejection, and the call was upheld after a review.

It's possible that Barzal will only be fined $5,000 for his infraction, but if he has to sit out a game, it would be a big blow to an Islanders team trying to stay alive at home in Game 6 on Wednesday. After being shut out in the first eight playoff games, Barzal has six goals in the last nine games.

The game was uncharacteristic for the Islanders, who have played solid defense throughout the playoffs to reach the third round for the second year in a row.

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos scored 45 seconds in after the puck came to him on a fortuitous bounce for his first goal of the series.

“We were talking about our line internally that we wanted to be better and we certainly were tonight, so it was great to see," he said. "Anytime something that good happens early in a game, it’s always a great feeling as a player. But more important, it was a spark ... for our team."

Tampa Bay piled on, with goals by Yanni Gourde (on a puck that deflected off an Islanders defenseman) and Alex Killorn leading Trotz to pull goalie Semyon Varlamov.

Backup goalie Ilya Sorokin took a puck to the throat and stayed in the game, but the Lightning solved him, too, scoring three times in the second period. Stamkos and Killorn added their second goals of the game.

Brayden Point made it 7-0 in the third period on the Barzal major penalty to extend his goal-scoring streak to eight games. Defenseman Luke Schenn scored the final goal in his first game since June 3.

The eight goals were the most allowed by the Islanders since an 8-2 loss to the Lightning in Game 1 of the 2020 Eastern Conference final.

"No one expected an 8-0 game, let’s be honest there," Stamkos said. "But you earn everything you get. And now we’re going to get an extremely desperate team and they’re a proud group over there. We know their rink is going to be rocking."

Said Islanders forward Josh Bailey: "We know the way we need to play to have success, and this game, we’re going to put behind us."

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USA TODAY / Minnesota Wild assistant GM Tom Kurvers, former hockey great, dies of lung cancer at 58

Lorenzo Reyes

Minnesota Wild assistant general manager Tom Kurvers died Monday morning after a two and a half year battle with lung cancer, the franchise announced.

He was 58.

"The Minnesota Wild organization is heartbroken to announce that Tom Kurvers passed away this morning after a courageous battle with lung cancer," the Wild said in a statement. "We extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to Tom's family and loved ones, including his wife, Heather, daughters, Madison and Rose, and sons, Weston and Roman.

"From Minnesota high school standout to Hobey Baker Award winner and Stanley Cup champion, Tom's passion for and success in hockey could only be surpassed by the love and optimism he shared with his family and friends each and every day. Tom's kindness and enthusiasm will be greatly missed by the countless number of people on whom he had a positive influence throughout his life. We join the State of Hockey in mourning the loss of a great hockey player and an even better person. Rest in peace TK."

Kurvers played 11 seasons in the NHL after the Montreal Canadiens selected him with the No. 145 pick in the seventh round of the 1981 NHL draft. He scored 421 points (93 goals and 328 assists) in 659 career games for the Canadiens, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, New York Islanders, Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils and Buffalo Sabres.

When the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup in the 1985-86 season, Kurvers scored 30 points (seven goals, 23 assists) in 62 games that season.

Kurvers got his start in an NHL front office as a pro scout for the Phoenix Coyotes before he became their director of player personnel in 2005. He later went on to become the assistant general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2008-11, though he held the general manager role on an interim basis in the 2009-10 season.

The Wild hired Kurvers in July 2018.

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Kurvers was diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2019, despite not being a smoker, according to the Wild's official website. In 2019, he ran in the A Breath of Hope Lung Run/Walk Twin Cities 10K and also worked with the A Breath of Hope Lung Foundation to help spread awareness about the condition.

"There's a community of people who are in the same battle, and it's really tied together by the A Breath of Hope Foundation," Kurvers said in August 2020, according to the Wild's website. "They do as much as they can to help foster that community. It really is a tight-knit group of people doing extraordinary work and I'm proud to be connected to them and to help them, because they helped me.

"The fundraising efforts have a chance to save my life and so many others, so it's important to me and important to my family."

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